Sorry but the article is in french:Attaque de trois cyclistes: «Rocky» en quarantaine | Marie-Élise Faucher | Actualités


The dog was tied to his doghouse and his chain was long enough so he could come within few inches of the bike path. this was an accident waiting to happen
I feel some guilt about this because I saw this dog almost every morning for the last few months and I got used to it, He kept barking after each cyclist and once in a while he would jump just to be stopped by his chain. It looked like a young playful dog but I once tought : if this dog ever break his collar or chain he might do some damage even if he just want to `play`. But I never did anything about it, nobody never did anything about it and yesterday he attacked 3 cyclists, injuring one very seriously on one leg.

The neighbours are saying that the dog was very gentle and friendly...

The owners always say that about their dogs.

I've seen some dogs unleashed on MUP's and I am always annoyed by this. There are very strict by-laws regarding pets in public places such as parks and MUP's here. It's a very hefty fine if they were caught.

Add these to the list of famous last words: "He's friendly. He won't bite."

It irks me to no end when I see carelessness with dogs...especially people that think it's ok to walk their dogs without leashes.

I've owned a few dogs including a great dane (family dog) and a boxer (my dog) -- they are both considered tough dogs, but were both raised so well that I probably could have walked them without a leash, and I did when we were out in the mountains and on private land...but when another person could be around, there is absolutely no way I would have walked them without a leash. Animals are animals...and they will react, whether playfully or defensively, and people can and will get hurt. Period.

I haven't decided whether to speak with negligent dog owners on the MUP yet. I've been video recording some recent rides just to get a better sense of whether the problem is really that frequent, or whether it's bias confirmation. It might be better to just edit down the videos to short snippets and send 'em to the MUP management, or post 'em to the social media wall of shame.

Without reviewing my videos, I'd guesstimate half the dog owners are careful to keep their pets on short leashes or appropriate leash length for the conditions. If they're walking the paved path, they keep their dogs on very short leashes. On the wider gravel path, a little more free leash. On the grassy areas well away from the paths, they use those retractable leashes and let out more play. Seems appropriate.

Maybe 30% use retractable leashes willy nilly with the dogs having free rein, regardless of conditions. So the dogs aren't really controlled at all. And, worse, the full extended leashes present a tripping/tangling hazard for other MUP users.

And around 20% let their dogs roam freely. Of those, they're divided into to basic categories:

1. The mindful dog owners who clearly have some dog obedience training, and are using the grassy areas near the MUP to reinforce good behavior habits.
2. The completely clueless dog owners who moan ineffectual pleas at their dogs: "Oh, now, Rover/Spot/Turdbucket, pleeeeze don't jump on the nice man/jogger/children/other dogs!"

It's about the same on the rural roads I occasionally ride for exercise. About half the dogs are behind fences or invisible fences. Half roam freely. Of the free range dogs, the biggest problem I've had is dogs thinking they're parade leaders and I'm supposed to follow them. But the dogs will change speeds, dart around or suddenly stop in front of me. While I don't consider them aggressive, the fact is that normally "good" dogs can turn violent unpredictably so I never relax around them.

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Tarwheel you have the right idea but it owners usually say this right after their dog bites you,"He/ she has never done that before!"

I much prefer dogs on no leash than dogs on those 300 yard retractable leashes. A dog I can usually avoid. Their human I can usually avoid. Most difficult is when the two of them are yards apart with a leash between them.

The cycling advocacy group for my state recommends carrying pepper spray. I have a small can of it velcro'd to my top tube.

Obviously no dog owners in this thread....

(deepea is the exception of course.)

Seriously guys. Most dogs aren't out to kill you. If they were you wouldn't hear them. Just treat them like honking cars. Ignore and more on.

If you honestly think a frame pump will stop a large dog intent on biting you, then you're delusional.

Anything other than a large dog is a joke. You, as a 150+ lb person, can't protect yourself from a 20-40 pound dog? Really?

Seems like we've had this conversation before and it never sinks in.

There are more people out there than fit and nimble cyclists and joggers. Some folks on our local MUP are elderly, walking with canes. I've seen some in walkers and wheelchairs on the wider paved portions nearest the condo complexes and senior living centers.

Relative size and weight are irrelevant. A 150 lb person could easily trip over a free-range chihuahua and be seriously injured.

Dog owners are responsible for their pets. It isn't up to everyone else to be battle ready for a walk or ride in the park.

It sure seems like everybody in this thread is.

No matter how you break this down, it is the dog owners responsibility to control their animal. Allowing the lead to get the dog within "inches" of a MUP trail just antagonized the dog until eventually it breaks free and attacks the first pedestrian on the trail out of frustration.
That owner should have moved the dog away from the trail long ago, but while it's too late now, maybe others will learn from this.
I own a GSD, who is very approachable and friendly but I would never want to test that theory after she was barking at possibly hundreds of people a day for years.

Le Dog Catcher on your speed dial?

So make your own: Homemade pepper spray

After my three encounters, I'm ready.

I choose to carry more substantial protection than pepper spray. Dogs, mountain lions, bears and two legged predators are all part of our MUP eco-system out here.

I own 2 dogs now and have lived with multiple dogs my entire life.
I agree most dogs arent out to kill me or anyone else for that matter. But to say that they should just be ignored and move on is hardly the answer.

1- people shouldnt have to find themselves in a situation where they must deal with the potential of a dog jumping on them.
1a- kids and the elderly do exist in this world. Go figure, they arent as strong as adult males who are active. They often times cant outrun/avoid/stop a dog running full speed at them.

2- Owners should keep their dogs on a leash and out of the way of others using MUPs. Its that simple. We teach our young children this when we walk on MUPs. When they have the leashes, we remind them many times each walk to shorten the leash as people come close from either direction and to walk the dogs on the right side so they are off the path. It is the owner's responsibility to control the animal, not the jogger/cyclist/walker's responsibility to avoid being jumped on or attacked.

I never let my campus dictate for me whether or not I could or could not defend myself. They also tried to tell my buddy, a city cop, that he couldn't carry his piece with him on campus...he didn't let them dictate for him either and carried his Glock in a holster mounted by his car's hand brake. And this was well before the current state of mass shootings every week or so.

All this talk about pepper spray and frame pumps...try a water bottle.
You likely have one handy already. Squirt a dog in the face and it'll confuse it long enough to get away, plus hopefully deter it from chasing the next person. Has always worked like a charm for me.

This is why i stay at home and never go out. except when i ride my bike. atleast I can outpedal them. Like that one time in band camp when I had to pedal really fast to get away from that bear...

I generally agreee - never let my dogs run free and harass people.

But I still have a slightly different perspective:

1. I've never seen a dog attack a child, not even a man unprovoked - but a child, never.

2. People are often too "humanocentric" IMO. I got used to dealing with problematic people, but also with stray dogs, even in packs. You can't live in a bubble protected from everything.

This was really nasty. This article on the same incident has a photo of the woman's leg. Ugh. She woon't be riding for a good while.

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The response when people yell ahead "it's OK he's friendly!!!(rainbows maybe)" about their dog rushing up to my friend's leashed dog "mine's not!!!! (that's why we're following the leash law).

It's just your complete lack of awareness. In the Cook County Forest Preserves (Chicagoland) gangs keep fighting pit pulls in outdoor secret camps. The pits get lose and attack walkers/joggers on the MUPs. IIRC there's been one death and several life changed survivors (leg and arm muscles are torn off and the limp is permanently damaged).

My son was mauled by an Akita when he was 7 years old (he's 27 now). So while you can say you've never seen it, you have a first hand account.