A dog is not always cute; sometimes it’s trouble. Dog attacks on humans are not uncommon. There are many reasons why these animals show aggression: fear, territorial defense, or a female may perceive a threat to her offspring in a human.
The very reason for the attack doesn’t matter; what’s crucial is knowing what to do in such a situation to avoid serious consequences. AdmiGram.com explains what to do if you encounter an aggressive dog.
What to do in case of a dog attack
© Axel Bührmann / Flickr
Most often, dog attacks happen to cyclists or those walking in secluded areas like empty lots. If this happens to you, the main rule is to keep your emotions under control and by no means attempt to run away. Dogs are natural hunters, so sudden movements, often running, or riding a bicycle, can provoke them to chase.
Dogs run faster than humans and will catch up with you anyway. There’s only one valid exception to this rule — run if you’re 100% sure you can reach a place where you can take cover faster than the dog can catch you. It could be a building or a tree that you can quickly climb, or a vertical ladder.
If possible, enter the water waist-deep. The thing is, a dog becomes vulnerable in the water.
But it might also happen that there’s no opportunity to take cover. There’s only one option left: defense.
- Setting aside emotions, quickly assess the situation you’re in.
- Try to find something to cover yourself or to protect yourself; you can simply position yourself with your back against a building, fence, or tree. This way, you’ll avoid an attack from behind.
- If you have something in your hands — a bag, umbrella, or stick — hold that object in front of you, but avoid waving it around.
- If your hands are empty, just wrap your upper clothing. The dog will likely latch onto that object, giving you a chance to strike it with your foot to drive it away.
© Michał Huniewicz / Flickr
The key is not to panic. Stay composed. Look around. Maybe there’s an object nearby that’s suitable for defense. For instance, if you’re holding an umbrella, open it suddenly. The dog will most likely get startled and run away or reduce its aggression.
Throw anything at hand: sticks, stones, clumps of dirt. Most dogs panic when things are thrown at them and run away.
In most cases, a stray dog will flee as soon as you bend down as if picking up a stone. Even if there’s nothing on the ground, pretend to pick up something.
Improvise. Try to push into the dog’s mouth whatever it’s holding onto: a bag, stick, or just your hand wrapped in clothing. Don’t hesitate to shout, make loud noises, or call for help. The point is that in a prolonged one-on-one struggle with a dog, the human will lose.
Of course, this technique is theoretically sound. It’s better to never find yourself in such situations. But for general knowledge, it’s important to know how to handle it if it happens to you. Explain this to your children or elderly parents.
Emphasize that the most vulnerable areas of a dog are its nose, eyes, back of the head, ribs, and leg joints. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
image on top: Andrew Zaragoza / Flickr
