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What To Do Around Strange Or Aggressive Dogs
from: Kyle BesserA basic knowledge of canine body language can protect you and your children around strange or threatening dogs. If you understand how the animal will interpret your body movements and facial expressions, you will know how to act in a nonthreatening way and avoid a possible aggressive attack. Here are a few rules to follow:
*Never approach an unknown dog without first asking its owner if it is okay. If the owner is not around, don't approach the dog.
*Never run up to a dog or make quick, jerky gestures toward it that might be interpreted as a threat by the dog. Move slowly and deliberately.
*Don't squat down to be at a dog's eye level. Staring into a strange dog's eyes may be considered a challenge by the dog, an invitation to fight. When you get down low, you are telling the dog, "Look, I'm submissive to you."
*Never put your open hand over the dog's head as if to pat it, because this is interpreted as a threat by many dogs. When you meet a dog for the first time, make your hand into a loosely closed fist, with fingers down, and extend it slowly to allow the dog to sniff your knuckles. If the dog is calm and friendly, you can then turn your hand over, palm up, but continue to keep your fingers curled in lightly. Then you can gradually uncurl your fingers and let the animal nuzzle your hand if it wants to.
*If a strange dog approaches you, stay still. If you are standing, put your arms at your sides. Don't raise your arms as the dog may think that you are threatening it. If you are on the ground, lie face down. Let the animal sniff you. It will soon lose interest and go away.
*Adults should never snatch a small child away or up from a dog because the dog may then perceive the child as a toy, a stuffed animal to run and grab. The adult should calmly move between the child and the dog. The dog will understand that the adult is being protective, and that's pack-related behavior.
*Running away is interpreted by a dog as flight behavior and almost always triggers an instinctive chase reaction in a dog in which it sees the runner as potential prey.
To sum up, stay calm and use common sense around any dog. The dog will understand by your reactions and body language that you are not a threat and will leave you alone.
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