How and why street dogs choose a person to follow

Stray dogs in the street evoke different feelings in people hurrying past on their own business. Some feel compassion and try to feed the animal, while others are only annoyed and may stomp their foot or yell, wanting to scare away the “attached” dog.

“Is it worth going if no feeding is in sight?”

A piece of meat in a person’s bag can certainly get the attention of all the neighborhood dogs

Some citizens are just totally “lucky” to have dogs that are eager to walk with them. Others, on the other hand, are simply ignored by these animals, and they don’t want to follow them for anything. Why? For example, an elegant woman in a fur coat and heels, rushing somewhere, will not attract the attention of a stray dog, as well as a gentleman in a business suit, rushing to work. Although, if a man bought a piece of meat at the market and walks home with it, then the suit or his gait will not play a big role – hungry animals can accompany him in a pack.

That’s not the question. The question is when there is no hope to get food from this man but a dog is attracted to follow him no matter in what direction. And this applies not only to stray dogs but also to those that are free-range.

Who can be followed by a dog

…and whom he only looks at.

The most attractive such animals are funny, laughing people who are not in a hurry, so they stroll leisurely, and it is very convenient to follow them. Such citizens probably “share” their positivity with the dog to some extent, and the dog accompanies them, wanting to “recharge”. They are also interested in old men walking slowly, people with kind eyes, men in work uniforms, tourists-travelers, silent and sometimes even strange subjects, as well as homeless people.

But it also happens that a person doesn’t fit into any of these categories, and the dogs on the street “love him like family.” And this is because they have their own psychology. And it is enough that the person they have chosen as a companion was a fan of walking. Routes can be different, the gait is calm, and the travel time is about 1-2 hours.

Company is more important to the dog.

The dog chooses who he will follow, and in terms of his psychology

It’s more fun to wander for company, even if it’s a pack temporarily created with a biped. But, when the dog is all alone, it is not comfortable. In addition, it is possible to trespass on territory that belongs to other people’s dogs. After all, dog packs divide the city into sections and prevent strangers from entering their territory. And walking next to a confident person, the dog is like being under his cover, visiting the “forbidden zone”.

A dog senses subtly the state of a man, and if he is afraid of him, he will never go wandering with him. Excitement and anxiety are transmitted to the animal, and it is “uncomfortable” again. Dogs are comfortable with those who treat them positively. The smell is also important for them – strong aromas, including perfumes and cosmetics “hit” their sense of smell, so the dog will hardly want to accompany such a person.