If you’re a dog owner, you’ve experienced this before—you’re out walking your dog, and suddenly, an off-leash dog comes up to the two of you. Unfortunately, many pet owners are leash adverse, especially in residential neighborhoods, which can lead to you and your favorite pup having encounters with off-leash dogs more often than you’d like. While some of these canines are perfectly friendly, others may be less so. But even the friendly dogs might carry fleas or ticks that could spread to your pet. So, what do you do when you’re approached by a loose dog?

What are the best ways to protect yourself and your pup from encounters with dogs you don’t know? You can do a few things to ensure your and your pet’s safety while on walks. Have a look below to find out what to do the next time you’re approached by a loose dog!

Here’s What to Do When Approached by a Loose Dog

You shouldn’t have to worry while you’re out for a simple walk with your pet, so here’s what to do about off-leash dogs who approach you.

1. Avoid Them

This is the most obvious thing to do when you see a loose dog, but it also requires you to see the dog when they are a ways off. If you see a loose pup when you’re several feet away, then you can simply walk away from them. Cross the street, turn a corner, or just turn around and go back the way you came. Remember to walk and not run, though!

2. Yell Commands at the Loose Dog

Most canines will know a couple of commands, such as “Sit!” or “Stay!”. Some will even know what “No!” or “Go home” means. So, try yelling commands at the dog to get them to stay where they are or go away. This may not always work, but if it’s a dog you know belongs to someone in your neighborhood, chances are good they know these commands (whether they will follow them is something else entirely).

3. Pick Up Your Pup

If a loose dog approaches you while you’re walking your dog and you’re concerned they may attack, you might not have time to pull your dog away. If your pup is small enough, simply pick them up so they are out of harm’s way and carry them away from the loose dog.

4. Distract With Treats

If a loose dog is getting close and you haven’t been able to get them to back away and didn’t have time to avoid them, try distracting them. Throw a dog treat in the opposite direction so they’ll follow it instead of you. Of course, this requires you to have dog treats in your pocket when you’re out on a walk, but it’s an easy way to distract a loose pup.

5. Use Physical Barriers

This one works well if you’re walking somewhere with plenty of cars, trees, or fences. If you see a loose dog approaching, simply put a physical barrier between the two of you. Step behind a vehicle, tree, fence, or whatever else is available. You might also want to carry an umbrella with you on your walks. If there isn’t anything around you can use as a physical barrier, opening an umbrella provides a barrier. It also hides your dog from the loose dog’s view. Just be careful not to accidentally hit the loose dog with the umbrella.

6. Deterrent Spray

First and foremost, do not use pepper spray on a canine (even if the dog is aggressive). Not only could the pain from the pepper spray make an already aggressive canine even more aggressive, but depending on how windy the day is, the pepper spray could blow back onto you or your pup. And if the loose dog belongs to a neighbor, you could run into legal issues if you pepper spray their dog.

Instead, use something like a citronella deterrent spray. This spray won’t hurt a dog, but it should be quite aversive to them.

Should I Report Off-Leash Dogs?

Most cities, towns, and municipalities have leash laws, so if you see a dog off-leash where it shouldn’t be, reporting it is likely the best thing to do. Just be prepared to deal with how a neighbor might react if you report their dog as being off-leash (though it’s their fault for letting their dog be outside and on the loose in the first place).

Aggressive off-leash dogs should absolutely be reported, as they’re at risk of harming someone by biting them or worse. But even the friendliest pup who is loose can pose a danger to people, as they could run out into the road and cause an accident. Plus, loose dogs could be taken by someone who doesn’t know them.

How do you report off-leash dogs? If you live in a more urban area, you’ll want to contact your local animal control department to come pick up the dog. For those who live in a rural area, it depends. Your area might not have a dedicated animal control, in which case, you should contact your local police department (via the non-emergency number! Please don’t use 9-1-1 to call about a loose dog unless that dog is aggressive or clearly suffering from rabies or otherwise presenting as a danger).

Final Thoughts

Running into a loose dog while you’re out and about can be frightening, especially if you’re walking your own dog, as you don’t know how the two pups could interact. But you can do your best to avoid interacting with off-leash dogs by walking away or distracting them with treats. Putting physical barriers between you and a loose dog or using a deterrent spray when necessary can also help.

If you see a loose dog, you’ll probably want to report them. An off-leash dog could easily endanger others or get themselves into dangerous situations. A quick call to your local animal control department or police department should get the animal off the streets.

Featured Image Credit: Chris Curtis, Shutterstock