Knowing what to do when an unknown dog suddenly attacks can be the difference between a safe encounter and one that ends in serious injuries.

In doing some Internet research on this topic, author Lee Youde came across an article on wikiHow.com titled “How to Handle a Dog Attack” and it was written/edited by Sondra C, Dave Crosby, Anna Barry, and 78 others.  It is certainly a piece worth reading, and maybe you too have some valuable tips you can add.

The article begins:  “It may have happened to you before: you’re walking or cycling through the neighborhood when suddenly an unfamiliar dog crosses your path. The dog begins barking, growling; maybe it even charges you. So much for man’s best friend. Even small dogs can be threatening if they’re worked up, and just about any dog can inflict a painful bite. In the US alone, nearly 5 million people are attacked by dogs every year, and 1,000 people go to emergency rooms every day as a result of a dog attack; many of them are children, and about half of them have been bitten in the face. If a dog attacks you or your child, your response can be the difference between walking away unharmed or being injured by the dog, and perhaps even be the difference between life and death.”  Click here to read the full article and, if you elect, add your tips.

Photo by Miguel/Flickr/CC — Creative Commons