There are often times in our lives where we are put in situations that are sudden and need immediate action. You don’t have time to think and make calculated decisions, and one of these situations is being attacked by a dog. It’s a scenario where you have to rely on instinct, that’s for sure. But it will certainly help to have some important facts at the back of your head if you’re ever faced head on with a dog attack.
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Look out for significant signs
The first thing you need to be well informed about is what it is that will give away the fact that you might be at risk of being attacked by a dog. Just like humans, all dogs are different and have different personalities, so unfortunately, it’s not absolutely black and white. But there are a couple of signs that you should look out for that are pretty common amongst all aggressive dogs. If a dog bares his teeth and growls at you, you may be in danger. They usually take a defensive stance and will seem extremely focused, almost as if they’re frozen.
What to do at the moment
So here you are, stuck in a situation where this clearly aggravated dog is about to attack you. There are a couple of things you can do to get yourself out of the situation:
- A lot of people believe that the right thing to do is to try to calm the dog down. This simply isn’t going to work because the dog is in a state of wild aggression and no amount of reason will affect him. So the best thing to do is to keep your hands to yourself, preferably at your side.
- Keeping eye contact is also another wrong preconception. Try your best to not look directly at the dog in this situation.
- Stay calm to the best of your ability. It’s also extremely important that you control your body language. Standing head on with the dog insinuates that you are ready for confrontation, so try to slowly stand at an angle where you’re not facing it directly, to the side almost.
- If the dog gets close to you, be sure to allow it to sniff you and speak in a low, calm tone to give off as much comfort to it as you possibly can. Do not shout at the dog at all! This will only increase the tension and push it to attack you.
- If you feel that all the steps you’ve taken thus far aren’t working, it’s always a good idea to put something between you and the dog in case it does go ahead and attack.
What if I get bitten?
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If you are in a scenario where the dog has not even given you a chance to analyze and act upon the situation in a safe way, and has attacked you, there are steps that need to be taken in the event that you have been bitten. You must go see a doctor immediately so that you can get the necessary shots to avoid infections. You can also go as far as hiring a lawyer to take care of the damage caused by the dog bite injuries in case the dog belongs to someone. According to the personal injury attorneys Bisnar/Chase, you may be entitled to compensation to cover your medical bills and damages; and to pursue the defendant for compensation as the victim of the injury.
Even though there’s really only so much you can do in a situation where a dog is ready to attack you, always know that the key is to stay calm. Getting overly worked up and loud will not help the situation whatsoever. You need to make sure that you take any steps necessary to get out of the scenario with as little damage as possible.
