Ignoramus31939 wrote in message ...
Quoted message said:Jean S. Barto said:How do you folks here deal with unleashed dogs while you're running?
I've
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:been charged by dogs twice in the last week--each time they left *their*
property and challenged me in the middle of the street. Yesterday it was
two dogs who ran through a hole in their yard fence--and last week a
german
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:shepard *climbed* a 6 foot wood fence to chase me.
I finished my run yesterday with two large rocks in my hands--in case the
dogs who charged me yesterday came back out on the way home. They
didn't--the owner must have brought them in.
When that happens to me, I STOP, turn towards these dogs, and look
like I want to tear theur guts out of them. It is important to look
straight in their eyes and now show fear. This always stops these
dogs, most American dogs are very timid.
Yes, dogs can smell fear. I find that I usually get along with almost all
dogs, and so I've never had a big problem with them. Sometimes I've walked
for a brief stretch just to calm them down. Other times I've let them come
right up and sniff me. The really aggressive ones are usually the smallest
ones.
Most aggressive dogs won't attack you if you face them. Your best bet is
simply to stop, face them and walk away slowly backwards, and then begin to
slowly jog away backwards. They usually only chase instinctively when you
run *away* from them as you look like prey. Trying to ignore them and keep
running will most likely only make them more aggressive.
I would advise against trying to show anger towards the dog. When you stop
and face it, it will almost always stop advancing, and at that point it will
show its real tendency. An aggressive dog will rarely charge directly if
you face it. Once I was running on country road past a farm and 2 huge
dogs came out aggressively after me. I simply stopped and faced them, and
both of them were disarmed and came right up to me and greeted me, and they
were both about 30" tall at the shoulder. So there are many like these who
see something running as prey until you show you're human. Others who have
been mistreated may advance slowly and angrily, in which case you should try
backing away slowly.
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Guess I'll have to get some pepper spray??
This is better saved for bear country IMO, though it might give you
confidence to carry it, which would help make you less fearful.
Understanding how dogs think works in most situations, though its still
annoying to have to slow down to deal with them.
-Tony
Quoted message said:Not at all a bad idea.
Quoted message said:BTW--I live in a city/suburban area, not the boonies--that said,
Animal Control isn't very visible around here--but on the other
hand, it's been a long time since I've called them.