What to Do When Attacked by a Dog

Dog attacks are terrifying, in that location'southward no denying it.

Some professions tin can put you more than at risk for a dog set on. If yous're a mailperson, a dogwalker, a shelter worker, a canis familiaris trainer, or really merely someone who is frequently around unfamiliar dogs, information technology's important to know how to prevent a canis familiaris attack, and what to exercise if a domestic dog attacks you.

As someone who specializes in working with dogs with behavior problems and used to piece of work in a shelter evaluating potentially dangerous dogs, I've spent a long time studying dog attacks.

This cognition has probably saved my peel a few times, and it'southward certainly made a few scary situations end without serious repercussions.

In this guide, we're going to have you through a few unlike scenarios when dog attacks may occur and give specific tips on how to handle each situation.

Merely first, allow's talk prevention, as it goes a long way towards safely fugitive dog attacks!

How to Forbid a Dog Assail From Happening

Of course, it'south far better to prevent a dog attack than it is to try to pry a dog off of your arm. Luckily, there'south quite a bit that you can do to forestall dog attacks.

9 Tips For Avoiding Dog Attacks

Prevention is always the best course of action – hither'south how you lot tin can avert domestic dog attacks from starting in the commencement place!

i. Know the Facts

According to Stopthe77.com, 77% of dog bites are from a known dog – either your own or an associate's dog.

This ways that you lot're probably far more probable to be attacked by your friend's dog that always gives you the creeps than by a strange dog on the street!

2. Know the Dogs Around Yous

It's smart to be familiar with the neighborhood dogs yous see regularly.

Of class, this isn't always possible for mail people or animal shelter workers, but getting to know the dogs around your habitation is a smart course when possible.

For example, you'll interact differently with the dog down the street that always charges at the debate than with your neighbor's happy-get-lucky pup.

This tin can apply to understanding a dog's triggers as well. For instance, I know that my dog Barley really doesn't like having strangers in his face up. He'due south friendly, but don't endeavour to go nose-to-nose with him.

I've probably saved a few people'south noses from a warning nip by proactively managing introductions between overly forward drunk people and my somewhat sensitive Collie.

3. Understand Canine Trunk Language

Watch for canine calming signals. If the dog is stiff and has its weight far forward or far back, give information technology plenty of space.

Dogs with depression, quick movements or efficient that resemble stalking may be in "predatory mode" and can be very dangerous to other dogs or your kids. In full general, give unknown dogs a wide berth if they're acting in any way other than wiggly.

4. Learn Defensive Handling Skills

Several different leash tricks tin can become a long mode to keeping yourself safe if the dog on the other finish of the leash is the domestic dog that'due south trying to hurt you. This is particularly important for people who work professionally with dogs — like groomers, doggie daycare workers, and trainers.

Nosotros'll talk about the defensive handling skills below in the "What to Do if a Canis familiaris Attacks Y'all On Leash" section.

5. Use Dog Attack Prevention Devices as Defensive Tools

Citronella spray, air horns, and even sticks tin can all act as dog attack prevention devices and help keep you safe from aggressive dogs.

I always behave Spray Shield citronella spray while running with Barley — information technology's just permanently attached to my waist ternion. We've used it several times this year when aggressive dogs hop fences, get loose from people, or are just wandering the streets. It'due south stopped every dog (and so far) in their tracks.

I've too used air horns to break up dog fights, but they're a bit more obnoxious and less precise for public use. Withal, a meaty personal air horn is a good tool to take on paw simply in case.

If yous're concerned about agressive neighborhood dogs and call up there'due south potential for an attack, try to keep one or several of these dog assault prevention devices on paw.

6. Call back That All Dogs Can Bite

Ok, I know I now sound similar ane of those wackos trying to sell their self-defence course. Merely telling yourself that your dog doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body isn't helpful, and disarming yourself that "all animals dearest you" is apartment-out dangerous.

Instead, focus on studying body language and existence overly cautious. Call back that all dogs have a breaking point and will bite if the state of affairs is just wrong enough.

A dog's "boiling bespeak" can vary from day to day and minute to minute. My dog Barley will generally tolerate a chip of cuddling from me in the morn, but will move away or even growl if he's not in the mood.

Rather than bold that my canis familiaris is an angel who won't bite, I respect his preferences.

vii. Use the Tricks of the Training Trade: "Pat-Pet-Pause" and "Care for and Retreat"

When in dubiety, I fall dorsum on "treat and retreat" training method and pat-pet-pause handling for new dogs if I collaborate with them at all.

Treat and retreat involves tossing treats behind a dog, then taking a step back. This gives the canis familiaris plenty of infinite and teaches him that you're nice without making him experience trapped or pressured.

Pat-pet-pause is ane of the most of import skills for all dog owners, young and quondam, to learn. Pat your knees and invite the dog over. If she doesn't approach, then don't approach her.

If she comes over, pet her gently on the chest for three seconds. So intermission and remove your easily. If she moves closer, pet more (pausing again in 3-five seconds). If she moves away, then y'all're done with petting for now!

viii. Motion Similar a Dog Trainer

Dog trainers are the real experts at avoiding dog bites – so learn to move like they do!

When moving around unfamiliar dogs, be sure to:

• Keep your body posture straight (not bent at the waist)
• Avoid center contact
• Move slowly and smoothly – avert quick physical movements
• Go on your side to the dog and don't arroyo head on
• Speak softly

All of this body language helps tell the dog that you lot're not a threat. Baby-talk and approaching head on (a mutual tactic) can actually terrify some dogs!

If you must go lower, crouch with your side to the dog. This keeps y'all from hovering over the dog (which is threatening and is really a rude way to greet a dog) and allows you to pop back upward if needed to avert a nip.

You tin can encounter me demonstrating this in the video beneath:

What To Do If An Ambitious Dog Approaches You lot: Trust Those Bad Vibes & Get Away!

In some cases, yous may get a bad feeling about a dog. Trust your intuition!

If at that place's a domestic dog that gives yous the serious creeps, you've got a few options:

i. If the possessor is nearby, inquire them to remove the canis familiaris. If no owner is in sight (or they tin can't become the dog under control), turn your side to the dog and avoid eye contact. Don't try to stare the canis familiaris downwards or challenge it.

two. Remove yourself from the situation if possible by backing away. If the domestic dog is continuing to follow you lot, try inbound or exiting a room or building, or even climb something.

3. Move slowly and smoothly, and ready your defensive tools. Toss food backside the dog if you can. Otherwise, be set up to use citronella spray, an air horn, or anything you tin catch.

Michael Shikashio is a world expert in canine aggression, instruction seminars to professional trainers around the world on the subject field. When discussing preventing attacks with me, he said:

"Situational awareness is crucial when working with domestic dog to human aggression cases. While we set the stage for condom by incorporating protected contact and having defensive tools at the prepare, in rare cases, management tin can neglect.

We can often utilise what is in the environment to lengthened a dog attack. Mostly, nearly dogs will use their teeth on the first matter you lot put in front of them if they are going to bite. Look effectually your surroundings as you lot read this article. What is the closest object you can hands take hold of and use equally a shield? A pillow? A volume? A jacket? A leash?

All of these items tin can be used to "feed" the dog as yous make your escape, whether they are biting and releasing or biting and holding. Slowly back abroad from the domestic dog equally you detect a doorway, vehicle, or fenced expanse to separate yourself. Do not scream or run as doing so may escalate the attack. Y'all can also climb on top of something to escape many advancing dogs. A car, desk, or kitchen counter tin be areas of safe refuge if the dog is non a good climber. This can buy you valuable time."

Michael has used everything from clipboards to laptop bags to fill the oral fissure of a would-be-biter (keeping his arms safe).

Of class, unfortunately, in that location are times where everything falls apart. Knowing how to read dogs, carrying citronella spray, and fugitive risky situations can help a lot, simply it's no failsafe.

Recall: Most Dog Bites Aren't Maulings

Proceed in mind that the vast majority of dog bites are over rapidly.

Well-nigh every time I've been bitten (just twice, and both before I was a professional trainer) or seen a bite happen (thousands, if you count videos), the dog bites one or more times in a quick, snappy fashion. Mostly, these bites are easy to escape considering they're over as quickly equally they started.

The really scary scenarios are the ones where a domestic dog is much more serious about his aggression. Luckily, these occasions are more rare, but they can and do happen. Many of u.s.a. accept seen the horrifying videos of dogs biting and holding, shaking and dragging a human or another dog.

This is an incredibly unsafe scenario, and this is where a seize with teeth can turn into a mauling. If a canis familiaris isn't letting go of you lot or keeps coming after you lot for more than than a few seconds, the situation is very serious.

You need to get something between yous and the canis familiaris, ASAP.

What to Do if a Dog Attacks You: How to Escape v Scary Scenarios

Fifty-fifty if yous do everything correct, information technology'southward admittedly possible to run into scary scenarios with dogs.

Whether y'all've got a potentially dangerous domestic dog in your home, your neighborhood, or your workplace, it'south smart to know how to handle the situation.

Quick Tips For Any Kind of Dog Attack

We'll go into detail below about how to handle different attack situations, only in all scenarios, these tips are worth remembering:

Protect Your Hands & Face. No matter where yous are or what's going on, your number one goal is to protect your hands and face. Turning your back on the canis familiaris and staying upright is incredibly of import because this protects your confront, neck, and belly. Even the biggest domestic dog in the world isn't as much of a threat if you're standing versus lying down.

If you lot get knocked over, curl into a ball to protect your face up and belly, covering the dorsum of your neck with your easily.

Get Away & Put Something Between You and the Dog. Air horns, citronella spray, and other tools can help, but your number one goal is to get abroad.

While kicking the dog to continue it away from you lot is certainly an choice, try to focus your energy on getting a not-fleshy object betwixt you and the dog. Kicking or hitting may help, but it as well puts your limbs closer to the dog. Additionally, hit may merely heighten the dog'south stress and arousal level, making the dog dig in harder.

Embrace the Canis familiaris's Face. Covering the canis familiaris's face with your shirt, a blanket, or a jacket is a good tactic. I've seen people throw blankets, tarps, and more than at dogs to "disarm" the domestic dog. This can disorient the dog long plenty for you lot to get abroad.

Now permit'south get into more detail about how to handle specific assault situations.

What to Practice if a Dog Attacks You lot Indoors

This scenario is most likely to happen if your own domestic dog or the dog of an acquaintance is the trouble — or if you're in a dog-centric business like veterinary clinics or grooming.

In most situations, you'll want to become a door between you and the dog. You lot can slam doors to brand a canis familiaris let go if it'due south got ahold of you.

Otherwise, you lot can put chairs, laptop numberless, pillows, or just about anything else within reach between y'all and the dog. Striking an attacking dog with an object is probably a amend idea than using your feet or hands.

Of course, try to call for assistance while all this is happening!

Once you and the dog are separated, take care of yourself mentally. And then come up up with a game plan — you'll probably need to remove the dog from where he currently is.

Yous may be able to apply a piece of meat with sedatives if you take admission to them inside the dwelling. This volition allow you to move the dog into a crate or do what you demand to do.

Most beast shelters and veterinary offices will have procedures and tools in place to capture and sedate aggressive animals. Get to a phone and get help if you need to.

What to Practise if a Canis familiaris Attacks You Outdoors

Outdoors, it's harder to go a door between you and the domestic dog. That said, you might still be able to get onto the opposite side of a gate, contend, machine door, or business firm.

Call for help and do your best to stay upright. Attempt not to scream, as this may make you sound like prey.

Attempt to cover the domestic dog's caput with anything you can grab. If you need, hit the canis familiaris with an object. If y'all can't get an object, hit the dog. Aim for its belly with your feet or for its ears with your fists.

If you break free of the domestic dog, don't run – back away and try to go something in your hands in example it comes back at you. And then seek medical attention and study the canis familiaris.

What to Exercise if a Dog Attacks You While On Leash

If you're holding the ternion of a domestic dog that's attacking you, you lot've got a lot of options.

Always first your walk by looping the leash strap over your thumb and concur the leash with both hands well-nigh your abdomen.

I motorcoach all of my clients to walk their dogs this way – it's more comfortable and safe than wrapping a leash around your manus. This gives y'all maximal control, especially if the dog is bigger than you. It likewise allows y'all to drop the ternion if necessary.

Use two handlers and 2 leashes if y'all're worried nearly a given domestic dog. This allows each person to hold a ternion, and then if needed, they tin pull the dog away from the other handler. Walk the dog between the two people – this method is really only useful for shelter workers.

This is a bully option if you've got a threatening canis familiaris and don't have a grab pole or other tool designed especially for treatment unsafe dogs.

If the canis familiaris is actively attacking you, yous have 2 principal options for stopping the assault:

1. Cord-ups. These are tricky, so exercise using a heavy bag get-go. This is an emergency defensive move where y'all essentially yank a dog upwards and away from you (with straight arms), often while you hop backwards. This is not meant to be a correction. It's a defensive move to get a dog away from yous if that dog is trying to hurt you.
2. A loop-back. This is my favorite play a joke on for handling aggressive dogs. You can loop your leash effectually a tree, mail, chain link fence, or just about any other solid object. And so yous tin pull on the leash, which pulls the domestic dog towards that object and away from you lot.

What to Practice if a Dog Attacks A Child

This is of class a nightmare for parents.

If you come across a dog attacking a kid, call to the child and attempt to give instructions while you arroyo. Tell the kid to "be a tree" and stand still, if she's still standing. If she's on the ground, instruct her to roll into a ball.

Make Dissonance & Use Nearby Objects Equally a Barrier

Make a lot of noise while you approach the canis familiaris — this will scare off almost dogs. Use pots and pans, air horns, your phonation, or anything else yous can get your hands on.

Put something between the dog and the child (like a board) or cover the dog with a heavy coating. For obvious reasons, nosotros don't want to use citronella spray or dog pepper spray with a child involved.

If you can simply pick the child up, practice it. And then exist ready to get up or away immediately. Lifting the child may make the child fifty-fifty more than interesting to the dog!

The Wheelbarrow Method

If none of that is working, you may need to use the wheelbarrow method. Grasp the dog firmly by the hind legs (above the knees) and pull the dog away.

T his is quite dangerous, every bit the dog tin can hands turn to bite you. Only if you witness a canis familiaris mauling a kid, it may exist your but pick.

Keep in mind that the wheelbarrow method isn't a skilful idea to utilize if the domestic dog has bitten the child and is not letting go. Tugging on the dog may cause more tearing and damage to the child. In a catch-and-hold case, you may demand to use a method sometimes called a "forced out."

Last Resort: Forced Out Method

Let me say at present: I do not like this method. At all. But this is an emergency state of affairs.

In essence, you lot're going to choke the dog out until it lets go of the kid. Lift the dog by the collar, choking the dog until information technology releases. If the dog doesn't accept a neckband, utilize your belt.

Now, this gets graphic — but some experts suggest hanging the dog by the collar until it passes out, or the dog will resume the set on. Of course, this is incredibly dangerous (for both you and the dog).

Hopefully, you'll never have to use this method. Simply it's of import to know all your options in the event of an attack.

What to Do if a Dog Attacks Your Dog

For most of usa, this is the almost probable fashion that we'll get acquainted with canis familiaris attacks and domestic dog fights.

Unremarkably, you lot'll be able to split up the dogs upward with noise or citronella spray. In all of my years as a trainer, I've only had ii fights that weren't stopped with dissonance or citronella.

Both of these fights happened were when we were assessing potentially dangerous dogs at the shelter. In both cases, we were able to split the dogs upwardly by pulling apart on the leashes during a intermission in the biting.

But what if the dogs aren't both on leash?

In that example, you've got a few options left. Aside from the methods mentioned above (citronella, a heavy coating, endmost doors, or the wheelbarrow method), you can also spray two fighting dogs with a hose, assuming you take i handy.

You tin can also check out our "How to Break Up a Canis familiaris Fight." article for more ideas and strategies.

I Only Escaped a Dog Attack. Now What?

After a dog attack, there's a lot to do. The adrenaline is pumping and information technology's piece of cake to miss steps, so hither's the general gist of what you lot should exercise once the attack is over:

Brand sure anybody is OK. Check over yourself and anyone else involved for injuries. Seek medical treatment right away if needed. Ensure the situation is safe or exit the area if necessary.

Exchange information with the owner. Make sure you lot'll exist able to contact the possessor, if you lot tin find them. If you can't discover the owner, document what the canis familiaris looked like and where the attack took place. If aforementioned, have a photo of the dog and the location.

Document the attack. Earlier calling the authorities, write down (or use a voice recorder on your phone) what happened in as much objective detail as possible. This will help in the issue of legal action. Instead of saying "the canis familiaris was obviously aggressive," say things like "the canis familiaris approached with a difficult stare, dilated pupils, and a lowered head. It moved slowly at first, with its rima oris pulled forward."

Call the police force or animal control. Each jurisdiction has unlike rules about who to contact in the outcome of a domestic dog bite or canis familiaris attack. The local police or fauna control will be able to document your report, or at the very least, direct you to the proper government.

Seek medical attending. If the canis familiaris seize with teeth broke skin, information technology's time to become see the medico. This will ensure that no infections have agree. In the effect of a nasty dog attack, you may need far more than just antibiotics. Dog bites can result in nasty stitches or even broken bones.

Y'all may also endure from PTSD after a canis familiaris assail. Seek help from a therapist or counselor if you start developing nightmares or nervous feelings around dogs later an attack.

Depending on the severity of the case, you may be chosen upon for legal activity (or you may want to pursue it). Be prepared with detailed, objective notes from the attack in this case.

Dog attacks are terrifying and – luckily – blissfully rare. Information technology's generally possible to avoid a dog bite by reading a dog's torso language, diffusing the state of affairs, or spraying the dog with citronella before it attacks.

Have yous been attacked by a dog? How did you end the assault? Share your experience in the comments!

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