Growling, teeth-baring dogs tend to scare most people and, as a result, a lot of dog owners want to understand more about canine aggression.

Let’s talk about introducing two adult dogs from different households to one another. First, understand most people today have had little experience with dogs exhibiting aggression and other behaviors that may surprise them. Hedge your bet and always introduce dogs to one another on neutral ground. Don’t do it on the property where one of the dogs resides. Territorial defense can get vicious quickly.

Also, use distance between each dog for the first introductions. As time and observed behavior allows, one can move the dogs closer together until eventually they are face to face.

When you do have dogs greet one another on neutral ground, make sure it is not the local dog park. There are too many distractions for one or both pooches at a dog park. This is especially true if neither dog has ever been to a dog park before.

Instead, take the pets out to some public property nearby. Unload them with collars or harnesses on and leashes attached and in hand. Do not simply fling open the vehicle doors and let the animals charge one another. With leashes firmly in hand, hold the dogs back to a slow approach, again using distance as necessary. Let each sort out the visual and olfactory clues coming from the other animal.

We all make fun of butt-sniffing behavior, but that is an essential part of dogs getting to know one another. They may circle a lot and your job is to keep a taut, untangled leash. You do not want one dog mugging the other, especially if there is a significant size difference. Just let them circle and set boundaries over the next few minutes.

It also pays to discuss all this advice with the other owner. Chances are that often they will not have any experience with this either.

Do not yank on the leash at the first sign of vocalization. That’s another part of getting to know each other. It may sound aggressive, but most times it isn’t, in dog speak. Vocalizations, dropping their hindquarters to the ground to break off a sniff session and even a mild snap at the other dog are all to be expected.

This might even progress to relatively mild “open-mouth fighting.” This behavior can really startle unknowing people. Instead of just keeping the leashes taut and untangled, yet still allowing the dogs to get within inches of each other, they tend to yank one or both pooches away.

Yanking startles the dogs and does not allow them to finish their introduction and the social stratification necessary for a nonthreatening relationship. Their first thought is that they did something wrong.

Let them work it out but keep a close watch in case one or the other makes a mistake and nips the other. Most of the time, all this noise and posturing is positive and necessary for dogs to become familiar with each other.

Powell retired as public information officer for Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Pullman. This column reflects his thoughts and no longer represents WSU. He may be contacted at charliepowell74@gmail.com.