You may love your dog, but unfamiliar pooches can sometimes be intimidating to you or your pet – particularly if you find yourself in a particular situation.
A dog trainer has shared what to do if a common problem occurs while walking your dog – and there’s one mistake you should avoid.
Many people get intimidated or caught off guard when they’re going about their day and an off-lead dog comes running over to them. At this point, often even experienced dog owners panic and don’t know what to do.
Southend Dog Training, who are described as the ‘world’s leading online dog training community’, shared a video on TikTok of one of their trainers explaining what to do when a dog off its lead comes charging over to you. He said you should simply shout the word ‘sit’ and not run away.
Speaking in the TikTok video, the dog trainer said: “It’s very very simple. Don’t run away. All that’s going to do is increase your chances of getting bit.”
He explained: “Nine out of ten dogs when they’re running over to you are bluffing. That bluff becomes a reality however when you run away so don’t do that. It’s only prey that runs away from predatory animals.”
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The dog expert continued: “What you actually want to do is stand your ground and shout ‘sit’. Nearly every dog on the planet knows the word sit.”
He said when you do this the dog will either sit or be so “bemused” that you, a stranger, has asked them to sit so they’ll run back to their owner. The dog trainer gave further advice: “If you’re out with your dog or child do not pick them up.
“All you do by picking them up is make yourself a target and whatever you picked up a target and you remove your hands. You want your hands in case you have to physically take control or defend yourself.
“What you do is you put your dog behind you or your child behind you. You advocate. You act as a barrier for them.
“You do not let that dog get behind you. You stamp your foot, you go on the offensive if necessary, shout ‘sit’. Most dogs will run away.”
The dog trainer said the “reality is if a dog is going to bite you, it’s going to bite you” but you can reduce your chances of this happening if you “stand your ground and instruct the dog what to do”. He also suggested carrying some treats in your pocket to throw to the dog.
People were quick to share their thoughts on the video, with hundreds of comments havinv been left. One user revealed what they did when a dog came charging over to them: “I was walking my dog after back surgery, and a mastiff off leash came charging. I can’t even describe the roar that came out of me, but that dog stopped immediately and the owners were horrified.”
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Another admitted: “I have such a small dog I always immediately pick her up.” A different user, aged 73, shared a recent encounter they had with a dog while they were out with their pet.
They said: “This huge dog came running at me from across the road. I was walking my Maremma on lead. My dog ran to block the dog but after he went i lost my balance and fell.
“My dog came back to check me and the other charged again. Mine blocked him again then an owner appeared and ran off with the dog. I broke my femur and hip.”
The user was grateful she had her dog to protect her but urged other owners to keep their dogs on their leads. She added that it has been three months since the incident and she “still can’t walk.”
Blue Cross, a UK animal welfare charity, has said there is no “blanket law requiring dogs to be kept on a lead in all public areas.” However, there are some restrictions that mean you have to keep your dog on a lead in certain places in your local area such as sports pitches, children’s play areas, roads, parks and beaches.
Sourse: www.express.co.uk
