Guarding territory, being protective and biting are natural instincts for a dog.
What is the first thing a person wants to do when confronted by a charging, growling, snapping dog?
Run.
Which is one of the biggest mistakes you can make if you are under attack by a dog, said Augusta County Animal Control Officer Bill Hobgood.
“You know how the fire department has a stop, drop and roll theme — our thing is to become a tree,” he said.
Be like a tree
Hobgood said he often talks about dog safety at elementary and grade schools to show kids how to prevent dog bites and teach them about rabies. A discussion especially important for children during the summer months when the chance of encountering a stray animal is higher.
“The first thing I tell them is do not run,” he said. “You need to stand still, put your eyes down, ball your fists up and tuck them under your chin and then just stand there.”
Once the dog no longer feels threatened and no one is fleeing, which can stimulate prey instincts, a dog will stop biting or attacking a person, Hobgood said.
“Ninety-nine percent of the time, the dog will lose interest and turn around and walk away,” he said.
Hobgood, who has been in animal control for 16 years, said the minute a person turns to run, a dog is often quick to pursue.
“Its four legs are a lot faster than your two,” he said. “If a dog knocks you down, curl into a fetal position and lay there, but keep your hands tucked under your chin to protect your neck area.”
Dog bites are especially high in the summertime because “even a nice dog will go after something that is moving,” Hobgood said.
If you are on a bike, stop the bike and get off on the opposite side of where the dog is. “Then use the bike to stay between you and the dog,” Hobgood advised.
Stay out of range of tethered dogs
Waynesboro Animal Control Officer Dee Price said some of the most dangerous animals she has encountered aren’t always the ones running loose.
“Tethered dogs are the worst,” she said. “When you see the half-circle moon in the grass, oftentimes that is when you get an aggressive dog.”
Price said dogs tied up consider the area they live in their personal property and if you cross that line, “it’s not a good thing.”
She said when she walks into a yard where a dog has been placed on a chain and only dirt surrounds the area up to its dog house, things are often not what they seem.
“They are barking and wagging their tail and you think, ‘Oh, look they want to be rubbed’ and you cross that line— that does not mean they want to be rubbed, you are crossing into their home territory,” she said. “That’s when they can more or less tear you up because that’s all they know.”
Serious injuries, especially to children, happen when a dog lives outside on a chain, Price said. People feel sorry for the animal that they think wants someone to play with it or pet it.
Hobgood said chained dogs do not receive as much socialization with people as dogs that live inside a home and they can attack a stranger if they feel their territory has been compromised.
Reducing the risk
The Humane Society of the United States offers a variety of tips on its website to not only help understand why a dog behaves a certain way in different situations, but also ways to create an environment where a dog is more comfortable and less likely to bite.
Spaying and neutering pets, socializing pets and participating in dog training classes are all responsible ways to be a good pet owner and reduce a dog’s likelihood of biting, according to the organization.
“If you don’t know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious,” the website states. “If your dog may panic in crowds, leave him at home. If your dog overreacts to visitors or delivery or service personnel, keep him in another room. Work with professionals to help your dog become accustomed to these and other situations. Until you are confident of his behavior, however, avoid stressful settings.”
Other tips offered by the Humane Society is to not disturb dogs while sleeping, eating or if they are caring for puppies.
Look for the warning signs
Signs a dog is uncomfortable with an interaction include a tense body, stiff tail, rolling eyes, intense staring and yawning, according to the organization. Watch for warning signals and give a nervous or distressed dog space.
A good way to avoid a dog bit is to think how a dog may perceive an interaction, according to the Humane Society, and “always assume a dog who doesn’t know you may see you as an intruder or a threat.”
Lesley Holsinger, an Animal Control officer for Staunton, said most of the calls she receives for dog bites are to a person’s hand area.
“A lot of time, the first thing a dog is going to bite is the first thing it comes to,” she said. “People reach out and the dogs bite their hands.”
Holsinger said the best way to approach an animal you are not familiar with is to ask the owner if it is ok to pet the animal. Then stand to one side, avoid direct eye contact and try not to appear threatening to the animal.
She also warned of the dangers of a dog sitting in an unattended vehicle.
“We get a lot of dog bites from dogs in a vehicle,” Holsinger said. “People reach their hand in to pet the dog and the dog bites them– that’s their territory.”