Panthers007

Look into Glaser Safety-Slugs for any pistol you get. These are frangible rounds that penetrate through fur and leather-jackets, but then turn into 100's of tiny lead shot. So the full muzzle-energy is expended inside the "target." Read: One shot - guaranteed knockdown even with a .22. And they won't ricochet or go through houses and kill innocent people/pets.

Best self-defense round going for small pistols.

AerobaticDreams

A couple of years ago my postal worker friends in Southern California were told to not bother with pepper spray for dogs in the Mexican neighborhoods in this area. Seems the dogs liked it as a result of the table scraps they were used to, and it didn't even slow them down. I wondered if it made them hungry...

Bone Head

Hmmm...... bear spray. I might need to get some of that stuff.

squirrell

Hey Bonehead! VB is my hometown--that's what I worked as an ACO. Now on the Eastern Shore.

Tom Stormcrowe

I used Bear Spray on some wolves last year on tour on the Upper Peninsula, and I guarantee you it will deter ANY Canine. JUst be sure about a couple of major things.....

1) Be sure where you aim it and the wind direction......it is stronger than milspec crowd control spray. You don't want to nail yourself. It can cause respiratory distress and or failure in a human.

2) Be sure of the laws in your state. Many places, it's illegal.

awestberry

Clorox in an extra water bottle

Raven87

Bears? And even GRIZZLY-rip-off-your-arm-and-clean-their-teeth-with-it-BEARS?

Man, I've got to take my hat off to any cyclist who will ride anywhere knowing that an animal exists that would gladly eat you! You guys are some hearty cyclists with some enormous cajones!

I've had run-ins with dogs but would never consider shooting one. One was nearly the size of a pony so I doubt if my 9mm Glock would have stopped him anyways.

I worry about the darn groundhogs, rabbits, and raccoons running in my path and the fall or being chased by a pit bull (bad enough!)... I just can not imagine having to be on the look out for a carnivore that, as CliftonGK1 posted, would "steal your bear spray and hose you down with it as a condiment before devouring you"!

Wow! Call me a wimp but I don't want to be devoured. Makes a dog bite sound like a walk in the park!

Tom Stormcrowe

Old but true joke

In bear country, wear bells on yur clothes and carry bear spray, unless you're in Grizzly Country. It won't even phase them.

How do you know if you're in Black or Grizz country?

A Black Bears scat will contain berry remnants and such.

A Grizzly Bear's scat will have bells and bike parts in it and will have the strong aroma of pepper spray. You might as well spray yourself, and they'll thank you for the hot sauce with dinner.

2manybikes

Nothing works on every single dog. Except the Bear spray, and that's difficult to do well unless you stop.

All three of those dogs could have topped 30 mph. Possibly 40. Unless they were sick or injured. They scared you just the way they wanted to. They were just chasing or wanted to scare you away. That's why stopping works so well. Of course one can never tell for sure, that's why the chase scares away people so effectively.
Or they did not think they could grab your foot as it was spinning fast. Some have the skill to do that. Watch a dog chase a squirrell that swerves, some can catch it in mid swerve. Lots of cyclists think they out ran medium size dogs at that speed. Maybe a toy breed, but not a medium size dog.
.......... some old greying sick dogs can top 30.

In the next town over, a police officer shot a pit bull in the skull at close range with his .38 service revolver a few years ago. It may have been a glancing shot off the side of the skull, I don't know.
The shot did not penetrate the skull and did not stop the animal. Other shots to other areas finally did.

Big_e

Hey, that's pretty cool! A bunch of ex-ACO's on this forum. Here I was thinking I was the only one. If I rode through wooded areas and had to contend with a pack as the op descibed, I would consider the glaser rounds too. Their report is just a little louder than that of a pellet gun. As it stands, I commute through neighborhoods and take care of my stray problems with Halt and by calling them in to the city. When I get good and tired of any particular dog, I'll go up to the owner's house with my bike lights on and get them out of bed. Just like the good old days, eh?
Ernest

pop's

Now folks don't get me wrong, I love dogs mine and others, as long as they try not to harm me or someone with me. I was a police officer at the time this happened. I had some dobermans who did the same thing on a country road every time you rode by. I drove up in my cage after an encounter,and talked to the owner of the dogs who was out in the yard. He basicly told me to kiss his bejuda. So next time I was riding with a lady who had been knocked down by the dogs once. I put her on the outside and when we came to the drive way, no one was home and here came the dogs. I pulled out my small .22 with rat shot and unloaded on the dogs. The next weekend when we drove by the dogs ran up to the road and almost killed themselfs stopping at the end of the driveway. From then on we had no more problem with them.

Pop's

Pamestique 

I just to live in Fresno and would ride out on quiet, empty farm roads. Seems like every farm house had a pack of mean dogs. The first time I encountered a large, barking, running full speed at me bunch of dogs I stopped my bike (keeping it between me and those dogs) and yelled at the top of my lungs "NO!". The dogs stopped immediately and stood checking me out. I said NO a few more times and then they turned around and went back to the house. I never worried about a dog again. I've learned if you keep riding they will chase as they see you as prey but if you stop, then that means trouble...for them. Generally I can keep pedaling but just stare them down and yell "NO"; they leave me alone!

I think it must be a guy thing to shoot at dogs. How cruel!!! 1) I don't carry guns especially on a ride and 2) us women know they are ways to talk yourself out of trouble.

ochizon

a) No need to shoot dogs.
b) Species-ism? LOL I will be laughing about that for weeks, thank you.

bakerjw

Ever try reasoning with a pissed off redneck? It's a whole new ballgame.

It is not the dogs fault that it is running loose, it is the owners responsibility to ensure that their dogs are restrained. If they are not restrained, then they are negligent and liable for any injuries that their dog may cause. I meet the same loose dogs on many of my rides. Most come out to let you know where their yard ends and others run along because it is fun. I talk to them nicely. They are like friends. If you've ridden long, you know the difference.

But the aggressive ones that I see, get one chance. If they come out a second time I report it to the local ACOs. Yelling, squirting, kicking, stopping, etc... are all good strategies but as some of the ACOs will attest, if you mess with a persons dog, even yell at it, you may end up in a confrontation. So when you yell, squirt, or kick Billy Bobs pit bull, Good ole Billy Bob might hop into his truck and come down the road after you with a baseball bat. That is just the reality of where some of us do ride.

So to me, if a dog, baring its teeth, has me stopped and is coming at me aggressively or Billy Bob is coming at me with a baseball bat, tire iron, or more, I am in a position of potential immediate harm and I refuse to alter my riding habits because of someone elses stupidity or irresponsibility. I don't normally carry when I ride, but I can legally carry a firearm (A Makarov .380 with Hydrashocks) and I have every legal right to protect myself from coming to harm and will resort to this level only as a last resort.

I love dogs, but when instinct takes over, the nicest dog in the world can become a predator. In the case of the OP, I believe that the dogs were in a pack mentality and the best choice was to continue onward as they did.

It is also important to note that by contacting the police about an aggressive group of dogs, you have put a liability on them. If they are aware of a dangerous situation, do not act on the information, and someone gets hurt by those dogs, they bear some culpability in the matter.

Wogster

Here is another scenario, to try and muddy the waters a little.

1) Billy Bobs unrestrained and vicious Pit Bull comes at me.
2) I yell at dog
3) Billy Bob comes out and attacks me with baseball bat,
4) Local constabulary arrest Billy Bob for assault with a deadly weapon.
5) Billy Bob and his dog are placed under Her Majesties care at the nearest crowbar hotel.
6) My barrister and solicitor files a tort in civil court asking for $100,000,000 in damages.

This solves the problem for all future riders

ochizon

I am not sure that the Billy Bob's of the world live in places that have constabularies or barristers.

Wogster

No but they have cops and attorneys, same thing, different terms.....

squirrell

In my part of the world, Billy bobs and cops are often one-in-the-same; and if not, they're most likely at least related to each other.

scottmorrison99

Had this same situation last week. Pit mix was laying down next to a fence out of sight until I got close and charged from the front right and grabbed my shoe after missing my leg and tried to pull me off the bike. No growl, no bark, that's the dog that wants to hurt you. I put on my dominant voice and bashed it in the top of the head three or four times, then chased it home when it let go. I then called Animal Control and made a report. I'm very experienced in handling large dogs and 6'3 and 198 pounds. Had I been a smaller person it could have gone very differently. This dog would hurt someone badly if it pulled them down. Animal Control later told me there were two dogs loose on the property. Report loose,dangerous or aggressive dogs. The next person they go after might be an elderly person or a child.

moose67

Pepper spray is a great idea. I saw a lady walking one time carrying a large squirt gun. Noticed her almost everyday for weeks. One day I happened to be stopped and she walked by. I asked what was in the gun. It was her own mix of ammonia, vinegar, pepper sauce and alcohol. Said she's only had to use it once but it worked. Now I wouldn't really recommend this because while trying to pedal for your life it might be a little difficult. The one thing I don't believe I've heard hear might be a great non-lethal alternative. Air horn. They sell them in different places in a aerosol can form. Boaters use a type on the water to alert other boaters they need help. Some of these are quite small. A dog's hearing is acute. They can hear things we don't. Trainers will tell you to put rocks in a plastic bottle or can and shake it at the dog to let it know something is wrong. I think one of these hand-held air horns might do the trick when the dog gets close. You might tick of the neighbors early in the morning but I think the sirens from the ambulance and police cars might do the same thing. I love dogs and would never want to hurt them but I have also been in the situation where the dog is on full on attack and someone had to stop it.

jakereed

The air horn might be a good idea, but I don't see how I could attach it to my Glock. lol

Neil_B

I thought one couldn't call Godwin until someone calls another poster "Hitler!"

squirrell

Had to look this one up, as it was a new term to me--sorry, I'm not as "up" on all these terms as I should be I guess. But, it appears that under "proper" forum etiquette, the Historian is correct.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_Law

There are many corollaries to Godwin's law, some considered more canonical (by being adopted by Godwin himself)[2] than others invented later.[1] For example, there is a tradition in many newsgroups and other Internet discussion forums that once such a comparison is made, the thread is finished and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically "lost" whatever debate was in progress. This principle is itself frequently referred to as Godwin's Law. It is considered poor form to raise such a comparison arbitrarily with the motive of ending the thread. There is a widely recognized codicil that any such ulterior-motive invocation of Godwin's law will be unsuccessful (this is sometimes referred to as "Quirk's Exception").[6]

Godwin's Law applies especially to inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic comparisons of other situations (or one's opponent) with Hitler or Nazis or their actions. It does not apply to discussions directly addressing genocide, propaganda, or other mainstays of the Nazi regime.[citation needed] Whether it applies to humorous use or references to oneself is open to interpretation, because although mentioning and trivializing Nazism in an online discussion, this would not be a fallacious attack against a debate opponent.

However, Godwin's Law itself can be abused, as a distraction or diversion, that fallaciously miscasts an opponent's argument as hyperbole, especially if the comparisons made by the argument are actually appropriate. A 2005 Reason magazine article argued that Godwin's Law is often misused to ridicule even valid comparisons.[7]

Neil_B

Ah, tender misanthropy. "Liberals have developed compassion fatigue for their own species but they are too liberal to say so." - Florence King, With Charity Toward None.

bakerjw

Has anyone had any luck with dog whistles? A friend of mine mentioned the effectiveness to me.

Just wondering.