[Alpha One]

Doggie faux pas Number 1...direct eye contact will be percieved as a claim to dominance...some dogs will make you prove it.

I always make sure I speak reassuringly to the dog at the same time. It's always worked for me, and I've been able to approach dogs that most people would rather not be near.

[gundog]

Be a meaner dog than they are, works every freakin' time.

I'd rather avoid a hand to hand dogfight than "win" one.:)

[gundog]

The potential for danger with a dog usually lies with not knowing its' background. Those removed from their litters before 7 weeks miss out on all of the rough-and-tumble puppy play which teaches them the doggie equivalent of empathy at a time when their little brains are most able to absorb it. Those cute little 5 week old boxes o' Rottweillers you see outside the grocery store are potential nightmares in the hands of the wrong owner. At the least, they'll be snappy...one under stress can be a real handful...they just aren't wired right. Otherwise, dogs are fairly easy to predict.