It has been thousands of years since mankind has had to fear for its collective safety from animal attack.
In today's urban society, threat of animal attack has been all but snuffed out; except for dogs which, in spite of a vast majority of those gentle and domesticated, continue to be the biggest animal threat to urban dwellers.
Most dogs are pleasant animals, deserving of the name: "man's best friend".
The following advice is for those rare but terrifying moments when a dog attack does occur.
While most dogs are not aggressive but even properly trained domestic pets can attack given the right circumstances. Old dogs may become grouchy, bitches may be defensive about their litter, and some breeds are more inclined to be territorially defensive. Other dogs just do not fancy strangers and others might snap if subject to rough handling or play. To this list should be added the many dogs which belong to irresponsible owners who neglect to provide their dogs attention, affection or training or owners who intentionally encourage aggressiveness in their pets for reasons of personal protection.
All dog owners should take precautions to ensure that their dog is not a threat to others. In almost all countries, you can be subject to criminal and civil liability for attacks of your animal. While some places require prior knowledge of the animal's viciousness before making you liable for these attacks, others make you automatically liable, whether you knew your animal to be vicious or not.
The best remedy against dog attack is responsible training on the parts of dog owners. The most serious problem a dog can develop is to show aggression. Here are some tips for dog owners:
- Obedience training is essential in preventing aggression in dogs. If your dog shows signs of uncontrollable or sudden anger, consult with your vet or a dog trainer without delay.
- If your dog is aggressive towards you, try commanding the dog to lie down right away and then give it a stern verbal correction.
- Aggression towards visitors is common enough for dogs who merely want to protect its home or "pack" (which includes it's owners). If a dog was rarely handled as a puppy, the dog may not know that a tall stranger bending over and towards it with an open hand means to caress. Owners of such dogs should gradually introduce strangers to the dog and reward good behaviour. A stranger is less threatening if sitting down.
- Do not let your dog run free in the neighbourhood. Even if your dog is as friendly as Lassie, a stranger does not know this and is seriously inconvenienced by a large, free dog in his or her path. The irresponsibility of owners who let their dog stray is compounded when children or joggers suddenly collide with a strange dog. A startled stranger may frighten even a passive dog into an aggressive response.
- Children should be taught to not approach or attempt to pet strange dogs.
As there will never likely be a law which can effectively prohibit idiots from owning dogs, dog attacks can and will happen. Here's some tips to protect yourself:
- Avoid eye contact with an aggressive dog.
- If you are jogging, stop jogging and walk by the dog, avoiding eye contact and sudden movement.
- Avoid the temptation to rebuke the owner of an aggressive dog for allowing their menacing and unleashed dog to remain in your direct path. Aggressive dogs are often a reflection of their owner's character. If you notice the aggressive dog unleashed again, contact the police with a good description of the dog, the owner and time of day. Try to remember the dog's name if it was called during your presence.
- If the dog runs towards you exhibiting aggressive behaviour (growling or barking), stand your ground without sudden movement. Brace yourself and command the dog as if you were its owner: "No!" "Down!" "Sit!" "Stay!" Do this repeatedly. Do not raise your hands in a fight stance prematurely as this may antagonize the dog and you might lose your one chance at stopping the attacking dog through commands.
- If the dog is small and presents no danger for your neck area, you may want to try to kick it. A good blow to the nose or to the body will stop most small dogs.
- If a large dog attacks, take a fight stance with one leg in front of the other to maximize balance and protect your inner body. If you are athletic, you may want to use your foot as a primary weapon. This response could mean jeopardizing your balance. Should you fall, you lose your height advantage to a dog.
- Special note for pit bulls: these dogs can be unusually aggressive. Some experts recommend that the best response to an attacking pit bull is to fall to the ground, roll into a ball with your chin tucked in and cover your face, ears and backs of your neck with your hands. Keep your knees pulled up into your chest. The idea is to play dead and hope that the dog will give up the attack. {Editor's note: we have received many e-mails on this topic. Typical is the following: "When (pit bulls attack) a person or other animal, their first instinct is to grab ... and hold on. If laying down on the ground, there is a higher possibility of the dog biting in to a fatal spot. Standing upright is a much better strategy."}
- A large dog may lunge for your throat. Protect this area of your body first and foremost with your arm tucked into your throat as far as you can without pulling back.
- Punch the dog on the nose as hard as you can. Twist or pull the dog's ears. The dog's eyes are another soft spot which you should attack if required to defend yourself. Another stregy is to kick the dog in the rib cage. This will wind it and could stun it enough to ward off any more attacks. Yell for help.
- If you frequently encounter stray or aggressive dogs, pepper spray or electronic whistles (adjusted at a frequency to cause dog's extreme discomfort) are inexpensive and excellent safeguards against dog attack.
- If an attacking dog appears to be aimlessly wandering, biting at stationery objects, wild-eyed or with a thick ropy saliva covering it's chest, it may have rabies. Note that dogs may have rabies even if not exhibiting these symptoms so in all cases of dog bites especially if the skin has been broken, seek medical attention immediately. Rabies is a universally fatal disease if left untreated. You must first ensure that the dog is quarantined and observed for symptoms of rabies. Don't try to corral the dog yourself; call the police. If you have any doubts about rabies, consult a doctor for possible anti-rabies injections.
An e-mail we received on 3-FEB-1997 is worth reading:
"If confronted by a pitbull that may be dangerous, I don't think laying down and curling up is the best defense. When biting a person or other animal their first instinct is to grab and hold on. If laying down on the ground, there is a higher possibility of the dog biting in to a fatal spot.
"Standing upright is a much better strategy. Running makes a dog naturally want to give chase. Much of my experience in this subject comes from the fact that I used to be a dog control officer and have dealt with dangerous dogs on a daily basis. Thank you for your time." D., aol.com
And then on July 17, 2007 from Reese Blade:
"Just to mention friendly advice as you say below you receive email's advising on this topic , I volunteer for a self defense class my kick boxing instructor teaches (I'm the dummy ) animal attacks have been brought up as in or city street trash (homeless kids , punks degenerates) adopt violent dogs and use them to intimidate people or businesses from making them move on from loitering (and of course police can aresst them for that) anyway's most dogs will look for an easy bite something to grab and take at if your gonna be bitten anyway's you you have the choice where , feed them your lower arm preferably your left or lesser arm , and if you have a jacket or even a heavy shirt wrap it around your arm first , usually most people are found at a stand off with the dog before the attack and do have time to plan there next move but don't know what to do so they run , if not the case and a dog gets your arm , force it in to their mouth , a dogs teeth generally face inwards and this will not only hurt less than pulling away when you push it in the have to open their mouth to adjust their bite , but don't pull back yet hold them there if a dogs mouth is forced all the way opened it cant bit or breath , they cant breath well threw your arm and their nose's don't work to well open , hold its head so it cant back off if it pulls away it will just take another bite force your arm in as hard as you can and hold the dog their until someone helps you it already has its teeth in as long as you don't let go the worst is over (sorry for the lengthy feedback , hope this helps)."