Being charged by a loose, off-leash dog is my worst nightmare for my clients. An event like this has the power to undo a lot of hard work we’ve put in, and it’s not fair at all. Whether it’s a dog owner yelling “she’s friendly!” as the dog charges you, an off-leash dog who has zero recall, or the loose dog who appeared out of nowhere, it’s absolutely one of those “oh shit” moments that you can’t ever be fully prepared for. That said, there are some things you can do to prepare, and that’s what this blog post is all about. We’ll talk about how to prevent being charged by a loose dog, how to respond if you’re charged, and what to do afterward.
Preventing a loose dog encounter
First of all, sometimes you can do everything in your power to prevent being charged and yet it still happens. I wanted to say that outright because I do NOT want to shift blame on you at all whatsoever! Being charged by a loose dog is never your fault.
Here are a few tips for prevention:
If you know a particular area is prone to loose dogs, it’s best to avoid it. That might mean avoiding your own neighborhood. Does that suck? Absolutely. Is it safer? Definitely. Hopefully you don’t have to go far.
If you see a questionable situation up ahead (a wide open gate, a front door propped open as someone brings in groceries, a dog running around in a front yard) turn around. Better to have a shorter walk or take an unusual route than to risk running into a loose dog. By the time you see the dog it’s often too late to turn around, so avoiding questionable situations can go a long way toward preventing a loose dog encounter.
If you’re walking in a neighborhood, watch for things like open gates, open doors, open garage doors, lots of kids running around (sometimes the dog is running around with them), people loading/unloading cars, etc. Be especially vigilant on windy days when gates and doors may not close all the way.
If you’re walking in a park and you see a dog up ahead, stop and watch from a safe distance, if possible. If you don’t see the owner, get out of there!
Don’t be afraid to come across as rude. Prioritize making your point quickly and clearly. Bluntly stating something like “NOT friendly, call your dog NOW!” is often the best way to get the other owner to take action. You can always apologize for your bluntness after the other owner has collected their dog, if you feel you need to.
How to respond when a loose dog charges you
There is no magic bullet that will calm the situation instantly. Lots of folks like to claim that there is (“just have calm energy and the dogs will be fine!”) but that’s just not realistic. The fact is you can’t fully control the situation.
Here are some specific tips on how to respond to a charging dog:
Shorten your dog’s leash and do your best to keep them behind you. Your goal is to stay between the two dogs, so you may need to pivot as the loose dog maneuvers.
If the dog is charging and there’s no way out, then your best bet is to get big and stand your ground. Take a wide stance and claim your space. Bring that Gandalf “YOU SHALL NOT PASS” energy. The dog will notice.
As the dog gets close, stand tall, throw your arm out with a pointed finger and yell something like “git!” in the deepest voice you can muster. OR, even better, if you have a Pet Corrector or Pet Convincer, release a quick burst of compressed air. The intention with both of these actions is to startle the dog and cause them to pause.
You may need to repeat yourself a few times before the dog gets it.
Resist the urge to start walking away too quickly. Dogs like to chase!
Last but not least, if the dog ignores all of the above and keeps coming, you may need to use your foot to make your point. No one wants to kick a dog, but if your dog’s safety is at risk, do what you’ve gotta do to end the encounter as quickly as possible.
Not every loose dog encounter is going to warrant this kind of response. With a more mellow dog, sometimes you can get away with keeping your body between the dogs until the loose dog gets the hint or until their owner retrieves them. My best advice? Trust yourself. Your instincts are better than you think! Plus, believing that about yourself goes a long way.
After you’ve been charged…
First things first: get to safety. If there’s been an altercation, do your best to take note of where you are and who is present if it’s safe to do so. This information might become relevant if you need to contact the authorities or share information with your vet.
As soon as it’s safe, check yourself and your dog for any injuries and decide if you need to head to the vet or to the hospital. If you’re both okay, then it’s probably best to head directly home. Your dog will be just as unnerved as you are, and there’s no comfort like the comfort of home. Once home, help your dog settle in and then kick your feet up on the couch and give your nervous system an opportunity to settle down, too.
In the days following the encounter, it would be a good idea to reach out to friends who have non-reactive dogs and plan some walks together. After a negative or unnerving encounter with a loose dog, your dog’s confidence will need to be built back up. The way to build your dog’s confidence is through coexistence with mannerly dogs. “Coexistence” means you’ll walk the dogs together, but each dog will have their own handler and they’ll never get close enough to interact. These kinds of no-pressure encounters will help your dog feel comfortable around dogs again, but the key is that there cannot be pressure to interact!
Your confidence will need to be built up again, too. The most important part of this is acknowledging that it’s not your fault. It’s! Not! Your! Fault! (Say it with me!) Blaming yourself and beating yourself up over what you think you should have done differently doesn’t help you heal. What might help is connecting with others who have been through similar experiences. Reach out to first, post on social media, or if you’re a client of mine, come to our weekly pack walks.
The experience of being charged by a loose dog feels like it’s pretty much universal for dog owners these days. You are not alone in this! It’s a frustrating and unfortunate reality that we’re all living with, but I hope this blog post helps you feel better prepared. Share this with another dog owner who might like to feel prepared, too!
