how do you deter dogs who are chasing you?
 

I did search, but couldn't find any threads. sorry if this is a duplicate.

I have run into quite a few dogs being loose recently, chasing me or my friends while we ride. what do you use to deter dogs from continue a chase? I was thinking pepper spray, or a baton..I really want to use my .40 but that isn't the safest thing to use. I would love to be able to hold an owner accountable, but the standard answer is "MY dog would NEVER attack someone, you must have done something to provoke him/her".

so my question is, what do you use to make a dog end it's chase on you?

I stop and pet them or slow down and fly casual and give them some attention while it runs next to me. They usually stay back though and if you stop they'll likely stop some distance away from you. Maybe i've been lucky, owners usually arent too far away and i'm more worried about running them over.

No threads found on a bike forum about dogs? Not possible.

Always ride faster than the fastest dog. :) If that doesn't work, kick it or intimidate/hit with pump. If that doesn't work, I would probably slow down, and get the bike between the dog and myself. They have those air horns - no idea if that would work. The problem is, like with pepper spray, you need to be able to grab it and actuate it while maintaining control of your bike (remember, there's also a dog chasing you).

You can do something to hold the owner accountable - call animal control. At least around here, it's illegal for a dog to be freely roaming. You'll also be potentially saving another cyclist from being attacked/chased in the future.

Marine air horn has worked for me.

Attach it with rubber bands made from old tubes.

Let the dog get close then Blast the horn.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...heels/horn.jpg

I can always judge the demeanor of a dog before the chase begins. 99% of dogs are just in it for the chase. Dogs like to chase stuff. That 1% that's malicious... I've been fortunate enough that the angry dog is not the fast dog. They can't sustain a cycling pace for long. My closest call was being chased by a pug. It was so hilarious, I almost lost control and rode into a curb. :lol:

Pit Bull got this rider.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=515206

The dog that wants to bite you is a Quite dog

One has to be alert for them.

That is pretty cool.



TheLibrarian, I think you have. i have had a German Shepard, 2 boxers, and a heeler of some sort come after me or one of my friends in the last couple of weeks. none just wanted to play.

1. Click on "Advanced Search" in the upper right hand corner

2. Select "Search Titles Only" from the dropdown menu.

3. Enter Key Word "Dogs"

4. Click "Search Now"

You will find an untold number of threads on this very topic, such as:

http://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...ling-dogs.html

http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...-dogs.html****

****

I once had a determined aggressive dog chase me down (it ran fast!) and not knowing what else to do, I grabbed my water bottle and squeezed a shot of water at it. The chase immediately ended and my heart rate was off the charts.
I thought about carrying pepper spray but still have not bought any, maybe it is time. Thanks for the reminder!

Thank you, was not using advanced search, only the normal search.

I had a dog chase me on my usual route. So, I got the bright idea, since we raise our own beef, I brought a steak with me the next time. I got to that point in my ride and sure enough, the same dog came barreling out of the yard chasing me down the road. I tossed the steak on the side of the road and it immediately stopped chasing me. Fantastic!

The next time out on the bike, 15 dogs came out chasing me licking their chops!


In seriousness, I've been chased by only 1 dog, a beautiful golden retriever. Her owner was chasing after us and I stopped. The owner was over the top apologetic and I learned the dogs name was Heidi.

Now when I reach that stop sign, I look for Heidi. If I see her in the yard, she sees me and I know she'll come running. I just stop, get off the bike, and go lay down in the yard. She'll reach me and begin her "attack" trying to drown me in doggie kisses, LOL.

That's no way to win a bike race!

I have toured in many places in the U.S. You're not going to outrun a dog pedaling loaded touring bike. A good squirt from a water bottle has proven effective for me time and time again. That and/or a very loud shout and while looking the dog's way. Shown them who's top dog.

Now: Care to guess how many posts it will take before someone says "I deter them with my [insert description of firearm]"? ;)

One method that works very well and may stop that dog from ever doing it again (but is hard to pull off) is to get the dog to run into a telephone pole. In sixth grade, the dog that always chased all of us at the bottom of a hill did just that. (I didn't plan it; the dog gets full credit.) That dog never chased again.

As one who has hit three dogs and crashed; the last time with a concussion and hospital visit, I have no sympathy for the dogs. That chase is a choice by the dog and its owner. If that dog suffers injury chasing me, well owner, you made your choices, I made mine. I like my skin. Apparently you don't care.

Ben

That count is "1", because the OP mentioned his ".40"


I turn and shout "NO!" at them, and that always works (I can really bellow when I need to). Even if they don't stop entirely, they'll break stride for a moment and that lets me get away. Lots of free-roaming dogs on the farm backroads around me.

Heh. Missed that. I never met a dog who told me he knows what a gun is so I don't understand how brandishing one can be a deterrent. Maybe I just know stupid dogs? ;)

I'm originally from the hood. DMX issued out some good bark training back in the days. Got my bark to be pretty nasty.

Got a pit to stop in its tracks when I stood up and barked like a jungle king.

Yeah, a half century ago in my newspaper delivery days, I found a squirt pistol filled with diluted household ammonia worked great. Anywhere around the nose or eyes put an end to the immediate chase with no lasting harmful effects.

I am no fan of unrestrained dogs!

I believe they belong on a leash or behind a fence. Apparently the buried-wire, Invisible fences are very popular in my area. One day while out riding I noticed dogs walking about freely everywhere. There had been an (odd) power failure and the dogs were all freed. I must have seen 20 dogs running loose. Not even one bothered me.

I think most cyclists give dogs more worry... than the dogs deserve.

I turn and ride straight at them and yell, "NO!" a couple of times. That is almost always enough to either stop them in their tracks or pause them long enough for me to bolt by them.

I say "almost" because I once had a dog that stood his ground and forced me off my bike. He was a big pit bull (I know, so cliché) and I was dancing around, keeping my bike between us. He latched onto my pannier and I was seriously wondering how I was going to get out of this jam. A guy in the next lot came out and I think he clapped two 2x4s together. It sounded like a gun shot and it was enough to make the dog release and run back into his yard. The guy said he had called the police on that dog several times because it attacked his lawn mower (any dog willing to go after a running lawn mower is not to be trifled with).

LOL ... I need that for some taxi drivers in my area

I use the 14 EEEE method:

http://jhinds7.com/images/bike/dogkick.jpg

I live and ride in the country. Being chased by 10-15 dogs on each ride is not unusual. Most of them just want to play. Some, like the guy above, want to take a bite.

When they kicked hard in the face, all the sudden they don't really want to bite so much anymore and tend to look like the Boxer above doing a Scooby impression.

http://www.pepper.ph/wp-content/uplo...ooby_doo_2.jpg

Most dogs are not friendly. Being attacked by dogs on a bicycle is very dangerous and can be fatal. Here is what happens when two sweet pitbull mixes attacked me:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...h/P8070460.jpg

Broken and crushed femur, cracked hip, damaged knee and a stroke resulted and three months of lost work. It cost their owners a lot of money. Here is another that got a face full of spray, does he look friendly and just wants to get petted?:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...s/P3120642.jpg

The safest thing to do is to not try and outrun them but to stop, dismount and place the bicycle between you and the four (or two) legged assailant and take whatever defensives measure you deem needed to ensure your safety. I now carry spray and if that fails I also have a .357 magnum and I make no apologies should I have to use it as a last resort to prevent being bitten. And no, spray does not stop all dogs. The dog above despite being sprayed several times pressed his attack thrusting his head through the frame and snapping at me. He only retreated when his owner yelled at him to the position I photoed him. Fortunately I did not have to use deadly force but it was getting there. I did call animal control and reported the incident and with the photo and a video I took the officer asked if I wanted them ticketed. I said no, just a warning would do.

Over the years my best technique overall is to call out "go home" in "the master's voice. Dogs are sensitive so you need to project authority rather than fear, and it can take practice (or at least confidence). Once you learn how effective it works, you'll have "mastery" over just about any dog.

Years ago my friend and I used to use our pumps as weapons, and a decent shot delivered to the muzzle was effective, but hard to deliver. then my friend had a brainstorm, and started carrying a rolled up newspaper in his jersey. This was super effective, since he didn't have to connect, just the sight of it was enough for most dogs who knew what it meant.