The Classic He/She Dog Question

You know when you come across a dog and you can't readily tell whether it's a he or a she? What do you do when you want to say something to the owner about...it? Do you call the dog "it"? "He," "she," "your dog?" Or do you bend down and get a good look first? I suppose you could be direct and say "How old is--is it a he or she?" Or you could say nothing at all. I usually go for this technique: it's a combination of mumbling/slurring your words, and a little accent: "I'm a Cockney Brit. 'ow old is 'e?" What do YOU do?