If you’re just walking down the street and a dog comes up to you and starts growling, what is the best way to deal with the situation?
a) Stand still and avoid eye contact–will the dog actually lose interest? What if it keeps on coming at you and bites you? Will the dog feel like it has asserted itself as the dominant party and try to come after you?
b) Walk away slowly, facing the dog–again, will the dog feel like it’s the dominant one and come after you?
c) Keep walking, avoiding eye contact–You’re not yielding but also not overtly challenging it–will it still want to attack you for getting into its territory?
d) Yell at the dog to scare it–Seems like this could just make it more aggressive.
I assume making eye contact with the dog and running either towards it or away from it are bad ideas.
I wondered this several times when I was traveling in Sicily, where there are a lot more random, aggressive stray dogs wandering around in the streets than in the US. Every time I ran into this situation, it was resolved by someone else coming along and the dog realizing it was outnumbered and running away. Also, I got attacked by a dog once while its owner was around. I found that saying “No, bad dog, OFF!” in a firm voice was definitely not effective, and I’ve always wondered what the best approach really was.
It can be difficult to judge the demeanor of a stange dog. Most are all talk (but it’s that other 5% you have to worry about). Chances are if you run into a dog that is showing aggression, you are simply “in its space”. All dogs are protective and loyal to some degree, and a barking dog shows loyalty to the family with which he lives. The dog may be satisfied if you move only a bit away from that space.
There are certain breeds that are known to be very, ahem, protective. And partly by association, there are dog owners that certainly resemble negative stereotypes as well. Of course, there are irresponsible owners of all breeds, but some dog owners take pride in their dog’s aggressiveness and you can use your common sense to avoid these situations. Again, once you leave a dog’s protective space, your danger of being bitten lessens significantly.
If a dog approaches you with no questions asked aggression- in other words the dog immediately tries to lunge or bite at you, IMHO are better off being aggressive right back. If you run, often that will provoke the dog to chase you. Better to face the dog and try to move away keeping your eye on it and looking just as mean as he does. I have chased dogs off people who ran and looked scared
I am posting this as a field biologist with many years experience slinking around in the woods and in compete stranger’s back yards. Most dogs are all talk. Get out of their space and they will leave you alone. Even very aggressive dogs may be satisfied by you moving away, but do not turn your back on an aggressive dog.
I dunno, Stan Doubt. Being aggressive might induce the dog to attack whereas taking away the “threat” might cause the dog to back down. I’d opt for backing off before I’d confront the dog.
Some dogs see direct eye contact as a challenge. To a aggressive, territorial dog, that’s like throwing gas on a fire. Turn your head slightly, and downward.
What I’ve read is that it’s best to stop in your tracks, and slowly back away, avoiding eye contact. Don’t turn your back on the dog or make any sudden moves. Don’t try to smile at the dog, since some of them see teeth as a snarl.
If you are attacked, roll up in a ball on the ground, using your arms and legs to try to protect your face and vital areas. Try not to scream or shout, since this might aggravate the dog.
Several times I have had scary dogs run up behind me, and each time I kept walking…making sure to make no eye contact whatsoever. Pretening to ignore it basically. I have never been attacked, but maybe I am lucky. But, from everything I have heard as far as what to do in these situations, looking the dog in the eye is among the worst. The dog thinks you are challenging it.
If the dog comes up behind me, I just keep walking and ignore it. I have never been attacked from behind (at least not by a dog). If I come face-to-face with an aggressive dog, I look it straight in the eyes and behave fearlessly. If it continues to be aggressive I raise my voice, and look for a pitching-sized rock. Again, I’ve never been attacked in this situation.
This is not to say I’ve never been bitten by dogs; I have, many times. But it was usually a “surprise” situation, where I startled the animal or came upon it suddenly without realizing it was there.
The one exception to this was when, as a child, I went to visit a doggy-friend early in the morning, when it was still “on guard”. It growled at me and tried to warn me off when I went up on the porch of its house, but in my child mind this was my buddy, and all I had to do was talk him out of his grumpiness. NEVER put your arms around the neck of a snarling dog and hug it. Prompt surgery replaced my eye and saved my vision, but the scars on my forehead and cheek took years to fade. :smack:
I’m not sure that’s the best thing to do. I was attacked by a chow as a child and once it had me on the ground it went for my throat. I think fighting back might be the best option, but I’m heavier than a dog and fairly strong - if someone is tiny it might be hard. A friend once told me to bend your head down to cover your neck, hold one arm down to protect your groin area, and the other arm out in front to give it to the dog as “bait”. At this point try to get in close, wrap around the dog, and choke it/gouge its eyes out. I’m not sure how this would work in practice.
As to the OP when I’m confronted with an aggressive dog I’ve had luck just slowly walking away, not completely turning around though.
Depends on the dog and why it’s being aggressive. Some dogs respond well to assertiveness, some of them just get more wound up. Whatever you do, don’t take your eyes off it for a second. That’s when they typically nail you.
Ditto to Stan Doubt’s recommendations. Most dogs are just noise, and they want you to go away. A portion of the other 5% he mentioned will most likely attack quickly. (If it’s standing there snarling, you can probably back away. If he were gonna do anything, he would’ve already done it)
As has been said before, do NOT run. Just say BADDOG! And back slowly away (eyes on the dog).
A weapon of any kind will help. Stick, rock, cane, spray, it doesn’t matter. It helps because YOU know you have it and that confidence is apparent to the dog.
If it attacks (imo), your best bet is to respond with an insane ferocity. The majority of the above 5% will still back off.
One further opinion, sprays aren’t as effective as you’d think. The dog may not perceive that little can as a threat, and it requires close proximity and fairly calm wind. Add this to fumbling it out of your pocket, and trying to make sure it’s pointed the right way, and they just don’t make a good choice. A small club is better (I carry a small crescent-wrench in my back pocket)
These are jmo, of course. I’m not a dog-trainer or expert.
Might dogs feel that one is afraid of them?
I’ve been bitten twice. Once by a Rottweiler who bit my hand, after I gave him a cookie, *tsj * and once by an itty bitty dog whose breed I don’t know. [thin legs, bulging eyes, they yap].
The small dog bit my calf [I had my hands full with a box with groceries] but I’m sorry to say, I kicked him with my other foot. He went limping to his missus.
The Rottweiler and me had a grand old time. I was : “Auauauauauau”, he was: “Grrrrrrrrrsmackgrrrrrrr”.
I can whistle on my fingers, so I tried that. LOUD. And by gosh, it helped. The dog looked stupid and surprised and let go of my hand. I kept whistling and the dog walked away slowly. Tail between his legs.
Now I sing off key, so I probably whistle off key too. Maybe the dog was a music lover.
Anyway: I’m still not afraid of dogs and do what you ought to forbid your children: Pet every dog you see.
There was a bit of a problem with stray dogs where I lived a few years ago. A couple kids got pretty badly torn up. I formed the habit of carrying a good, sturdy walking stick when going out for a stroll. Although I never had to actually brain a dog with it, I did find that the average stray is intelligent enough to recognize that what it means when you raise the stick. I ran a couple off that way.
If you have no stick and are attacked by a dog, the only advice I can pass along is some that I got from a friend who was a dog handler in the military. He recommends “feeding” the dog your weak arm (wrapped in a jacket or something if you have the chance) and using your strong arm to attack its eyes and your feet to attack its underside. He admits that this is decreasingly effective as you get to the really large breeds of dog.
Most “aggressive” dogs are actually a bit fearful, they are insecure and and have learned that putting on an aggressive show will make the thing they are unsure of go away. Most of these dogs will leave you alone if you make it clear that you are no threat and that you are leaving. Yes, this includes large breeds like German Shepherds, Dobermans, Rottweilers, etc.
The best thing you can do is use a few bits of dog language, a.k.a. “calming signals”, to make your escape. When a dog is approached by another dog and wants to avoid a conflict, they have several types of body language they can use to convey that they are no threat. For example, turning their head away and avoiding eye contact, showing the other dog their side, yawning, sniffing the ground.
You can use these signals to your advantage when facing a dog who is menacing you. Turn your side to the dog slowly (do not turn your back to the dog), while turning your head away from the dog and avoiding eye contact. While I wouldn’t recommend getting down and sniffing the ground , you can also yawn. Slowly shuffle away from the dog, remain calm and basically ignore him.
This will work with almost all aggressive dogs, and the very small number it doesn’t work with would go for you no matter what you did. If you do run into a truly dangerous dog, getting into fetal position and protecting your throat and organs is the way to go.
My experience has also been that dogs tend to be more show than anything else.
I’m 5’9 & 170 lbs, which is a hell of a lot bigger than most dogs. I know it. Any dog I run across on the bike trail, in the woods or in the street knows this too. If a dog tries to threaten me, I remind him of this by yelling at him to go home. I do this standing up straight with my shoulders square and looking fido directly in the eye and speaking in a stern tone of voice. I continue on my way without slinking or looking down. I don’t ignore the dog or break eye concact. I have never been bitten doing this.
This is what I do in neutral territory. I don’t act like a bully in the dog’s yard. But then, I don’t go into a strange dog’s yard alone.
Dogs’ social structure is all based on dominance. If you maintain a dominant posture over a dog, he will usually (98% of the time) submit to your superior confidence & larger stature.
I have had scary dog encounters when there are multiple dogs running in a pack. Under these conditions they act more like wild animals, like a bunch of kids together without adult supervision. The last time I ran into a pack of loose dogs on the bike trail there were 3 of them, they were young adult dogs and by their actions seemed unaccustomed to running loose. They checked me out from a distance, the largest one had a dominant psoture. I stopped, clapped my hands & yelled “go home”. He did.
I agree with BMax, but my experience probably isn’t typical, as I’m 6’4" tall and weigh 250 pounds. When a dog gets aggressive with me, if I’m in his territory, I back off. Otherwise, I continue about my business. Either way, I never do anything the dog may interpret as submissive, and I never turn my back. I make eye contact and do my best to look bigger, meaner, and more aggressive than the dog. So far, every dog I’ve done this with has backed down.
Wow, thanks, everyone. I guess the vote goes to avoiding eye contact and backing/sidling out of the dog’s personal space. (Or speaking loudly and carrying a big stick.) I’m probably not really big enough to menace a full-grown large-breed dog. Hope I never have to figure out if fetal position or remaining upright is a better approach when actually attacked.
* and once by an itty bitty dog whose breed I don’t know. [thin legs, bulging eyes, they yap].
, you can also yawn. Slowly shuffle away from the dog, remain calm and basically ignore him.