How to Survive a Dog Attack
written by: TheJoker
There is probably nothing as frightening as getting attacked by a vicious dog. Breeds of dogs that are known to attack humans can weigh more than 150 pounds and kill a small child or even an adult easily. Having knowledge of what to do in case of a dog attack can help someone survive.
A dog that is on the verge of attack is likely to be staring at its victim, deliberately moving towards him or her while growling, baring teeth and hair raising on back. When confronted by a threatening dog, it is advisable to stop, avoid eye contact and wait for it to exit the area. Should this not be possible, a person should slowly walk backwards until the animal is out of sight. Running away from a dog is a big mistake. Humans cannot outrun a dog, and trying to run away will only make an attack more likely by escalating the situation.
In case an attack cannot be avoided, the victim should curl into a defensive posture. One should use any object in their hands to shield the face from the dog. If there is a nearby structure like a fence or a tree, the victim should try and use it as support. If the person under attack has a child with them, he or she should turn their back to the dog while placing hands firmly around the kid’s body. This not only prevents the dog from biting the kid, but also deters the kid from moving or running, something that would worsen the injuries.
There is a commonly occurring image about dog attacks in the media. It usually shows an attacking dog jumping and grabbing the victim’s arms. Usually, the image is preceded by a protagonist wrestling with the dog after wrapping something around his or her arm. Such images are untrue and misleading. The canines uses to film such videos happen to be law enforcement animals trained to immobilize and restrain a target. An ordinary person is unlikely to be attacked by such a dog unless they are a criminal. They are likely to be faced by an aggressive dog that does not aim for the arm. Instead, it will aim for the neck and head. Protecting the head and neck must be done at all costs using the arms or any other nearby objects. If the victim has a child with them, the kid’s neck and head must be protected.
In case the dog bites some limbs, the victim should not attempt to struggle to be free. The more a person struggles, the more severe his or her injuries will be. The victim should stay completely put, waiting for the animal to let go. Even if it lets go, they should continue staying still until it leaves. Although this seems rather difficult to do, one must try. Struggling and fighting back is the natural tendency. This urge should be resisted as struggling with a dog will only worsen the injuries incurred.
A victim is more likely to suffer life-threatening injuries if he or she is pushed to the ground by the dog. One should therefore try all they can to stay upright. If pushed to the ground, the victim should roll into a ball.
