Dogs and stray dogs abroad and while traveling: are they dangerous, where can you work with them, where can you see them?

What are dogs?

• Wild dogs and domesticated dogs belong to the canidae family.
• Dogs are, of course, best known for their domestication. Humans have been using dogs for all kinds of daily tasks for 10-12 thousand years!
• Dogs are now kept as pets, guard dogs, companion animals, assistance dogs, sled dogs, or as accessories.
• In some countries, large groups of dogs live as strays or street dogs.

What are sled dogs?

• Sled dogs, such as Huskies, are dog breeds that have been specially bred to pull sleds over snow and ice, especially in cold areas such as Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
• They are known for their strength, endurance and adaptability to extreme cold.
• Well-known species are the Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyeds and the Greenland dog.

How do you deal with dogs if you encounter them abroad or while traveling?

• Exercise some caution if you encounter a dog on the street or in the countryside abroad.
• In many countries, dogs are not raised or trained as guard dogs.
• If there is an owner in sight, ask permission.
• Ask the dog for permission (consent) by calmly extending your hand. If the dog comes to you to sniff, you can usually pet it afterwards.
• You do not pet a strange dog with a firm hand on the head and you do not cuddle it. Start with a tickle under the chin or on its chest.
• If a dog indicates that it is not interested in you, or shows fearful or aggressive behavior, you better walk away.

How dangerous is a dog?

• A dog is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. Every year, they are responsible for 60,000 deaths.
• However, most deaths occur because they transmit rabies (rabies or the lyssa virus), and not because they bite someone to death.
• Estimates vary about the number of people injured by a dog attack. It is estimated that there are approximately 20 million dog attacks per year, with approximately 20% resulting in serious injury.
• The most dangerous subspecies are: pit bulls, rottweilers and other large dog breeds.

What should you do if you encounter a dog while traveling?

• Try to assess the situation: is the dog angry, happy, wild, sick, part of a group, close to its owner.
• In all of the situations mentioned, dogs can seriously injure you with a bite, but the solution to prevent this can vary.
• Dogs bite (and bark) for various reasons: including fear, irritation, enthusiasm, aggression or territorial urges.
• Sometimes the barking or biting follows something you do, sometimes it is a result of what others have done to the dog before, which can make the dog's reaction seem very unexpected to you.

What should you do if a dog comes after you, becomes aggressive or seems to attack you?

• In all situations, running away is unwise, this can trigger a dog to attack, and you will not win the running competition anyway.
• Waving your arms or kicking at the dog will more likely have the opposite effect.
• For scared dogs: calmly distance yourself, give the dog space.
• For irritated dogs: stop what you were doing and calmly distance yourself.
• For enthusiastic dogs: stop what you were doing, stay calm and do not make any unexpected movements that could be seen as a game.
• For territorial dogs: if you (unintentionally) enter their territory, these dogs will bark. To prevent a bite, you must ensure that you leave the dog's territory calmly and quietly. This could be the alley where it lives, the yard that it is protecting or a part of a sidewalk that is marked out for you.
• For aggressive dogs, it helps to try to remain calm and radiate as little fear as possible. Stand still with your hands in a fist at your sides, do not look directly at the dog and turn your body so that you are slightly turned away from the dog. If this approach does not de-escalate, you can try to outsmart the dog by making yourself big and ordering the dog to leave, avoiding the dog's gaze.
• And if the dog attacks despite the above? Then there are two more strategies to follow.
• You can fight back resolutely, preferably by hitting the dog with a stick or, for example, your bag. If a dog bites, you can fight back seriously and you must be prepared to seriously hurt the dog.
• If you do not fight, then making yourself small on the ground is a way to protect your neck, face and stomach and, if necessary, let the dog bite in less vital body parts.

What should you do if you encounter a dog while cycling abroad?

• Cyclists have the same effect on some dogs as a flapping cloth on a bull.
• In many cases, stopping pedaling is a good choice, because those moving legs can be a trigger.
• If the dog stays with you until you have to get off, follow the general tips to calm the dog. Then try to keep your bike between you and the dog. Cycling away very fast is only smart if you are sure that you can cycle faster than the dog can run....

What should you do if you are bitten by a dog while abroad?

• Major risks of a dog bite include: infection, blood poisoning, tetanus and rabies.
• Clean the wound as soon as possible after the bite. First with clean water, then with alcohol or betadine.
• Bandage the wound to prevent dirt from getting in again.
• It is then advisable to go to a doctor for a tetanus shot.
• In many countries outside Europe, rabies is still common and rapid rabies treatment is essential.

What diseases can you get from wild dogs and street dogs?

• You can get several diseases from wild dogs and street dogs, especially if you are bitten, scratched, or come into contact with their saliva, urine or feces. Below are the most important diseases that they can transmit to humans.
• Rabies can be fatal if left untreated and is transmitted through bites, scratches or saliva in an open wound/mucous membrane.
• Worm infections are spread through contaminated soil, feces or fleas.
• Scabies through skin-to-skin contact.
• Giardia and other parasitic infections are spread through feces.
• There are more diseases, but they often only occur if you are going to work with dogs for a long time. So discuss this well with the place where you are going to do work, an internship or volunteer work.

Where is the best place to work or volunteer with dogs, street dogs, and stray dogs?

• You can do volunteer work or an internship with stray dogs almost anywhere. There are animal shelters all over the world that are in need of extra hands, especially in developing countries.
• Visit them, send an email or call and you can often get started quickly. Below are some examples of what kind of volunteer work you can do with dogs in which country.
• Curacao: stray dogs.
• Egypt: stray dogs.
• Greece: stray dogs.
• India: street dogs.
• Indonesia: street dogs in Bali.
• Singapore: as dog sitter
• Spain: shelter for greyhounds.
• Suriname: resocialization of dogs.
• Dubai: as dog sitter
• Uruguay: care for injured or neglected dogs.
• Other countries with possibilities in shelters for dogs are: Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Peru and Sri Lanka.

Where is the best place to work with sled dogs and huskies?

• Canada (Alberta, Yukon), United States of America (Alaska, Wyoming, Maine and Minnesota), Finland and Sweden (Lapland) are the countries with the most providers of sled dog tours, these are also the most important countries to work as a volunteer with huskies. Iceland, Greenland and Spitsbergen are even more challenging destinations for working with huskies.
• Finding paid work as a dog groomer or driver without specific work experience is very difficult.
• The dogs need care all year round, but especially during the cold season when tourists come to visit, extra hands are welcome to care for the dogs (and the tourists). Places are scarce, try to arrange a place at least six months in advance. In the northernmost places, December and January in particular are very dark (but there is a good chance of Northern Lights).

What should you consider when working with dogs abroad?

• In a shelter or dog shelter you will often come into contact with sick, injured and traumatized dogs.
• Assessing the behavior of these dogs requires experience.
• Make use of the expertise of experienced handlers.
• If you are going to work with sled dogs or huskies, it is important to know the hierarchical structure of the group, for example to feed the animals in the correct order (this prevents arguments in the group).