If you’re out for a walk in the neighborhood and you encounter a threatening dog, you’re probably going to be tempted to run away from it. It stands to reason that you need to put as much space between you and the dog as possible, and you want to do it as quickly as you can.
However, although this may feel like it’s going to make you safer, running may actually just put you in greater danger. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t simply turn and run away from a dangerous dog.
Dogs have a chase instinct
First off, dogs have an instinct to chase, and they’re always looking for prey. If you turn and run, you can activate the instinct and make the dog even more aggressive.
You lose sight of the danger
It can be difficult to know exactly where to look in this situation because you don’t want to make eye contact with the dog. Dogs see this as a sign of aggression. But you do want to keep it in your peripheral vision, so you shouldn’t turn your back entirely.
Dogs are simply too fast
For the most part, the fact of the matter is that dogs are just too fast for humans to outrun them anyway. This is why you’re far better off trying to calm the dog down and slowly retreating from its territory. If you run, all you’re doing is risking riling the dog up or causing it to chase you. It’s much better to keep your energy level low to try to avoid a bite.
Of course, even if you do everything correctly, you could still be bitten by a dangerous dog. If you suffer serious injuries and infections, make sure you know what legal options you have.