Tips on surviving a dog attack

It can happen in an instant...you're walking in your neighborhood, and a dog charges after you. That was the case on Monday with seven-year-old Brison Aldridge in Manor.

“Movement is what drives an animal. That's what you saw in that video, two kids running and the dog just wanting to catch that prey,” said Mark Sloat, Field Services Program Manager at Austin Animal Center.

READ: Dog attack caught on camera

Do you know what to do if one attacks you? Not run away.

According to the Austin Animal Center, that could make you more prone to becoming prey - and this situation in Manor could have been different.

“They would've been better off to just stop and try to confront the dog, tell him no. If he still came at him, turn and keep the vital organs away. If it's a child, what we teach people to do is to, if the dog continues to attack, go down to the ground, roll into the fetal position, bring your knees up and cover your neck. Keep your face down,” said Sloat.

Your voice is an important factor. Sloat says in many cases, adults can use this tip.

“A lot of times as an adult person, we can just turn around and say no in a loud firm voice, or ‘go home.’ We want to stay slow, and low if we can. A low firm voice is better than a high shrill voice,” said Sloat.

He says high shrill voices can be seen as a characteristic of prey. If the dog continues to attack, an adult should do the same, roll into a fetal position.  He also says we shouldn’t judge aggression based on breed.

“Any dog can bite. If they have teeth, they can bite,” said Sloat.

“It's kind of the same as with people. You have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt,” said Clarissa Lara, dog owner.

Owners, find out what triggers your dog, and avoid those things. It could certainly prevent another attack like this from happening.

It is important, if you are the victim of a dog attack, to seek medical care. Wounds can often become infected, and you never know if a dog has rabies or not.