Advocacy & Safety - dogs off the leash

who else has kicked one be honest.

Only when they try to bite.......

My father in law rode over one once. One of those nipping rat creatures that "celebs" carry around. Complete accident he's just a not very skilled cyclist, it got in front and the bike went over... It survived.

That's ok with a dog, but you better watch out for the cats.
dc

I punched one in the ribs with my front wheel once. Bent the top and down tubes. The dog's home owner's insurance bought me my current Cannondale.

i'm a pro at punting them back into their yards... i'm the defender of the ride.

I am pretty sure that the wild dogs in the hills sing folk songs about me.

j

I'm a diehard dog lover. The more I get to know people the more I love dogs.

However, the only part of my body that is going to be on a canine's menu is my foot. I have no shame when I have to send one home with his tail between their legs.

i think the folksong coment is the funniest thing ive ever read.

Abolute animal lover, although I have squirted many on long country roads.
I even had a guy say "sik-em" to his dog...and sure enough fido obey'd and tried.

Yup I've kicked one or two, it's a dog kick dog world out there.

Like others have said, I love dogs to death, but I will definitely defend myself if need be.

Not looking for trouble, and I won't enjoy it, but I wouldn't think twice to teaching an unruly dog a lesson. I'd much rather teach the owner though.

I once kicked a standard poodle that was making my ride to school pure hell. Thirty years later I was bitten by a Shepherd while out riding. It has a kind of balance, the Universe, does it not?

Twice, both times when I was with my 110 lb dog. Both times my dog was on his leash, the other dogs where not. One was a german shepard-mix type, the other a pure Rottweiler. Both times they went straight for my dog. Both times they got a good "kick off" style kick from me. Both times that ended any aggresion. I felt bad about the Rottie, he was a young dog, not mean at all, just needed a lesson. The other one was lucky to live.
As a general rule for dogs being off leash, NEVER IN PUBLIC.

On the bike, I pepper sprayed one.

Off the bike while running my dog, had one come after us and I punted the thing back ten yards. The stupid dog got up, came after us again and got punted again before the owner was able to finally grab it. I so wish I had the opportunity to punt the owner rather than the dog.

who else has kicked one be honest.

It's really the dog's OWNER you should be kicking.

The county where I live has a very strict leash law -- dogs must be leashed when on public property at all times. I've only had one serious dog encounter, poochy charged out from a front yard snapping away at me. I got off the bike and was going to give it an SPD sandwich when the owner (dessicated old biddy) called it back; she then proceeded to curse me out for threatening her dog. I told her to keep her dog on her property. She told me that she was going to call the cops because I had no right to be on "her street". :rolleyes:

Who knows. Dozens at the very least. I've maced, peppered, water sprayed, kicked, tire pumped. Picked up and thrown. I haven't shot one. I might, I suppose. Under the right circumstances. I maced a dog owner who went for me once.

I've never kicked one, but dogs on leashes have a habit of turning toward you when they hear you, which makes narrow MUPs even narrower.

This thread prompted me to get a squirt gun and carry it. I borrowed a megapumper from my son. It hits hard with lots of water. I put it in the grocery carrying bag behind me. I have to stop to use it anyway. I suspect it's really important to get off and be very relaxed, squirt the crap out of the beast while whooping and laughing, then ride away without looking back. They hate that sort of thing.

It worked! Didn't see a single dog loose on my commute today.

I found that it really pisses off a dog owner to see their pooch chasing you and ignoring them. It pisses them off even more to see you unclip and draw your leg up for the perfect shot onto the top of the dogs head.

AND it really pisses them off to see a cyclist encouraging their little yapper to continue the chase for 1/4 mile up the busy road.

I really don't care whose fault it is for a dog being loose. All I care about is my safety.

As for the lady threatening to call the police. I'd have promptly pulled out my cell phone and called animal control to report her allowing her dog to run loose. The folks at out local animal control are more than happy to come write warnings about loose dogs.

On Sunday we had dogs from 4 or 5 houses in a row all come out after us. They weren't singing folk songs but I think a couple stayed on the porch playing their banjos.

I encounter lots of dogs in the state park where I mountain bike. Usually I am on narrow trails that get little use, so the dogs aren't often leashed. I always slow way down and in some cases stop completely if I sense a threat. That gives the owner time to hook up the leash or get the dog under control. Most people are cool but some are jerks and act like I'm doing someting wrong. I don't much like dogs and like entitled dog owners less when the let Fido do whatever with no thought for others.

two on my mountain bike.
the same two on my motorcycle. more than once on my buell, though. like... maybe 4 times for the one, and 3 for the other. it's easier on the buell, since i don't have to pedal.

Abolute animal lover, although I have squirted many on long country roads.
I even had a guy say "sik-em" to his dog...and sure enough fido obey'd and tried.

If ever there was a 'kick the owner' moment, this is it. :(

If you have the dog chasing you problem, perhaps you're going too slow. Dogs give up real fast chasing me. It takes them about 4 seconds to realise........ARF, ARF....damn he gonne

But were the dogs and owners wearing helmets?

-Kurt

I used to get jumpy every time I heard the barks starting. Then, I realized that when they actually want to give chase, dogs don't bark. Now I know to listen for the jingle of the tags. Is this anyone else's experience?

I used to get jumpy every time I heard the barks starting. Then, I realized that when they actually want to give chase, dogs don't bark. Now I know to listen for the jingle of the tags. Is this anyone else's experience?

i listen for the barking to stop. they bark first, then give chase. at least around here they do.

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid dog owners can be sometimes. I just had 2 incidences (during the past 2 days) of a dog charging straight at me while jogging on the trails. Do these idiots not realize that their dogs are liable to chase joggers and cyclists? or do they just not care?.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/fake-samaritan-sets-dog-on-cyclist-20090518-bcd5.html

It's the worst 'dog off the leash' story I've ever seen.

Fake samaritan sets dog on cyclist
May 18, 2009 - 4:10PM
A motorist, who stopped after a seeing a cyclist fall off his bike, set his dog on the man to intimidate him into handing over his wallet and other valuables.

Victoria Police have launched a hunt for the driver after he pulled over to help the cyclist, who had fallen from his bike on Ann Street, Mooroopna, in central Victoria, around 1am yesterday.

The 21-year-old victim told police he carried on walking down the street after the motorist stopped, supposedly to see if he was okay, before his dog jumped out of the car.

The motorist then whistled to the dog, believed to be a pit bull or a staffordshire, to urge it to attack the cyclist, who threw down his wallet, mobile phone and keys to convince the driver to call the animal off, investigators said.

The motorist then took off, leaving his victim in the street with leg, arm and elbow injuries.

"It is a worry that somebody in the community may be using their pet to deliberately harm and intimidate another person," Leading Senior Constable Glenn Gibson said.

The attacker is said to be a caucasian man in his 20s or 30s, about 183 centimetres with short dark hair and wearing a white T-shirt. He was driving a small older model red car.

AAP

http://www.explosm.net/db/files/Comics/Rob/dogkick.png

If you have the dog chasing you problem, perhaps you're going too slow. Dogs give up real fast chasing me. It takes them about 4 seconds to realise........ARF, ARF....damn he gonne

I am far from the fastest guy in the county but find this is usually true. We can leave many dogs behind after having provided just a bit of entertainment. Abrupt speed change seems to discourage our canine friends. When the dog is too fast, just hit the brakes hard, come to a full stop, and explain things.

I usually just out run them. With my luck I'd crash trying to kick one, then get a broken bone, road rash, and bit by the dog! I haven't encountered one yet I couldn't out run! Instead of barking, what I heard on the one that suprised me the most was the claws scraping on the asphalt! I just started thinking, "Sprint, Sprint, Sprint.!!!"

If your dog chases me,it will be the last thing it ever chases,friendly or not.

Twice, both times when I was with my 110 lb dog. Both times my dog was on his leash, the other dogs where not. One was a german shepard-mix type, the other a pure Rottweiler. Both times they went straight for my dog. Both times they got a good "kick off" style kick from me. Both times that ended any aggresion. I felt bad about the Rottie, he was a young dog, not mean at all, just needed a lesson. The other one was lucky to live.
As a general rule for dogs being off leash, NEVER IN PUBLIC.

Closest I've come to having problems with my pair 110 and 105 was when 3 other dogs off leash came at them. The 3 were not foolish enough to come within leash length, much to their owners relief. If things got nasty I would have had to drop their leashes.

Generally speaking dogs seem ot like me. More than once I've returned loose dogs to their owners. Only 1 repaet I can remember, but to be fair to the owner that was a case of taking 2 times to figure out how the dog was getting out.

I'll kick every single one that comes in range. However, to put that in perspective, it's very rare to see a dog running loose around here, and even more rare to find one that will chase. At least on the highways where I ride. Some will run to the limits of their fenced yard. When I get barked at it's from dogs that are fenced, penned or tied.

Awhile back I was riding my regular pre-dawn commute to work, when I saw a pair of glowing eyes standing in the middle of my lane too far ahead to identify the animal. This is unusual. Usually when I see an animal in this situation, if it's standing it's off on the unpaved road shoulder. If it's on the road, it's moving across the road.

<Female Voice>: "Warning: Animal ahead!"

<Male Voice>: "Set collision course, accelerate, stand-by for evasive maneuvering!"

As expected the animal, now identified as a dog, a pit or something closely related, quickly jumped to the side and off the road. Somebody's dog got loose and was out roaming. It didn't even try to chase.

The last roaming dog I saw on the way to work was a black lab with a collar on. It looked lost. Like it wanted my help, but was afraid to approach me. I just kept going. It probably figured out where it was when it began to get daylight.

i really love dogs specially smart ones. and i never hurt one as far as i know. and i don't wanna hurt one because i'm afraid that they might fight back.

I've never kicked a dog that I remember. I may have tried, I don't remember that either. A big muscular nasty looking one came after me while I was climbing a steep hill recently, but when I yelled "no" he stopped. I thought I was going down for sure, although I doubt it would have come to much.

i really love dogs specially smart ones. and i never hurt one as far as i know. and i don't wanna hurt one because i'm afraid that they might fight back.

You sound like a nice guy. Nearly everyone likes dogs, especially smart ones. But the dogs we're discussing here are not necessarily the smart ones.
I've never hurt a dog either. Don't ask me about cats.
I don't want to hurt one either. But if I had to i would. But I'd make sure I hurt them enough that they either couldn't or didn't want to fight back. It's not that hard with dogs. Especially smart ones.

It's really the dog's OWNER you should be kicking.

+1. Some dogs just have naturally strong prey drives and something zipping past them flips a switch and causes to chase. Most often then not, they're not out to kill you, but the fact remains that they could seriously have been on a leash and under the control of their owner and nothing would have occured.

I'll kick every single one that comes in range...

EVERY dog within range? Really? I let my dog off leash in public, which is illegal I guess but he's quite easy to control. When a bike approaches him he generally stops, steps just out of way (he mountain bikes with me all the time so he knows quite well how much room is necessary) and then stands there looking at the cyclist and wagging his tail.

So, you'd kick him for that? He's within range and off leash after all.

I haven't had to, but I would kick a dog if it came at me. even the "best behaved" dog is still an animal and we don't know exactly what goes on in its head. i also don't care to find out if today is the day the dog will snap.

The one time i have kicked a dog was flying a model airplane in a park. I concentrating on the plane and suddenly something comes and knocks me hard from behind my legs and I just kicked and back and nailed the dog square in the face. of course the owner comes up to me trying to cause problems. i reminded her that we have leash laws for a reason and i'll gladly call the police if she'd like. that was the end of that. if you're not in a dog park or on your private property, your dog belongs on a leash. its a simple matter of respect for the other people around you.

I've never kicked a dog but I've been chased by a doberman when I was a kid... luckily I was faster :).



4.7 million dog bite victims annually in the USA. A more recent study showed that 1,000 Americans per day are treated in emergency rooms as a result of dog bites. In 2007 there were 33 fatal dog attacks in the USA. Most of the victims who receive medical attention are children, half of whom are bitten in the face.


The Clifton study of attacks from 1982 through 2006 produced similar results. According to Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes were responsible for 65% of the canine homicides that occurred during a period of 24 years in the USA.



The majority of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar place.
The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim's family or a friend.
When a child less than 4 years old is the victim, the family dog was the attacker half the time (47%), and attack almost always happened in the family home (90%).


The face is the most frequent target (77% of all injures). Mail carriers are an exception where 97% involve the lower extremities.

The other day, I witnessed a dog run right in front of a car. The owner was walking 2 dogs in the street, unleashed, and his dogs were all over the road. He clearly knew the car was coming but didn't call them in. Thankfully, the car stopped in time. But the owner didn't seem to bothered by the fact that his dog almost became roadkill.

The other day, I witnessed a dog run right in front of a car. The owner was walking 2 dogs in the street, unleashed, and his dogs were all over the road. He clearly knew the car was coming but didn't call them in. Thankfully, the car stopped in time. But the owner didn't seem to bothered by the fact that his dog almost became roadkill.

a friend of mines's dog was hit by a car. The dog was unleashed in my friends yard and ran out into the street and was hit by the car. the dog didn't die but it had many severe injuries and broken bones. my friend wanted to press charges on the person in the car, i told him he has no right, and the driver has the right to press charges on him for the damage to his car. he's no longer my friend now. i guess being logical isn't accepted anymore.

its only acceptable when logic is on your side sir. and riding your bike with your dog running free at your side is not using logic.. less you own a 200 acre farm then i would say that works. public places not so much. not everyone likes dogs and some people are traumatized because of an incident with a dog and you allowing yours to be free like a wild urban beast might cause problems. keep your dogs on a leash behind a fence or in your house if you don't want it kicked. not to be an a hole i actually love dogs. and would not want to make mine be in a situation its getting kicked in.

1st. If my safety is threatened (being circle and nipped at), then, my solution was to call police, multiple times if is a must, and tell them to not take the dog or dogs

2nd. Contacted owners, talk friendly and try to establish a friendly relationship, if I can.

3rd. Using The 'Dog Whisper's teaching, I use:

A. "Sh" sound every time they bark and move closer to me.
B. Rode my bike on the edge of the road (infront of constantly threatening dog's or dogs' yards or fences) to establish/take back the boundaries for the dog or dogs to obey. Because, he or she or they begins to know I am not afraid of them.
C. If the dog or dogs leave their yards and towards me, and I have enough time, I stop and face them. Because, he or she or they begins to know I am not afraid of them.
D. If the dog or dogs ride chase me (remember I ride on the edge of the road (infront of constantly threatening dog's or dogs' yards or fences) to establish/take back the boundaries ) and I do not have enough time to stop, I use "sh" and "go home" and start tosing my extra water (just for chasing dogs) on the dog or dogs and in every case they jump back and then continue. I just keep repeating the it.

Eventually dogs stay in the grass infront of their yards, until I pass and then chase me, from behind and stay at least 5-yards behind me. I call that a better Safety Zone, than the 3-ft. automobiles are required to give me.


Forgot, to admit I have accidently rode of a dog's paw.

Another issue that I haven't seen brought up, is that some people are allergic to dogs.

I was out for a walk yesterday when somebody's leashless dog ran up to me, rubbed against my legs and then jumped up and put it's paws on me. I was tempted to whack it with my umbrella(I had brought it with me in case it started raining) but thought better of it, as I knew I would only feel really guilty about it. Really, I have no desire to hurt a dog(unless it's a rabid dog that starts viciously attacking me).

Trail Runner,

Thank you, for correcting me and bring this up. My mother is a Asmatic (sp?), so I know how bad it can get for people that are allergic to certain animals, let alone pets).

I used to get jumpy every time I heard the barks starting. Then, I realized that when they actually want to give chase, dogs don't bark. Now I know to listen for the jingle of the tags. Is this anyone else's experience?


i listen for the barking to stop. they bark first, then give chase. at least around here they do.

I live in Community of Redland, NW of Homestead, Fl. and I can tell no dog does not bark and chase at the same time. All the dogs I run into on a reguler-bases are either trying to chase for fun or want to friends. I know a Beagal that wants get attention and play with me, every time he is out of his fence. I first ran into him, went he just two-moths old and was exploring the busy road next to his fence. I agree with FLBandit and Village Idiot that if a dog sneaks up on you, you are in a world of trouble. The only dogs that have ever put their teeth on my ankles, while I rode my bike either never barked or stopped and came from behind. Funny how 99% of those dogs' care takers never liked me, either. Probably some thing there. Within days of one of the family of care takers moving into our street, the wife was flirting with me, in a Bikini (she was very thin, but not young enough, too thin and not enough in "the saddle and water bags" ;) for me); thus, the husband has never even spoken to me.