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RACINE, WI (CBS 58) -- Stephanie Nespoli with the Wisconsin Humane Society joined us virtually to provide dog walking safety tips. 

Those tips are the following: 

It’s starting to get dark outside earlier, but our furry friends still want to take their evening walks. There are a few things you can do to stay safe out there:

If you’re like me, and you see someone walking their dog, the first thing you want to do is go pet it. But before you do that, keep these things in mind when meeting an animal for the first time.

First – ask the owner if it’s OK to pet their dog. Some animals need time to warm up before being approached. Others may simply prefer to not be petted by strangers at all.

If you get the OK, let the dog approach you. Crouch down, stay still, keep a quiet voice, and hold out a fist for the animal to sniff. Pet them under the chin instead of on top of their head.

Don’t force the dog to approach if they aren’t comfortable. Some signs the dog may be uncomfortable are stiffening, licking their lips, excessively yawning, or vocalizing. If you notice any of these behaviors, it’s best to let them be.

With any dog interaction, there is always the unfortunate possibility of a dog bite occurring. We also have some tips on that to help keep interactions safe.

For more information you can visit their website here.