Dogs may be tempted to attack you for any number of reasons. They might be especially prone to attacking runners, joggers and bikers because they’re moving, and they may inspire the dogs to go into “hunting mode.” That being said, it’s not a given that a dog will attack a running person. Furthermore, there should not be any dogs out roaming the streets free like this.
If a dog is loose and capable of attacking you, chances are that the owner is being negligent. Still, we can’t make people be responsible like this if they don’t want to, so we may need to take different precautions to prevent an attack if we discover a dog that’s running free.
What to do when an aggressive dog approaches
Imagine that an aggressive dog starts to approach you. It’s vital in these instances, according to Cesar the Dog Whisperer, to try and stay as calm as possible. Dogs sense fear and they can become fearful themselves if an unknown person is exhibiting a lot of fear.
It’s especially important that you don’t start to yell or kick toward the dog, as this could provoke an attack. Ultimately, an aggressive dog wants you to be as stressed as possible before he or she attacks. A calm and cool “opponent” will make the dog less confident and less likely to attack.
Next, make sure not to make eye contact with the dog, as the dog may interpret the behavior to be overly aggressive. Keep the animal in your peripheral vision and pay attention to what it’s doing, but don’t look at it directly.
Finally, start to claim your space by gently allowing yourself to become bigger. Use a stick or cane and put it in front of you. This will help you look bigger to the dog and it will be less likely to attack. Don’t approach the dog. Instead, hold your ground while making yourself bigger like this. It will tell the dog that you only want the area that you’re in and you don’t want his or her space.
Were you attacked by a dog?
Eventually, the dog will probably get bored and leave you, but this doesn’t always happen — and sometimes the dog attacks. If you were attacked by someone else’s dog in New Jersey, learn more about your legal rights and options under New Jersey personal injury law at your earliest convenience.