@#$%! Dogs!

[jakereed]

What would you have done?

It’s 6:20am, twilight, 10 minutes to sunrise. I’m on the bicycle path, 2 miles into a 32 mile morning ride. It’s a beautiful morning here in Florida. The birds are singing, and there’s a slight cool breeze on my face. Then out of the corner of my right eye, from out of the woods I notice them, three large dogs running at full speed towards me! I see the lead dog is a large pit bull, the second dog looks like an Akita mix, and the third and last dog just looks big and brown, I’m more focused on the first two. I was traveling at a leisurely pace of 14 miles an hour, just warming up and enjoying the beautiful morning. My first thought of course was “OH S#!T !!!”
Then I start pedaling faster and thinking faster still, “what do I do?” I instantly recall advice I read from an experienced cyclist that wrote that he always simply stopped his bike when confronted with dogs because he says they are only interested in the chase, and stopping will confuse them and they will lose interest and leave you alone. However, he also said this always worked “except for one time”. I quickly dismissed this advice for several reasons. First there are three dogs, secondly the lead dog is a pit bull, and third his comment about it always worked except for one time. Now I can handle one dog if it doesn’t work, but three dogs would probably cause me great bodily harm. I then remembered reading that another person just yells at the dogs he’s encountered with “SIT!” So as I’m shifting gears and gaining speed I tried that. It doesn’t work, these dogs are obviously either wild or not trained. I pedal faster still, but the pit bull is so fast! He crosses the path and is gaining on my left while the Akita mix is coming up on my right, but he’s slower so I focus on the Pit to my left. I reach down and pull out my water bottle and pull up the top with my teeth and squirt him in the face, no effect he’s still coming. These two dogs are running down a rabbit, and the rabbit is me! So I do all that I could do, I pedal faster. It took nearly a quarter of a mile before the pit finally gives up and sits in the middle of the trail watching me ride off. I stop a little farther down the trail and look back to see him just sitting there watching me, my heart is racing.
I then wonder how fast I had to go to outrun these dogs and check my max speed for the trip, 26mph. I’ve never gone that fast except going down hill. I also had no idea that dogs like these could run so fast.

So, what would you have done?
Jake

[Tom Stormcrowe]

There's a dog on one of my regular routes that I call "The Sprint Coach". Big German Shepard. ;) I figured out that he enjoys the chase, and is really well behaved once you stop. He stops and just looks at you like "Well, am I going to get a good run or not here?", with tail wagging.

[epcolt]

A can of pepper spray strapped to the bike might be a good idea. I had a dog chase me for a little while, but not at that speed. He gave up quicker than your pack did. Does give a good workout.

[st0ut]

Same you made a good choice with the option you had. mace would not work for 3 in a pack.

[Richard_Rides]

I'd pedal like a maniac, just like you did. But I'd remember this episode and bring a hammer next time.

[jakereed]

Same you made a good choice with the option you had. mace would not work for 3 in a pack.

Yes I agree, it's the fact that they were chasing me as a pack that made me nervous about the idea of stopping. Also the fact that the first and fastest dog was a Pit Bull, but I'm also familiar with Akita's and they're also quite powerful animals.

There are also a sort of feral dogs down here that I've read about attacking people and other animals on occasion, but I think it's pretty rare. I also found it interesting for some reason that the Pit crossed over to my left while the other one stayed on my right.

[jakereed]

I'd pedal like a maniac, just like you did. But I'd remember this episode and bring a hammer next time.

The hammer sounds like a good idea. :D

I'm lucky I'm in better shape now then when I first started riding, or I'd be toast. :eek:

[jakereed]

I also want to note that I was worried about other riders on the trail that might also encounter these dogs and that might not be fast enough. There are a lot of riders on the trail at that time of the morning now because of the Florida heat in the later part of the day, so I notified my local Police Department, but they didn't sound too concerned to me.

[Spartan112]

This is why I hate dogs...hate hate hate...Animals like this I'd just as soon run over with my car...sorry...I have a history with these types of animals.

[idig]

I've always heard that you should ride directly at a dog that is attempting to head you off. The dog is running to where you are going to be, so it confuses it. Of course on a path, you don't really have that option, and it doesn't really apply to a 3-dog scenario. It sounds like you did the right thing. Good training, but scary.

[barndoor]

Well.....if the cops won't help you......

I'm just sayin'....

[c_m_shooter]

Usually pits aren't that fast. I've yet to meet one that could top 20. There is a Doberman near the end of one of hilly loops that will chase me at 25 for a solid mile. That is my last interval for the day when I go that way.

[dogbreathpnw]

I once read on rec.bicycles many years ago where a fellow cyclist dealt with the problem via a .22 caliber pistol. {BLAM} no more problem. Most places have a leash law, so if the dog is in the street the most you're guilty of is illegal discharge of a firearm (if you happen to be inside the city limits).

Please, please, don't take this seriously. I think the risk from carried a firearm while riding significantly outweighs that of dealing with occasional animals. Though perhaps pepper spray might be reasonable if you have repeated encounters with a particular animal....

[jakereed]

Usually pits aren't that fast. I've yet to meet one that could top 20. There is a Doberman near the end of one of hilly loops that will chase me at 25 for a solid mile. That is my last interval for the day when I go that way.

I don't know how fast they are, but I was thankfully faster than him at my max of 26mph. :D
I must say that I was shocked at the speed of this one though. :eek:

[misterE0]

invest in a heavy steel frame pump, lol. Seriously, I think you did all you could. I love dogs, but really hate to meet Fido under those circumstances. The pit could be the sweetest dog on the planet, but I always imagine chasing dogs see me as something like this:

http://borgish.com/photos/bikesteak.jpg

I used to ride this seldom used trail with my headphones in. At that point, I'd never encountered a single other cyclist on that particular trail. I was clipping along and in the zone, when I had the eerie feeling I was not alone. I turned back to see a large mutt on my rear wheel, easily keeping pace. He was probably a sweetheart, but I decided to hammer down and not find out first hand! I've since stopped riding with headphones :D.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

I snatched that picture so fast, the internet is STILL smoking from it.....:roflmao2:

[AndrewCO]

Woah, nice sprint! :)

A buddy of mine always ran into a group of 2 dogs (Lab-pit mixes) on his trail. Same thing happened to him, chase for 2 miles before they stopped. He said that they chased him 3 days, on the 4th they didn't (he decided to start carrying a CO2-powered Pellet pistol).

Glad you didn't get turned into hamburger..

[neilG]

Same you made a good choice with the option you had. mace would not work for 3 in a pack.
A water bottle filled with ammonia does the trick. Just don't drink from it by accident.

[v1k1ng1001]

http://borgish.com/photos/bikesteak.jpg

:beer:

[chirojeremy]

There have been 2 times now that I have been attempted to be chased by dogs on my way to school. 3 of them, looking like a pit mix. The first time they bolted towards us and right as they left the driveway, a semi blew by and they stopped dead in their tracks. The second time we had pulled over for my buddy to get some water and I just started yelling at them NO! GO AWAY! Etc. I Acted like I was moving towards them and they stopped. When I turned around, they started coming closer, but I just yelled again. I made eye contact with the leader and the stopped. I dont know about your group, but mine was a group of 3. I was already stopped, but I doubt I could out run these guys....

[kellyjdrummer]

I also want to note that I was worried about other riders on the trail that might also encounter these dogs and that might not be fast enough. There are a lot of riders on the trail at that time of the morning now because of the Florida heat in the later part of the day, so I notified my local Police Department, but they didn't sound too concerned to me.

Forget the police. Talk to the animal containment authorities.

[AlamoCoach]

This is why I hate dogs...hate hate hate...Animals like this I'd just as soon run over with my car...sorry...I have a history with these types of animals.

It's not the dog's fault. They are doing what Mother Nature tells them to do. I raise hunting Labrador Retrievers and we can't breed enough prey-drive or desire to chase into them. So don't blame the dogs. Now their owners are another matter. I hate bad dog owners.....hate, hate, hate them. Owners like this I'd just as soon run over with my car...sorry...I have a history with these types of owners. :D

[kellyjdrummer]

I'm with AlamoCoach.

I have 4 dogs, they DO NOT leave my yard. The owners have full responsibility by law of their dogs.

[mojomuskrat]

I agree that the owners are the problem, not the dogs. There's a thread in commuting right now where folks are arguing about the best ways to deal with dogs.

Research has shown that "chase-proneness seems to be influenced by the dog's interest in playing with objects" and not aggressiveness.
The bottom line is that unless you're encased in steel, you're going to encounter dogs whether you're cycling or not, a minority of which will pose an actual threat (ask your mailman or the guy you see out running all the time). Since you are moving fast, you are going to attract more dogs chasing you than a slow moving person would, but that doesn't mean these dogs want to attack you, in fact research indicates the opposite. Some dogs are aggressive and will bite you, but you're only going to encourage them if you keep running. You are more likely to get chased, but you're no more likely to get bitten than anyone else who is walking/running by (those dogs are a serious problem for everyone, not just you).

[tpelle]

I have a Concealed Deadly Weapon license. I ride with a 9mm Makarov pistol in my handlebar bag. 'Nuff said.

[thaetviking]

A water bottle filled with ammonia does the trick. Just don't drink from it by accident.

I had a friend who did this and said it worked great for him. The dog stopped right in its tracks.

If you are off your bike and a strange dog comes around do not turn your back on it. They see it as a sign of weakness. Keep your eyes on it at all times.

[kellyjdrummer]

I have a Concealed Deadly Weapon license. I ride with a 9mm Makarov pistol in my handlebar bag. 'Nuff said.

Of course you do, you live in KY.

I don't believe killing the animal is the wisest choice. I mean, you could complain to the animal control people and save yourself lawyers fees, time off of work. Maybe having your house bombed or something. People in the south, and the southeast mainly, are not all that stable. I live in Ringgold, GA. and I don't trust anyone at all beyond my band mates and my wife. I know you know I'm right. I moved here from Seattle, and the people out here give the term 'snapped' more justice than it needs.

But then, I may be taking you too seriously.

[ruiner]

More dogs die due to humans than humans who die due to dog attacks. Which one should be considered the real beast?

[coasting]

I have a Concealed Deadly Weapon license. I ride with a 9mm Makarov pistol in my handlebar bag. 'Nuff said.

:lol: When I saw the title of the thread I was expecting a fire arms response. What was surprising was how long it took before someone said it considering most are in USA. Maybe thats just a European stereotype of Americans.

[kellyjdrummer]

More dogs die due to humans than humans who die due to dog attacks. Which one should be considered the real beast?

+5

[AndrewCO]

:lol: When I saw the title of the thread I was expecting a fire arms response. What was surprising was how long it took before someone said it considering most are in USA. Maybe thats just a European stereotype of Americans.

Yeah, we do get that image of "gun toting nuts" in the rest of the world. It's sad, but it's true. I do have a CCW as well, but that's just so that I can carry ammunition and the firearms in the same shooters' bag in the trunk (meaning, so i don't have to keep ammunition and firearms in 2 parts of the car).


More dogs die due to humans than humans who die due to dog attacks. Which one should be considered the real beast?

Yeah, however most humans that die from dog attacks suffer much more greatly than most dogs killed by humans.

I'm a little biased by this as my mother, in early may of this year was petting a friends dog. It was friendly at first and then flipped while she was making over it and mauled her face/throat.

I do ride with a Ka-bar 4" folding tanto just in case I need it for anything (more than just defense).

[kellyjdrummer]

Yeah, however most humans that die from dog attacks suffer much more greatly than most dogs killed by humans.

I find that extremely hard to believe. I've never seen a dog lock a human in a closet till it starved, or seen a dog keep a human as a pet and leave it chained in the back yard, and at some point the chain gets tangled on it's (the human) leg and the leg rots off. I find it hard to believe that dogs can starve humans to skin and bones. I can't remember hearing that dogs threw humans in a pit and let them fight to the death. Let me see, have I missed something, well maybe, but there's really no room here, and I'm not going to ruin this thread with personal squabbling. I do, however, understand that dogs can be very vicious, but so can any animal people believe they need to keep as pets.

Don't get me wrong, we should all be safe, but killing animals just because they chased you, when you really don't know what they would do if you stopped and faced them, is just a bit extreme. Go to animal control first. We pay them to do that. I'd rather pay an animal control employee to take care of the dog than the cops who won't do anything. Do the math. Give your taxes away or watch them work. You don't pay a roofer to install your Pella windows, right?

I love animals, and there is always a better way than death. Death is only a very last resort, but maybe some here don't know what remedies there are, or just don't care to know. I've ridden around dogs plenty, and I only need to ride down a road once, get chased, then find another route. If it takes a little longer, so be it, I get to stay on the bike longer. Isn't riding what it's about, not forcing the world to meet our whims and desires?

God bless, and find another road where you can enjoy yourself.

P.S. I've been bitten as well, but I still see a better way.

[kellyjdrummer]

Yeah, we do get that image of "gun toting nuts" in the rest of the world. It's sad, but it's true. I do have a CCW as well, but that's just so that I can carry ammunition and the firearms in the same shooters' bag in the trunk (meaning, so i don't have to keep ammunition and firearms in 2 parts of the car).




Yeah, however most humans that die from dog attacks suffer much more greatly than most dogs killed by humans.

I'm a little biased by this as my mother, in early may of this year was petting a friends dog. It was friendly at first and then flipped while she was making over it and mauled her face/throat.

I do ride with a Ka-bar 4" folding tanto just in case I need it for anything (more than just defense).

You couldn't be more right on about gun toting nuts. I live here, and it even freaks me and my wife out, and she's from the south. Never ever lean over and cuss at a bad driver, unless you want to see what the end of a loaded pistol looks and sounds like.

Yeah, gun toting nuts. Couldn't be more right on.

[ruiner]

Yeah, however most humans that die from dog attacks suffer much more greatly than most dogs killed by humans.

I'm a little biased by this as my mother, in early may of this year was petting a friends dog. It was friendly at first and then flipped while she was making over it and mauled her face/throat.

I do ride with a Ka-bar 4" folding tanto just in case I need it for anything (more than just defense).

I am sorry your mother was attacked.

But I disagree with the suffering aspect. Was your mother bred in squalor, having to fight off her brothers and sisters for food and watch them starve to death; only to survive to be beaten to the point where all her thoughts were full of rage then forced to fight other people to the death, suffering great harm in the process to where it was too much of a hassle for anyone to fix her; dumped onto the street broken, infected, starving and frightened?

Some people are taught that animals are lesser creatures than us. That they don't suffer as much as us simply because we are capable of higher thought. But these animals have memories. And these animals have neural receptors for pain. Have you ever been able to look and actually see the dog for what it is? Do you witness what happens when we inflict our inhumanities upon them? You can see in their eyes, you can just tell by the way they respond to a person, that their spirit is shattered, their hearts are broken. You can tell they do have emotions not unlike our own.

The dog has a reason - it was bred that way and it was trained that way. It follows instinct and plays by different rules than we want them to sometimes.

What's our excuse since we know better?

There isn't one.

So stop thinking these magnificent sentient beings as inconsequential. Their suffering is as real as yours and mine. Just different and more common.

[Wogsterca]

What would you have done?

It’s 6:20am, twilight, 10 minutes to sunrise. I’m on the bicycle path, 2 miles into a 32 mile morning ride. It’s a beautiful morning here in Florida. The birds are singing, and there’s a slight cool breeze on my face. Then out of the corner of my right eye, from out of the woods I notice them, three large dogs running at full speed towards me! I see the lead dog is a large pit bull, the second dog looks like an Akita mix, and the third and last dog just looks big and brown, I’m more focused on the first two. I was traveling at a leisurely pace of 14 miles an hour, just warming up and enjoying the beautiful morning. My first thought of course was “OH S#!T !!!”
Then I start pedaling faster and thinking faster still, “what do I do?” I instantly recall advice I read from an experienced cyclist that wrote that he always simply stopped his bike when confronted with dogs because he says they are only interested in the chase, and stopping will confuse them and they will lose interest and leave you alone. However, he also said this always worked “except for one time”. I quickly dismissed this advice for several reasons. First there are three dogs, secondly the lead dog is a pit bull, and third his comment about it always worked except for one time. Now I can handle one dog if it doesn’t work, but three dogs would probably cause me great bodily harm. I then remembered reading that another person just yells at the dogs he’s encountered with “SIT!” So as I’m shifting gears and gaining speed I tried that. It doesn’t work, these dogs are obviously either wild or not trained. I pedal faster still, but the pit bull is so fast! He crosses the path and is gaining on my left while the Akita mix is coming up on my right, but he’s slower so I focus on the Pit to my left. I reach down and pull out my water bottle and pull up the top with my teeth and squirt him in the face, no effect he’s still coming. These two dogs are running down a rabbit, and the rabbit is me! So I do all that I could do, I pedal faster. It took nearly a quarter of a mile before the pit finally gives up and sits in the middle of the trail watching me ride off. I stop a little farther down the trail and look back to see him just sitting there watching me, my heart is racing.
I then wonder how fast I had to go to outrun these dogs and check my max speed for the trip, 26mph. I’ve never gone that fast except going down hill. I also had no idea that dogs like these could run so fast.

So, what would you have done?
Jake

Called animal control, and reported it, they have people who specialize in dealing with this kind of problem, and the dogs would end up in doggy jail.

[kellyjdrummer]

Called animal control, and reported it, they have people who specialize in dealing with this kind of problem, and the dogs would end up in doggy jail.

Yeah, buddy.:D

[Viking55803]

I once read on rec.bicycles many years ago where a fellow cyclist dealt with the problem via a .22 caliber pistol. {BLAM} no more problem. Most places have a leash law, so if the dog is in the street the most you're guilty of is illegal discharge of a firearm (if you happen to be inside the city limits).

Boy, is that bad advice! Recently here in Northern Minnesota we had a man arrested who shot two neighbor dogs that came into his yard and supposedly attacked his dog. He was charged and convicted of felony animal cruelty. He lost his over-the-road trucker's license until he complete probation and the charges are eventually lowered.

Understand that this is in an area where nearly everyone has a gun and hunts. I love dogs and can tell you they are in it for the chase. Pit bulls are among the least people-aggressive breeds. Akita's are a bit more dangerous because it is almost impossible to teach them to control their bite as puppies because they are not as "bitey" as most pups. As adults, dogs will tend to bite full force when they decided to bite if they haven't been trained to restrain their bite, but that is rare.

Stopping and confronting the dogs, using your bike as a barrier, would probably work. I used to use a bicycle pump to whack them across the nose as they went for my feet. That works very well. Pepper spray is also a real good idea if there are loose dogs on your route. Following up with Animal Control, not the police, is a good idea too. Hating dogs for being dogs is a bit immature, in my opinion. Riders have lots of options to exhaust without breaking the law.

[Richard_Rides]

If a dog messes with me, I'm going to respond very aggressively, but I love dogs and I hate to hear stories of animal abuse....

[Massken]

I worked as a mail man for a few years. Dogs attack mailmen because they are "invading their turf". I was bit once (no blood drawn) but that was by a little yapper. The best thing to do when encountering a dog if still (say you have stopped for this example) is to keep the dog in your vision and if it attacks you to use what you have to fend it off (for a mailman this means your bag) for a cyclist this means your beloved bike (god forbid)

[goldfishin]

I am sorry your mother was attacked.

But I disagree with the suffering aspect. Was your mother bred in squalor, having to fight off her brothers and sisters for food and watch them starve to death; only to survive to be beaten to the point where all her thoughts were full of rage then forced to fight other people to the death, suffering great harm in the process to where it was too much of a hassle for anyone to fix her; dumped onto the street broken, infected, starving and frightened?

Some people are taught that animals are lesser creatures than us. That they don't suffer as much as us simply because we are capable of higher thought. But these animals have memories. And these animals have neural receptors for pain. Have you ever been able to look and actually see the dog for what it is? Do you witness what happens when we inflict our inhumanities upon them? You can see in their eyes, you can just tell by the way they respond to a person, that their spirit is shattered, their hearts are broken. You can tell they do have emotions not unlike our own.

The dog has a reason - it was bred that way and it was trained that way. It follows instinct and plays by different rules than we want them to sometimes.

What's our excuse since we know better?

There isn't one.

So stop thinking these magnificent sentient beings as inconsequential. Their suffering is as real as yours and mine. Just different and more common.

how can they be sentient if they rely soley on instinct?

[neilG]

I had a friend who did this and said it worked great for him. The dog stopped right in its tracks.


Not that I'd know, of course, but I've heard it works on humans too.

[Harry Stone]

This would be my solution:

http://www.asp-net.com/batons.html

[bautieri]

More dogs die due to humans than humans who die due to dog attacks. Which one should be considered the real beast?


Good point but it is just a dog. Let me also ask, how many chickens die due to humans versus humans dieing to chickens? I know people who keep chickens as pets so in my eyes the chicken is on par with the dog. I also hear those chickens are working on a super flu virus so watch you back when chickens attack.

Also, I've had a dog give chase once. As it was closing in I spiked the brakes and let it over shoot me. Confused the critter who then looped back. By this time I had dismounted and had my bike between the animal and I. I shouted "No, bad dog go home". It didn't listen though. He sniffed my bike then lost interest. The critter has yet to give chase again. I'm not saying I would have done that in your situation though, pits and akitas give me the willies.

[ruiner]

Good point but it is just a dog. Let me also ask, how many chickens die due to humans versus humans dieing to chickens? I know people who keep chickens as pets so in my eyes the chicken is on par with the dog. I also hear those chickens are working on a super flu virus so watch you back when chickens attack.

Also, I've had a dog give chase once. As it was closing in I spiked the brakes and let it over shoot me. Confused the critter who then looped back. By this time I had dismounted and had my bike between the animal and I. I shouted "No, bad dog go home". It didn't listen though. He sniffed my bike then lost interest. The critter has yet to give chase again. I'm not saying I would have done that in your situation though, pits and akitas give me the willies.

Consider the implications of that argument for just a second and you find it's a justification for not only species-ism but racism as well. It wasn't so long ago that society viewed blacks as inferior to dogs, and any mistreatment was inconsequential so long as property wasn't destroyed. It didn't work as a justification then and it doesn't work now.

But there are sacrifices I am willing to make IF the ethical goodness overwhelms the negatives, or if the least amount of harm is done. It does sadden me to know that some things have to die so that others may live, but I accept it and move on as a fact of life. Yet when there is no point to the violence or cruelty, where the end result is only pain, that is something a society must stand against. Casual disregard for animals (which we are) such that you would immediately reach for the extinguishing of their life instead of taking less drastic measures first is another thing society cannot tolerate.

There are times when action of an intense nature are warranted, I never denied that. I just find it ridiculous that some people take such decisions lightly and even intend for murder to be the first option before all other options have been exhausted.

how can they be sentient if they rely soley on instinct?
How can you? We are both sentient and instinctive, and the terms aren't mutually exclusive. Anyone with any experience with dogs will tell you that they are capable of caring. Anyone who has ever rescued an animal (as I have) knows that they can suffer, and still be cured. They can pick up on subtle hints such as body cues and even smells to tell when a person is sick or emotionally distressed and attempt to comfort them. Anecdotally there are countless examples where dogs knew their masters were dying and started acting peculiarly, such as jumping on the bed when that wasn't the norm.




If you can justify treating an animal as inconsequential because you feel there is no capacity for suffering, then what stops you from feeling indifferent towards a person who may be incapable of the same?

[back2biking]

Since you are moving fast, you are going to attract more dogs chasing you than a slow moving person would, but that doesn't mean these dogs want to attack you, in fact research indicates the opposite. Some dogs are aggressive and will bite you, but you're only going to encourage them if you keep running. You are more likely to get chased, but you're no more likely to get bitten than anyone else who is walking/running by (those dogs are a serious problem for everyone, not just you).

When I was growing up we had a little poodle mix dog, Brandi, that loved my sister, Melissa, immensly. She used to play with the dog all the time. One time when she was about 7 she was playing with Brandi and running from one end of the house to the other while the dog chased her. On about the 3rd trip back and forth my sister stopped suddenly and Brandi was so excited and into the game she jumped up and nipped her on the bottom! Now, there was nothing malicious in what Brandi did she was just very amped up and reacted I guess. Melissa, of course, never played that game with Brandi again. The point is that even if a dog is generally well behaved and friendly they, by nature, want to chase things and, possibly, to bite them.

I think you did the right thing, but you are also very lucky. Dogs can be very unpredictable in their behavior. I would agree a can of pepper spray is probably a good idea, and contacting an animal control agency as well.

Tamara

[back2biking]

Since you are moving fast, you are going to attract more dogs chasing you than a slow moving person would, but that doesn't mean these dogs want to attack you, in fact research indicates the opposite. Some dogs are aggressive and will bite you, but you're only going to encourage them if you keep running. You are more likely to get chased, but you're no more likely to get bitten than anyone else who is walking/running by (those dogs are a serious problem for everyone, not just you).

When I was growing up we had a little poodle mix dog, Brandi, that loved my sister, Melissa, immensly. She used to play with the dog all the time. One time when she was about 7 she was playing with Brandi and running from one end of the house to the other while the dog chased her. On about the 3rd trip back and forth my sister stopped suddenly and Brandi was so excited and into the game she jumped up and nipped her on the bottom! Now, there was nothing malicious in what Brandi did she was just very amped up and reacted I guess. Melissa, of course, never played that game with Brandi again. The point is that even if a dog is generally well behaved and friendly they, by nature, want to chase things and, possibly, to bite them.

I think you did the right thing, but you are also very lucky. Dogs can be very unpredictable in their behavior. I would agree a can of pepper spray is probably a good idea, and contacting an animal control agency as well.

Tamara

[brentley]

Wow
Shoot a dog? That is way out of control.

The thing that would be more of a problem with pits and akitas is that they like to bump when they are playing. So they will chase another dog and often body bump it into something else. They are not as fast as a decent cyclist (except uphill).

Instead of pepper spray they make specific cintronella blends that are much less harmful to the dog, but just as effective (they train K9 units with the stuff).

Now if you would have been being chased by a dog that was bred to follow the lure (like a Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki or Pharoh Hound) you would have be chased down and barked at, but it would have been unlikely that they would have done anything else. Sighthounds run at 35 MPH but only for 500-1000 yards depending on what kind of shape they are in.

The owners, not the dogs are the problem.

[Caincando1]

I guess it would depend on what mood I was in or what time line I was on. If I wasn’t in a hurry I probably would have stopped and played with them. If I was in a hurry I’d just pace off them, call it a sprint and move on.

Odds are if it happened near a trail they probably do it often. It’s became a game to them and they are just entertaining themselves. That doesn’t make it right though and the authorities need to so something about the owners. It is always the owners fault not the animals as mentioned earlier.

[CliftonGK1]

Bear spray.
It's concentrated pepper spray, and instead of a stream (like most personal protection mace canisters fire) it puts out a fog of the stuff. You can point it backwards and leave a fog trail like Spy Hunter. Anything running through that should come to an abrupt halt.

[AndrewCO]

I think my comment derailed this thread.
All I meant was, outside of extreme conditions (dog fighting), typically the way people are attacked/killed by dogs is worse than the other way.

Case in point, a child get mauled to death... The dog gets an injection. Granted, if the human(s) that make dogs fight could get the same punishment, I wouldn't be complaining as much.

As far as dogs being raised poorly or inhumanely, same thing happens to people. Face it, we humans suck and dogs like to bite.