When a dangerous dog approaches you, your instincts may be to react a certain way. Say that you’re walking through your neighborhood when someone’s dog runs around the corner of their house and heads straight for you, barking and looking aggressive. You only have a split second to respond.
Instinctively, you may want to yell or scream. You may then be tempted to turn and run away from the dog, trying to put as much distance as you can between yourself and the threat. But animal experts advise avoiding both of these actions, which could just increase the chances that you suffer an injury. In this sense, your instincts are wrong.
Why is this true?
The problem with screaming or yelling is that it can appear aggressive to the dog. But it may not be aggressive enough to scare it or startle it, preventing the attack. Instead, the dog just responds to your energy and becomes even more aggressive. The dog may initially be acting territorial and just trying to get you to leave its property, but your reaction could cause it to physically attack you.
Turning and running away is problematic on two levels. For one thing, turning your back on the dog makes a bite more likely. For another, the dog’s prey drive may kick in. Dogs instinctively like to run and chase, so you’re often better off backing away slowly than turning and running at full speed.
Whether you’re able to suppress your instincts or not, the dog’s owner may be the one who was negligent and allowed the attack to occur. As such, it’s important for you to know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs.