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

bit twice wrote:

I will call out to let owner know I am coming and if dog doesnt move I can usually just hurdle over the dog.

That's a good way to get bitten in the ass mid-air.

wejo wrote:

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.

It is better to stand your ground than to try and move. Moving will trigger the prey hunt instinct in dogs.

If a dog is running in front of its owner, then the owner is not properly walking the dog. The owner should always be in front or beside the dog so that it is seen as the alpha. When this happens, dogs are usually well behaved. If the dog is leading the owner then that means it sees itself as the alpha dog and will do what is instincts tell it to because there is no other leader.

If a dog is running towards you, you need to assess whether it is friendly or aggressive by its body language. You have to be prepared to take it down and turn it in its back. Then cup a hand around the throat like you are buying it. This will assert you as the alpha dog and it will then be submissive.

bit twice wrote:

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.

I've often had to defend myself (yes, I've been bitten before while running). I hate to have to kick a dog, but I've had to on a few occasions, and I've more frequently used pepper spray. With either legal self-defense method, the dog owners just go batsh*t. They start screaming at me, threaten to call 911 (I say "Go ahead"), or threaten bodily harm to me. Typically, they don't give a crap about what their dog is doing to me, chasing, nipping, etc., but focus 100% of their attention on what I am doing to poor Fluffie. The little yappers are the worst.

wejo wrote:

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.

Myth: 3 Americans die of rabies every year. Fact: 4 Americans die of rabies every year.

dogtown wrote:

Id say you reacted appropriately. Theres really no need to hurt the dog for his/her owners mistake.

Don't be so stupid. A wild animal that is intent on hurting you badly, and which has the ability to rip you apart and kill you, needs to be put down immediately.

You're the pu/ssy, for not protecting people from attacks.

edward teach wrote:

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.

A dog owner is 100 percent responsible for attacks and injuries caused by the dog.

wejo wrote:

I don't think

ThunderThighs wrote:

bit twice wrote:

I will call out to let owner know I am coming and if dog doesnt move I can usually just hurdle over the dog.

That's a good way to get bitten in the ass mid-air.

Naw, I usually accelerate to 5:00 mile pace. Dogs usually get scared and fall into their submissive stance/lie down when they see a 6 foot tall sweaty guy charging straight at them.

wejo wrote:

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

Lots of runners get rabies from dog bites. You need to spend more time in the political threads here.

common rage wrote:

wejo wrote:

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

Lots of runners get rabies from dog bites. You need to spend more time in the political threads here.

Yes, there is rabies in US dogs. Particularly in cities/towns where dogs have some legitimate interaction with nature. Varies by region. In my Midwest city there are dog areas with acres of basically untouched woods, and people let their dogs loose when at the cottage etc.

Don't know where anyone who thinks otherwise gets their facts. Google CDC rabies.

The dog was on a leash it seems.

Do not run so close to a leashed dog that it can touch you.

Your fault.

Human rabies cases in the United States are rare, with only 1 to 3 cases reported annually. Thirty-four cases of human rabies have been diagnosed in the United States since 2003, in which 10 cases were found to have contracted infection outside of the United States and its territories. The number of human deaths in the United States attributed to rabies has been steadily declining since the 1970’s due to animal control and vaccination programs, modern rabies biologics following exposure, and successful outreach campaigns. Rabies vaccination programs have eliminated domestic dogs as reservoirs of rabies in the United States, although we still see 80 – 100 dogs and >300 cats with rabies each year, usually infected by wildlife when these domesticated pets are not vaccinated against rabies.

Act like a Bear with your hands over your head and say "Come on boy!" as loud as you can then sprint your best quarter mile or so.

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.

You should've told them "I have a heart condition, please call 911 ASAP".

George Ilie wrote:

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.

You should've told them "I have a heart condition, please call 911 ASAP".

So add lying to being a damn Nancyboy?

There are some good vids on reading dog behavior. (And not so good ones)

The us post office has good vid.

Personally I hate dogs...between the chasing the bites the barking and the dogsh it.

F@ them!

In most major metropolitan areas, rabies has been eradicated in dogs for several decades. I got bit by two very aggressive pit bulls on a run and the local health authority said there was no need for rabies vaccine.

A dog that bites, but does not pierce the skin is probably displaying herding instincts and is trying to nip you to get you back in line. If a dog is trying to hurt you, it will break the skin when biting. It does not take much effort for a dog to land a bite and break the skin.

The best thing to do when encountering a dog off leash on a trail is to stop, give the owner the stink eye and make sure they get control over the dog before you pass. Tell the owner it is not an off leash area and they need to control their dogs. I started a local campaign with runners and walkers on a popular trail to tell dog walkers to keep their dogs on a leash after I was surrounded by seven dogs that two couples were out walking off leash. After posting about the experience on a local running facebook page (the owners of the dogs had choice words for me when I insisted that they needed to keep their dogs on a leash), several other runners had the same experience. We all made it a point to use the trail every day and tell anyone walking dogs off leash to secure their dogs. It actually worked. People either stopped using the trail or changed their ways and started keeping their dogs on a leash. The only reason people let their dogs go off leash is because they think it is ok. Once they hear day in day out from people on the trail that they should not have their dogs off leash, they get the picture and change their ways.

Michael Scott wrote:

wejo wrote:

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.

Myth: 3 Americans die of rabies every year. Fact: 4 Americans die of rabies every year.

NOT as a result of domestic dog bites.

ALL as a result of non-domesticated pest animals (rats, squirrels, possum, raccoon)

Hot Air Balloon wrote:

The dog was on a leash it seems.

Do not run so close to a leashed dog that it can touch you.

Your fault.

A 6 or 20 foot leash does not keep a dog in control of the owner.

Any time a dog attacks someone, the attack is the fault of the owner.

A dog that's going to attack should not be out in public.

Your fault, period.