What to do about dogs chasing you? Dont say pedal faster. I give out quickly.

A squirt from the water bottle can cause the dog to hesitate for a moment, which might be all you need to get away. Failing that, you always have the option of stopping and getting off the bike. This is not as suicidal as it might sound, most dogs are only in it for the chase itself anyway, and stopping gives you the chance to use the bike to protect yourself should it become necessary.

Another option is to have really squeaky brakes. I did this on a ride when I was chased by five dogs. I managed to skirt the first four easily enough, but the fifth one had the angle on me, forcing me to brake hard to avoid a collision. Braking hard let out a big spanky squeak, and I have never before or since seen five dogs turn and run the other direction so fast!

I crashed once, when I tried to squirt the water on the dog. I had to break urgently, as the dog was not frightened by water, as I expected.

I would suggest to slow down and stop. Then walk for a while.

I noticed that for me the danger comes more from my anger, than from dogs. So I try to control my anger and understand dogs better instead. Often the dog wants just to show its master how vigilant, agile, and brave it is. The dog often does not want to bite me or even does not care about me at all. It is usually hungry, and uses anything extraordinary, like a cyclist, for instance, to deserve some food from its master.

So if I just play along and dismount for a minute, then everybody is usually happy afterwards.

But I understood that engaging into the running battle with dogs while cycling is really dangerous, because of the risk of loosing balance.

A Frame Pump works really well ...
If all of the options dont work for you, I really suggest you pedal faster and dont give out easy...
If that doesnt work then rollers would definately work

pedal faster...

or,purchase an ear splitting airhorn at nashbash.
two rotts came after me on the lakefront one morning..it was before sunrise and i had on an LED vest..it spooked them..they spooked me..i floored it.
So much for owner control....

I bent a frame pump on a dog once. If it's on a regular ride route you might want to stop a little ahead and pick up a stick for that purpose.

What my wife does is to slow wayyyy down. I guess dogs really only want to chase if they think you're trying to get away.

It is a good time for a sprint. I have squirted them with the water bottle, chalenged them to a race, and stopped if they were in front of me. just yelling "go home" seems to work to at least slow them down.

"As the weaker riders fall off the back of the pack they are culled by the dogs in the neighborhood"

Stop and give it a cleat.

Even though I live in rural Alabama and see my share of dogs, I rarely have a bad encounter with them.

I believe dogs can sense fear or urgency in us, so if you are afraid they will know it and try to dominate you.

I find most dogs respond to kind words, so I try that first as I approach them or they approach me. Often I can engage the dog into a bit of sport. I'll get them jogging alongside me as I speak playfully to them and we race. We both have fun.

If they don't respond well to that (their eyes show their emotions best) try to dominate them with "stay" or "no." By this time, I have my water bottle ready and will squirt them in the eye if necessary. Only once did I do this and have it fail to slow the dog down.

I've never had to dismount, but I've read often where that will work.

Main thing is: Don't show fear or urgency when encountering a dog on the road.

Scott

And what do you suggest when its a pit bull thats pissed and after you. Fricken bullet doesnt always stop them and if they get those jaws on you,they dont let go no matter what you hit them with.

I have never had a dog that I kicked in the teeth chase me again! The thing that scares me the most about dogs in the road, isn't the dog, it's the idiot drivers that will swerve to avoid hiting fido and run you over to do it!

In 30 years of road riding I've never felt endangered as in your example with the pit bull.

If it ever happens and I could not go faster than the dog, this would be the time I would dismount, keep the bike between me and the dog and scream for help.

Other suggestions?

Scott

You better outrun that pit because nobody else is going to want to get that close. Some places have more of them and others dont have any.

pumps are OK for kitties. i usually carry a bat for the occasional cujo that comes a gunnin.

I have a voice trained by Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. I yell at dogs, telling that I will kick their hairy tail back up on the porch, I chase them back to the house, I squirt water at them.

Also, I am fortunate to live in a state with a state-wide leash law. If I have repeated problems, I call Joe Law.

I carry full strength pepper spray. It fits easily in a jersey pocket, and can be deployed quite accurately from the bike (effective range is about 12 feet). I use it about once every 6000 miles or so, on average. The pepper spray does not seem to hurt the dogs (they don't whimper or cry), but they immediately lose all interest in chasing me. I'll typically use it on dogs trying to overtake me from the rear. Even if I could outrun them, I'll give them a shot of pepper if my loud "No" doesn't make them stop. Most dogs are smart enough that after getting sprayed once, they won't chase me again.

The pepper spray also provides a bit of confidence in case of an encounter with a two-legged varmint, but I've never had to use it in those situations.

Thanks for the info. I have ran into 3 German Sheperds and they really chased me a long way down the the road. I really dont believe that I have the nerves to dismount and try to fend them off. I m thinking pepper spray. If that does work Ill call the Law dogs and see what they can work out with the owners. Then there's always my other companion. My Mak.

If they are problem dogs, and repeat offenders, I would definitely advise calling your local animal control. I've had pretty good luck doing that in those situations.

The "dismount" technique can be effective when there's only one dog, but more than one and it becomes impossible to use your bike as a shield.

Also, when there's more than one dog, pick out the "leader" and spray him first, aiming for the nose and eyes. When he stops, the others usually will too. Wait for the dog to get within range before firing, and then shoot in 1-second bursts (most pepper spray containers are only good for about 4-5 seconds of spraying).

One final word of advice on using pepper spray...be aware of wind direction! I once got a tiny bit of back spray one time on a windy day, and could feel a slight burning sensation on my lip for the next mile or two (but the dog got more than I did ).

And, before I get flamed by dog lovers...I've owned and loved dogs all my life. I'd rather spray the idiot owners than the dogs that chase, but if a dog is threatening me then he's going to get sprayed. Even if I could outrun the dog, the next cyclist to come down the road might be some little girl or a senior citizen who can't (we've had a couple of cases locally where kids have been mauled and even killed by vicious loose dogs).

I noticed that the dogs living among people understand well the situations and emotions of those involved.

They do not have such a tool as the articulte speech, that is why they seem to be stupid. But they compensate by looking at one's face and posture, and get the picture. Dogs living among people are about as clever as people themsleves.

So if one is irritated by the dog presence, it feels it and expresses its frustration. It sees that this man does not accept its presence and is angry at the owner for the dog being there.

It indeed should be humiliating for the understanding dog, that the very right of her existence is denied.

When I have to be in the vicinity of a dog, I try to look friendly at it. Not that I approve of the big dogs running loose around, but I, at least, show the dog that it is not its fault, that it, personally, is not to blame that it was brought into this environment.

I noticed that the dogs are not aggressive, when I show affable attitude. But in the past, when I had been disapproving, they sometimes got mad at me.

In my experience, it depends on the dog's disposition, as well as my own. I'm not at all afraid of dogs, large or small. When I see a loose dog, I look at it, and start saying soothing things to it like "Good Boy" in a friendly tone of voice. Most dogs recognize this tone, wag their tails, and watch me pedal by.

But, it doesn't work with all dogs. I've been charged by pit bulls that were focused as a smart bomb, and completely oblivious to anything I was saying (not to disparage pit bulls as a breed...I once got surrounded by a pack of 8 of them, and all they wanted to do was lick my legs!).

Most of the time, if "Good Boy" doesn't work, yelling "No" when they get close does. But, there are enough exceptions that I keep the pepper spray handy just in case.

What's the big deal about dogs? The Chinese have excellent solutions for these friendly animals!

Back in 1992 or so, I was out on a training ride with my friend Pat in Ohio. We were riding some narrow sparsely populated back roads near Kent State University. I look ahead and see a good sized black and dark gray dog standing in the road about 100 yards ahead. When we within 15 yards or so, I can see that the dog is VERY territorial, and very aggressive.

Those of us who have dogs know the difference between the normal "get out of my yard" barking and the "You are on my turf now and it is too late" demonic like snarling. This dog was a horror movie casting directors dream.

We stop, unclip, and dismount with the bikes betweens us and the dog.

I take a step forward, and the dog raises his hackles and his yellow eyes are staring straight into mine. Pat steps forward and yells "Go Home" "get outta here" "Git" etc.... The dog digs simply digs in and holds his ground.

I say to Pat "Whaddya think?" and after a long pause he says
"....I think we should go back the way we came"

We walked backwards for several dozen steps, I never took my eyes off the dog, and when we thought it was safe we mounted up and got the hell out of there.

I'm 6'2" and was 190 lbs of pure 21 year old muscle back then, but
forget about ego, bravdo, machismo etc. My decision was based upon hardwired biological primal instinct. This animal was much more determined to keep us from going down that road than we were determined to ride it.

2 weeks later we read in the paper some guy on that road was arrested, for breeding and selling Wolf/Dog hybrids. How nice.

I have not had any problems with dogs before. In the county that I live in, there is a leash law, so that helps. Why not write to you local gov't people explaing your situation and ask them to consider a leash law? Of course that won't happen in rural areas, but in the suburbs, it could.

-Garrett

Its not the dogs that Im afraid of it the Bite. I live out in the boonies and dogs run free.

If the dog has hold on you and wont let go pinch it nose closed so that is cant breath this will force it to ether let go or pass out ( of corse once it takes another breath it probubly going to come right for ya)