A PET expert has revealed the crucial tips to deal with a potentially deadly dog attack.
Britain is battling an epidemic of vicious maulings, with incidents already hitting a 40-year high.
Dog behaviourist Nanci Creedon says people need to be prepared in case pets suddenly strike.
She warned that many often make the same critical error when dealing with an aggressive animal – and it could cost you your life.
Two people have already died in dog attacks just this month – including four-year-old Alice Stones who was killed in her back garden in Milton Keynes.
The canine connoisseur told The Sun her “number one” rule to avoid escalating tense situations with dogs.
Nanci said: “If you ever find yourself in a situation where you think a dog is going to attack, the number one thing to remember is to never turn your back.
“You should never turn your back to a dog who looks like they’re going to attack.
“Often a lot of fatal and near-fatal dog attacks will occur when the person turns their back and the dog jumps from behind.”
In 2022, a whopping ten attacks resulted in fatalities – meaning in the last twelve months, 12 people have been killed.
Nanci also offered some advice for pet owners on how to distract and calm a dog by reflecting canine body language.
She continued: “I often tell people to walk backward slowly, do exaggerated yawns, lots of excessive heavy blinking and do head turns – slowly turn your head away from them and back to the dog and so forth.
“You’ll often see dogs doing these things to each other. These are dog body language signals for ‘I don’t want to fight’.
“Another thing that works is using a tone of voice that moves downwards.
“If your voice continues to rise throughout a sentence it will excite the dog. When your tone of voice moves downward it will often calm a dog.”
If the animal doesn’t relent and eventually pounces on you, it’s key to protect yourself as best you can.
The dog behaviourist added: “If you are alone the best thing to do is curl yourself up into a ball and cover your head and neck with your hands.
“Anytime the dog seems to calm down, then attempt to talk to that dog in a normal way.
“It may sound silly but saying something normal like ‘go get your ball’ or ‘let’s go for a walk’ will almost flip them back into normal behaviour.”
Brits may also find themselves having to step in to stop a horrific dog attack – but it’s important they do it safely.
Nanci suggested: “Unfortunately, the best way to stop an attack is to choke the dog – especially if the dog is holding on and refusing to let go.
“If there’s a lead nearby or a belt or rope, put it around the dog’s neck and tighten. Usually, the dog will release its bite within seconds.
“It also then means the dog is restrained and the person being attacked has time to escape.”
The country has saw a 26 per cent rise in dangerous dog attacks since the pandemic began, amid a boom of Brits buying puppies.
With the number of fatalities soaring, grieving family members of victims are calling for tougher laws to stop maulings in their tracks.
It’s thought the rising deaths are due to a lack of socialisation in lockdowns as well as incorrect training methods being used on dogs.
