Touring - Advice on dealing with dogs (classic)

This is from Frank Tatchell, a traveller and English clergyman, who was rambling around in the 1920s.

"The mongrel curs are a nuisance to the wayfarer in most foreign lands. It is useless to try and 'good dog' them. Instead, abuse them in the hoarsest voice at your command and with the worst language you can think of. They may slink off utterly ashamed of themselves, but, if one comes for you, try this method. Snatch off your hat and hold it out to him, when he will snap at it and seize it by the brim. Now the length of your hat and arm is exactly the length of your leg, and, if you kick out, he will get it just under the jaw, bite his tongue and go off howling. Approaching a dog sleeping in the road, I do so whistling. This wakes him up before I get close and helps to convince him that I am human, in spite of the bag on my shoulder and my outlandish smell."

This is from Frank Tatchell, a traveller and English clergyman, who was rambling around in the 1920s.

"The mongrel curs are a nuisance to the wayfarer in most foreign lands. It is useless to try and 'good dog' them. Instead, abuse them in the hoarsest voice at your command and with the worst language you can think of. They may slink off utterly ashamed of themselves, but, if one comes for you, try this method. Snatch off your hat and hold it out to him, when he will snap at it and seize it by the brim. Now the length of your hat and arm is exactly the length of your leg, and, if you kick out, he will get it just under the jaw, bite his tongue and go off howling. Approaching a dog sleeping in the road, I do so whistling. This wakes him up before I get close and helps to convince him that I am human, in spite of the bag on my shoulder and my outlandish smell."

Dogs can scare the crap out of you. Usually when you are in a pleasant state just spinning along and all of the sudden, out of bush, comes some dog to defend his territory. Once you've gotten your wits back you need to have a plan. I've actually found that stopping and confronting the dog works for me. Although, I did have a big St. Benard come after me one day that I wasn't too sure about. I swung the whole bike at him, yelled some more and we reached an impasse. I slowly made my way away and had to continue to defend against him. I've found the adrenaline is good for a little while to sprint or fight.

From Picking the Scablands

Of Dogs and Fear!
The morning chill was starting to abate but the gentle downhill gave it enough snap to still hurt a little. But I didn't want to waste a nice downhill so we tore along the blacktop at a good pace. In the distance we could hear barking. I'm not one to worry about dogs in singles or even in pairs but this barking seemed more ominous. It didn't get louder but you could hear the sound of many voices. Many voices. And I didn't see any houses. Could it be a pack?

'Rachael, you hear them?'

'Yeah. Sounds like a lot of them, doesn't it?'

'Too many. Just keep up your pace and keep your eyes open.'

We cleared a little hill, momentum carrying us over the top and sped down the back. I could just see the top of a house over the next rise, about a mile away. And the sound was getting louder. With many, many more voices! It was becoming a choir with base and baritone notes, soprano and alto notes. A cacophonous symphony of dog voices. With that many, I knew we were in trouble if even a fraction of them came out to greet and eat us! Perhaps if we were on unloaded bikes we could outrun them but as we drew closer to the house below the little rise, we saw that road climbed towards the morning sky on the other side. We would slow to a crawl as we tried to ascend the hill. If the group decided to charge us, we would just have to stand and fight!

'Rachael, if they come out,' I yelled over the deafening roar of barking, 'Don't try to outrun them. Stop your bike and drop it. Start kicking anything that comes near. Yell as loud and deep as you can, 'NO!' Grab a bag or you pump and start swinging. Don't worry about hurting them 'cause they will try to hurt you!'

'Okay, but I'm scared.'

'So am I. So am I.'

We were getting close and the barking was sounding like a jet engine. The individual voices had merged into a single note, loud and angry! We were speeding towards the house and

There were no dogs! There was a weed filled yard. There was a roar of barking. In fact the whole yard seemed to vibrate from the barking but there were no dogs. No black ones. Or brown ones. Or white ones. Just weeds that barked. Somewhere under those weeds was the world's largest pack of dogs with short legs!

You know, it's really hard to climb a hill when your eyes are full of tears and your breath comes in ragged gasps between fits of laughter.

Im going to have to recommend NOT stopping, to me that just doesn't sound smart, why make a situation more dangerous than it has to be?? What works best for me is if the dog is charging at me ill swerve towards him a little and just bark back as loud as possible 9/10 times they will whimper away. If im feeling lazy ill just spray them with the water bottle. with those two tricks I have never had any real issues with dogs on the bike.

+1 to keep biking

Why stop and get in a fight with a dog when you can just keep riding? Most dogs have enough sense to stay off the road, and any that actually have a chance of intercepting a bicycle usually just run beside it. If a dog is serious, you can easily give it a kick as you ride by. From your voice, your posture, and your smell, a dog can tell if you are frightened or scared and will just come after you harder.

I used to live in Samoa and you couldn't even jog down a path without being attacked by a dog. There were a number of inventive ways to get them off of you. One day all of the tricks failed to scare away this one dog and he got right up onto me so I pepper sprayed it. Mount a little can right to your handlebar and make sure your riding partner isn't downwind.

Mount a little can right to your handlebar and make sure your riding partner isn't downwind.

I've been thinking about mounting a can on the handlebar. Just wondering how you do it.

I have mounted my pepper spray under my saddle. When mounting it make sure to make it is easy to rip away in am emergency.

I've been thinking about mounting a can on the handlebar. Just wondering how you do it.

Use a couple of zip ties and an 'old style' cell phone pouch that has a flap. Zip tie the pouch to your head tube, vertically and the spray will be right at hand. If there's room in the pouch carry an airhorn, too. Most times, a loud noise will 'freeze' a dog in it's tracks. A least that's been MY experience.

Pretty good stories, Avatar and Cycco! Thanks for putting them up.

Im going to have to recommend NOT stopping, to me that just doesn't sound smart, why make a situation more dangerous than it has to be?? What works best for me is if the dog is charging at me ill swerve towards him a little and just bark back as loud as possible 9/10 times they will whimper away. If im feeling lazy ill just spray them with the water bottle. with those two tricks I have never had any real issues with dogs on the bike.

Always ride with a partner. You don't have to be faster than the dog(s), just faster than your partner! ;)

I've been thinking about mounting a can on the handlebar. Just wondering how you do it.

How about velcro? You could use that stuff with a peel off stickum and put it anywhere within easy reach.

Ray

Use a couple of zip ties and an 'old style' cell phone pouch that has a flap. Zip tie the pouch to your head tube, vertically and the spray will be right at hand. If there's room in the pouch carry an airhorn, too. Most times, a loud noise will 'freeze' a dog in it's tracks. A least that's been MY experience.

I use an air horn too. It hasn't worked all the time, but a 400 db blast directly at the tender ears of a ravenous mutt makes a big imact. Also, I'm prepared to use pepper spray if I'm dealing with a monster of a pooch. I read once in a book from Dennis Coello that he used a flag (like one on a BOB) mounted on the front forks and would simply detach it while riding and whip the offending dog. I've also heard of someone tossing out doggy biscuits. Yelling just makes me too excited and needlessly upset at what most likely is a dog that doesn't mean any harm. Though, when I've had enough of the same mutt chasing me repeatedly, I'll drop my bike and run after it! They always run faster home than they did after me. :D

I found out, that stray dogs are so used to local ppl abusing and hurling rocks at them, that if you just raise your hand pretending to throw a rock, they will dissapear as quickly as the showed up.
Worked 98 times out of 100, for the last two, I made sure always to have a rock or to handy:-)

Pepperstray is good idea, unfortunately is it illegal lots of places.

I spent a summer in a village in rural Turkey once, almost 20 years ago now. The locals let the dogs wander free at night; the dogs were big and mean and knew who belonged in the village and who didn't. At first, every time I walked anywhere after dark, or before dawn, I had to be on the lookout for those dogs. They wouldn't attack you if you faced them, but they'd bark at you and lunge at you if you tried to walk away from them. When cornered by a dog, I usually couldn't see anything appropriate for picking up and throwing at the dog; the right stone was never near at hand. Also, the dogs took a very dim view of me bending over to pick something up; they'd lunge if I stooped down. Eventually someone would come out of a house, pick up a nice rock or two, peg the dog in the ribs with the rock and yell at him. That would set me free.

Once I'd seen that technique a couple times, I made it a point to pick up a rock every time I walked out the door of a house. It was then that I realized: though there are hardly any stones lying around, every house has a small supply of nice, smooth, fist sized pebbles near the door. When you go out, you pick a couple up; when you arrive at destination, you put them down. Simple. It was cool to think that those stones, perfect for driving off mean dogs, had been traveling around the village for generations, keeping the dogs in line.

http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Dog-Bounty-Hunter-tv-12.jpg

What should you do if this dog comes out of the bushes and chases you on your bike?

Threaten him with a shave and a hair cut.

Pepper spray his camera crew; without an audience, he'll probably just slink back into the bushes...

We took a class about Tasers this week. They showed a couple of videos on using them on dogs. Pretty good tactic. There is a civilian model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgZZiXPajAc

We took a class about Tasers this week. They showed a couple of videos on using them on dogs. Pretty good tactic. There is a civilian model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgZZiXPajAc

ummmmm . . . no, thanks. Yikes. That would HURT.

I usually just speed up and give 'em a blast from my water bottle. Never been bitten.

ummmmm . . . no, thanks. Yikes. That would HURT.

I usually just speed up and give 'em a blast from my water bottle. Never been bitten.

I think if you were a police officer, you'd soon sing another tune. Those people encounter dogs much more frequently than any cyclist, for whom "what to do about dogs?" is a mostly intellectual exercise.

Dogs live in their world. We, in ours. Dogs don't follow human conventions, and they are definitely physically tougher than we are. Dogs who live the barrios of US cities are just like the near feral ones encountered in the third world.

A little negative re-inforcement from a police officer will imbed a very clear memory in the dogs brain. He will undoubtably not attack another uniformed police officer.

I find that most dogs I get hassled by are pretty good souls. Some say "don't stop" but I disagree. Stopping breaks the chase sequence. It also clears up any notion that you are or aren't human. Without exception, dogs that were chasing me a second ago will now be circling, or looking back over their shoulder for the master to come out, or for back-up. They just don't know what to do with something that does not run. Within a few seconds, I'm either petting them for stopping the chase action, or the are peeing on some object nearby, marking the limit of where I can go.

EDIT: I do believe, however, that there is a % of actually aggressive dogs that do bite. For those, you gotta be meaner than they are and realize that it might be your turn in the barrel becaue you might get in one good kick but usually the second will miss.

Why stop? We've found that unless we're going 25-30km or more, most dogs can easily sustain the chase. If we stop, they get flustered and don't know what our next move will be. Most times, as soon as we stop, they turn around and walk away. I don't know about the average cyclist-chasing North American dog, but there's no way I'd want to be chased by the sheepdogs of Greece or Turkey!!

Within a few seconds, I'm either petting them for stopping the chase action, or the are peeing on some object nearby, marking the limit of where I can go.

+1
Good one

Why stop? We've found that unless we're going 25-30km or more, most dogs can easily sustain the chase. If we stop, they get flustered and don't know what our next move will be. Most times, as soon as we stop, they turn around and walk away. I don't know about the average cyclist-chasing North American dog, but there's no way I'd want to be chased by the sheepdogs of Greece or Turkey!!

Exactly. If a cyclist can out run a dog, then I doubt the dog was even close enough to cause much concern in the first place. Even medium sized dogs can sprint upwards of 28mph for at least 200 yards flat out. A Dingo type can probably reach speeds up to 30+ in just a few seconds. Breaking the chase sequence is the best way to stop it fast.

Besides, what choice do you really have? If you're going to be bitten, it will happen whether you're standing still or trying in vain to out run the "mongrel cur."

use your bike as a barrier between the dog, use pepper spray, use 9 mm, use pocketknife or switchblade, rip out throat with hands, hit it on head, hit it on nose, club it. Use what is available, hey you're the human, its a filthy pet.

To each his own on this one. I've been bitten by dogs twice in my 49 years. Both times while standing still in what I thought was a non-threatening manner. It happens fast, very fast, and you WILL be at their mercy to let go. I've had friends bitten while biking - it ain't funny when you're in a remote setting. FYI - I love animals, I don't hunt and I do not eat red meat because of the insensitivity of the industry(it tastes bad anyway), as well, I have two dogs of my own. Point is, I'm not a cruel minded person. I also have no illusions that I can out run, or out maneuver an unpredictable animal if its intention appears to be harmful to me. So, I do carry pepper spray while biking, especially in rural areas. If a dog bites me he's gonna get put down - is that just? Normally, a loud Stop! Go Home! will be enough. If that doesn't stop them....I'm pretty sure any future attempts at intellectual reasoning will produce a different outcome. I then pull the pepper spray & if there's enough time I will only have to spray it on the road in front of the dog(s) and it will distract them long enough to stop the chase. Lately, I have had to spray two dog in the face. They were close enough to my leg that I could/had to spray them in the face. I regret doing it. BTW - Nashbar sells a handlebar clip that fits a pepper spray can perfectly.

ps. that spray burns for real as I somehow manage to get a bit on me whenever I use it. Thats enough to remind me what the dog feels X 100. Just trying to balance the karma thing.

I used to get spooked by dogs that give chase when riding out in the countryside, but I've grown used to them for the most part and usually keep my cool and just speed up to outrun it. When I toured last summer, if the dog was getting close or looked fairly aggressive I would sometimes yell a very aggressive "NO!" or "STOP!"

In any case, they add little chase episodes throughout long days of riding through the country and make touring that much more exciting.

I purchased a Dog Dazer last year, from advice given somewhere else in the Bike Forum. I used it very successfully several times during the summer, touring in Minnesota and Iowa. I like it because it does not hurt the dogs, and is very effective. It gives a loud high pitch sound (too high for us humans), that I think must sound to them like a really, big, angry bee - from the surprised reaction I get from the dogs. Highly recommended. One dog was really determined to take me down. Teeth bared, heading for my leg. I had to repeatedly use the Dazer as he streaked toward me. He got about a foot away from me before he backed off. At that range, I could see that the noise was more than irritating. It was briefly painful, I think. But very temporary, of course. I highly recommend it. www.dazer.com
Diane

I just got back from a 50 miler a bit ago. A group of four riders today, and we encountered a very large Pit Bull. Had to be 70lbs. He was waiting in ambush and I spotted him first. Being third in the line, he rushed the first rider. Poor guy nearly crapped his tights. That accomplished, the beast then woofed a couple times at the second rider before turning his attentions to me. I stopped. He stopped. Then, circled around in the classic, "I'm ignoring you til I can get behind you" dog technique.

I sqeaked.

Yes. Just like a mouse. I extended my hands palms out and up while lowering myself partially. The dog erupted in joy and rushed into my arms like we were long seperated Master and Mutt. One can never quite tell...

The fourth rider had stopped some ways back when the Broo-ha first began.

[QUOTE=jcm;8247639]I just got back from a 50 miler a bit ago. A group of four riders today, and we encountered a very large Pit Bull. Had to be 70lbs.

Was this in SnoCo? Loacation?

I purchased a Dog Dazer last year, from advice given somewhere else in the Bike Forum. I used it very successfully several times during the summer, touring in Minnesota and Iowa. I like it because it does not hurt the dogs, and is very effective. It gives a loud high pitch sound (too high for us humans), that I think must sound to them like a really, big, angry bee - from the surprised reaction I get from the dogs. Highly recommended. One dog was really determined to take me down. Teeth bared, heading for my leg. I had to repeatedly use the Dazer as he streaked toward me. He got about a foot away from me before he backed off. At that range, I could see that the noise was more than irritating. It was briefly painful, I think. But very temporary, of course. I highly recommend it. www.dazer.com
Diane

I have one of those too, but it's called a 'DogChaser'. I found it worked 75% of the time. 2 years ago when I had 4 dogs surrounding me, it did bugger all; the 25%! Like you, one time a dog ran up to me, and only did it do its job within a couple feet. Too close! So I don't really use it anymore...

I have adjusted my dog tactics depending on the country or state visited-Rocks in jersey pocket in Ecuador and Peru; Chasing the dog home in Colorado; Ammonia diluted in a water bottle in British Columbia, Montana and Mexico and a long metal bike pump for any dog non-believers to learn that I will protect myself from needing Rabies shots.

Voice commands often work as well but my language skills are at times deficient in translation. So far unbitten over many decades and miles.

One more reason not to use earphones for an MP3 player that block the sound of an approaching dog.

I have adjusted my dog tactics depending on the country or state visited....

I've done the same.

I've also thought about various defense/egress aproaches, most of which have been written about above.

I've previously posted on here about an "interesting" encounter with a pack of wild Mastifs in Tibet. Still my top near death experience, 2 years later, and no one was bitten. One of those encounters where I can still see everything in slow-motion.

[QUOTE=jcm;8247639]I just got back from a 50 miler a bit ago. A group of four riders today, and we encountered a very large Pit Bull. Had to be 70lbs.

Was this in SnoCo? Loacation?

Yes. On the Interurban trail, just south of Lynnwood.

well if you're on tour O:-) and you have a gun. . . . WOAH!!! wait. . . . ok, uhh, haven't read the posts, so don't bring hellfire upon me if someone has mentioned this, but wouldn't a common portable airhorn startle them enough to back off? anybody tried this? cause i'm a little concerned myself if i'm going to do this thang next summer : P

so yea, this gun i shot last weekend, called "the judge" . . . handgun. . . shoots shotgun shells : ) can't miss!

airsoft gun? or pellet?

Hi I am in Thailand now after touring in Laos,Cambodia ,and in thailand I already use my pepper spray one time I started to ride about 5:30 in the morning many dogs attac me,so now Iam on the way back to bangkok and I have the dogchazer(really dont trust to much) so I also use the watter bottle and I got a telescop metal tube (1m) and work good,but the best is pepper spray next tour I will get a big bottle

Today was the first time I really got chased by a dogs. The last person in line (out of four of us) was really the only one that it even got close to. She was my deterrent for today, but I'll be taking pepper spray with me until I can maybe buy one of those Dog Dazers. Or maybe, I'll just carry both. I think the most important thing is going to be keeping my cool.

well if you're on tour O:-) and you have a gun. . . . WOAH!!! wait. . . . ok, uhh, haven't read the posts, so don't bring hellfire upon me if someone has mentioned this, but wouldn't a common portable airhorn startle them enough to back off? anybody tried this? cause i'm a little concerned myself if i'm going to do this thang next summer : P

so yea, this gun i shot last weekend, called "the judge" . . . handgun. . . shoots shotgun shells : ) can't miss!

I wouldnt want to face "the judge" if I was a dog. I had a pack of about 5-6 dogs come and chase me, and luckly I was able to out ride them. I talked with our local sheriff department, and they said use pepper spray. He said as long as I was on a public road I have the right to protect myself.
Alot of time dogs will come up and telling to go back home does the trick, but I try to avoid dogs if possible.

Anyone ever tried a simple dog whistle? Or just a regular whistle? I'd try a safety whistle myself but can't seem to get a dog to chase on any ride around here....

I mostly just keep pedaling.The odds of being bitten while spinning are extremely small. I have used the stop approach with success a number of times when the dog persistently kept crossing in front of me, inviting a crash. Kinda funny to watch how confused they get when you stop. Would not try this with a pit bull.

Pepper spray is convenient to carry velcroed to the bike and great for peace of mind. But is only effective if you can hit the beast in the face, much easier said then done when pedaling along.

This is from Frank Tatchell, a traveller and English clergyman, who was rambling around in the 1920s.

"The mongrel curs are a nuisance to the wayfarer in most foreign lands. It is useless to try and 'good dog' them. Instead, abuse them in the hoarsest voice at your command and with the worst language you can think of. They may slink off utterly ashamed of themselves, but, if one comes for you, try this method. Snatch off your hat and hold it out to him, when he will snap at it and seize it by the brim. Now the length of your hat and arm is exactly the length of your leg, and, if you kick out, he will get it just under the jaw, bite his tongue and go off howling. Approaching a dog sleeping in the road, I do so whistling. This wakes him up before I get close and helps to convince him that I am human, in spite of the bag on my shoulder and my outlandish smell."

Being the uncoordinated person I am, this move would almost certainly see me sprawled on the road with the bike - and probably the dog - on top of me :(

To date I've been very lucky and have not met a dog that meant real harm. Every one so far has merely chased for a few yards and I'm pretty sure it was the only exercise they had that day. Only one had me really worried. A large, fit pit bull who jumped her fence easily and came charging. She was maybe fifteen feet away when I realized that her entire body was wagging as she caught up, joyful to have someone to play with. She turned out to be the sweetest of them all!

I would have made a comment on this thread until last week. I was bitten by a dog when I thought I had evaded him. He had my left foot in his mouth. The bite did hurt.

I am no longer an expert on dogs, and therefore will not make a comment on this thread.

http://www.otherlandtoys.co.uk/images/bell750.jpg

For a brief time I had a bell on my bike, and when dogs came to chase me I dinged the bell and they would usually stop.

Also, I've never had any problems with dogs trying to attack me. Usually they just want to chase something and will run along with you for a brief distance.

I have been chased by dogs occasionally, although not regularly. My experience is that you cannot outrun most dogs. I tried it once, and was nearly bitten. My suggestion is not to go there. If a dog attacks, you can better defend yourself with your feet on the ground and your hands free. Personally, I position the bicycle between me and the dog. (If the situation warrants it, I would grab my pump or water bottle as a weapon.)

90% of the time, the dog is more curious than anything else, and slowly walking away, and out of the dog's territory, is enough. When the dog seems merely curious, I offer my hand, and address it in a friendly tone of voice. I am no expert on canine behaviour, but I have always felt it is better to try to de-escalate a situation.

But if the dog appears aggressive, I speak to it firmly, and use my bicycle as a shield as I slowly back away.

I can only remember one situation where I yelled at a dog. It was the time I was trying to out run the critter, and it was nipping at my heels. I screamed at the top of my lungs, and it gave up the chase.

I purchased a Dog Dazer last year... I highly recommend it.
Diane

I have used it, with good results, as well.
http://www.amazon.com/K-II-Enterprises-3626992002-Dog-Dazer/dp/B000E7KVQ2

Halt works on the dogs that the dazer doesn't work:
http://www.amazon.com/Halt-Dog-Repellent-1-5-oz/dp/B000E4Q7BS/ref=pd_sim_k_1

and an Airzound works on many dogs, too:
http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound-Bike-Horn/dp/B000ACAMJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1267477410&sr=8-1

Here's my take on dealing with dogs on tour - including a review of the ultrasonic Dazer:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/dealingwithdogs

And my current approach can be summed up in this recent post:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/forum/board/message/?thread_id=155960&page=1&nested=0#155963

Neil

"Somewhere under those weeds was the world's largest pack of dogs with short legs!"

I'm betting some of them were tunneling!


Dogs seem to be a regional thing some areas will have barkers, or chasers, or attackers. Whatever worked in one place may not work in another, unless it was like shooting them which works pretty much everwhere.

Also, what works on your unloaded bike will not work necesarilly with your loaded ride. I'm sure we could get an interesting sticky thread going of pictures of the looks on people's faces the first time they decided to outrun a dog while loaded...

I guess I've just been pretty lucky over the years. I can see how it could get pretty exciting though but not in a good way. What areas of the country(us) is this common? I've never really had a problem in the Northwest touring or when I did the Northern Tier.

Is it more a problem in the middle of the country? Southern parts? Curious as to what those who have experienced in this regard feel.

As long as it's one dog..... I'm meaner than it if push comes to shove. It's the two or three on one that I don't like the idea of.

I'd rather have a solution for all the people who own these pets that don't give a crap.