Advocacy & Safety - Air Horns for Keeping Dogs Away?

I'm doing the TransAM trail next spring and discovering there are areas where dogs will be a real problem. Most discussion talks about using pepper spray as being a reliable solution but I thought of using an air horn. I looked them up on Amazon and see a lot of positive reviews on their effectiveness against dogs.

I should add I will be riding a recumbent with limited mobility in the seat.

Anyone use an air horn and what's your experience?

Air horns work.
I wait till the dog gets about 3ft away then hit the horn.
Stops most of them cold.

My Delta air zound made a couple doggies do somersaults trying to get away!!! VERY effective deterrent.

My Delta air zound made a couple doggies do somersaults trying to get away!!! VERY effective deterrent.

How is your Air Zound at holding pressure? I've seen several reviews saying it is definitely loud but needs to be pumped up frequently.

airzounds are bad at leaking and requiring replacements every 6 months. I have one of those sports air horn type deals (actually made for boats). Unwieldy when I zip tie it to the stem, but effective and a couple times louder then the airzound.

I'm doing the TransAM trail next spring and discovering there are areas where dogs will be a real problem. Most discussion talks about using pepper spray as being a reliable solution but I thought of using an air horn. I looked them up on Amazon and see a lot of positive reviews on their effectiveness against dogs.

I should add I will be riding a recumbent with limited mobility in the seat.

Anyone use an air horn and what's your experience?

While I wouldn't use an Air Horn myself, it would be better than pepper spray which can be blown right back into a cyclist's face.

I have found a couple variants on the refillable air horns. The Air Zound is plastic but there is another brand made with a metal cannister. I think that is what I will get (plus two cans of high grade pepper spray). I'm not afraid of the dogs...I'm afraid of crashing and ruining my bike and the trip. Since I know I will not be able to outrun them, I will stop and walk out of their territory if the situation allows...maybe even stop and walk into their territory to nip the whole problem at the bud. But that is only if I see them first.

I have found a couple variants on the refillable air horns. The Air Zound is plastic but there is another brand made with a metal cannister. I think that is what I will get (plus two cans of high grade pepper spray). I'm not afraid of the dogs...I'm afraid of crashing and ruining my bike and the trip. Since I know I will not be able to outrun them, I will stop and walk out of their territory if the situation allows...maybe even stop and walk into their territory to nip the whole problem at the bud. But that is only if I see them first.

Let me know what product that is, I'd be very interested in buying and putting it to the task.

airzounds are bad at leaking and requiring replacements every 6 months. I have one of those sports air horn type deals (actually made for boats). Unwieldy when I zip tie it to the stem, but effective and a couple times louder then the airzound.

Small one:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/1b2h.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/horn.jpg

airzounds are bad at leaking and requiring replacements every 6 months. I have one of those sports air horn type deals (actually made for boats). Unwieldy when I zip tie it to the stem, but effective and a couple times louder then the airzound.

I've not had a problem with mine. I'm wondering if the people that have problems don't have the valve all the way open when it's being pumped up.. I keep mind wide open all the time and I haven't had a single problem. I've had it for about 6 months, so maybe I'll eat my words next summer. I'm pretty sure I would buy another one though.

Another recommendation for the AirZound. I've found it very effective. Stops dogs almost every time... only had to resort to pepper spray once.

FWIW, I don't fill mine very often - only at the same time I'm topping off my tires anyway. Then again, I don't honk at every little thing, only in a situation where it avoids an accident. I don't generally use it as an angry "gar, I'm mad you messed up" honk (usually. :) ). I've yet to have to refill before tire refill time. Never had mine leak either, but perhaps that's because I don't futz with it once I've got it mounted, aside from refills. Looks to last a second year so far...

Been using them against dogs for years on our tandem, but we use the cheap ones you can buy at party stores. Not refillable, so when they're done you toss them. I think we're on our second one now.

Pepper spray is a better idea from the basis that the offender will feel the effects for longer and thus have a better chance of remembering the cause-effect relationship.

Will one of these work ?

http://www.autobarn.net/treldeal.html

Passive one's are cheaper but are really for cars and motorcycles and activate/operate at 35+ mph speeds.

Pepper spray is a better idea from the basis that the offender will feel the effects for longer and thus have a better chance of remembering the cause-effect relationship.

Remember that when a pitbull is bearing down on you, with the wind blowing back towards you as you struggle to get your pepper spray out and deploy it in a way that doesn't blind YOU instead of the dog!!!

The air zound is RIGHT there, and no chance of it making you crash!

As far as leakage goes I never had an issue. I would top it off as soon as I noticed the volume start to drop off from use. Usually about once a week, unless I was REALLY mad at someone!

My biggest problem was that the mount wore out... would no longer hold the switch in place securely. Had to wrap a zip-tie around it.

Holding a water bottle as high in the air as possible and streaming its contents down and toward the pooch works every time. Someone explained that dogs interpret this as some huge animal marking its territory on them.

A quick stop combined with command voice has done the trick for me for dogs large and small both rural and urban.

I usually resort to doing a Lance imitation on a Tour de France spurt for a couple of hundred yards, but I get the feeling dogs are getting faster by the year ;)

I used to have a frame pump under the TT which when raised aggressively made dogs cower, but my new one is under the DT :/

Never been sure if they really want to bite/kill/eat me when they're snapping at my furiously peddling heels... AirZound sounds interesting, especially taped to the drops (as in pic above).

Let me know what product that is, I'd be very interested in buying and putting it to the task.

The one I found is on Amazon.

"Taylor Made Products Eco Blast Rechargeable Boat Air Horn"

It's a little bigger but looks like it may be more durable. The fitting is on the bottom which is recessed.

I've also read elsewhere that a loud (120 decibel) whistle is very effective. I think it's called the Fox 40. One of the reviewers says to be careful when testing it and has never used anything else.

Been using them against dogs for years on our tandem, but we use the cheap ones you can buy at party stores. Not refillable, so when they're done you toss them. I think we're on our second one now.

I found them for $1.00 at Dollar Tree Stores.

How is your Air Zound at holding pressure? I've seen several reviews saying it is definitely loud but needs to be pumped up frequently.

I've had mine for a month - haven't needed to add more air yet - last week I assumed it needed pumping, but it was still at 100psi, very near the pressure I pumped it up to a month ago.

When dealing with an attack from a wild animal the best thing to do is MAN-UP! Here is a good example:179611

When dealing with an attack from a wild animal the best thing to do is MAN-UP! Here is a good example:179611

Wow! *impressed* didn't know Chuck Norris had a brother :D

I have never tried an airhorn, but I've done the "water bottle trick" and the "stop and use a manly voice trick". Neither, to me, are reliable. Not on half-wild farm dogs anyway. Gimme my pepper spray any day. The trick is to add a clip so that the can will be held in a way that allows your finger to automatically find the trigger when you grab for it.

I'm doing the TransAM trail next spring and discovering there are areas where dogs will be a real problem. Most discussion talks about using pepper spray as being a reliable solution but I thought of using an air horn. I looked them up on Amazon and see a lot of positive reviews on their effectiveness against dogs.

I should add I will be riding a recumbent with limited mobility in the seat.

Anyone use an air horn and what's your experience?

I've never used anything to keep me dog safe. My standard joke was if I ever had repeat problems with a dog my solution would be to come back with the puppies, my 2 105 Lb dogs. So I have some experience from the other view. Mine rarely got out and are not that aggressive, but I did see how they dealt with animal intruders....

An Air horn sounds like a great idea. Hit the horn and it impacts EVERY dog near you. You don't need much, you don't need to paralize the dog with fear, you just need a WTF moment for the dog and you will be gone and forgotten. Someone trying pepper spray on my pair would have to be pretty good to get both and 99% would try for the wrong one first. Bad mistake as the other one is overly protective and would not take his friend being hurt well at all.

Come to think of it my biggest problem ever ws a whole feral pack. I ended up walking past them with my bike between us. If I had and tried to use pepper spray I would soon have been out and had upset dogs to deal with instead of wary dogs to avoid setting off.

Note the bell on the other side of 10 Wheels' bike. I was riding with him and there were two dogs in the middle of the road up ahead. As we got close he gave them a "ding dong" with the bell. They tilted their heads with a confused look on their faces like they were trying to figure out "what was THAT sound?" While they were still trying to figure it out, we rode past! If the bell doesn't work then he hits the air horn. Great system!

Essentially you have 3 types of dogs that are going to chase you!

First are the ones out to kill you. I have found the air horn seems to work for these fairly well.

Second are the ones that are just friendly and want to run with you. These are more of a nuisance than anything and tend to do damage just because they want to play and end up jumping on you or getting in front of you. Air horns are worthless with them. The most effective thing is the command to GO HOME! or picking up a stick to throw and sprint like crazy away from them.

Thirdly are the group. These guys are in a competition and are the most unpredictable. It's a race with them to see which can get to you first. If the horn doesn't work with the dominant one then too bad, even if some of them would turn. If it stops the dominate of the group, all will stop. Good luck with the group!!

I've never used anything to keep me dog safe. My standard joke was if I ever had repeat problems with a dog my solution would be to come back with the puppies, my 2 105 Lb dogs. So I have some experience from the other view. Mine rarely got out and are not that aggressive, but I did see how they dealt with animal intruders....

An Air horn sounds like a great idea. Hit the horn and it impacts EVERY dog near you. You don't need much, you don't need to paralize the dog with fear, you just need a WTF moment for the dog and you will be gone and forgotten. Someone trying pepper spray on my pair would have to be pretty good to get both and 99% would try for the wrong one first. Bad mistake as the other one is overly protective and would not take his friend being hurt well at all.

Come to think of it my biggest problem ever ws a whole feral pack. I ended up walking past them with my bike between us. If I had and tried to use pepper spray I would soon have been out and had upset dogs to deal with instead of wary dogs to avoid setting off.

I think the whistle and/or air horn will be good to buy me some time to dismount and walk my way out of trouble. I'm mainly concerned with the dogs causing me to crash. Having cars around makes it all that much more dangerous. You can't just hop off a recumbent and trying to outrun a dog doesn't make sense as you're just training the dog to chase bicycles.