Image courtesy:ย Pixabay.com/Territorial dogs are protective of their domain; anyone entering their territory stands a good chance of being attacked. They may show warning threats in the form of growls and lunges or even resort to biting the individual. Often, dogs grow territorial when they have been isolated or confined within a small space as they do not have enough experience in socialization. Some dog breeds like Akita, German Shepherd, Chow Chow and Rottweiler inherently have a territorial
aggression. Let's take a look at how you can safely enter a dog's territory.
Meeting the dogThe one good way to ensure that you don't get bitten when you enter a dog's territory is to get introduced to the canine. It is not uncommon for mailmen and gardeners to get attacked by pets when they walk into the yard without being formally introduced to the pet. Some pet owners may not put their dogs on a leash when they are within the fence lines, and you may have a dog at your ankle when you open the gates unsuspectingly. If you are not sure about whether or not there is a dog in the house, make some noise before you get in. You can call out for the dog or rattle the gate to be sure. Dogs that are tied tend to be more aggressive. Either way, regardless of whether the dog is let loose or tied, you want to speak to the pet owner first, so that they can introduce you to the dog. Do not look the dog in the eye or touch it to befriend it. Speaking of befriending dogs, do not try and win him over with
treats; if the dog is aggressive toward intruders, treats probably won't do much.
Watch out for an attackIf you notice that the dog is trying to attack you, then don't run. When you run, you are naturally setting off the dog's inherent drive to chase down preys and he will come after you. Instead, standstill and wait till the dog moves away or shifts his attention to something else. Don't flinch, stand tall and calm in an assertive position. There is some confusion on whether or not you should look the dog in the eye, but we suggest that you refrain from looking the dog in the eye unless it shows fear or aggression. In case the dog does attack you, immediately put a cushioning object between the two of you. This way, the dog bites the object and not you. The reason why we mention something soft and cushion-like is, so the dog does not bite it and let go off it for a different target, because it is a solid object that is hard to bite.