What to Do if You Accidentally Step on Your Dog’s Foot or tail

Nearly every dog owner will experience this at one point. You walk around and suddenly hear a painful yelp as you accidentally step on your dog’s foot or tail. Here are some things you can do to assure your dog that it was a complete accident.

Not all dogs will react the same way. Some dogs may give a sharp yelp then give you the most loving licks in the world almost to say that it was their fault for getting in your way. Other dogs may give you the death share and make you feel like the most horrible person in the world. Whichever the case, it’s important to use your body language to show your dog that it wasn’t intentional.

According to one study, dogs are supposedly pretty good at recognizing the emotions of other dogs and humans. This is important as the immediate response you want to show your dog after a stepping accident is a response of compassion and care, not anger.

• Hug your dog
• Say sorry, good boy, or something similar in a calm, apologetic voice
• Gently pat your dog
• Give a little scratch behind the dog’s ear
• Quickly divert the dog’s attention with a toy or treat

These are just a few ways you can act if you accidentally step on your dog. Ultimately, every dog is different and you should use your best judgment to determine how you act. It’s also important to not make the accident a big deal. Just show your apology and move on as if nothing happened.

In the unfortunate event that your dog shows signs of limping, observe him carefully and if he doesn’t show any improvement overnight then you may want to take him to the vet as precaution.