Are you about to witness a dog attack on yourself and absolutely have no idea what to do?
So you’re enjoying your morning run in the park before work, and then suddenly, a stray dog runs up to you looking like it’s ready to attack you. Well, what should you do in a situation like this? Should you run? Should you fight? Should you give them a dog biscuit? That might be a good idea to give them something else to munch on.
Here are the most useful recommendations of experts on keeping yourself safe from a dog attack or what to do if you’re attacked. Who is at risk? Most of the time, cyclers, joggers, and fast-paced people get attacked. The thing is, dogs react to movement, and it triggers a chase instinct plus, they may consider some area theirs, and if you trespass in their property, they might try to protect it. So what to do if you see that a dog is ready to attack you?
Table of Contents
Avoiding the Dog Attack
Don’t panic. Many people believe that dogs and some other animals can kind of sense human fear well. Well, it’s not that they really sense the fear – it’s just that they become more confident when they see that their prey’s intimidated. So no matter how hard it is, try to stay calm. If the dog sees that it can’t scare you, it might think that you’re a dangerous person to mess with.
Don’t try to Run
First things first, dogs are faster. Well, at least most of them accept this fact and relax, there’s no way you can run away. It’s not even worth trying. Secondly, running will provoke the dog’s instinct to chase, so you might create a problem yourself even if the dog didn’t mean any harm in the first place.
Stand Still
If you were running, slow down to a walk and then stop completely. It is most likely to happen that the dog saw you as a danger when you were moving fast, and the threat must be eliminated either by you or by the dog. We prefer the former, so if you stop moving, the chances are that the dog will lose interest in you and walk away. Also, it’s preferable to stand sideways to the dog. This way, you will appear slender to it, which means you are less of a threat.
Eye Contact
Direct eye contact can make the dog more aggressive, and it may be a provoking reason for a dog attack. Your best course of action is to keep the dog in sight but avoid direct eye contact. This will signal to the dog that you are not threatening, and it can let you go safe and sound.
Make Fists
Make fists, not for fighting. Fists are essential to protect your fingers from getting bitten off. Even if the dog bites your fist, it is much easier to break free from that.
Distract The Dog With Another Object
If you have something in your hand, throw it in another direction. It can be a bottle of water, your bag, or anything else. If you have nothing in your hand, pretend that you are picking something up from the ground and throw it far away. After all, dogs are very playful and social animals. It might be possible that this one wasn’t attacking you but trying to attract your attention. Jokes apart, distracting the dog might give you the necessary time to escape.
Command The Dog
If the dog doesn’t want things to go softly, you have no choice but to be tough to tell it in a solid voice ‘no’ or ‘back off.’ Make sure you sound confident and strong and not like a five-year-old child who is unforgivable in this situation. The dog will sense it, and you will be in even bigger danger.
What if you couldn’t avoid the dog attack? What should you do to avoid the damage as much as possible?
Defending Yourself from a Dog Attack
Fight back
If the dog starts to bite you even after you have implied all of your negotiation skills, you’ll have to do all it takes to protect yourself. Try to hit the dog in the nose, in the throat, or back of the head. A good smack might give you the time to escape.
Scream for Help
You must realize that a dog attack might kill you. So it’s perfectly okay to ask for help. Maybe someone will hear your scream and help you get rid of the dog.
Protect your Face and Neck
Whatever happens, don’t let the dog get to your vital parts like neck or face. If you do, you won’t be able to protect yourself anymore. Try to place something between you and the dog. Use your weight to press the dog against the ground. The only weapon is its mouth full of sharp teeth, so try to avoid that. If you manage to keep safe from that, you will win the fight. Your goal is to get hold of the head, and you can do that by pressing the dog’s neck.
If you have been Attacked
See a doctor as soon as possible because even the smallest wound may be an open door for a life-threatening infection. Use clean water to wash the wound and a bandage to stop the bleeding. See a doctor even if you don’t think you should, as the dog might be rabid. So a series of shots might be necessary.
Report the Dog
Call the authorities and inform them about the dog attack accident. Describe everything you can remember as this information might save someone else’s life.
Dogs are friendly animals, but when they are aggressive, they can be the most horrifying creatures. Have you ever experienced a dog attack? Please share with us!
