As we mentioned in our article about what makes a dog bite, the people that dogs tend to bite are the very people that they live with. When we encounter a strange dog however, the probability of getting bitten doubles because we just don’t know the condition of a dog we’re confronted with. An unfamiliar dog for example could come from a violent or abusive background. It could lack important socialization skills, or it could even suffer from a painful illness. That’s why we strongly caution you against interacting with a strange dog. The end result could be very painful dog bites. Here are some tips on how to avoid making an already scary situation worse.

1. Never approach a strange dog. You just don’t know enough about a strange animal to make an intelligent assessment of its physical and mental state. If you suspect that an unfamiliar dog needs medical help, call animal control.
2. Make yourself non-threatening. Remember that dogs bite whenever they feel threatened. It doesn’t really matter what we think is threatening. What matters is how a dog interprets a situation. You shouldn't therefore make any sudden moves or make any loud noises. Stand completely still and don’t look into the dog’s eyes. You can speak to the dog in a mild tone as you back away slowly, but don’t turn your back on him and don’t run. An aggressive or threatened dog perceives running humans as prey.

Note that these suggestions aren’t 100% effective. A strange dog could attack you despite the fact that you’ve given it no real or known reason to. In the event that you’re attacked, you can do one of three things: (1) fall down, curl into a ball, and protect your head and neck with your hand or (2) protect yourself with a nearby object of some sort: a large stick; a garbage can lid; anything you can use to create a barrier between you and your attacker, or (3) look for something high to climb on and high tail it up there – pronto!

We don’t recommend that you fight a dog, but we don’t really recommend that you voluntarily surrender yourself to massive dog bites and become live dog food either. You really have to use your own judgment here. If you believe you have the strength and courage to stop an attack, assault the dog at its most vulnerable points: nose, eyes, scrotum, etc.