***Rant Ahead***

I went on a ride this afternoon and I have taken this route dozens of time before with no problem; today was different. I rounded a corner after just passing a 'target" (slow rider) and next thing I know there is barking and I look to my side and there is this huge golden colored dog running up to me. It catches me off guard and I roll left only to see another even bigger black dog on that side. I was going like 22 mph and cranked it up a few more but these buggers kept pace and ran me off the road into the gravel. I recovered and they finally gave up pursuit. Man was I pissed! I heard the stupid farmer calling his dogs back then. I yelled for him to keep his fu****g dogs on a leash. Scared the heck out of me and now I'm somewhat concerned about going back on that route.
ALso i wonder how that second rider faired....

Dogs can very seldom be kept on a lease, due their inabilty to sign contracts. They can and should be kept on leash or restrained with a fence.

You might consider reporting the incident to the local police. Also, some people report good luck with stopping the bike, keeping between you and the dogs, and shouting, "NO" or "GO HOME". Other swear by various sprays, water bottle squirts, tire pumps, or increasing your sprint speed.

Good luck,
Paul

You don't have to be faster than the dogs, just the other rider. :D

All I could think was GO FASTER, GO FASTER! Then I thought good thing I have on Carbon Fiber shoes. LOL

The best way to get a dog to stop other than outriding them is squirt your water bottle at them.. They will see the liquid coming at them and usually stop in there tracks.. This has worked for me many times.. If you use a camelbak you need to just ride faster..

I know the feeling. I got chased once by a pitbull after about 40 miles. It was up a slight incline, I first tried to outrun him and he stayed right on me. :mad: I thought I was toast and then he decided to give up. I stopped about a 1/4 mile down and I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest.

LOL 40 miles? That's one motivated doggy. Oh wait I think you meant after you rode 40 miles the dog came up to you right???
It really did scare me though. This was my first dog run-in on the bike. Doesn't help that I was bitten by a Siberian Husky a few years back and am still a bit gun shy.

Being faster than the other riders in my experience means the dogs chase you and
the riders behind get a pass more often than not. Out running a dog that has a
leg length of more than 12-14" means you have to get up to 26mph or more. Most
dogs are good for 20-24mph, but a few can go 30mph and they don't know about
lactate. Your best bet is to pay attention to the road and drop into a gear that
lets you spin at 100-110rpm, then the feet and legs are moving so fast the dog has
a hard time biting. A straight or relatively straight line is better, it is easy to lose
control trying to steer away from a dog. Pay very close attention to a dog in front
of you as even a chihuahua will knock you down if you hit it with the front wheel.
Steve

I find dogs only give chase going uphill.

I guess the theory sucks if the dog really does have ill intent, but most dogs stop chasing you if you stop. They don't really seem to know what to do. Of course, I always dismount on the side where the dog isn't.

I've been chased by several (sets of) dogs on one route but I don't get upset about it. I usually whistle at them and keep on pedaling. After a short distance they give up and go home.

I also don't stop, why would I? I don't squirt water at them, I need it more than the dog but the pepper spray sounds like a good idea.

I never have been bitten but that doesn't mean I won't be in the the future but I usually don't worry about it.

Slow down and use Pepper Spray.

I've found that dogs aren't actually trying to attack, they just want to run with you. If I see a dog coming at me, I just ignore it and keep on riding the same way I was. The dog reaches me and just starts running along side me watching me ride for a while before it gets tired and goes away :)

I usually try telling the dog to go home or to get back, etc.

If my talking fails, and the dog gives chase, I will use pepper spray, which is very effective and seems to teach the dog to leave me alone. At least, sprayed dogs rarely bother me a second time.

lol...I bark at all the dogs I see almong my route...they are usually barking their heads off when I approach...

That's been my experience too. There is no doubt at all in my mind that dogs somehow sense bicyclists who are afraid of dogs and those are the riders they harrass.

My son, who was about 12 or 13 at the time, and I were riding our tandem with a group of about 5 riders on singles. As we passed a rural house, a group of five dogs came out to say "hello." We watched as the five single riders all grabbed for water bottles, pumps and one woman had some sort of high tech device. We did nothing. After a few seconds, each single rider had a chasing dog barking at their heels while we were left entirely alone. My son thought that it was really funny.

When my wife and I ride our tandem, she talks baby talk to the dogs. "Hello baby. How you doing to day bowser?" Mostly the dogs stop barking and just prance along side looking up at her until they get tired.

My favorite dog story involved a friend named Bill. We were riding in a rural area of southern Michigan when a medium sized dog came charging full tilt down a hill toward us. Bill shouted "Sit." and that dog planted all four paws and did a couple of summersaults before coming to a halt in a perfect sit position. It was great!

I've never been bitten by a dog while riding my bike. I've had a couple of occassions when I was unable to avoid T-boning dogs who ran in front of my bike while trying to harrass another rider.

Thats the BEST dog story I have ever read here :roflmao:
I'll have to remember that one!

I agree with Retro. I believe different dogs require different actions, but for most dogs I

• Speak nicely to the dog. Call him buddy or fella.
• If the dog continues to advance in a provocative way, I shout 'No' or 'Stay.' While reaching for my water bottle.
• If the dog is in the road at this point and nearby I give them a squirt of water in the eyes.

All the while, I am moving at a steady though not terrified pace. I am not afraid when dogs approach and I think in my voice they can sense this. If you are afraid they will know it by your voice and manner.

I never saw them comming. They were just all the sudden on both sides of me. It scared the hell out of me. I couldn't have reached for a bottle at that point for fear of getting my hand bitten. I guess I need a thicker skin; I'll probably get more used to these assults in time.

Gotcha. Oh well, you won't forget that stretch of road next time.

Ha Ha Now that is cool! A once in a lifetime experience.

got one with a round house kick to the head. trouble was i forgot the other foot was still clipped in... wrecked. me 1, dog 1... on the other hand haven't seen him for several days since the incident!

That's why I'd never bring my bike to work (I work at an animal hospital). Last summer, building trails, there was this huge dog in a fenced in backyard who could see us digging the trails and he always freaked out. Then one day someone threw a shovel at him because he wouldnt stop barking and the owners called the cops and that was the end of our trails. Gone, they were. Man is the bastard.

If the dogs had any training, there are several commands that may work: No! Bad Dog! Go Home!, Get Back! Whoa! Then again if they had much training they'd likely not be chasing you. I use the really small dog biscuits as rewards when training my dogs & usually have a few in my jacket pocket. Several times, when a dog charged me, a well aimed biscuit & "Good Dog" have stopped them in their tracks. Most dogs are either showing teritorial behaviour or herding. If the dog is really determined, stopping will usually cause them to turn aside & stand there barking at you. But if the dog is large & menacing I would probably try to out run it. Don