Would you pet a dog without checking in with its owner first?

We all have different feelings about how we’d like to be treated, which is why the golden rule (treat someone how you’d like to be treated) doesn’t always totally work out in our favor. Sometimes people have different expectations about how things should go. This person, for example, didn’t want someone to pet their dog without asking first. Every dog owner has different views on this, and every dog is different. It seems to me, though, that communication is always key. It’s always better to ask before you do something. It’s never a great idea to invade anyone’s boundaries or personal space if you can help it. And you can help it. It’s pretty easy to ask permission, and it can have devastating consequences if you don’t. That’s what was happening here.