JohnDThompson 

"Don't worry, he won't bite you" (while being chased by a large, unleashed dog).

It's not being bit that worries me, it's being knocked off my bike, intentionally or otherwise, and being injured.

Wheever

Years ago, I knew a guy who was always being harassed by dogs on his rides, and came up with this as a very effective sulotuon: he rode around with a super-soaker ( the kind with the tank on top you pump up, that will throw water 20' or more) pumped up and velcroed to his downtube. He filled it with a vinegar and water solution. When a dog came after him, he'd whip the soaker up and give them a shot in the face. I saw him do it a couple of time, and it was a thing of beauty! He never really broke rythm, just whip, squirt (yelling no!) reattach. The dogs on his usual routes stopped bothering him pretty quickly!

Null66

I like the water ******/ supper-soaker ideas...

I've found that my helmet mounted headlight discourages the dogs quite well. Aim the beam into their eyes. The blinky mode works better.

Other times I've resorted to throwing the bike onto them, or the u-bolt... Both while dismounted.

phoebeisis

Our greyhound Arty (Artemus) isn't trained.
We are lazy-and it isn't easy to train greyhounds.
BUT OWNERS- are easy to train.
SIMPLE
1)Keep dog on SHORT LEASH- when passing people bikes-move OFF the sidewalk-people-most people-DON'T want your pet sniffing them or approaching them-especially a "not small dog" Arty is a small 70 lbs female(she is short but "well fed")
2) If folks want to pat your dog-children-make sure you position yourself so if the child startles the dog-it can't snap at the kid-this means being in position to control the head
3) Remember-ALL DOGS BITE- ALL DOGS BITE
If a dog is startled it will snap around and nip/bite
Non dog owners won't view a nip as nothing
We have had dogs-one pit bull when I was 5- maybe 20 beagles and mixes- and 3 greyhounds pretty sure most of the beagles nipped or even bit me when I was wading in breaking up their fights
Even our sweetest mildest dog-Isis-nipped when when she jumped out of our car at a rest stop-unleashed-and I lunged grabbed her roughly -she was startled-nipped me-

Anyway-many people are fools-dog owners no exception.
And all dogs will bite.
ALL DOGS WILL BITE
PS- greyhounds are extremely mild mannered dogs in respect to humans-probably one of the least represented in in human attacks-
yeah great pets- great with kids no odor shed very little very hardy disease wise- none of those big dog hip problems- rarely bark-and rarely hurt humans- handsome dogs too- they DON'T NEED MUCH EXERCISE- Don't need a big yard-are fine in apartments-
Yeah they LOOK athletic-like a giant Jack Russell -but they are LOW ENERGY DOGS- so great city pets-
Oh-they arrive fully house trained usually
So if you want a dog-consider a recycled greyhound -best possible dog(labs are sweet-but they are doggy smelling dogs and need more exercise)

sknhgy 

That Super soaker with vinegar sounds like it would work. I use HALT spray. A serious, country, hunting, protection dog is not going to be fazed by water in the face or someone yelling NO at them.
I have a metal plate and nine stainless steel screws in my right shoulder from a collision with a friendly dog. (That owner ended up paying over half the cost of our new home. Our lawyer was happy, too.)
I wait until the dog is very close then I spray it with HALT. It has never failed me.
I'll deal with the owner after the dog attack, but I won't allow a dog to chase me ever again. I figure I'm giving them an education with the spray.

I modify the HALT can.

The red clip comes with the can and it is worthless. I taped on the black clip so that the can hangs upside down with the spout pointing towards my leg when hung from my strong-side pants pocket. The can hangs from your pocket like a holstered g#n. I can grab and draw it in an instant without fumbling or having to think about it or reposition the can in my hand. You can't see it in the picture but I also cut away half of the guard around the nozzle so that the guard won't get in the way of a gloved hand.
I often ride where people care far more about their dogs than they do about some "gay-boy" on a bicycle. And dogs around here know how to hunt and kill.
This is what works for me.

Terex

I live near Princeton, NJ and near Taos, NM. In several 10's of thousands of miles riding in NJ and eastern PA, I think I saw a total of three dogs that were running loose. In Taos, everyone has a dog and they are rarely controlled. I think that there is a direct correlation between the number of dogs running loose and the average family income throughout the country. Somerset and Hunterdon Counties in NJ (where I have most of my dog free, cycling experience) are in the top ten of all counties in the US for family income.

aubiecat

I'd rather pepper spray the dog than risk being bitten. If the owner isn't responsible enough to keep their animal restrained or trained, it becomes my responsibility to protect myself from the animal.

OldsCOOL

We have a 3/4 mile grade that puts me in granny gear for the last little stretch toward home. I call it "dog hill". There are multiple families living in a small home that work the orchards. Being hispanic they cant understand only a word or two of english. This is a problem I have endured and vowed to report to county animal control. With families moving in and out of this house it also means multiple and various dogs. You never know what is going to be at your heels mashing along at 9mph.

A few weeks back, 3 smaller dogs BOLTED out of the yard and immediately on my right heel. Ohhhh joy!!! I pulled my right foot out of the toe clip, snap kicked the first dog and flipped it over. Second dog is now in position. Pulled my right foot out, snap kicked it in the same fashion and it also did a tumble. The third dog decided to get smart and turned back.

I laughed all the way home.

crazyb

I've left a shimano tattoo on a few dogs foreheads myself.

Ali_Pine

Currently I'm in small village in the dog loving mountains. Almost everyone has a dog. Some dog owners do the right thing and keep their dog on a leash, some don't. I used to have a dog which would travel with me in both the winter and summer. I had to keep him leased for a couple of reasons. He was a big friendly boy who liked everyone even if they didn't like dogs. Once off leash he had a habit of playing hide and seek. You can guess who was doing the seeking. Lastly there's a (rarely enforced) local leash law.

Today I was riding through the village and came upon an unleashed owner. The dog was exercising its freedom by visiting the open front door of a restaurant and a couple of people sitting/eating outside. The owner was trying to call the dog back to her side but the dog had other things on his mind.

When I mentioned to the owner that using a leash would prevent the dog wandering off, all I got from the owner was a bit of lip.

I would have liked to have pepper spray available --- not for the dog.

bluesharper

I carry a can of wasp spray in my spare bottle cage. With an old beer coozie on it, it fits snugly without rattling. The stuff shoots about 20 feet, and the few times I've used it the dog does stop, and appears no worse for wear afterwards. I was been bitten while running a few years ago, and been chased too many times, so finally decided to start taking up for myself. Shame on the irresponsible owners. (My pit/lab mix might bark "hello" at you if you ride by my house, but she will NOT leave my yard- ).

Nick94804

Oh man, wasp spray is awfully toxic. It's designed to KILL wasps, not stun them. Use pepper spray or mace for goodness sake. I'm terrified of dogs, having been munched above the neck when I was a kid. Even I can't abide the use of toxins.

OldsCOOL

I've read where wasp spray is an excellent self-defense weapon if nothing else is available.

sknhgy 

Your post freaks me out.

The dog I collided with, the collision that resulted in the plate in my shoulder, had chased me numerous times - up and down a hill- before the crash. I think it got to expecting me.
The dog is dumb and friendly. I've seen it riding on the back window shelf of the owners car.
The day we crashed it was in some tall weeds next to the road, and it saw me and jumped in front of me at the last second.
I wouldn't play around with those little dogs.
Spray them in the face with HALT and they will give you a 50 foot clearance zone thereafter.

Crashing hurts.

sknhgy 

I have got some nasty looks from some macho-looking owners after HALTing their dog but no one has ever confronted me. I think they know people have a right to defend themselves.

1931alloyboy

If the dog owner is an idiot and the dog is loose and wants to eat you why not eat the dog. A little mustard and relish yumyum.
Hot Dawg. gigglegiggle.

Nick94804

You mean when you've left your ****** at home?

Seriously, this stuff is horrible/inhumane. Use mace/pepper spray or use a weapon. If I blasted you with Bee Popper, you'd own everything I have. Its freaking nerve gas.

aubiecat

I doubt he is stupid enough to chase a cyclist out in the middle of the street like a dog. Any animal that chases a cyclist is open to any treatment that benefits the cyclist. The owner of the animal is responsible.

OldsCOOL

I was referring to an article on home defense.

Nick94804

Sorry friend, even the Geneva Convention has rules about this stuff. Be humane, please, even if its terminal.

ofgit

In the mid '70s, while in A&P school, I used to cycle home from work across town after midnight. Carried nunchucks draped over the top tube of the Fuji and became adept at swinging the 'chucks without hitting myself or the bike if the dog got too close.

One day in the mid '80s while on a semi rural training route on my Ironman, an owner sitting on his porch encouraged his dog to "Git 'em". I yelled back that tomorrow I'd be carrying my S&W .38!

RSBG

Thanks everyone, for your replies. This looks like a universal problem, and it's interesting to get different points of view.

If it comes down to me or the dog, I want to prevail. I've been researching various pepper sprays. I read that HALT is used by the Postal Service. I found another one on Amazon called Cycle Saver, which comes with a bicycle mount.

It looks like good idea to practice a bit with this stuff too. I see this as a "last resort" option. And, one that I definitely want to have.

gregf83 

Wasp spray is nothing like what is commonly referred to as 'nerve gas'. The active ingredient is Pyrethrins from chrysanthemum plants which don't appear to cause any long term damage.

bbbean 

how is this different from the generalization that all cyclists are entitled scofflaws?

OldsCOOL

I'd be freaked about having a personal "Breaking Away" episode.