Any tips for joggers in areas with lots of dogs? I try to make sure dog owners see me coming, or I avoid them, and I ignore dogs barking at me behind fences and such, but an off-leash dog surprised me recently. The only thing I can think of doing is to slow down and keep an eye on the dog when that happens. Just curious if there’s anything else I can do. Thanks!

why-animals-do-the-thing:

Everything you’re doing sounds good so far. Mostly, with off leash dogs, you want to make sure they’re not following you off the property or ignoring their owner’s recall cues. If those aren’t happening, ignore the dog and keep going as usual so you don’t accidentally reinforce the behavior with your attention. (True dog attacks are pretty rare, so I don’t feel like you’ll need advice on what to do if there’s an aggressive dog – generally most dogs are pushy and loud especially on home turf but aren’t a danger. Unless you feel unsafe – like you’re getting actively snapped at – ignore them, too).