Is it true that a barking dog never bites?
Are you willing to take your chances
with this angry beast?
Sure,
you might think you know
what to do
if a dog tries to attack you,
but something as simple as staring
directly at this vicious animal
could turn a bad situation
into a deadly one.
A dog can be a human’s best friend
but don’t be fooled by that innocent face.
Those sharp teeth
kill more than 25,000
people every year.
Although it might seem unprovoked,
numerous things can trigger
a canine to attack.
Fear,
feeling territorial about its food
or even pain.
Now you’re face-to-face
with a growling dog
and its tail is between its legs
and crouching low.
It looks ready to pounce,
but what will happen next
will depend on what you do.
Or don’t do.
In December of 2021,
Jacqueline Durand,
a dog sitter from Texas,
was hired to care for a pit bull
and a mixed-breed German shepherd
while their owners were out of town.
On their front door
was an ominously written
'beware of dogs' sign.
But the 22-year-old
had previously met the two canines
and she felt safe.
As soon as the dog sitter unlocked
the door to enter the house,
the two dogs viciously attacked her.
They mauled her body,
chewing her ears,
lips
and nose completely off
in the process.
When an aggressive dog
has set its sights on you,
it can be one of the scariest
moments of your life.
Screaming for help
or shouting at the dog
might be your first reaction.
But that's a huge mistake.
Any loud noise would only
agitate the already stressed-out dog.
You will scare them more,
making them likelier to snap.
If you want to convince a dog
that you aren’t a threat,
you can firmly tell it to sit
or stay
and they might respond
to a common command.
That will slow it down
for a moment.
You’re dealing with a visibly
angry animal
and you want to defend yourself.
Don't you dare try to kick it away.
You only gave it another
target to bite into.
Those fangs are just
what you need to stay away from,
so your flailing limbs
won't help you survive.
If the dog grabs your foot
and you're wearing shoes,
with any luck it will remove it.
It might be satisfied enough
to rip your footwear to shreds
since it smells like you
and leave your feet attached.
Nothing like a staring contest
to unintentionally
challenge a dog to a duel.
No, you won’t intimidate it.
You'll be seen as a threat
that needs to be dealt with.
Instead, look at the ground
and stand still.
Hopefully, it won’t find you
a worthy opponent
and will leave you alone.
Any sudden movements
can be startling to a dog
and only make things worse.
So jumping up and down
is not an option.
But if there's a fence you could scale
or a table you could reach
then get yourself to higher ground
and put some distance
between you and Fido.
That was intense.
You'll need time to recover.
Maybe a dog is not your ideal pet.
You might be better off adopting a cute,
cuddly cat.
Oh, wait,
those can be deadly too.
All it takes is one bite
for the trouble to start,
so you better keep watching
How to Survive.