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Regardless of the situation, having a strange and unleashed dog approach you and your dog can be quite frightening. Not knowing their temperament or whether they are aggressive is a safety concern, so it’s essential to know how to deal with this scenario.
Here’s What to Do
The following guidelines should help you handle the situation while protecting yourself and your dog.
1. Be Prepared
Before going out on walks, you should bring a few items with you, which can help in these circumstances. It might seem excessive, but there’s no telling when an unleashed dog might come after you and your dog.
You should have treats on you, as these come in handy with your own dog, particularly if you’re training them, but they can also help with an off-leash dog. Carry an automatic umbrella, and invest in a deterrent spray or even an air horn.
Beyond carrying these physical items, you should always be aware of everything going on around you during your walks.
2. Stay Calm
This can be a difficult thing to do, but it’s essential that you remain calm, even when you’re petrified. Staying calm will help your dog and might help avoid triggering any aggressive behavior. While you don’t want to make yourself an easy target for an off leash dog, you don’t want to start a fight with them.
3. Look For The Owner
Some off leash dogs will be intentionally let off leash by the owner, who may be walking nearby. If there are any people around, ask them if they own the dog. If you find the owner, ask them politely but firmly to recall their dog and keep them on a leash.
4. Check the Dog’s Body Language
If the dog is running, it might not be possible to observe their body language because they will be upon you quickly. Still, you should make yourself familiar with a dog’s body language in general so you can make a quick judgment on how to react to an off-leash dog.
- Loose body
- Open, panting mouth
- Relaxed face and ears
- Full body and tail wagging
- Intense eye contact
- Closed mouth
- High and rigid tail
- Ears pricked up
- Stiff body
- Stalking movements
How this dog approaches you and your dog will determine how you should act.
5. Change Direction
Provided that the dog isn’t running at full speed, and if you have time, just change direction if you notice an off-leashed dog farther ahead. However, if the dog begins to follow, you’ll need to face them, without making direct eye contact, and slowly back away.
6. Put Your Dog Behind You
If the off-leash dog approaches and doesn’t appear friendly, place yourself between your dog and the approaching dog to form a barrier. This can help prevent a physical altercation between the dogs and give you better control of the situation.
7. Tell Them To Go Home
While most dogs won’t understand the command, dogs are exceptionally skilled at reading human body language, expressions and tone of voice. Facing the dog and telling them to “go home” in a firm voice sends a message that you do not want any interactions with this dog, which some dogs will respect.
8. Create a Barrier
Instead of using yourself as a barrier between the other dog and your own, you’ll need to find something nearby that can act as a barrier. This can be a car, bike, or even your backpack or bag. Some people have even put their own dogs into a nearby garbage can to protect them. This allowed the owners to handle the situation without worrying about their own pets.
9. Avoid Eye Contact
You likely already know this, but it’s worth emphasizing: Don’t make eye contact when you don’t know the dog, particularly if they don’t appear friendly.
You should still face the dog, but make a point of looking elsewhere, and slowly back away without turning your back until you’re a safe distance away. If your dog is reacting to the strange dog, use treats to distract them.
10. Keep Your Hands Still and Hold Them Low
Avoid using your arms and hands as much as possible in this situation. Keep your arms by your sides, and try not to use any jerky or sudden movements. These can startle the other dog and could lead to an aggressive reaction.
11. Tell the Dog to “Sit”
If you feel up to it, tell the off-leash dog to “sit” in a loud and confident voice, and use an exaggerated “sit” hand signal. Keep the hand signal smooth, since jerky and sudden movements might upset the dog. If they obey, toss them a few treats, and slowly walk away, but keep an eye on the dog as you leave.
12. Throw a Handful of Treats
Another option is to grab a handful of treats and throw them at the off-leash dog. This will distract most dogs partly because it will startle them, but they will also want to eat them.
Throwing a bunch of treats also has the advantage of giving you time to distance yourself. The dog will need time to sniff around and locate them all, enabling you to make your escape. Move quickly as the dog may try to follow for more treats and again, keep an eye on the dog when you’re on the move.
13. Startle the Dog
This is where an umbrella, citronella deterrent spray, or air horn will come in handy. The umbrella should be automated so you just press a button, and it springs open.
If the dog is rushing toward you, grabbing and opening the umbrella as they get closer will startle them, and they will be more likely to beat a hasty retreat. Practice with the umbrella at home beforehand so it won’t additionally scare your dog.
The citronella spray is another good option because it won’t harm the dog but will definitely fend them off. Finally, the air horn should be the last resort option. You’ll scare everyone within your area, including your own dog.
14. Report The Incident
A loose dog can be a danger to themselves and others. Someone might also be looking for their dog that ran away. Once you and your dog are safely out of the situation, call the local authorities to report what happened. This should always be done, but is especially important if the dog is aggressive.
What Not to Do
No Running
Do not run! Running will only trigger the dog’s instincts to give chase, which can quickly escalate into an aggressive attack.
No Sudden Movements or High-Pitched Noises
Remember to keep calm and make your movements slow and careful. If you try talking to the dog, keep your voice low, and avoid making high-pitched sounds—unless you’re forced to use the air horn!
No Eye Contact
Do not make eye contact with the unleashed dog, which can be seen as a challenge. It’s essential to keep your eyes on the dog, just not with their eyes.
No Turning Your Back
Don’t turn your back until you’re far enough away from the dog or if they lose interest and trot off somewhere else. Turning your back gives the dog the opening to run after you, and you won’t be able to track their movements.
In Conclusion
Throwing treats is definitely one of the best methods here. It might not work for every dog, but there’s a solid chance that it will give you the opportunity to escape from the situation. If you forgot the treats, look for a stick nearby, and throw it far from you. Hopefully, the dog’s instincts will kick in, and they’ll chase it. If there’s nothing nearby to toss, just pretend that you’re throwing something. Many dogs are easily tricked with this method, and it will hopefully give you and your dog time to leave.
Remember to keep your movements slow and your voice low and stay calm. Hopefully, the off-leash dog just wants to say hello, but being physically and mentally prepared for this kind of situation should help you and your dog come out of it unscathed.
Featured Image Credit: Dora Zett, Shutterstock
