What do you do if an off-leash dog approaches you while you are walking a dog?

Mar 11, 2023

The information below is solely for educational purposes.

Understanding what to do if an off-leash dog approaches you while you are walking your dog is one of the most important things you need to understand as a dog owner.

Why?

Everyone (unless you live in the middle of nowhere) who has owned a dog will have likely had a situation where you’re walking along with your pet pooch and OUT OF NOWHERE an off-leash dog approaches you.

This is usually followed by an “It’s Ok he’s friendly!!” from the owner as the dog charges at you whilst your heart is racing.

Sometimes these encounters can be friendly and other times other dogs can be aggressive. What people don't understand is that just because their dog is dog friendly 99% of the time it doesn’t mean that a fight can't happen.

Understanding a dogs body language and if it's friendly or aggressive can be a life saving skill and help you decide how to react accordingly.

This article explains what to do when a loose dog approaches you, how to evaluate if they are friendly or aggressive and most importantly WHAT NOT TO DO!

What to do when you’re approached by an off leash dog? - 6 Tips

Tip 1: How to QUICKLY handle a dog approaching you.

We will start with this tip as it’s the best way to stop a dog that’s approaching you and your dog quickly. This works 9/10 times no matter if the approaching dog is large or small.

Step 1: Secure your dog on a short lead - By ensuring your dog is on a short lead you have more control which means your dog has less opportunity to react to the approaching dog.

Step 2: Stand in front of your dog creating a physical barrier, and stomp towards the approaching dog. When I mean stomp I don't mean a little step forward, I mean a Hulk stomp that means business! Really raise your leg and stomp to the ground aggressively.

Step 3: Shout “HEY!!” - this is self explanatory but you want to shout as loud as possible so that the approaching dog understands as much as possible that you aren’t scared of them.

When you move towards the dog you use confrontational body language which can help deter the approaching dog. You’re saying if you come at me I will come at you and they will then perceive you as a threat.

This should cause them to move back as it’s very confrontational. This can work if a dog is charging at you full speed however no tactic is 100% guaranteed when working with animals.

If this tip doesn’t work then read below for some more effective methods.

Tip 2: Stay calm. Dogs are incredibly intuitive with their owners and others and will instantly pick up on your body language if you freeze up or start to panic when a dog approaches you.

I know this is easier said than done, especially if the approaching dog is much larger and woke up on the wrong side of bed that morning.

However, by staying calm it signals to your dog AND to the approaching dog that you have the situation UNDER CONTROL.

Dogs are fairly simple creatures and by just staying calm it can help avoid a lot of messy situations when encountering an off lead dog.

Tip 3: Walk Away - if the approaching dog doesn’t pose an immediate threat and is not showing aggressive body language simply turn around and walk away which will cause it to lose interest.

Remember to stay calm throughout this as your dog will pick up if you suddenly start jerking the lead and walking at a fast speed to turn around.

DO NOT DO THIS if the approaching dog is clearly displaying signs of aggression as this could encourage it to come even closer and potentially attack.

Tip 4: Call the other owner to recall their dog - if you can see the approaching dogs owner standing nearby, call them to recall their dog. If they can't recall their dog then they shouldn’t have it off lead.

Often people worry about being impolite but if you have a reactive dog, an older dog or a dog that simply doesn’t like other dogs much but is minding their own business then politeness goes out the window.

Your sole responsibility is your dogs safety. Often times this requires being direct with the approaching dogs owner as you will hear the familiar words “Don’t worry he/she is friendly!!”

Yes they may be friendly but if your dog isn’t or is reactive then they will get hurt. It’s better to be direct in this situation so they get the point quickly instead of making excuses.

Tip 5: Use a tool like Doggy Don't or Pet Corrector Spray- This is my preferred method if tip 1 fails as it’s the most humane and doesn’t cause any damage to the dog.

It’s specifically designed to distract the dog and get them to stop fast. It creates a loud noise which should deter any off leash dogs from coming any closer and ensure your dog's safety.

The downsides to this are that if it is really noisy outside it might not be as affective then in a quiet location.

Tip 6 (Extreme Method A): Pepper or bear spray - if you live in a state/country that allows you to walk around with pepper or bear spray then this is one of the best ways to stop an aggressive dog come near you.

Simply spray a short burst in the attacking dogs direction and watch them run away. Their sense of smell is so strong that this method works very well in extreme circumstances.

Tip 7 (Extreme Method B): Kick the dog - If you are approached by an aggressive small dog, you have a much larger breed, no pepper spray AND the shout has not deterred them then be prepared to kick the dog to avoid serious damage being done.

Simply follow Tip 1 and if the small dog still attacks, keep your dog behind you and kick the small dog on the back legs. This should make it run off and shouldn’t do any lasting damage.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is only done as a last report and obviously the intention is not to harm the dog. However, Keeping your dog safe is your main priority.

However, if you own a large breed (personally i own a 40KG male Doberman) and a small breed tries to nip it resulting in your dog biting them, this can cause a serious injury or death.

Another thing to note is that if you do utilize this method be prepared to get bitten as this does increase the chances of this.

What mistakes TO AVOID if an off lead dog approaches you and your dog

Below we’ve detailed 3 things to AVOID when approached by an off lead dog

Mistake 1: Don't run away or start getting visibly stressed

Most people run away or suddenly tug back on their dog. AVOID this at all costs. I know it can be scary but by doing this it empowers the other dog as they see weakness in your reaction.

If their intent was to be aggressive or to attack this can get exacerbated as they have seen you retract and give a fight or flight response.

Unless you have an immediate escape like a door, gate, car etc then you don't want to back away from the other dog.

If you back away and then your dog is subsequently attacked this can cause your dog to lose trust in you. In turn this can make them reactive, even if they weren’t before as they will feel like they have to protect themselves or you in any future situations.

As we said earlier in the article you want to step forwards as the off leash dog comes closer, do a loud stomp, clap and a loud HEY!!.

Saying this I fully appreciate there is a MASSIVE difference if a large mastiff is charging at your small terrier compared to a chihuahua that is having small man syndrome.

This is why (if it is permitted in your area) to have something like pepper or bear spray when you take your dog out as a backup option.

Mistake 2: Correcting your dog when its not their fault

If another dog has aggressively charged your dog and your dog reacts defensively, it has done nothing wrong. If you then correct it for simply responding to an attack then it will lose trust in you.

It’s not your dog's fault that another dog tried to attack them and they reacted.

This only applies if the approaching dog has actually tried to attack your dog. If the off leash dog is friendly and your dog has suddenly attacked them then a correction is definitely needed as this type of behavior can not be tolerated.

Mistake 3: Not speaking up to the off leashed dogs owner

Do not be afraid to speak up. It is your responsibility to advocate for your own dog. If the off leash dog is near its owner, get them to recall their dog.

If they cant recall their unleashed dog and it looks like it’s going to be aggressive you are well within your right to kick it away or spray it if shouting at it doesn’t have any effect.

It’s ok to speak up to other dog owners when off leash dogs approach you. It doesn’t matter if their dog is friendly, your dog might not be and it's best to avoid a dog fight.

“My dog is friendly dont worry!” - One of the most frustrating lines every dog owner hears. Just because their dog is friendly doesn’t mean my dog is!

I own a 40kg male intact doberman. If it reacts to a smaller dog by biting it, it will kill it.

Wouldn't the owner prefer me to kick it or spray it away?

You don't need to be worried about coming across as rude or being nice. People blow off this approach. If you’re direct, people usually listen. Don't be afraid to tell the owner to recall their dog immediately.

How can you tell if a dog is aggressive or playful?

Understanding the difference between when an unfamiliar dog approaches you and your dog in a friendly manner compared to if they are being aggressive is critical to help you react accordingly and dog is approaching you and your dog wanting to play or if they are being aggressive can help you react accordingly.

There are ALWAYS warning signs if a loose dog is going to be aggressive. It’s very easy to miss these unless you know what to look for.

5 Warning Signs of aggressive behavior

Intent staring
Intense body language - stiff body, standing tall, tail straight up
Haeckel's up on the dogs back
Low growl or bark
Snarling

The intentions between a dog attacking a dog is completely different to a dog correcting another dog. A dog attacking another dog is meant to actually do damage to the dog long term.

This is displayed by the dog biting and holding on to the other dog and not letting go, shaking their head side to side.

If a dog nips but then walks away - that’s not an attack. It’s a correction. Corrections are completely normal in nature and it’s important to know the difference.

How to tell if an off leash dog is friendly?

Fortunately, it’s quite easy to see if a dog approaching is friendly or not by their body language.

When a dog isn’t displaying any of the obvious signs of aggression detailed above then they should be fairly relaxed and friendly.

5 signs they are friendly:

Rolling on the floor with belly up
Loose body language
Don't stare directly at your dogs eyes
Play bow (when they bow it’s a sign they want to play)
Doesn’t approach in a direct line

What can you do if nothing works and your dog gets in a fight?

Dogs are animals and sometimes their instincts can take over. No matter if you pepper spray them, shout at them or use the Pet Corrector Spray they might still charge and attack your dog.

If your dog does get attacked and a serious fight ensues the first thing you need to do is break it up.

If your dog has latched onto another dog or vice versa one of the best tactics to remove them quickly and get them to release is to grab the dog by their hind legs at their paws (feet) and pull from behind.

Speaking to a range of dog trainers this will get them to release the other dog from their mouth 95% of the time and allow you to get back in control of the situation.

Again, there is a real chance that you get bitten doing this but the tips above should help in most cases + most approaching dogs are not actually aggressive :)