You walked to your neighbor’s door with the best intentions. They left their car lights on, but before you could tell them, a pack of furious beasts run after you. These sharp jaws have been trained to bite and even kill trespassers. And right now, you’re their target.
Hang tight. Help is on its way. Having your home and family protected by trained dogs might help you sleep better at night, but that extra security means things can take a dark turn.
In May 2022, a mail carrier was attacked by two male boxers that lived across the street from where she was delivering.
The woman sustained puncture wounds on her arms, thighs and groin.This is far from being an isolated case. In the U.S., about 4.5 million people are attacked by dogs every year. And 800,000 of those end in a visit to the hospital. Could you overpower multiple angry dogs? Why would you need to stand sideways to the pack? And how could a water bottle save your life?
Step 1. Don’t Let Them Intimidate You
When a pack of raging animals wants to tear you apart, staying calm is the last thing on your mind, but that’s exactly what you need to do. If you show fear or behave aggressively, it’ll only aggravate the already agitated dogs. And they’ll become more confident about going in for the kill. Stand your ground, act confident and you might be spared.
Step 2. Turn Sideways
Whatever you do, don’t run. I know you probably already knew this one, but there’s a lot at stake here to let panic get the best of you.
Slow down or make a complete stop, if you aren’t moving around, they might lose interest in you.
The usual attack position is face-to-face, so try to stand sideways to the dogs. That way, you’ll come across as less threatening and avoid making direct eye contact which they can also take as a challenging act.
Step 3. Get a Water Bottle
Throw a dog a bone, and there might be some truth to that. In this case, a water bottle, backpack or any item with some heft to it would do the trick. You can also distract the dogs by tossing something that might interest them more than you. This will give you a window of opportunity to escape, but only once they’re chasing the object. If you don’t have access to anything, pretend to pick something up and throw it. Chance are the dogs could be fooled by this.
Step 4. Protect Your Face
So the dogs didn’t buy your act and they’re launching themselves at you. At this point the attack is imminent and you need to protect yourself. It’d be ideal if you could find a stick to put between those deadly teeth and you, but if you can’t, use your forearms to protect your face and neck. This way you still have your legs to try and kick the other dogs away. Make sure you make a fist with your hands to prevent your fingers from being bitten off.
Step 5. Fight Back
You ran out of tricks and it looks like the dogs are going all-in. It’s game on, so you better put up a good fight. Those sharp teeth are scary and dangerous, but they’re the only weapon they have. They might try to scratch you, but it’s only their mouth you need to watch out for.
Grabbing their throat or smacking their snout forcefully can help keep those mouths shut. In addition to the throat, the eyes and head are the most vulnerable part of their body, so go for them.
Sources
- What You Should Do If You Encounter An Aggressive Dog, And Other Safety Tips. Tukua, D. (2020). Farmers Almanac.
- Why Dogs Attack, And What To Do If A Dangerous Canine Approaches You. O’Dowd, P. (2019), WBUR.
- Texas college student loses her ears, nose and lips after being attacked by dogs, lawsuit alleges. Smith, S. (2022). CBS News
- Postal service suspends delivery to neighborhood after dog attack. Kirk, M. (2022) Daily Reporter.
- Dog Behavior Problems – Aggression to Family Members – Introduction and Safety. Horwitz, D., Landsberg, G. (2022). VCA Animal Hospitals.
