ArcaMax

Dear Cathy,

I am not a pet owner. I like to go for walks and go about my business without worrying about being attacked by a dog. I was bitten in my yard by the neighbor’s dog. I was chased by an aggressive dog that left its own yard to pursue me several houses away on the other side of the street. What can I do to protect myself? You mentioned citronella. Could you please give me more ideas?

–Fay, West Hartford, Connecticut

Dear Fay,

You might need to talk to animal control about the loose dogs in your neighborhood, especially if you were bitten by one. They can educate those dog owners on why their pets need to be contained in their yards or restrained on leashes at all times.

Until then, carry an umbrella that you can pop open when a dog approaches you. Or use a Pet Corrector (available online), which makes a shh sound and might scare a dog away or an air horn, which will definitely scare a dog away and alert your neighbors their dog is bothering you. While you can carry citronella spray (do not use pepper spray of any kind), only use it if the dog is being aggressive towards you.

I also teach kids to “be a tree” when a stray dog approaches them. That means freeze in place. A dog will sniff you, but if you’re not moving, he will generally walk away. Dogs don’t stick around if things are boring.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)

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