Let yourself be bitten: How to protect yourself from an aggressive dog

Despite the fact that a dog is a man’s friend, attacks by stray animals happen quite often. And even if the consequence of such an incident is a banal fear, many people want to know how to prevent a similar incident from happening again. Fortunately, today there is effective protection against dogs.

It should be understood that in most cases the provocateur of aggression on the part of an animal is a person. Therefore, in addition to using personal protective equipment, it is advisable to know about the basics of correct behavior, which will help prevent unpleasant consequences.

Why do dogs show aggression?

According to statistics, several million people suffer from stray dog ​​bites and attacks every year, and children are the most vulnerable. The aggressive behavior of four-legged pets is due to several reasons, namely:

• lack of food. Hungry animals, especially in packs, become uncontrollable and irritable, often fight among themselves and begin to attack defenseless children and adults;
• an aggressive nature also contributes to an attack;
• violation of the boundaries of the territories of stray dogs. This is especially true in suburban villages and secure warehouses. When choosing walks, a person should not approach such places, since dogs at such objects are well trained to protect property;
• the flock pursues its goal for the sake of “sporting” interest. Most often, runners and cyclists suffer in such situations;
• mad dogs. Rabies makes an animal aggressive and dangerous not only to humans, but also to other animals.

How to protect yourself from a fighting dog: tips

Even the thought of a possible collision with fighting dogs evokes fear and horror. These are not mongrels who can be frightened by a stone thrown at them or a blow from a stick. Trained fighting dogs know how to kill people, they know how to capture and aim at vital organs. Moreover, their strength significantly exceeds the strength of many people.

Important: A trained guard dog is not as scary as a not quite properly trained fighting breed. The watchdog stops the attack if he sees that the enemy does not pose a threat. His job is to catch and wait for the owner. In the second case, the situation can be tragic.

It’s worth noting right away that fighting such a dog, or any dog, is a last resort. This decision is made when the question becomes: life or death. Moreover, if the situation leaves no choice, you need to forget about the uncertainty of your actions. The blows must be very strong and aimed at defeating the enemy. It is very difficult for an untrained person to cope with a trained dog.

The pain from a bite can cause stress in a person and block his movements. Unfortunately, this reaction is difficult to cope with and cannot be trained.

The best protection you can give yourself is to avoid fighting dogs. What tips can help in this situation:

1. Pay attention to the signs on the gates of houses. They are posted for a reason, but so that people have this information in mind. It is advisable to avoid walking near such territory altogether. It’s better to make a new route for yourself, even if it’s longer. Remember, your life and the lives of your children are the most valuable.
2. If you like to take shortcuts on someone else's property, give up this idea forever.
3. Do not walk unnecessarily near private territory guarded by fighting dog breeds. If possible, ask the owner to take additional measures. The owner of the dog, if he is of sound mind, is not interested in his dog attacking one of the passers-by.
4. If you are walking in the park and an owner and his dog walk nearby, try not to cause the animal’s aggression in any way. Do not wave your arms or shout at the owner asking him to immediately remove the animal from you and your children. Do not forget, such dogs protect their owner, and your screams mean a threat.
5. If the dog is already running towards you, don’t run away, it won’t work. In a loud, confident voice, give the command “Sit.” A confident voice can influence a dog, even if the command was not given by the owner.
6. Try to show the dog with all your appearance that you are not going to attack him. The best way to escape is to leave, the main thing is that the animal allows you to do this.
7. Pepper spray will help calm and neutralize the dog if used correctly and in a timely manner.

Behavior of stray dogs when attacking people

Stray pets are sensitive to human behavior. If they feel fear and uncertainty, they begin to attack the victim. If you find yourself in a bad place, then you need to know and understand the behavior of homeless animals. Below are examples of dog behavior when attacking people:

1. The dog begins to growl and bare his teeth. In this situation, it is best to stop and slowly step aside a couple of steps; perhaps you simply blocked his escape route, and because of this he began to get nervous;
2. The dog jumps and stands on its hind legs, while barking deafeningly. In this case, most likely the animal is in its territory and defends it. Since the dog does not take decisive action, it is necessary to slowly step aside and leave without turning your back to the animal.
3. The pet rushes to your feet and tries to get around you from behind. You should be careful, this is how the dog shows that it is ready to attack. In such a situation, do not under any circumstances turn your back to the animal, as it can overwhelm you, and once you fall, you are unlikely to be able to defend yourself.

The best thing to do in such cases is to leave the dog alone and let it know that you are ready to stand up for yourself. The most important thing is to show calm and confidence. If you show fear and fear, you will lose.

Stray animals are another threat

There may be stray dogs on the road. How to protect yourself from dog attacks in this case? If you see a flock spread out on your way, it is better to cross to the other side in advance. If animals are calmly in one place, it means they are not going to hunt. If events are not unfolding in the best way, and there is no way to avoid delays, you can choose one of two options. The first is a demonstration of complete indifference to them. You just need to be prepared for the fact that animals will attack unmotivated.

Perhaps this is the only situation when it makes sense to be the first to take active action. As you approach the pack, shout loudly at the dogs. So that your scream sounds like a growl. Dogs respond to human intonation. And they will perceive your threats (“growling”) as readiness for battle. Most likely, the confrontation will end with shouting. And if not? How to protect yourself from a pack of dogs on the street?

Rules for protection against attacks by stray dogs

So, if you were unable to avoid a collision with a pack of stray dogs and found yourself in danger, you should know the basic rules of behavior:

• If possible, try to confidently leave the scene of the collision. Backing away, move away from the flock at a decent distance;
• if the previous method does not work and the dogs continue their pursuit, retreat to a store, entrance, structure or any building where you can hide;
• You can stop and prevent the attack of stray animals by shouting loudly. Dogs, as a rule, quickly calm down from a loud sound, and those accustomed to voice commands (pets that were raised in a family but ended up on the street) retreat;
• If there is no reaction to a loud cry, try throwing stones, snowballs or sticks at the dog. If there are no objects nearby, you can swing your hand and pretend as if you are throwing something. The psychological maneuver also works great in an attack situation. But be careful not to get too close to the dogs;
• If a threat overtakes you near a body of water, jump into the water immediately. The same goes for trees, whenever possible, climb as high as possible;
• if it is impossible to hide and defend yourself, use an extreme method: start growling. This will give you confidence, and the dogs, feeling powerful, will lose interest in you.

These rules only work when dogs do not take decisive action. But what to do if the flock starts to pounce and attack? Here are some useful tips:

• place your bag, umbrella or bag of groceries in front of you. Four-legged animals will begin to attack this object, and you will have time for further defensive actions;
• if you are without any objects, expose the sleeve of your jacket or sweater to the blow, and take the earth or sand with your other hand. The moment the dog grabs the sleeve, you should throw sand in its face. This will briefly stop the onslaught of the attacking animal;
• Shout as loudly as possible and give voice commands. This way, you will not only calm a pack of dogs, but also quickly attract the attention of other people who will rush to help;
• The rage of dogs can be eliminated, but to do this you will have to cause pain to the animal. You can only use physical violence if your life is in danger. Hitting an animal on the head is a bad idea; the skull is too strong, and your actions will only anger the dog even more. Try to aim at the most vulnerable places, such as the groin, abdomen, nose, ears and eyes. Defense items can range from a bunch of keys to specialized devices;
• the most important thing is to stay on your feet. If you fall, immediately roll over onto your stomach and cover your head and neck with your hands.
• Another way is to put the dog on his shoulder blades, press his neck with his knee and, while holding the animal, call for help. The method will work if the animal attacks alone.

After an attack, be sure to seek help from a medical facility. Even if there is no visible damage, specialist help will be needed. Not to mention more serious injuries.

Dog protection for adults and children

If you live in an area where stray animals are common, then it is best not to take risks and purchase an effective means of protection against dog attacks. This purchase will be especially important for children who will not be able to give a worthy rebuff to an aggressive animal. According to statistics, stray dogs most often attack children, for which there are several explanations:

• A child, more often than an adult, acts as a provocateur of an attack by teasing the dog;
• children are weaker and therefore easier targets;
• the child is less able to restrain his emotions, and therefore cannot hide his fear, which further provokes the dogs to attack.

Considering all of the above, purchasing dog protection is a completely justified decision.

Ultrasonic repellers

An ultrasonic dog repeller in the form of a pocket flashlight effectively protects against attacks by stray animals - alone or in packs (dogs begin to hear sound even within a radius of 25 meters).
Such a device is a whistle, which, upon first use, can be mistaken for a defective item, because it does not emit no sounds. However, the point here is that the human ear is not capable of perceiving frequencies beyond 20,000 Hz. Dogs are able to hear sounds up to 40,000 Hz, having excellent hearing.

The principle of operation of the repellent whistle is based on the generation of sounds that are inaudible to the human ear, but cause almost physical pain in the animal. We are talking about ultrasound, which is so unpleasant to the dog’s ear that it makes the animal want to get away from the device’s coverage area as quickly as possible.

Note! In addition to scaring dogs, such whistles are often used for training purposes.

Modern dog repellers have the following advantages:

1. Compactness. This device fits easily in the palm of your hand and can be worn in your pocket or around your neck.
2. Cheapness. This is perhaps the cheapest means of protection against dogs.
3. Possibility of customization. Modern metal structures allow you to adjust the pitch. Thus, if the animal turns out to be immune to the sound made, this can be easily corrected.
4. No discomfort for humans. People do not hear ultrasound, and therefore such a device is not capable of harming your eardrums.
5. Ease of use. All that is required when using this product is to blow the whistle.
6. Efficiency. Most dogs will not continue attacking after hearing ultrasound.
7. Works over a long distance. Manufacturers claim that dogs can detect ultrasonic waves at a distance of 30 meters.
8. Does not harm the animal.

Disadvantages of the product:

1. Impossibility of self-checking, since a person does not perceive ultrasound.
2. If animals attack in a pack or the dog has rabies, then such a remedy can only make it angry.
3. The attacking dog may be deaf or unable to distinguish the sounds made by the whistle, and you will not have time to adjust.

Pepper spray

When using a spray can, you need to aim at the dog's mouth and eyes.
This is a universal means of self-defense, which is highly effective against not only animals, but also aggressive people. The peculiarities of the action of such a can are based on irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Pepper spray can cause a strong burning sensation and profuse tearing, which temporarily incapacitates the enemy, practically blinding him. If the spray enters the respiratory tract, it causes severe irritation, resulting in severe coughing.

Important! Along with pepper sprays, there are also gas sprays. The differences in this case relate to the composition of the product. Gas canisters are completely useless when trying to stop an angry animal. It is believed that the use of such a means can only worsen the position of the defender. Therefore, only pepper sprays should be used.

The use of pepper spray requires the following recommendations:

1. It is not advisable to use such products indoors. The effect of the application can be so strong that it will affect not only the dog, but also the defender himself.
2. The spray should not be used against the wind to avoid the opposite effect.
3. When using, you must aim at the animal's mouth and eyes.
4. Spraying is carried out when the animal is at a distance of one to three meters from the defender.

Benefits of pepper spray:

1. Guaranteed effect.
2. Reasonable price.
3. Compactness.
4. Ease of use.
5. Versatility - can be used to protect against intruders.

This product also has certain disadvantages:

1. Some models have a short range (up to one and a half meters).
2. The spray does not begin to act instantly, but a few seconds after application.
3. It is difficult to hit several animals at the same time, unless we are talking about aerosol options.
4. Most models are not allowed to be sprayed indoors due to the risk of damage to the eyes and respiratory tract of the person using the spray.

Despite all the shortcomings, pepper spray is one of the most popular means of protection against stray animals. Such designs do not require a license and can be used even by children.

Comparison table of the best dog repellents and scarers

New

The latest invention in this field is a weapon called an ultrasonic repeller. Its action is based on the production of a powerful ultrasound beam, which is absolutely safe for humans. However, it is this beam that scares away the animal and stops the desire to attack a person. In the event of a dog attacking a person, it is enough to point the device in the direction of the villain.

There is a great guarantee that an aggressive dog will stop wanting to attack the victim. However, it is possible that the animal will become even more aggressive and angry.

Alarms can come to the rescue. Signaling devices are represented by devices such as sirens and light-noise spectrum devices.

From the above, it is clear that today there are many ways to combat unwanted aggression from a dog. According to experts, the best method is a gas canister. This is due to its practicality and ease of use. It will be effective even at long distances. The gas spray irritates the mucous membrane of the eye, as a result of which the dog loses the ability to see and the person has the opportunity to hide. Gas canisters must be aimed at the nose area.

Comparison table of the best dog repellers