Advocacy & Safety - Attacked by dogs

Well, it finally happened. Riding through my own subdivision a couple of hours ago I was attacked by three rabid dogs. They shot out into the road and surrounded me in seconds. I jumped off the bike, grabbed the pepper spray and kept them at bay. These were mid-sized dogs, one was a Husky, I don't know what the others were.

Reality check regarding pepper spray - it's damn difficult to hit a dog that is jumping around from side to side. I only got one of them on the nose, but at least they didn't get any closer.

I picked up the cell phone and called the local police station. While I was on the phone with them a family walked by, and the dogs went after them. Kids were probably 10-12 years old, and started crying. I told the dad I was on the phone with the police, and the dispatcher heard the ruckus that was going on, and promised to send someone immediately. The dad kept the family moving through while I yelled at the dogs, and they came back to me.

After a while they backed off, but everytime I started moving, they would come back, so I stayed put, waiting for the police to arrive. I waited for about 30 minutes, and a lady from the police department called me back, saying there was a delay, but that someone would come "soon".

The dogs made themselves comfortable in a driveway, until an older man came out through the front door. The dogs went for him and basically chased him back inside. He came back out through a side door with a stick and tried to chase them off, but had to run back inside. The dogs then backed off a bit, lounging in the driveway of the house next door. I went over to the old guy's house and knocked. He came out and we talked for a while. He decided to call the cops himself too.

After TWO HOURS the lone police officer finally showed up. Coincidentally, the owner of the dogs showed up at the same time. They got the dogs back inside their house, and the cop gave her a WARNING! I asked him if that was all he was going to do. He said yes, as long as nobody got hurt that was all he could do. He said if it happened again he could give her a ticket. I was shaking my head in disbelief at this point.

Right then a group of 3-4 kids rode by on their bicycles. I said to the cop, if those kids had come by 30 minutes earlier the situation could have gotten real nasty. He seemed to agree, but didn't really say anything.

This is a house I pass every single day on my way back and forth to work (the cop did say he sees me all the time on my bike). I will get a few different types of pepper spray, in the hope that some of the other brands work better than the stuff I had in case these dogs get loose again.

Sverre

Hmm, a husky being agressive is a very 0DD thing. I have owned huskies and own one now. This is not normal behavior for a true husky.

I think your discription of them as rabid should have called out animal control. We lost our animal control in a town I lived in. We had a truely rabid dog (foaming and the whole 9 yards) try to go after some kids on my street. My boarder collie/chow mix fended him off and refused to come inside while the other dog was there and kids were around. He litterally put himself between that dog and us. I had never seen him be so agressive before and never since.

I called the Mayor at home. If that is an optio9n for you, use it. I made it clear that the dog was a threat to others. I would even have the guy tht was chased back inside call. He is power to cooberate what you say.

Hopefully you will not have anymore problems. If it happens again, call the cops and say they are trying to attack you and you had to spray them off, but they are still trying. If they are in a driveway when the cops arrive, tell them the dogs must have gotten tired of being sprayed. Specifically request animal control. Make sure they know this has happened before. At least they will be taken in...hopefully.

And have you contacted your lawyer yet???? I don't care what
the lazy cop did I'd go after the owner with a suit to have
these dogs terminated. Why? These animals present a clear &
present endangerment to public saftey. Period. If your town
has leash laws then you have a case. If they attacked you for
no reason then you have a case. On and on it could go as I
see several court enforceable violations on the books of laws.

Man oh man!! This makes a fella want to carry a gun!!

Hmm, a husky being agressive is a very 0DD thing. I have owned huskies and own one now. This is not normal behavior for a true husky.

I think your discription of them as rabid should have called out animal control. We lost our animal control in a town I lived in. We had a truely rabid dog (foaming and the whole 9 yards) try to go after some kids on my street. My boarder collie/chow mix fended him off and refused to come inside while the other dog was there and kids were around. He litterally put himself between that dog and us. I had never seen him be so agressive before and never since.

Maybe rabid wasn't the right word to use (no foaming), but they acted very agressive. The fact that we all were pretty afraid probably didn't help either. The cop who showed up seemed to be very good at handling dogs approached them with great confidence, and the dogs actually behaved very deferentially around him.

I'll will just be very vigilant. I pass this house at least twice every single day, and I will take action if I see them again.

Sverre

Any dog can be vicous, even huskys....

My point was that discription does not fit the temperent of a Husky. A husky is more likey to lick a burgler to death. It will only get defensive when it is in harms way, unless it was a product of poor breading, bread mixing, or abuse.

Jeez, I would have been SO FREAKIN pissed off that I waited all that time and then the cops did nothing. You must have been livid.

There's a house in my little suburb neighborhood where I ride daily that has this one dog that goes absolutely NUTS everythime I go by. Usually he's tied up, but twice I have seen him being walked by his owners. The owner's can literally barely control him, he pulls so hard at the leash. He acted the same way when I used to jog by.

I kind of figure it's only a matter of time before he gets loose and comes after me. I guess I'll get bit a few times, and if I'm lucky I'll break a few of its bones, and I'll also hopefully make some money suing the owners. It just really galls me how some people keep aggressive dogs in residential areas.

You should get some friends and try and setup a sting - you know, egg the dogs on so that one of you gets bitten, then the others can come out of hiding and beat the living crap out the little rats, and then to top it off you can sue the owners.

I hate dogs.

Another problem is that these dogs can cause you to have an accident if you're racing by trying to avoid them all the time, or if you're just watching the house when you go by instead of the road.

Many years ago when I use to ride horses, my girlfriend and I were riding near a historical dam site when two huskies or malamutes came out of no where and started towards us. Luckily (sort of) the owner of the dogs was able to grab one before it came after my horse. I had a small whip on me that I tried to hand my girlfriend on her horse but in the process dropped one of my reins. The dog proceeded to bark and lunge at our horses. My horse, being young bolted and took off running at top steep, all the while I am trying to gather back up my reins to stop him. My horse was so frightened by this dog, that stayed right on our heels, that there was no way I could stop my horse. Lucily my girlfriend had raced after me and ran in front of the dog from a different direction to take the dogs attention off of me. She stopped her horse and the dog started biting here horses back legs. Luckily her horse was smart enough to start kicking at the dog. It ended up kicking the dog in the side, throwing it into a ditch. It dazed the dog, but after a few seconds he came back to start attacking her horse again. Finally her horse was able to land a good blow to the dogs head, the dog turned and ran back to it's owner. I was finally able to stop my horse by making him run into a bush that was to big to jump. After my girlfriend joined up with me again we rode back to the stable and called animal control who immediately came out. We went back down to the dam site and from witness accounts the dog was badly injured and the owner rushed him off to a vet (the dog must have died on the way). The animal control person told us we had every right to try and kill the dog since he was trying to attack us. I later called every single vet office in the county and the dog never showed up at any of them (that is why I think the dog died on the way). My husband has been chased by dogs when riding his bike, he rides in the back country where people let their dogs run loose, but luckily he was able to out run them. I am an animal lover but if people can't control their animal or make sure their animals are always under control, the dogs should be behind locked fences at all times and if they aren't I will do everything I can to try and save myself, even if it means ending the life of that dog.

Jeez, I would have been SO FREAKIN pissed off that I waited all that time and then the cops did nothing. You must have been livid.

At that time I was just glad to get out of there. It was incredibly hot (this all happened right after noon, and went on for a couple of hours, hottest part of the day in Houston heat).




You should get some friends and try and setup a sting - you know, egg the dogs on so that one of you gets bitten, then the others can come out of hiding and beat the living crap out the little rats, and then to top it off you can sue the owners.

No, that's just not my style. May be my Norwegian upbringing, but I usually avoid confrontation (and people) in general. Don't think I could ever sue anyone.


I hate dogs.

I have to agree with you there. This neighborhood is really bad when it comes to dogs, especially at night. A lot of people here have dogs that are outside at night, barking and howling. Drove me and my wife nuts for the longest time. One of the reasons we're planning to move.

Sverre

You live in Texas and you did not shoot the dog with your pistol?

Jeez, I would have been SO FREAKIN pissed off that I waited all that time and then the cops did nothing. You must have been livid.

Not necessarily so, contrary to what many people say, a warning from the cops is enough to make most of them change their behaviour. Personally I'd be satisfied with that for the moment, and continue to monitor the situation from there. If it continues, call them again and quote what the guy said about issuing a ticket "next time it happens".


I kind of figure it's only a matter of time before he gets loose and comes after me. I guess I'll get bit a few times, and if I'm lucky I'll break a few of its bones, and I'll also hopefully make some money suing the owners. It just really galls me how some people keep aggressive dogs in residential areas.

I guess it depends whether you think being injured is worth the risk. Contrary to what some in this thread think, I expect it would be rather difficult to win a law suit on the basis of "what might have happened" or "almost happened".


You should get some friends and try and setup a sting - you know, egg the dogs on so that one of you gets bitten, then the others can come out of hiding and beat the living crap out the little rats, and then to top it off you can sue the owners.

Again, if you think it's worth the risk, go ahead. Of course, I wouldn't be the one volunteering to "get bitten".

There have been a rash of ugly incidents involving pit bulls around here lately. A 4 year-old was attacked and maimed by a family pet, who turned viscious for no apparent reason. An 18 month-old baby was just killed two days ago by a pit bull that was also a family pet. Several joggers and cyclists have reported being attacked by pit bulls lately. :(

There have been a rash of ugly incidents involving pit bulls around here lately. A 4 year-old was attacked and maimed by a family pet, who turned viscious for no apparent reason. An 18 month-old baby was just killed two days ago by a pit bull that was also a family pet. Several joggers and cyclists have reported being attacked by pit bulls lately. :(

When I was in Waco my room mate and I went out to Jack In the Box for lunch, and coming back he was walking behind me. He then said "turn around VERY slowly and be quiet". So I did, and there about 20 yards back were three pitbulls, sauntering towards us! I wouldn't have known how to handle the situation but my roommate told me to maintain eye contact with them, walking slowly backwards towards our apartment. It worked I guess--the dogs never really went for us, though we immediately called the police when we got inside. My Dad has also said that the best way to ward off an attack from a dog is to stare them directly in the eyes--I guess its how they establish dominance and can sense fear if you won't face them or look away.

In most US counties, animal control is the appropriate authority to call. I understand that because they are under local control, animal control policies vary by county. Some counties will hit the owner with a very large fine for just having his dogs off the leash and wandering around.

man.. i hate this! dogs need to be danned... you get caught not properly restraining them once and it appears to be a threat= instant termination of animal.

i got this one stupid lil f***** that is never tied up in his yard like he should be. even when i'm riding on the opposite side of the street he runs after me. i'm not so afraid of being bitten as i am of being knocked over while a car is behind me. if i do get hurt by that thing i'm filing assault and criminal neglegence charges on the owner. i still don't under stand why it's so acceptable for people to own such violent creatures. he nearly got run over the other day when he was chaising me. i hope he does get sqeezed in half by a truck wheel some day.

What is it about dog haters that posess them to ride bikes? :) I would love to see some of these acts y'all talk about. It sounds like some of the people I work with. I always hear about these "big dogs" and "vicious animals" they live near. You go see them and it's a yapping Lhasa Apsha(sp?) or a Golden Retriever. Just because a dog barks at you, doesn't mean it's a threat and should be instantly terminated. **** happens. Dogs get out of yards. Even big friendly dogs pull their masters around and bark at people who they deem as threats or strangers. That's what they do. :) I get barked at all the time, and have had a few run in's with strays. Generally, if you don't ackknowledge them they get bored and wonder off. Pepper spray is for the extreme situations I haven't had yet.

Us, up on your two wheels and going faster than a human, probably freak them out a bit. :)

I'm not saying that some stories aren't true cases of dog attacks - but I see the same 4 or 5 people start yelling "carry a gun!" "terminate it!" "put it to sleep!" "kick it!" every time someone's chiuauauaua gets frisky. :) Maybe you shuld drive a car. :D

Or maybe I'm just a dog person. :D


Vincent "Dog person, but has two cats." Macaluso

the reason you see so many dog haters riding bikes is because dogs like to chase bikers and were not in a nice save 3000 lbs wad of metal. just because you've never experienced the violence of dogs is no testimony as to how nice they are. some dogs are more violent than others. we just had a guy get the crap knocked out of him by one of these "freindly" dogs. he ended up in the hospital... that thread should be on here somewhere.

I've had tons tons more run ins with people than dogs and you don't see me advocating putting them to sleep. (Well, maybe I have!)

I have yet to have a dog throw a lit cigarette at me.

I'm just saying, fluffy getting overly excited and barking at you doesn't mean it's vicious, and certainly doesn't call for termination. You're riding through it's territory - it barks. That's what they do. :) Don't get me wrong, the poster of the current thread had every right to call the police. It sounds like the dogs got out their gate. Yes, they were rambuctious and could probably use a training class or twelve. But to start yelling rabies and calling for termination is premature. Especially when no one was hurt and the owners were repremanded.

Trust me, I live in New Orleans - pit bull/rott/chow central. I see lots of vicious dogs. I also see lots of big dogs that are just improperly trained. This isn't the dog's fault. This is the owner's responsibility.

Vincent

[QUOTE=nolageek

Trust me, I live in New Orleans - pitt bull central. I see lots of vicious dogs. I also see lots of big dogs that are just improperly trained. This isn't the dog's fault. This is the owner's responsibility.

Vincent[/QUOTE]

Then you sue the freaking owner for possesion of a dangerous
animal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then you sue the freaking owner for possesion of a dangerous
animal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A golden retreiver that jumps on you when you walk in the front door is not dangerous, it's impro... *sigh* Oh nevermind.

Y'all are right, kill 'em all. [/sarcasm ]

Vincent

if the dog can't be contolled to a safe extent by the owner then why should the rest of us have to be at risk just because the owner wants a dog?


also.. a dog playfully jumping of a person is far different than a dog that shows it's teeth off while chasing you as fast as it can.

the dog should at least be taken away from the owner.

So the dogs laid down in the driveway across the street and held you at bay for TWO HOURS? And you had a bike and pepper spray?

Why didn't you just take off while they were busy violently attacking the neighbor guy? If they're in your neighborhood, you could have come back in your car, parked, and listened to tunes while you waited for the cops.

I call BS, or at the very least GROSS exxageration.

I call BS, or at the very least GROSS exxageration.

*ring ring* Hello, this is BS, may I help you?"

Just kidding. :D

I keep picturing that movie CUJO. But with.. like, a bicycle and a husky.

Vincent

This thread makes me glad I live in the city now. I've been chased by a lot of dogs back in Montana, but none here - maybe if I spent more time biking out in the burbs. The ones in MT were easy to deal with - let them get close on one side, then a swift kick to the head with a steel toed boot, then accelerate away while they're wimpering (the big dogs are better for this - if it's too small for you to hit from your seat, it's too small to do anything other than laugh at).

I wonder what I would do now that I can't coast and have clipless pedals?



A golden retreiver that jumps on you when you walk in the front door is not dangerous, it's impro... *sigh* Oh nevermind.

You know, I'm not usually traveling at 10-20 mph when I walk in the front door, nor am I surrounded with concrete and asphalt... Dogs like to chase stuff, yeah, but the three described here sound like they wanted to bite stuff too...



Reality check regarding pepper spray - it's damn difficult to hit a dog that is jumping around from side to side. I only got one of them on the nose, but at least they didn't get any closer.
...
I will get a few different types of pepper spray, in the hope that some of the other brands work better than the stuff I had in case these dogs get loose again.

I think the main problem isn't the spray, it's the nozzle. The stuff they sell for use on humans is made to shoot a pretty narrow stream, since it's usually someone running right at you that you're trying to hit. You might check at some of the sport outfitter places around you and see what they have for bear mace. If I remember right, the stuff that they used to sell back in MT was made to be about 3' wide at 10-12', but I'm not sure. I do know that they sold it in really big cans though, so you would have more tries :)

You have to check if it's legal where you are though - I know the really big cans can only be carried by riot police out here...

Of all the dog stories I read on this forum, has anyone ever been injured as a result of the dog "attack"?

Cynophobia?

And have you contacted your lawyer yet???? I don't care what
the lazy cop did I'd go after the owner with a suit to have
these dogs terminated. Why? These animals present a clear &
present endangerment to public saftey. Period. If your town
has leash laws then you have a case. If they attacked you for
no reason then you have a case. On and on it could go as I
see several court enforceable violations on the books of laws.

Man oh man!! This makes a fella want to carry a gun!!


I would say the owner presents a danger not the dogs. In fact, a later post states that the dogs obeyed the policeman quite well.

There was another post that said you should stare dogs in the eye to prevent attacks, and this may work occasionally, but it could also provoke an attack if the dog thinks it has an upper hand.

It is unfortunate that there have been so may bad experiences with dogs. It is really the owner's issue, and not the dog's. I think it is too bad that owners get let off the hook as much as they do.

I like dogs (and all other animals).

That's what I'm saying. I don't doubt that they're legitimate cases every once in a while, but just because a dog follows you on your bike, even barking, doesn't mean it's trying to maul you.

In fact, kicking it in the face with your steel toe boot - besides being abuse - will likely make it more agressive to the next rider it tries to "play with."

MACE brand dog repellent: http://www.tbotech.com/dogrepellent.htm
SABRE dog repellent: http://www.macecanada.com/canada/product/sabre.htm (it's canadian, ay!)


Vincent

You know, I'm not usually traveling at 10-20 mph when I walk in the front door, nor am I surrounded with concrete and asphalt... Dogs like to chase stuff, yeah, but the three described here sound like they wanted to bite stuff too...

Funny.. in the two hours that they were "attacking" this group, they didn't bite anyone.

Sounds like three mischevious mutts and a plethora of paranoid people. Alliteration is fun!

Vincent

So the dogs laid down in the driveway across the street and held you at bay for TWO HOURS? And you had a bike and pepper spray?

Why didn't you just take off while they were busy violently attacking the neighbor guy? If they're in your neighborhood, you could have come back in your car, parked, and listened to tunes while you waited for the cops.

I call BS, or at the very least GROSS exxageration.


No, I never said they held me at bay for two hours. I called the cops. I was waiting for them to show up. It took two hours for the cop to arrive, but for all I knew they could have showed up at any time. Sure I could have left when they attached the neighbor, then let some innocent kid deal with the dogs, right? I wasn't about to do that.

As for my car, it's currently two thousand miles away with my wife and kids, visiting Montana for the summer.

Sverre

Funny.. in the two hours that they were "attacking" this group, they didn't bite anyone.

Sounds like three mischevious mutts and a plethora of paranoid people. Alliteration is fun!

Vincent

No, maybe they just wanted to play. Hell, maybe I should have just embranced them and let them lick my face.

If you're not a dog person, you don't own a dog, you don't much like dogs, you see three dogs come chasing after you and surround you, you get scared. So was the family with the kids. So was the guy from next door.

I see nothing wrong with being paranoid when it comes to dogs.

Sverre

Funny.. in the two hours that they were "attacking" this group, they didn't bite anyone.

Sounds like three mischevious mutts and a plethora of paranoid people. Alliteration is fun!

Vincent

Could be paranoid people... but I've had dogs nipping at my heels at speed, and I hate to think what would happen if they jumped on me or hit my tire... I do think dogs have a decent intelligence, and the pepper spray might have put them off. I'm not paranoid about dogs, but I think they like moving targets - you ride/drive by, you come out of your house with something to hit them - that's their idea of fun...

I think the comment on staring them in the eye and retreating backwards was good - the instinct in dogs is to find, chase and kill. Pretty much all dogs. They also all have a pretty good 'pack' mentality - most dogs in the wild look to have one dog hitting the rear of the animal while the dogs in front try to take the jugular.

The little ones are laughable when they do it, but a Rottwiler(sp) or Doberman on your heel with that instinct activated is not your friend...

They also attacked several targets in that two hours - meaning that they were probably motivated by the chase mentality in their brain. Samundsen probably wasn't moving in the rest of the time, and didn't provoke the chase.... But they did go after other people while they were waiting for the police.

Anyways, I'm of to sleep.... Have a great day debating animals that are bred to hunt.

If you're not a dog person, you don't own a dog, you don't much like dogs, you see three dogs come chasing after you and surround you, you get scared. So was the family with the kids. So was the guy from next door.

But this doesn't give you the right to kick them, or demand they be put down. It's the person's predjudces and fears. Living in the deep south I hear a lot about certain people that should be "sent back to whereever they come from" and such. Just because the people who say these things have never delt with another group of people (or animal) does not give them the right to carte blanche bash them in the face or otherwise assault them upon contact.

I think this is being blown up way bigger than it was intended to. I certainly don't think anyone here would kick fido in the face for no reason, but there just seems to be a lot of pro-dog-violence in these forums. I hear enough of this at work. (My boss "corrects" his large Rottweiler with a paint can to the head.)

Vincent

if a dog attacks a person that person has every right to defend themselves in the most convenient way psossible. the dog is not that persons responsibility. that persons own safety is that persons responsibilty.

and nolageek. could it just be possible that the dogs you run into aren't all that violent compared to the dogs we run into? even though you think they are just as violent.

By the way, Plato has informed me he is on your side.

http://www.noleftturns.com/gallery/albums/defender/DS2_0575.thumb.jpg "Meow"

(My boss "corrects" his large Rottweiler with a paint can to the head.)

Vincent

Yikes Vincent.

Sounds like you may be the next one with a bad dog interaction story (please do not post it here :D ).

What is your response when people do that sort of thing. I have tried several different responses, but none of them seem very effective, and sometimes the animal ends up getting it worse because I said something. Now I typically just keep a closer eye on the animals when I am around them, and if I get a chance I try to show the dog some affection.

This thread has strayed a bit from cycling hasn't it?
Happy riding

What is your response when people do that sort of thing. I have tried several different responses, but none of them seem very effective, and sometimes the animal ends up getting it worse because I said something. Now I typically just keep a closer eye on the animals when I am around them, and if I get a chance I try to show the dog some affection.

I just don't say anything anymore. There are just folks that are of the ilk that animals are here to serve us, and since we have been deemed "more intelligent" by ourselves that we have th right to treat them any way we wish.

I happen to believe we are here to serve the "less intelligent" to some degree.



Vincent "I still sit on the bus, right next to the standing, elderly, handicapped, woman though." Macaluso

I just don't say anything anymore. There are just folks that are of the ilk that animals are here to serve us, and since we have been deemed "more intelligent" by ourselves that we have th right to treat them any way we wish.

I happen to believe we are here to serve the "less intelligent" to some degree.



I'm going to be politically incorrect and say that I think I am more intelligent, and more important than an animal. They taste good too.

I happen to believe we are here to serve the "less intelligent" to some degree.



Amen. (the period was included to make it to the five character limit)

I have had a dog most of my adult life, and these stories make me quite angry. To me, it is cruel for a pet such as a dog to be unchained and running loose. If you are in the city, there is the constant problem of traffic, other dogs, and pedestrians. To say nothing of dog poop and their tendency to run in packs. In the country I would worry about animals that prey on dogs, even if, yes, they can defend themselves.

People who let their dogs loose are probably people who want to 'own' a dog but not be responsible for many aspects of its care. Odds are also that they bought a dog that doesn't fir their human personality: the dog is too hyper/ or maybe too sedate. My dog is family: allowed on the furniture, sleeps at the foot of my bed, gives nice slurpie kisses, and in general stinks to high heaven in true doggy style fashion. I would never tolerate him harassing passersby in any way.

In all my riding i've only been bitten by one dog, and that was on my foot so he never broke thru the sneaker. But I sure have, as many cyclists do, my share of doggy stories!

roughstuff

Has it occured to anyone that none of this would be a problem if people would keep their animals corraled?
It's really that simple.
If the animal is running loose, than I have no sympathy whatsoever for the owners or the dogs.

Has it occured to anyone that none of this would be a problem if people would keep their animals corraled?
It's really that simple.
If the animal is running loose, than I have no sympathy whatsoever for the owners or the dogs.

yeah. that's kind of the point. people are stupid... so why should we be allowed to have dogs? maybe some sort of dog owning liscense should be made necessary for ownership.. man... it seems like everything needs to be licensed nowadays.. damn stupid people.

If the animal is running loose, than I have no sympathy whatsoever for the owners or the dogs.

Howard,

In the situation you describe, the owners certainly deserve no sympathy. But are you suggesting the dogs ought to have the sense to go tie themselves up somewhere? :rolleyes:

Pack dogs are the most dangerous by far. When I lived in Iowa there was a case of some sort of horrible creature tearing assunder local sheep and other farm animals. It turned out it was a pack of DOMESTIC dogs. Dogs that returned home every morning to their loving families. Dogs that the owners claimed would never do such a dastardly thing, and thus it could not be their dog responsible. Nonetheless, it was determined to be several dogs from multiple farms and the owners had to pay hundreds of dollars in lost "property". Good thing you weren't riding in that area earily in the morning.

Here in The Dalles one cannot walk a mile without encountering half a dozen loose dogs. Getting growled at is a weekly occurance. I work at an elementary school and any kid who walks has encountered neighborhood dogs who have formed a small pack and chased them home. It is even more fun when these packs come on school grounds during recess. There is a report of a dog biting someone EVERY SINGLE FRICKING DAY in the paper. And there are only 12,000 people here. I'm actually afraid to go outside, let alone bike. Animal control claims there is nothing they can do if you don't know the address. How about come get the dog! Even when the owner does get reported the dog still runs free. If they do impound it, the lazy owner doesn't bother to get it and it is euthenized. It's cheaper and cuter to just get a new free puppy. Maybe one of these days I'll get lucky and catch a glimpse of the dog's tags as it rips out my jugular.

On the funny side, the only dog to ever bite me was a toy poodle. I'm telling you, anything biting you on the achilles tendon hurts like hell. And they're too fast to kick...

Of all the dog stories I read on this forum, has anyone ever been injured as a result of the dog "attack"?

Cynophobia?

Fair question. I haven't had the pleasure since I blast the beasts with pepper spray if they are angling in on me. I ride in the country and there are really no such things as leash laws, and big dawgs are status symbols. I really, really hate the ones who bear down at full speed, without a sound, and start barking about 5 ft away. It always happens on the wrong side of the hill, too.

Except once, at a former location before pepper spray. There was one spot that had a lookout rat dog that alerted the big ones when it saw me coming down the hill...every single time. Once, one of the big ones overran it's intercept angle and collided with my furiously spinning left crank. Caught him right in the ribs, and rolled him about 3 times. It bounced me, but somehow I didn't go down. Thankfully, cause they would have been at my throat.

And there is no good reason for pit bulls, period. Sorry if someone has one, but that's the truth. Seeing a beautiful 4 yo girl in the ER with her face ripped by one will change your mind. And it's not the dog's fault, it's ours (human's).

And I love dogs...and cats.

Howard,

In the situation you describe, the owners certainly deserve no sympathy. But are you suggesting the dogs ought to have the sense to go tie themselves up somewhere? :rolleyes:
No, although that's an amusing image. What I mean is that if the dog threatens me, I will deal with it accordingly, and do so without sympathy for the animal. Cute and friendly as a dog may be at home, when its instincts kick in, the dog is an adversary.

No, although that's an amusing image. What I mean is that if the dog threatens me, I will deal with it accordingly, and do so without sympathy for the animal. Cute and friendly as a dog may be at home, when its instincts kick in, the dog is an adversary.

I'm just saying, I think far too many people here are "threatened" by dogs which arn't really "attacking" anything. That's it for me, this thread is getting repetative.

Vincent

I kind of figure it's only a matter of time before he gets loose and comes after me. I guess I'll get bit a few times, and if I'm lucky I'll break a few of its bones, and I'll also hopefully make some money suing the owners. It just really galls me how some people keep aggressive dogs in residential areas.

You should get some friends and try and setup a sting - you know, egg the dogs on so that one of you gets bitten, then the others can come out of hiding and beat the living crap out the little rats, and then to top it off you can sue the owners.

I hate dogs.

Another problem is that these dogs can cause you to have an accident if you're racing by trying to avoid them all the time, or if you're just watching the house when you go by instead of the road.

I hate you. If i ever saw you try something like this while i was out, it wouldn't be a dog that would be taking you off your bike, it would be me. I'll break a few of YOUR bones, and leave you to the dog. Buy some mace or just yell at the thing (which has ALWAYS worked for me, with rotties, pitts, and whatever other dog I've encountered -- show dominance, and they'll back away). Perhaps you don't have the stones for a nice deep throated yell, since you're worried about what you call a "little rat." You want to beat an animal that, most likely, is only aggressive BECAUSE it was beaten. The suggestion that you egg the dog on and then gang beat it is not only incredibly immature and ridiculous, its criminal. And you need help to beat up a dog? What exactly is your problem? And please tell us if you sue the owners, so we can all come and testify as to how you set up the situation to get bitten, which is also criminal. "It really galls me" how ignorant and bass-ackwards some people are.

Folks, if you're scared of dogs, carry mace. Something non-lethal that will stop them, something short of the cruelty of a steel toed boot. Or just blow by them on your bike. They aren't cheetahs. They won't run you down. Most of them will just run to the edge of their yard and bark. They're just being protective, they aren't gonna try and attack. Rabid dogs, packs of wild dogs are the rare exception. Seriously.

http://www.cripplefight.com/smileys/signdito.gif

I always just turn around and start chasing the dog., or let out a horrific growl or shout. Hasn't failed yet. A person on a bicycle is a pretty big looking animal to most dogs. Don't know if it teaches them anything but it is kind of fun to turn the tables once in awhile and maybe help them to see the other side of the situation as long as you are not invading their territory. If a dog did get within a certain distance of me and was still agressive though I would have no qualms about neutralizing the threat appropriately.
I have been bitten by a husky before (in answer to the question about dog injuries). I was a paperboy and the previous paperboy used to egg the dog on when it was tied up (he must have been the basest of cowards I assume). I wish the owner would have warned me before the dog bit me.
In terms of a pack of dogs coming after me, I think that would require a little more caution as a single dog does not pose much of a threat but more than one dog is a very serious threat. I recently had a neighbor and her daughter who ended up in the hospital from an attack. Sometimes it is a matter of survival to take the dogs out (if one has the means at hand) or a person can really get hurt and in some places in the US dog packs have killed children. Again the owner is ultimately responsible and lawsuits have been effective after the fact but I think I would not be too kind if I was put into that situation personally and I felt I was being threatened by an unrestrained dog on public property.
Concerning Pitbulls, some people think assault weapons are cute too. Really don't see the purpose behind owning either of these. Seems like an ego kick, I guess it makes them feel more powerful in some way. I guess they fit also into the category of trucks with such a high lift they would be useless in any kind of offroad situation other than crossing 6 foot deep lakes.

i have a couple of comments to add here..

first.. i'm a dog lover... who hates the irresponsible jack@ss owners that let their dogs run free. i've had to call animal control twice and i've only been riding 4 weeks!

i do carry mace.. it's the mace i bought because we can't even safely walk our LEASHED dogs without the worry of loose dogs! not that i ride.. there are those that like to chase me or run along with me when i ride.. thank god i haven't been bitten! i will get a lawyer and sue not only the owner for damages.. but the city as well.. for having such horrible animal control (yes.. we have leash laws!)

as i said.. i do carry mace.. however, living in the desert.. it's windy a lot... so a lot of good that mace will do me... hmmm me... 110 pounds against a pit bull or rotweiler... uh huh... who's gonna win?

my first encounter was a dog who is normally fenced.. however this freak bites his chain link fence when we ride by... he was out.. the lady sat behind her wood fence calling for him... finally came out and told me i wasn't too bright for standing there (pepper spray aimed, bike between me and psycho dog)... plus said if i had sprayed her loose dog.. she would have called the cops on me... what a riot... the COPS are the ones who told me to buy pepper spray (and a stun gun) when i called about the pit bull that charged us when walking our dogs... dumb b!tch!

ok.. off my soap box... must go hug my dogs for being loved and leashed!

p.s. i'm not fast enough to outsprint dogs yet... but i'm sure the speed with come with time!