Strange... I haven't had any dog problems since I was 10-years old with a paper-route... It was a mongrel little mutt that chased me whenever I rode past. It was able to jump about calf-high and actually got its jaws on me once. I got out big rubber boots so it could bite all it wants, but couldn't get through. Then I started on the offensive and took aim with the paper as it was running out. I'd actually loop back at the end of my route and take a couple more shots at it with my extra papers. Get up to about 20mph (fast for a BMX bike) and launch the paper when I was in front of the house next door. Funny to see the paper moving sideways parallel with me. I'd aim for the opening of the walkway on the porch and since it was all enclosed, it'd bounce around and eventually find its target. The best was the Sunday paper, a 4-5 lb behemoth that I'd actually have to toss upwards in order to reach the porch... and a delayed >YELP< a couple seconds later confirmed it found the target.... heh, heh...

Hmmmm ...... seems like some of you do not live in areas where EVERYONE thinks it is OK for their dogs to run wild.

Back in Manitoba, dog encounters happened on just about every brevet I did, and occasionally on other rides. But here in Alberta there seems to be a lot more!!

As for dogs sensing people who are afraid of them ..... what about the occasions where I'm riding along minding my own business, not feeling particularly afraid of anything, when all of a sudden there is a dog right at my heel. It will not have barked, and it will have run to me very, very quietly ... in those situations I am not even sure how long it has been there! Those are the really unnerving situations!!

Chaff? Flares? Counter-measures? Instead, spin up the GE Vulcan 20mm cannon! Counter-measure this, I say! Now where is my death dot?

Anyone know where i could get some car repellant?

I once had a Schwan route and several of us drivers bought Dazers, simply because it didn't look good to be macing a customers dog. I would give the Dazer a thumbs up in most situations. Friendly dogs just cock their heads and most aggressive dogs run for cover from the sound. One Doberman would dive into his doghouse every time I pulled up after being 'Dazed' a few previous trips. BUT, just like pepper spray, it doesn't work on all dogs. I have found that nothing stops a Chow.

I like the Dazer for night rides when you can't see a charging dog very well.

In the old days one good swing of the Zefal HPX4 frame pump right above them when they got close would always send them high tailing. Damn inflators today just don't have the same impact.

C health,

Halt is the very brand of pepper spray that jammed up on a friend of mine. No pepper spray is reliable because pepper chunks can and often will get stuck in the nozzle. I consider pepper spray to be best suited for police or others who have other weapons to fall back on. Luckily for my friend he also adheres to that theory, so he had a pistol on him at the time. He didn't need to shoot the dog because pistol whipping and kicking it did the trick.

I know most people here are city slicking humane animal rights types won't be carrying handguns on rides any time soon, so depending on your local laws, I reccomend instead carrying police type expanding batons (which are only deadly with a blow to the head), Tazers, or home brewed pepper spray in a water bottle.

You need to fight fire with fire....