How to Defensive Against an Aggressive Dog

If you come across an aggressive dog in your neighborhood, office, or elsewhere, it is essential to know how to defend yourself. Here are some tips for success.

First and foremost, shield your hands and face by turning your back on the dog, staying upright, and covering your belly with both of your hands.

Don’t panic

When confronted by an aggressive dog, it’s essential not to become overwhelmed. Panicking will only encourage the animal to chase you; on the contrary, maintaining a calm and non-confrontational attitude will protect both of you from being hurt.

In the meantime, you can divert the dog’s attention by making noise or grabbing something it doesn’t want. A sharp whistle, clapping your hands, shaking a can of treats or squeaking a toy all work well.

Maintaining your head up and avoiding eye contact with an aggressive dog are also key. Looking back into their eyes increases their likelihood to attack.

Don’t make eye contact

Eye contact can be seen as a polite way to establish eye contact with others, but it can also be perceived as rude or threatening by fearful dogs. Therefore, when faced with an aggressive dog, try your best to avoid making direct eye contact in order to defuse the situation.

Additionally, when someone avoids eye contact it doesn’t necessarily signify disinterest or disrespect. It could simply be indicative of a mental health issue or just being uncomfortable in the moment.

When confronting an aggressive dog, it’s essential to remember that they may be feeling anxious or have been raised in a culture that discourages prolonged eye contact. Try your best to maintain calm and keep your voice relaxed; if possible, avert your gaze and look elsewhere on their face instead.

Don’t run

Avoiding a dog that is acting aggressively by running away only serves to inflame its prey drive and raise the likelihood of them physically attacking you.

Instead of running away, it is better to freeze and remain still until your dog loses interest in you or takes off.

This will give you enough time to react if the dog does not run off or attempts to attack again.

Once a dog attacks you, immediately curl into a ball with your head and knees tucked in to protect yourself from being bit or gouged by its teeth. Then, push your bitten arm or hand into the dog’s mouth to choke it and prevent further tearing into flesh. This may be the only way to stop the attack before reaching vital organs, according to Allenput.

Don’t scream

Screaming or yelling at an aggressive dog is not the best approach to handle the situation. The noise only serves to escalate things and could potentially lead to your death.

Staring or making direct eye contact with an aggressive dog is not the most impressive gesture. It may make them think you are a threat, which could prove disastrous if they decide to bite.

It is essential to remain calm and assertive when confronting an aggressive dog. Staying cool under pressure can be especially useful if the canine is unknown to you in public places. By following these simple guidelines, it may help avoid an uncomfortable or deadly encounter between the two of you.

Don’t fight

When faced with an aggressive dog, fighting should always be your last option. Not only does this escalate the situation, but it could put both of you in jeopardy.

It’s best to try to flee from the dog rather than allow it to bite you. Dogs will dig their teeth into your flesh firmly and won’t let go, so pulling on its leash could result in severe skin ripping or an open wound.

Instead, curl up into a ball and shield your head and neck with arms. You could even keep your fingers curled into fists to avoid them being bit off; it’s much easier to remove a fist than fingers from a dog’s mouth, which will save you from much pain during the process.