Do not run. A person CANNOT outrun a dog, even a big, heavy slow dog like a rottweiler. If the dog is a trained personal protection or police dog, your best chance of surviving is to stand absolutly still. If you are unarmed and you try to fight you will lose. If the dog is not a trained attack dog, your best bet is to stay still and call for help, or back away slowly until you can get an object that will help separate you from the dog. For more info try www.dogproblems.com

When I was very young, my parents told me that when a dog is chasing me, I should crouch and bend to the ground in order to pretend to pick up a rock or something, and then the dog will get scared and run away. In fact, I got a real experience when a dog was chasing me one day. I ran first, but then suddenly remember what my parents told me. So then I stopped--and the dog stopped, too (!) Then I crouched and bent to the ground. And it worked! When I looked up again, the dog had run away.

If you run - then the dog is likely to run after you. Police dogs etc are trained to attack people when they are running away. They can also be trained to attack you when you stay still. Dogs can also be very brave - so the fact you are probably bigger than the dog is unlikely to act as a deterrent. I would recommend standing still - with your arms lowered - but ready to move up fast. A dog will by default go for the throat - (if you are running away - it has to go for a limb), so you want to make sure your arm can quickly move so that the dog bites it rather than your arm. According to British World War 2 army manuals - the best thing to do is to let it bite your arm, use that arm to grab one front leg and then use the other arm to grab the other front leg and puill the legs apart - (dogs have little strength to prevent that type of movement). Dont think I could ever do that though (it would kill the dog). So I like the previuos persons advise of moving away slowly - avoid eye contact and try to get something to protect yourself. As to the dog will always win the fight - I dont accept that - it must depend on the type of dog. Some dogs can lock their jaws and will not release easily and can take a severe beating, but most are not vicious like that. A small dog cant match a humans strength - but you probably are not talking about a small dog. When appraching a dog - always have you hand below its head - and this will not be seen as an act of aggression. Most dogs are nice and friendly...

There are some wonderful answers here and some very good advice. Here is a little extra data which could help. A great process for your pet dog or cat, especially if they are feeling a bit sick or listless or "in fear most of the time", is to play a game of "retreat" or run away. Usually, it is best to just use your hand in the game -- not physically run, so you don't teach your pet to chase. Here is how the technique works: Slowly take your hand in a playful mood and gently touch one of your pet's paws, then pull it back suddenly acting somewhat scared (you can even feign "Ooohh noo!...don't get me!"). Retreat with your hand. A toy can also be used. But you want the dog or cat to win, you want it to get the best of you. If you use a toy, let it shake it away from you. Repeat this retreat technique until your pet feels more confident or lively. End the game where your pet has won and is feeling brighter. Basically, this restores confidence in your pet's ability to "conquer" or master its environment...being able to attack and win. You often see how proud a cat is when it is carrying a mouse or your dog is when it is swinging its toy. I mention this technique, because running away from a strange dog sends a message to the dog that you are weaker and it is stronger. When in a standoff with a dog, it would almost be better to laugh at the dog and be confident and stand your ground and ridicule the dog, telling it "Bad dog! Go home! Bad dog!" I have had this work for me. When driving in residential areas, I also have yelled at many a stray, lost dog "Go home...get home now!" It usually sends the dog on its way. The point is "fast retreat" means weakness. Another tidbit of info: I knew a fellow once who had been attacked by a dog. He had let the dog jump and grab his arm. Then he punched his nose in and killed the dog. He didn't feel good about killing the dog, but he had little choice.

As said above to not run. Also remember to not look the dog directlyin the eye. the dog may see this as a threat. Dogs can be very vicious creatures. I work with dogs all the time. But always be ready. if you have to. Crouching is also a good thing to do but it dosent always mean that the dog is going to leave you alone.

A friend who keeps Dobermans told me that in addition to all this other advice, most of it good, remember that dogs will attack you from the back if you turn your back, so don't. (I once thought I could make friends with a strange dog by giving him a sausage. I turned my back and only the fact that I used to carry a pocketknife in my hip pocket saved me from a deep bite.) I think the Reader's Digest once said to turn to the side so as not to look them in the eye, dangle your keys at arm's length to keep distracting its attention from one place to another. My colleague said that if all else fails with a big one and you have to choose between three days in the hospital and three days in the funeral parlor, shove your fist down its throat and keep it there till it chokes the dog to death. A lot of people get hurt because they don't remember the saying "Small dogs bite. Large dogs kill." Until you know better, treat any strange dog with the caution you would show around an armed man. I heard one speaker who was dumb enough to bark back at a strange bulldog; he was just fortunate that there was a climbable tree nearby. What were bulldogs bred for, buddy? To attack and kill bulls, right? You going to argue with a beast like that? If someone was angrily shouting at me in a foreign language, I sure wouldn't shout the same thing back until I knew what it meant. Same thing goes for strange dogs.

you should either stand still like a tree or curl up like a rock