Should you put your hand in front of a dog you don't know?
Dog behaviour
If you put your hand in front of a dog you don’t know and the dog is fearful, it may think that a hand coming towards him is a threat, especially if he has been roughed up before. Keep your hands to yourself. If a dog wants to “know” you, he will come up and sniff you first. Remember, not all dogs care to make friends. Once their curiosity is satisfied with a sniff that may be all they need to know. (FYI, a dog’s sense of smell is about 1,000 to 10,000,000 times more sensitive than a human’s, depending on the breed).
