How to Save Your Life If You Meet an Aggressive Stray Dog

Animals
4 years ago

Dogs are man’s best friend until they are on their own. A dog that lives in a dangerous environment all on its own can have more in common with a wolf than with a regular dog. Stray animals unite in packs, live in certain territories, and protect these territories. And many are likely not afraid of people.

The Bright Side team has found out what to do if you encounter an aggressive stray dog.

If you meet a stray dog, don’t run away and don’t try to throw anything at it.

If you see a dog, don’t try to run or even quickly walk away from it. The animal might feel a hunting instinct and might think that you are good prey.

The best thing to do is:

  • Stay at a safe distance and wait for the animal to walk away.
  • Slowly step back, watching the reaction of the dog. If the dog follows you, stop. If the animal doesn’t move, keep walking backward. As soon as the dog looks away, keep going at your normal pace.

You can distract the dog by putting something between yourself and the animal. This could be your backpack, your umbrella, a shoe, or a jacket. Hopefully, the animal will interpret the object as an obstacle between you and itself and will get distracted.

If you are riding a bike or a skateboard, you become very attractive to the dog.

Stray dogs react to movement and they are often aggressive toward bikes, motorcycles, cars, and other kinds of transportation. If a dog starts to chase you, just stop: the animal should lose interest in you.

You can continue going when the dog turns away and starts walking away. Don’t try to ride faster — dogs are extremely fast and they will catch up with you.

If you are walking with your own pet, you’ll have to choose: either take the risk by yourself or with your pet.

If a stray dog is barking or snarling at your dog, it is natural to want to pick your dog up. But the stray might react to this movement and try to attack you. If you leave the pet on the ground, there is a risk that the stray will try to attack it. In this situation, your pet might get hurt.

There is no right solution here. If you can’t leave the dog on the ground, it is better to throw it over an obstacle, like a fence, or put it up in a tree (if it’s a cat).

However, there is another option. Leave your animal where it is, and instead, try to distract the stray. If you have a treat with you, throw it to the stray. Very often, they are hungry and they won’t say no to food. Ideally, throw the treats as far away from you as possible: the dog will walk away and calm down, giving you a chance to get away.

It’s not a good idea to use pepper spray: the dog will only get more aggressive and dangerous with this tactic.

If a dog is getting ready to attack, don’t look it in the eyes: this will be treated as a sign of aggression.

One of the worst situations you can be in, is when a dog approaches you and starts to growl.

Freeze and don’t look the dog in the eye. Eye contact for dogs is a signal to start a fight. And if you freeze, you might seem like a boring thing for the dog, so they might just bark at you and walk away.

If the dog approaches you and starts sniffing you, just let it happen. Don’t move and don’t try to touch the dog with your hand — this might be treated as an attack.

The recommendation to hit the dog in a specific spot (usually, the nose) is not likely to help because dogs are very fast, and you will probably miss your shot. And your handwaving will most likely make it even angrier.

Of course, the best way to protect yourself from an aggressive animal is to not go near it at all. If you hear loud barking or see a pack of dogs, try to avoid this area, even if you have to walk further to get around it.

Do you often see stray dogs? Tell us about what you do in these situations!

Comments

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Ursa Vodikova
4 years ago

In Prague with have almost no stray on the streets (which is so good cause people always choose to adopt!) but it's good to know what to do in such situations :)

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Belinda
4 years ago

Last summer we were camping with two friends of mine in Crete a Greek island and a random stray arrived near our tent. At first we were scared but we fed him and he became our companion during our stay all 6 days following us everywhere :)

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Stacy Mar
4 years ago

This is so right! A great informative article. Never like NEVER run when an aggressive dog is in front of you and basically never turn your back at it ;)

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Michoo
4 years ago

To be correct to lift a dog can make the aggressive dog want to jump up after the little dog and it can end very bad, i would suggest to walk the dog another way and leave the aggressive dog, he will be left confused becuse you turning yoir backs

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4 years ago
Nothing will stay buried forever, apart from this comment.
Michael Sides
4 years ago

And if the dog attacks? Defend yourself. A dog may continue to fight even if you do a a considerable amount of damage to is so try to do things that will physically disable it. Try to pummel it with you weight and hopefully smash legs and crush lungs and ribs. If you get an opportunity to control it's head use all of your weight to crush the neck and legs. Think of dropping your weight down on on it as if you were taking a very aggressive kneeling position and be prepared to get back up and repeat, your arms may take a lot of damage, the dog may be more equipped to do damage so use body weight to your advantage.

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Sarah Carvalho
4 years ago

In my family's case, in a small town in Brazil,part of the dogs territory is on our street. Even trying to walk our dog is a hassle. Neighbors feed them with doesn't help. And my mom sometimes leaves with a stick. They "lider" has nipped/bitten a few ppl. That town has always had a stray dog problem. And more then 1 group has bitten people. Nothing happens.

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Mohamed Yousif
4 years ago

I get attacked by dogs a lot and they have an animosity towards black males for some reason, so that kinda makes it even harder, but I found that if you make very loud noises and acted crazy it might scary them off.

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Haroon Ahmed
4 years ago

last year when I was in university a group of dogs attacked me they were 5 dogs I felt so scared they started to barking at me loudly...i was lucky that secrurity guards was present near me they rescue me from dogs ....

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Bev Elliott
3 years ago

I was stalked by a Rottie while walking by myself. Growling, bristling fur - it started towards me and was distracted by an elderly man with a small dog, getting into his car. The dog started toward them and the fellow threw his little dog into the back seat, got in the car and got the heck out of there. Thwarted in that attempt, the dog turned back to me (I had stopped walking to make sure the guy got away). I turned my back on the dog and started walking at a leisurely pace, and with my hands in my pocket. I heard that dog growl right up behind me and I didn't turn around and I kept walking. My knees were like jelly, shaking so badly, but I knew if I turned around, the dog would jump. When a high-prey dog goes into attack mode, there's not much that will stop 'em. I don't know how long that dog followed me, because I would NOT turn around. I've seldom been as frightened as I was that day.

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abdul kabeer
2 years ago

Once i was going and at the turn of the street i encountered a dog it was growling and distance was a few inches it was with a flock so the man saved me but what should i have done if it was a stray one

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Karuna
4 months ago

These are such detailed tips. I will keep them in mind. I also got to know that you can establish a pack hierarchy to deal with such situations in a PetCareRx blog.

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