Cole doesn't accept the offered paw because shaking hands is completely outside the social norms he's managed to pick up. And when he touches, he knows more and then people get upset.

He lets his hand be sniffed and licked and then rubs over the mabari's snout and up onto the broad head. "I know mabari. Templars like them. Orlesians don't." He keeps looking at Garahel. "He just wants to be friends with everyone. I don't mind that. I just don't know if he'll remember me."