You may find yourself in a situation where you are clearly being approached by a dangerous dog. It is barking and snarling at you, and its body language is stiff and aggressive. It is frightening, and you want to do everything in your power to avoid being bitten.
Unfortunately, your instincts may tell you to do something like scream or run away, in an effort to escape the threat. However, this is the exact opposite of what you should actually do in many situations, so it is important to suppress those instincts and try to stay calm.
What should you do instead?
For one thing, you do not want to run from the dog. You are not faster than the dog, so running is not going to protect you. Additionally, dogs have an inherent prey drive that makes them want to chase. Running from the dog may actually just rile it up and get it to chase you and bite, whereas slowly backing away in a calm manner could reduce the odds of a physical altercation.
Rather than screaming, try to talk to the dog in a calm voice, while avoiding eye contact. Yelling or screaming often sounds aggressive and intimidating to dogs, who may lash out to protect themselves. But dogs are often just territorial, so calmly backing away shows them that you are not actually a threat.
Unfortunately, even if you properly address the situation, you could be bitten by a dangerous dog due to the owner’s negligence. In a situation like that, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
