Part 1: Understanding Dog Attacks
How to introduce yourself to a strange dog
It’s relatively rare that a strange dog will aggressively go for you or unexpectedly bite you. To be on the safe side, always make sure that you allow a dog to investigate you before you make any contact with them. Dogs do so by sniffing your hand. If you do not allow this, you could risk angering the dog. Also make sure to:
• Hold your hand in a cup form when introducing yourself to little dogs.
• With a big dog, hold out a relaxed fist with the back of your hand facing them.
• Never put your hand over their head as if to pet them. They could interpret this as a potential threat if they don’t know you.
• Some dogs may try and try to bite you if you don’t let them approach and investigate you before touching them.
• Don’t touch a dog suddenly when it’s not expecting you to do so.
Understand the warning signs of biting
It’s vital that you get to know the body language that dogs exhibit when they are tense, anxious, or afraid, because it’s when they feel thus that they are more likely to bite. Look out for the following:
• A stiff tail
• An erect tail slowly wagging
• Ears flattened back
• Tense body
• Yawning
• Flicking of tongue
• Licking lips
• Staring
• Growling
• Baring teeth
Part 2: What to Do When a Dog Threatens Attack
1. Don’t panic
Dogs have an inbred prey instinct which means they target the weak, vulnerable, and panicked. Therefore, as much as you possibly can, try to restrain yourself and avoid making your alarm visible or noticeable to the dog. Do not run away, as he will only chase you – following his instinct. Try to behave as if nothing is wrong and you are not frightened.
2. Gradually change your run to a walk
Moreover, if you stand completely still with your arms stretched along the sides of your body, the dog will lose interest in you and walk away. Also, the dog will likely lose any interest in attacking you if you simply stand there with your arms stretched down by your sides.
3. Avoid eye contact
If you make direct eye contact, you risk aggravating the dog's mood. Dogs often interpret eye contact as a threat, and this gives them a good reason to attack. Therefore, avoid making eye contact in this situation. The dog will realize that you offer no threat and it will walk away.
4. Distract the dog with some object
Any object you have to hand will be a great distraction. You can use a bottle, a bag you have, your shoe, or anything it can chew. You might not want to lose these items, but I'm sure that you'd rather the dog bite them over you! While the dog is distracted, you can make your subtle escape, undetected.
5. Command the dog to ‘back off’
If nothing seems to be working yet, try this. Face the dog without making eye contact, and then order it to leave. Avoid using a high-pitched tone, but instead project confidence and authority. Use words like ‘No!’ “Back away!’, and do so firmly. The dog will feel frightened and decide it’s best to leave you.
6. If it does attack you… curl into a ball
If the worst happens (for whatever reason) and the dog does knock you down, simply curl yourself into a tight ball. Keep your head tucked in, and place your arms over your head, neck, and ears. In this position, it will be very hard for the dog to bite anywhere that will seriously injure you.
Part 3: Preventing a Dog from Attacking Someone
Once you’ve understand the preceding steps and feel confident that you can avoid a dog’s attack, you will want to know how you can protect someone else from the threat who doesn’t know what you know. The following video shows a clear demonstration of how you can help the victim without aggravating the situation further. Watch it carefully. This could be very useful when defending someone who is particularly vulnerable to a dog attack, such as a child or elderly relative.
Sources:
wikihow.com;
Brightside.me
Image from Depositphotos
Image from Depositphotos
Image from Depositphotos
