how to make dogs afraid of you

Have you ever encountered a dog that seemed to appear out of nowhere, barking at you on the sidewalk? Or perhaps a dog that jumped on you from a nearby park? Maybe your own dog barked at you while he was sleeping on his pillow, or even tried to bite you when you grabbed his collar after he had just stolen something from your belongings.

Whether it is a stray dog or your own pet, and whether the victim is you, a family member, or another animal, it is natural to feel helpless and sad when faced with such situations. Fear, surprise, and confusion arise. Why does this happen? Is it possible to avoid this type of dog attack?

How do you make dogs afraid of you?

Dogs often fear loud noises, such as thunderstorms and fireworks, but they may also be afraid of children, people, cars, stairs, and similar things, or even hidden objects, such as butterflies or faint shadows.

Be slow and calm.

Dogs follow movement. If you move in one direction, they may consider it an invitation to follow you. This does not mean they will be aggressive or dangerous. If you really want to get away, do so slowly, walking. You can try to reach a door, gate, or your car to take cover, but do it calmly.

Imagine for a moment that you are driving a car. In your rear-view mirror, you see another car approaching and there is a state of panic. You are very afraid of being in an accident, so you start moving the wheel in all directions while pressing the accelerator. The situation becomes dangerous because of the panic that was not there in the beginning. Despite the difficulty, calmness would be your best ally in evaluating the situation and knowing how to avoid it.

If the dog is restrained or close to someone, don’t hesitate to turn around it widely and walk quietly so as not to pass it. This type of turning is not costly and can already reassure you.

If the dog is loose, observe what is around you, and look for a tree or a wall that you can stand in front of in case of a problem. The goal is very simple, this tree, this wall, this car, will be your goal if the dog approaches you. However, by actively (and calmly) searching for this flat surface to lean on, you are doing something very important for the dog. You are telling him: You do not exist. You tell him this because you are not watching him, nor focusing on him. In the language of dogs: You do not exist, which also means: There is no reason to care about me, I am not a danger or even being ignored.

If the dog is approaching everything, join the exit door (car, building, …) or flat surface (tree, wall, car, …). Keep calm, everything is fine, walk calmly. If the dog walks around you and confronts you, don’t hesitate to turn around and look for another way out. The fact that you don’t care continues to convey to the dog that you are not a threat.

Be kind

It can be very difficult to be kind when you are afraid. What kind of empathy can we have for the big spider climbing on us? However, being kind also means avoiding aggressive responses.

Yelling, gesturing, and trying to scare it away may work in some cases, but if you really want to be safe, it’s best to avoid these methods. Let’s just remember this: to fight, it takes two. If you don’t really want to fight, there’s a low risk of a dog approaching you and harming you. Now, if the dog you want to fight shows up, screaming, yelling in its face, and threatening it, it’s likely to back away quickly… because dogs are peacekeepers who seek to avoid attacks and conflicts. Unfortunately, some dogs have learned, like some people, that the best defense is offense. Instead of running away, they may decide to engage in the conflict. In other words, violence begets violence, so avoid it.

Be communicative

Being connected does not necessarily mean “talking”. Ignoring the dog is a signal that says “ignore me”, but it is not the only means of communication that we can use. We can blink, walk slowly, yawn, look away in addition to looking, all of which are signals that the dog can easily understand.

You can seek to discover the communication between dogs in order to use all the signals that come to alleviate and calm down conflicts. It is a healthy way to express your fear, anxiety, and desire to keep the dog away.

You can also allow other nearby humans, if there are any, to know that you are afraid or simply request that the dog be moved away. If you do so, speak calmly. You can look for simple words to express your problem in advance: What will I say in this case? For example:

• Please, can you move the dog away?
• Sorry, I am really afraid of dogs, can you move it away?
• Please, I am afraid of your dog following me.

How do you know if your dog is afraid of you?

If the dog is afraid of you, it may tremble or hide. Remember that a dog that doesn’t like you may actually be a little afraid of you – and this fear can manifest in physical ways: “If the dog is scared, it may cower or hunch over, pull its ears back, tuck its tail, hide, or tremble.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sound that dogs hate the most? Fireworks. It’s likely that fireworks are the most common loud noises that scare dogs.

Why does my dog stare at me? Just as humans gaze into the eyes of someone they love, dogs may gaze at their owners to express their affection. The mutual gaze between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. This chemical plays an important role in bonding and enhancing feelings of love and trust.

Can you kick a dog if it attacks you? Any dog that attacks or even alerts or chases after another animal can be subdued. This means that you can legally obtain permission to defend not only yourself but also your animals with deadly force. You should not initiate the bite. … If the dog no longer poses a threat, do not shoot the dog.