OutdoorAdventureWhat should you do if you encounter stray dogs?
During outdoor adventures, you may inevitably face some dangers, such as encountering stray or wild dogs. Typically, these dogs are not very fond of travelers and may bark aggressively. If you panic and flee when near them, it might signal danger to the dogs.
Here are some steps you can take:
1. Stay calm. Walk forward calmly without making sudden turns to avoid provoking the dog into chasing or attacking you, and also to prevent accidents with vehicles. To a dog, running away signals that you are prey. The more frantically you flee, the more it will trigger the dog’s hunting instincts, as it can already sense your fear. On the contrary, if you walk past calmly, the dog may bark loudly, but at most, that’s all it will do. Therefore, staying calm is the best way to avoid being chased by dogs.
2. Learn to predict. Try to anticipate the dog’s behavior. For example, assess whether the dog is aggressive. If it slowly approaches you, try not to move and let it sniff you. If you pose no threat, it will likely walk away on its own.
3. Be bold. If you’re feeling brave, you can try to intimidate the dog. The old "fight fire with fire" approach can often scare off stray dogs. For instance, throwing stones or using a stick to ward it off may cause the dog to back off.
4. Stand up to assert dominance. If a dog approaches you, you might suddenly stand up tall—but don’t attack it. Your sudden movement can startle the dog and cause it to flee. In the past, the editor of TanLuLv (a hiking website) would even imitate a dog’s bark, which usually scared the dogs away. This trick has proven very effective.
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