Do you know how to respond to an aggressive dog?

Question

Do you know what action to take if you are ever encounter and aggressive dog? Do you know what signs to look for to determine what the dog may do next?

Have you ever been in a situation when you encountered an aggressive dog? If so, describe the circumstances, what you did and the outcome.

Barring insufficient participation in this question, there will be a follow up question to this which I'll link to in additional details.

Answer 1

Boss, will you be so kind as to describe what type of aggression we are talking about here? I think I may be able to answer it better that way, thanks!!

ADD: Thank you for being specific. Yes, I know what aggression looks like and I am certain that 90% of the time that dog will have fear aggression issues as it is not defending anything and it is provoked by my presense alone.

I will tell you what I would do, but, here is a disclaimer first, kids, do not try this at home.

I would confront the dog, the last thing I want to do is back off and show fear. I would move towards the dog, making sure that he had a place to escape if he chose to and go whatever he came from.

If that did not work and I felt my life ws in danger, I will tell you something that is guaranteed to not make me any more popular around here, but, of well, you know how I feel about that. I would kill that dog, not because I would get any enjoyment out of it, but because I would hate for a small child or an older person to run into that same dog and get badly hurt or even killed by it!

Now, what should most people do...well, that depends a lot on where you are and what you may have available to put between you and that dog should be decide to engage you.

Go in a store, room, car, get away from that dog, that is what I would advice people. Put something between you and that dog as you look for a place to get into.

I hope that most people will never have to run into a dog like that because that is where they will get hurt if they are unable to properly read the dog's intentions.

Very good question by the way!!

Answer 2

Dogs are animals and behave accordingly. They have lost the natural fear of man but are rarely fearless. The best way is to either find a good escape route or stand your ground. You either have to convince the dog that you are either equal or dominant to it. Is there a stick or broom nearby? Grab it and start going apesh*t with it. Flail your arms and yell towards the dog. Not "scream", but yell aggressively towards the dog. You are naturally taller and bigger than the dog, thereby increasing your chances of bluffing your way out of danger. All else fails? Be prepared to fight hard with the dog. Choke it, kick it, gouge the eyes, whatever it takes. The dog should back off.

Answer 3

I will probably get thumbs down lmao, But i carry a stun gun when i walk my dogs. I have never had to use it though.

Answer 4

Sure. IGNORE first thing, pretend you don't see him. Don't run or act scared. Walk by as calm as possible. If it starts to attack, cover your face! Oh, and follow everything that Patient Paws says too!

Answer 5

Thank god for your second ammendment right to bear arms, draw your concealed firearm place 3 shots into the dogs head and continue walking. Also works on agressive cats and people.

Answer 6

If you ask me, this should be a class in elementary school Boss.

Yes I do know what action to take when confronted by an aggressive dog and I most certainly have been in a situation where I encountered an aggressive dog while on a walk.

The number one rule when confronted with an aggressive dog: do not run. Running only stimulates the dog's prey drive which in turn increases its aggression. Keep still and try to remain calm. Do not scream or run. Be a tree - with feet together, elbows against your chest and hands under your neck. A person confronted by an aggressive dog should hold their ground and demonstrate moderate dominance by telling the dog firmly "no" or maybe even "sit". They should always avoid direct eye contact and appear relaxed. If the dog begins to back away, the person should slowly retreat as well, keeping the dog in view. Never turn your back on a barking or aggressive unrestrained dog.

If you are confonted by an aggressive dog while on a bicycle, do not try to outdistance the dog. Fast movement away from the dog triggers prey drive. Stop, dismount and stand with the bicycle between you and the dog. If it comes down to it, never be embarrassed to jump in a car, climb a tree, or call for help. Do not be embarrassed to ask a dog owner to restrain the dog if they are nearby.

If in the event you are attacked, "feed" the dog something else such as your jacket or umbrella to distract it. If knocked down, curl into a ball and use your hands to protect your head and neck.

Answer 7

You above all else DO NOT RUN!  Stand still and allow the dog to sniff the back of your hand. Do not make any sudden moves,  do not turn your back and walk away. Dogs see back turning as a sign of submission.  If the hair stands up on the back it is a sign that they could bite.  If the dog does attack curl up on the ground, and put your hands on the back of your neck and your face downward to protect your face.

Answer 8

I follow the basic "think like a tree" method when I run into a dog that I'm unsure about.  I stand still, look up at the sky, put my hands under my arms, and just wait.  If I can, I will sit down or relax against something.  

Since I worked with a lot of aggressive dogs... I do remember once though there were 4 dogs nextdoor.  One was biting aggressive, one was backing him up, the others were friendly but unsure.  They were out, and I stood still and tossed treats until I could work myself up to the backyard and got all but the majorly aggressive dog into the yard.  By that time, someone from the house finally came out (I couldn't get to the front door, they were very protective about their front door.)  That was probably the closest I got to being bit to be honest, though that dog by the time they moved was trying to make friends with me.  

Answer 9

If you can anticipate the encounter with the animal (ie the dog lives un-restrained on your street), you should call animal control to do something about the situation.  If they can't (or refuse) to take care of the situation, then you can prepare yourself for an aggressive dog encounter by carrying pepper spray, and/or a crowbar.  There aren't any dogs that are capable of withstanding a strong blow to the head with a crowbar.  Pepper spray will stop most violent animals in their tracks, but there are some exceptions.......

Answer 10

1.Yes i know what to do when encountering an aggressive dog. If you encounter an aggressive dog dont look the dog in the eyes (they take it as a challenge) and dont run. Turn side ways and cross your arms look straight ahead and don't make any sudden moves. If the dog proceeds to come towards you or attacks drop in a fetal position and cover your head and neck with your arms.

2. Yes i know the signs to look for to determine the dogs actions (hair on back raises, tail stops wagging, growling,baring of teeth etc...) but they could be unpredictable if they are aggressive. Ive been bit by a few dogs that showed no signs of aggression when people brought them to the shelter.

3. Well my worst bite was when the animal control brought in a dog that had been chained in the back yard (we are guessing he was a chow mix) well i was temperament testing this dog when out of no where the dog bit my arm and wouldn't let go, i stayed calm and my co-worker in the room helped get the dog off. I had to get 23 stitches in my arm. The dog was later euthanized for being to aggressive to be adopted. This was a year ago and the worst bite ive had from a dog but i have been bitten by abused/neglected dogs before but it happens when you work at a shelter.

Answer 11

Aggression is born from anxiety and fear. Something unfamiliar appears--be it an object, person, or other animal--and your dog interprets it as threatening. Genetics certainly affect a dog's capacity to tolerate the new or unexpected, and some breeds are just naturally more skittish than others.

This site has some very helpful infromation on this subject

http://dogtime.com/aggression-toward-peo...

Answer 12

It depends on the aggression. If I'm walking down the street and a dog is randomly in place, showing signs of aggression, its best to look for the root cause of the aggression, and to determine if its *you*.

If in any case, this happens, the correct action to take is none. Put your hands in your pockets (preferably back), stand completely still. Not making eye contact, take one step in a 90 degree angle and freeze again. Access the situation again, see if the dog has moved, shifted positions, looked in a separate direction, etc. If the dog hasn't made a move towards you, continue the pace. If at ANY time the dog turns and starts a run towards you, freeze, drop to your knees, and go into the tightest fetal position. If you have anything "extra" put it between you and the dog, if not, stay silent and still.  Most aggressing dogs will not continue an advance or attack if it no longer sees a threat.

I'm in a situation where I deal with an aggressive dog every morning. My job absolutely calls for it. I've dealt with all forms of aggression in the past year, food, toy, people, child, dog, cat, small mammal, lead, enclosure, etc. My job is to overcome and extract the fear from the dog in a way that allows the dog to grow out of its previous cripple.

Answer 13

Don't run

Don't look it in the eye

turn sideways

if attacks you drop down and protect your neck and face.

and pray someone comes to help

Or whip out your gun and shoot it!