When an aggressive dog is rushing at you?

Question

Last night, I was walking my dog in our new neigborhood. The corner house has five big dogs tied in the unfenced backyard. While we were rounding the corner, one of the dogs broke off it's chain and rushed at us. This dog is big, and mine isn't, so I picked mine up just in case. Luckily, this dog just wanted to get a closer look at us before running back home.

I now know not to round that corner anymore. But it made me think that if a mean dog was rushing at me (with or without my dog), I have no idea how to respond. Should I freeze? Run? Which actions would be least likely to antagonize the dog further and get myself hurt?

Answer 1

Don't run. If you run, you become prey and they will chase you down. Hope that the fact that you are not taking flight causes him to lose interest in you. If however, as will often happen, he stops in front of you, he is waiting for the challenge to be accepted. Don't get stressed, back away slowly, don't turn around until you have put an impressive distance between you and the dog. If you can manage to get yourself around a corner and out of sight, all the better. Then you can take off and beat a hasty retreat to safety.
I'd like to say that you will be safe, but the truth is every dog may react differently. I've been attacked twice, once before I became a dog trainer and once while working with an aggressive student. Neither of them waited for the challenge to be accepted, they just attacked. I came away only bruised by both incidents. I'd tell you how I did it, but with so many people reading these pages, I'd be afraid that some fool would instigate an attack just to test the method out. If you really want to know, you can e-mail me and I will tell only you.

Answer 2

This is a hard question, and I don't know the real right answer. From my experiences, most dogs who have come running at me just want to see me. So I just stay confident, and like I KNOW what I am doing. I don't make any sudden movements, and I continue what I was doing. When the dog comes up to me, it has always just stopped and sniffed, and either wanted a pat on the head, or just kept moving. But I think running from the dog is probably the worst thing you could do. Even a dog who is just running up to be curious could turn into hunt mode if it sees you running and starts chasing you. And if you are concerned about aggressive dogs, maybe carry pepper spray with you, it's not a bad idea if you are in a new area. You never know what the people are like either. And if I were you, I would go to that neighbors house on the corner and talk to them. I would introduce myself and my dog. Tell them that their dog got of the chain, and it scared you. This might get them to change their mind about getting a fence. And if you meet then it won't be scary to walk that corner anymore. Good Luck, I hope this helps.

Someone else wrote don't make eye contact, which I also think is very important.

Answer 3

Its so funny you say that. I was walking my dog, hes a Great Dane, and my neighbors dog jumped the fence and came at me and my dog, but what I did was I just stood my ground and said No and I did it without a scared voice I didn't move I just kept my ground. I know that dogs smell fear and its hard not to show it, when your being charged by a really big dog, and I know you shouldn't run away. Because they will chase you. I'm glad that my dog didn't move a muscle, he is really good about not even barking, but when you go for walks with or without your dog carry a stick, something that when raised will make you alot taller than the dog, and you'll have something to hit it with if it comes right at you. Hope that helped some. I was really scared and really glad that It went back over the fence. Good luck to ya.

Answer 4

Worst case scenario, it actually comes at you and follows through with the attack. Don't run! It makes it worse, if it bites you, you can palm it's nose or take it's life.

It's a sad fact, but if the palm of your hand busting it's nose doesn't send it packing be prepared to take it's life to save yours. The two obvious are eyes and throat. If you can get an eye and it retreats, good. If not pinch or crush the throat anyway you can. No, I've never had to do more than thump a nose or two, but I also know body language and am used to handling aggressive dogs.

I love dogs and I'll be the first to help one that's injured or abused. But in a life or death situation, I'm the last one sitting there like a dumbass with a dog attacking me.

Answer 5

Yes, if there is no chance to 'talk it down'- to strike a friendly resonance with it- rushing at me full force- then I yell 'no' very commandingly.

There might be a chance this is a key word for the dog, but even so, it helps me get into a defensive- but not frightened mode.

I am not a confrontational person by nature, so the yelling and taking on an authoritative mantel helps me not emanate fear and to be in a mode to defend myself physically if need be. I wouldn't want to hurt someone's dog either, but sometimes dogowners tend to be a little biased and 'humanize' their dogs. They don't realize that as domesticated once-wild animals, they are closer to their triggers, intuition and instincts then humans (the other domesticated animals!)

Answer 6

MOST dogs are not usually aggressors and say most dogs again . GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALRIGHT . I IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BAD IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BIT IF THE DOG HAD NOT HAD ANY SHOTS AND THEN YOUR DOG HADN'T EITHER AND THEY GOT INTO A FIGHT AND ONE BIT THE OTHER OF COURSE CAUSING POSSIBLY RABIES , HOPEFULLY NOT. YOU COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ALL IN ALL BAD SITUATION IF YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN BIT TOO . IF YOU FREEZE I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID THE RIGHT THING IF YOU DIDN'T MOVE UNTIL THE DOG LEFT, CAUSE I HAVE HAD TO DO THAT TOO. THEY USUSALLY WILL LEAVE AFTER FINDING OUT THE OTHER DOGS GENDER

Answer 7

Do not run. If you run you will make it worse. It will encite the prey drive in the dog and they will chase harder.
Do not scream and yell in a high pitch tone that also can make it worse. If you are going to yell do it in a lower tone of voice.
Do not make direct eye contact with the dog. It is seen as a challange by the dog.
Pull your arms and hands up by you neck and hold them close to your chest. It protects your hands and your face.
Walk slowly away by backing up from the dog.
If you are in an area where dog commonly run or get loose pepper spray is the best defense.

Answer 8

Good question. Every dog is different. Sometimes it's hard to read if the dog is truly aggressive or like your incident,just curious. I would place myself between my dog and the other,face the other dog and slowly back away. I'd never turn my back to the dog and I'd do my darndest not to let the other dog know I'm fearful as they can sense and react to emotions.
Some people say start charging back at the other dog.Knowing my luck I'd have one theat wouldn't back down and would take my aggression only to fuel their aggression even more.

Answer 9

Make your dog sit when you see another one rushing at you if it's not real tiny.Pick it up if it is.Then just stand still.Head up shoulders back.Don't look at the dog or try to touch or talk to the dog.Hold your dog so it's still and can't look into the other dogs face.Remain calm and keep your dog from squirming.Let the other dog check you out and it'll go away once it realizes you're no threat.

Answer 10

Get a big ol, can of pepper spray.I live in Alaska and people use that stuff up here to repell bears with.Its not lethal and does no permanent damage but I swear one toot of that stuff and all anything on two leg or four will want to do is get away from you as fast as they can and go root their head in the dirt for the next 2 hours.