Safety, behaviour & responsibilities
If a dog threatens or attacks
Get people and animals to safety first. There is no technique that works in every encounter. Choose the safest available way to create space or reach shelter.
Someone is in immediate danger
In the UK, call 999 for an ongoing attack or immediate danger to life. Call from a safe place and give the exact location. Keep children and vulnerable people away. Breathing trouble, collapse or serious injury in a dog needs an emergency veterinarian.
A loose dog approaches, charges or blocks the path
- Stay as calm as you can. Avoid screaming, sudden running and staring directly at the dog.
- If you cannot safely move away, stand still with your body slightly side-on and arms still.
- When possible, move away calmly and reach a gate, car, fence or other solid barrier. Do not corner or confront the dog.
- If the owner is nearby, ask calmly for their dog to be secured.
- Keep children close and move them behind a safe barrier. They should not manage the encounter.
If knocked down, protect your head and neck, curling up if you can. Use a bag or clothing as a shield where available. Get emergency help as soon as safely possible.
Notice tension early
Freezing, a hard stare, stiffness, lifted lips, growling, snapping or lunging can signal rising risk. Turning away, retreating, a tucked posture or showing the whites of the eyes can indicate discomfort too. Create space before things escalate.
One sign alone cannot explain a dog’s intentions. Fear, pain, guarding, stress, frustration, territory and learned responses can all be involved. Read body language, nervous dogs and recall for the wider picture.
Protect your own dog
Increase distance early. Put your dog on a leash when it is safe to do so, keep them with you and leave by a safe route. Do not force a greeting or stand between dogs that are attacking.
Use a barrier rather than your body where possible. Lifting a small dog is not an automatic answer: a charging dog may jump at you. If there is time and a secure escape, lifting your dog into a car or behind a barrier may be the safest option. Judge the surroundings, size difference, number of dogs and behaviour.
Small dogs and size differences
A large size difference can make injury more severe even if an interaction began as play. This does not make large breeds inherently aggressive.
Avoid rough, crowded play with unfamiliar dogs. Give extra room on narrow paths and leave when either dog looks uncomfortable. Poor recall increases risk. Recall and nervous-dog guidance can help you plan calmer walks.
Dog-on-dog attack — what should I do?
Do not put your hands between fighting dogs, grab collars beside their mouths or put yourself between them. Bites can be redirected to people.
Call for assistance. If you can safely use a solid barrier, gate or door from outside biting range, do so. Use an opportunity to call dogs apart when they disengage; do not pull on a dog held in another dog’s jaws. Move them well apart and secure them separately only when safe. Do not hit the dogs or attempt risky restraint.
For an ongoing serious attack or danger to people, use the appropriate emergency route. Once safe, contact your veterinarian.
Hidden injuries after an attack
Have your dog checked by a veterinarian after a bite or attack, even if the skin damage looks small. Teeth and shaking can cause deep punctures, crushing, tissue damage, infection or chest/abdominal injury.
Collapse, difficulty breathing, heavy bleeding, severe pain or inability to stand needs urgent care. Handle gently: a frightened, injured dog may bite. Do not probe wounds or give human painkillers. Emergency and first aid · Injury guidance.
A person has been bitten
Get away from the dog. Wash the wound with soap and warm water and cover it with a clean dressing. Use firm pressure with a clean cloth for bleeding.
Go to emergency care for a large/deep wound or bleeding that will not stop; call 999 if emergency ambulance help is needed. Seek prompt medical advice for bites, especially on hands, feet, face or head, infection signs or a person at higher infection risk. Tell the clinician it was a dog bite and ask about tetanus; bites abroad may also need rabies assessment.
In England and Wales use NHS 111, in Scotland NHS 24 on 111; in Northern Ireland contact your GP/out-of-hours service for urgent advice. Do not delay emergency care to complete a report. NHS bite guidance.
After the incident: record and report
Once safe, record time, location, dog description, injuries and veterinary/medical care. Keep photos and witness contacts if safely available. Note owner and vehicle details without confrontation; care takes priority over evidence.
- England and Wales: police for serious attacks/dangerous behaviour (999 immediate danger; 101 or official online reporting otherwise). Council/dog warden for control and nuisance concerns.
- Scotland: police for attacks/immediate danger; local council dog-control service for out-of-control behaviour and control concerns.
- Northern Ireland: council dog-control service enforces dog controls; police for immediate danger or suspected crime.
- Republic of Ireland: council dog warden for control concerns; Gardaí for immediate danger or serious incidents (112/999 in an emergency).
- Elsewhere: contact official local animal control/enforcement; use the local emergency number for immediate danger.
Not every brief dog disagreement needs police involvement. Injury, serious threats and recurring loss of control merit reporting to the appropriate service. Legal responsibilities · Breed-specific dog laws · If your own dog shows aggression.
A dog can be legally restricted because of its breed or type without having shown aggression. A dog of any breed or type can show aggressive or dangerous behaviour. Breed alone does not tell you how an individual dog will behave.
Evidence and review
English guidance. Reviewed ; Safety advice supports professional help; it does not diagnose.