Dog tried to attack me on run this morning, should I have reacted differently/done something next time?

Don't run so close to dogs. Get pepper spray.

Call the cops right there at the scene of the bite, and don't let them walk away. People always think their unique precious puppy is so special but I see this sh1t every damn day where i run. Dogs lunge at me looking for a bite and the owner is just laughing "ohhh buddy, stop !! haha !!"

Or kick it in the ribs as hard as you can

Stop being such a p*ssy. By acting as a p*ssy, the dog likely thought you were a cat.

Should have demanded owners info and reported to police. Keep it on the DL because the overly obsessed dog crazies might send their dogs to attack you too. Some dog owners are disturbingly entitled and think the dog can do whatever it wants at the expense of humans. They'll be fined if you report to police so maybe the entitled prick owners will learn not to do it again.

Pack dogs never attack an ALPHA.

Now that you've lost track of the dog, you're not going to know whether or not it gave you rabies for about a month. But by that time it'll be too late to do anything but plan your funeral if you didn't get the shot now. Sorry.

Next time run a wider arc around leashed animals. If you still get bit it's probably because they can sense something bad about you, like you're the type of person who would call 800-DOG-BITE.

Id say you reacted appropriately. Theres really no need to hurt the dog for his/her owners mistake. Obviously at some point you gotta protect yourself but I think in most situations a full grown man should not have to resort to violence against a dog. Anyone who would react aggressively is probably just a giant p*ssy or angry at the world or something

Funny how some people let dogs get away with anything and curse animal cruelty at any anti dog sentiment, yet are fine with eating the meat of various other animals. Save the pigs and cowies!! Imagine if those animals actually got the dog treatment too. No more factory farming industry. Government is a joke and you all are complacent enough to suck its D.

trealt wrote:

I was on my run this morning and this couple was walking their two dogs. I ran by and one of the dogs jumped at me and bit at my leg. It wasn't too painful and didn't draw blood but it did sting for a bit. The owner tried to subdue the dog and said sorry and I held my hands up in annoyance/basically implied "what the hell?".

In the future, what do you think I should have done? Should I have been more aggressive about it? In the off chance the dog had rabies or something, it could have been bad.

Does your state have concealed carry?

I dislike dogs more than most, but there really is no reason to hurt one. People need to train their dogs before walking them in public areas, but there is no law requiring them to do so.

No, he under reacted. He should have called animal control on them. Seriously. And got their info. Rabies shot may be advised too.

That dog will bite someone else and because there will be no record it bit you as far as anyone knows that will be the first time for that dog, not the second (or third or tenth). You have a responsibility to report all dog bites to the police (who may forward you to animal control) so an accurate public record can be maintained and dangerous dogs can be dealt with appropriately. Do the right thing - if this was a one time situation then no harm will be done but you may also be identifying a potential problem animal. An adult's leg is the same height as a child's face; children are overwhelmingly the victims of serious dog bites.

Dogs are just dogs. But wa-y-y-y-y too many people in urban areas get dogs even though their little yuppie lives are too busy to train their dogs properly, to get them socialized with other people and with other dogs. It's an animal! Yes, it's domesticated, but every dog needs training.

In a very small town, even loose dogs are often not problematic. They have gotten the message over years of experimentation that they are just dogs, second fiddle to humans.

It's a constant problem going for a run or walk in a city without getting barked at or sometimes nipped at by someone's dog, even if it is on a leash. The owner invariably says "He/she's never bitten anyone." I yell at them to rein their damn dog in, but they act like I should get out of the range of their dog, which is always on one of those 20 foot leashes with a reel on the end. BTW, those are not considered legal leashes in many cities, which often mandate 8 foot leash maximum. But that's not enforced much.

report it wrote:

That dog will bite someone else and because there will be no record it bit you as far as anyone knows that will be the first time for that dog, not the second (or third or tenth). You have a responsibility to report all dog bites to the police (who may forward you to animal control) so an accurate public record can be maintained and dangerous dogs can be dealt with appropriately. Do the right thing - if this was a one time situation then no harm will be done but you may also be identifying a potential problem animal. An adult's leg is the same height as a child's face; children are overwhelmingly the victims of serious dog bites.

I agree. A bite that is no big deal to an adult could be a very big deal to a small child. If the dogs were being walked on a public street, not on their own territory, they have no cause to bite a stranger passing by and should be reported.

It is my understanding that if no blood was drawn there is a negligible chance of transmitting rabies even in the extremely unlikely event that the dog had rabies. I don't think you need to worry about that.

Calories wrote:

Next time run a wider arc around leashed animals. If you still get bit it's probably because they can sense something bad about you, like you're the type of person who would call 800-DOG-BITE.

I'm dog owner and I walk my dog morning and evening. Because my dog is a rescue and was abused by a guy and has been attacked 10+ times by off-leash dogs, I always make a point to cross the street if someone is walking toward me on the sidewalk, especially if they are walking a dog. For the most part, my dog is friendly and happy, but she does have some fear-based aggression. In terms of runners coming toward me, I cross the street if I have time, or step off the sidewalk. However, the other day a young man came running full bore around a corner and ran straight into me and my dog. We were trapped between a parked car and a 10' hedge. My dog nipped the young man and he got pissed at us. Understandable, but it's pretty hard to avoid a confrontation when someone plows into you. So as the poster above stated, please run a wider arc around dogs. I try to step off first, but if unable, run a few feet to one side. Dogs think you're going to attack their owners, and respond accordingly.

If you are bit by a mammal it is a big deal. You could get rabies and die. If your skin is pierced then you are at risk. Risk level may depend on where you live based on how many confirmed cases of rabies there are in your area.

Hopefully the dog has been vaccinated and the owners provided proof to you that the dog has its shots. If the bite area stays red or swells up then talk to a doctor. There could also be infection.

If your doctor determines that you are at risk for rabies then you are fortunate because he rabies shots aren't as bad as they used to be. You'd get an immunoglobulin shot or two around the area of the bite and then a vaccine shot in the arm. Follow-up vaccine shots in the arm are given on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days.

I suggest all runners read this to see how bites should be handled.

https://dogbitelaw.com/what-to-do-after-dog-bite/the-first-things-to-do-after-being-bitten

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Let us know if you are still alive in a month. Good luck.

I've been bit twice running. Once was a dog on a leash and the other time the dog was not on a leash.

Ever since, if I see any dog in my way, I don't even attempt or try to get out of the dog's way. If it makes a move at me, I'm prepared to kick the dog.

I've kicked 2 dogs who ran towards me. Owners say "my dog never bite!" Same thing I heard from the owners of the two dogs that did bite me.

Never been bit since.

What kind of dogs were they? The small, furry yappers that the owners likely paid 5 Gs for ? Did the guy have a Starbucks in one hand and a Smart Phone in the other when this was going on? Goes on in my neighborhood a lot. No such episode with normal dogs or normal people.

Rabies? Seriously? From what I can tell rabies is virtually non-existent in domestic dogs in the US.

I think you handled it fine.

I don't think you have a responsibility to report all dog bites to the police. I can see how some make that claim but if some dog snips at me I'm not reporting it. I'd be pissed for sure.

And to the guy who was bitten twice and no longer gets out of the way. Is that because you a) are ready to kick them and don't want to move and/or b) think moving shows the dog you are afraid so that is why you were biting.