The Bark’s advice columnist answers readers’ questions about canine behavior. Got a question? Email askbark@thebark.com
Dear Bark: I saw a video online recently that showed presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg greeting a dog by grabbing and "shaking" the dog's open mouth. I found it completely bizarre! But some people are saying greeting a dog by shaking the muzzle is a good, natural thing, while others are responding that shaking a dog's snout is awkward and very bad practice. Those in favor refer to “muzzle-grabbing” between dogs and mouthing as examples of how this interaction between a human and a dog is normal. What do you think of the way that Michael Bloomberg greeted a dog in Vermont by shaking its muzzle?
—Confused
via Whisker Therapy