10/29/2026
I was hiking at a popular local Recreation Area a few days ago and was charged by not one, but two separate pairs of loose dogs. Fortunately, this is the exception and not the norm, but it still happens with disconcerting frequency.
In Montana, dogs are allowed off leash on public lands if they're under voice control. If you cannot recall your dog back to you, that is a violation of the off-leash rule and they should not be allowed to run loose. Aside from that it's also incredibly rude and dangerous.
I am often asked by people what to do in a situation where you are charged by loose dogs. So, given my recent experiences, here are some tips that helped us come through completely unscathed:
✅ Be familiar with dog body language, conflict avoidance, and calming signals. In general, dogs choose to avoid conflict and although rushing up to a strange dog is incredibly bold and rude, often those dogs do not have the intent to engage in a fight but are more socially inept. If you have the ability to read subtle body language and identify conflict avoidance signals, you at least will have an idea whether the dog approaching has any aggressive intentions or is just simply a rude greeter. If these behaviors are unfamiliar to you - I would recommend either researching them online, or reaching out to your favorite dog trainer for help.
✅ Remain calm. As difficult as it is, the more calm you are the less that will agitate and inflame the situation. ❌ Rushing at an approaching dog to yell at it or yelling at the owner, can increase the tension of the greeting and force an escalation into a fight. Also, some dogs will take a cue from your charging at an oncoming dog as a signal to fight.
✅ Make sure you keep your leash loose. In moments of tension, dogs have two options to flee or move away and give themselves space, or to stand and fight. When the choice to move away or to flee is limited they are more likely to escalate into a fight. ❌ So often we want to tighten the leash and hold the dog close to us but that can often inflame an already tense situation.
✅ Speak calmly to your dog so that they know you are relaxed and that you are right there with them. There is always safety in numbers and a dog who feels alone or unsupported is more likely to feel defensive.
✅ Claim space from the incoming dog. If possible, move around your dog so that you are putting yourself between the incoming dog and your own dog. Often a bold greeter is focused enough on the dog it is approaching that it doesn't realize you are part of the equation. There is always safety in numbers and the more you are part of a united front, the more intimidating you will all appear to the incoming dog.
✅ Carry a marine air horn with you. Make sure you have sensitized your dogs to the sound first so that is doesn't scare them. Air horns are LOUD and not only often startle or scare the incoming dog, but will also certainly let the clueless owner know that something is going on. I sensitize my dogs to it by tooting the horn and then scattering extremely high value treats on the ground and having an enthusiastic treat search party. While the dogs don't love it, they won't run from it.
✅ Do not let your dogs visit or play with others while you are out hiking. It creates a permission structure for your dog to rush up to any new dog in anticipation of greeting or playing. If you establish a habit and pattern of moving off the trail and waiting for other dogs to go by and don't allow interactions or contact with other dogs, unwanted or dangerous altercations are far less likely to be initiated by your dog.
Should a tense greeting situation escalate into a fight, ✅ use an air horn if you have one. ❌ Do not put your hands near faces or necks as one of the dogs may turn and bite you. ✅ Grab the aggressor around the hindquarters and pull the dog's hind quarters up off the ground and drag the dog backwards out of the fight.
Hopefully you won't get into a situation where an altercation escalates, especially if you can help diffuse the situation with some of the above recommendations. Please hike responsibly! If your dog does not have a perfect recall, please keep it on a leash or a long line so that you are neither breaking the law, or creating stress and anxiety for other dogs that don't appreciate being visited by strange dogs.
Happy hiking (hopefully)!! 🐾🥾
