to wish dog-owners would keep dogs under control and ask WWYD if a big scary dog won't leave you alone?

[LilacWine7]

Was walking on footpath alongside busy main road (2 lanes of traffic with an island in middle then another lane) and had stopped to check GoogleMaps...

A big white dog suddenly ran up and banged into my legs! Like a white muscular Boxer or Dogo Argentino (but longer legs than a Dogo). He kept circling, nudging me, running away then charging back to me and kept trying to put his head up my short dress No owner is sight, nobody else on foot, no houses nearby, just lots of drivers at traffic-lights gawping at me!!
He seemed friendly but I'm scared of dogs and I'm also heavily pregnant!! Only buildings nearby were factories so no idea where he came from. Ignoring him didn't work so I spoke to him (trying to sound calm/friendly not petrified) but this seemed to make him more excited and more boisterous!! Was too scared to touch him though maybe attention was what he wanted? So in a panic I crossed road (traffic had stopped at junction) but dog followed me across, when I stopped on central island he carried on across last lane (darting between cars nearly causing an accident!) then he stopped and waited for me on other side. So I was stuck on island in middle of road not sure whether to cross or go back, eventually he came back to middle so I crossed, he followed (still nudging and bumping my legs) then he got distracted by an old man at a bus-stop. Old man had a bag with food in, dog very excited by bag and old man seemed upset as dog was pushing him off balance and trying to rip bag with teeth! He asked me rather desperately if dog was mine! Once I started to talking to old man dog seemed to lose interest, ran between us for a bit then raced back across all 3 lanes of traffic and vanished.

Did I handle this situation badly? WWYD if this happened? To dog-owners out there, how do you make a dog leave you alone if he's excited/playful/boisterous and no owner is in sight? What could I have done if he got aggressive or started growling? And how do you stop yourself panicking? I'm still shaking

Have you reported the incident to your local dog warden?

Poor dog! How could his owners not have him or not have him in the house? ( unless escaped) poor thing could get run over.

Well you did the right thing initially, by trying to ignore the dog, usual advice is - if a dog is trying to play/jumping up etc - put your arms by your sides and turn your back. Giving them attention can just make them more excitable.

Did the dog have a collar and tag? In your shoes, and if so, I would've tried to hold onto him, and call any phone number on the tag. It sounds like the dog had escaped from his home or owner. I don't know if phoning 101 would've helped, and asking for the dog warden? Hmm. Tricky for you, as you're scared of dogs. He sounds a friendly dog and fwiw most dogs won't bite/attack unless frightened or in pain.

So you appear to have come across a stray dog in traffic. Please tell me you called it in, for the sake of other car drives if not the dog?!?

Hi Lilac hope that you're feeling better

It sounds as if you did great. Letting a dog roam like that is really irresponsible. However to reassure you, dogs almost never attack without provocation or previous experience of a person - this is the rationale for the recent changes to the Dangerous dogs act meaning that owners can now be prosecuted on private property, because the majority of dog attacks actually occur in the home or the home of friends/family.

This link has some useful resources on responding to dogs and dog body language which should help you in future, and also useful resources on how kids should interact with dogs
imnotamonster.org/any-dog-can-bite/

Basically it sounds as if this dog was excitable and the best way to deal with this would be to avoid eye contact, verbal or physical contact as this would reinforce the dog's behaviour, and move away steadily.

Turning your back and ignoring them normally works. Sounds like this dog was lost. Perhaps you should phone the local warden with a description?

Sorry, drivers, not drives.

I know that out of control dogs are a nuisance but in the situation you describe, and there being no owner in sight, the issue is more about where the dog has escaped from than someone watching the dog misbehave!

Please tell me you called it in, for the sake of other car drives if not the dog?!?

Called it in how? I was too scared to touch him let alone hold onto him. He had a collar and something was jingling so probably had a tag.

Sunshine thanks for the link

Yes I think he must have been lost or escaped from somewhere, can't imagine anyone would let a dog loose on busy road. I'll look up number for local dog warden and see if they'll send someone out to find him.

You don't need to handle a loose dog if you are uncomfortable. I wouldn't really choose to unless I was very sure, and that is with some years of dog training behind me.

Just call the local warden, or even 101 if the dog is posing an immediate risk to traffic.

I have done it for loose animals in the road before - horses, cows, dogs and (once) an injured swan.