BikeArkansas

I just returned from a short three day tour ride with a friend. We had a wonderful time with the riding and camping. One problem area for us was dealing with agressive dogs. I have tried making noise, riding faster (which is difficult going up a steep hill), squirting water from a bottle etc., etc. etc. and have found only spotty success.
Is there some type of electronic device or whistle that works? I have seen some advertised, but I would like to hear from someone that has found a good device to deter agressive dogs on the road.

blueshrimp

I found lots of rather nasty dogs while I was cycling (often uphill) in Romania.

No solution other than pedal faster. Never got bitten though. My rule of thumb is: "If the dog is barking and chasing you, it is too busy to try to bite you." That should make you breathe easier. The scary dogs are the ones that you cannot hear.

Good luck!

bokerfest

I still say the postmen know best. Pepper spray or treates are the way to go.

tacomee

Pepper spray. Get the bear spray from REI or a sporting goods store. Stops any dog-- it can even kill a dog. But dogs like pit bulls might need to be killed if they attack you, because it's the only way to make them stop sometimes. It can be a really nasty thing, not one to take lightly.

Beware crazy gun toting dog owners who not only refuse to control their animals, but go off the deep end if a cyclist pepper sprays their mutt. Maybe they love dogs, maybe they just hate bike riding commies. Who knows? But be very careful.

I carry bear spray but I loath to use the stuff.

BikeArkansas

The responses so far get right to the heart of the problem. Many owners of agressive dogs are delighted to see their pet attack a cyclist. I tried pepper spray many years ago. It will take a dog down quickly if hit in the face. However, it also brings the owner of the dog off the couch on his front porch. Even worse. Also, pepper spary is useless in a strong wind.

Therefore, I was hoping an electronic device has been developed that will actually turn an agressive dog around. Probably not realistic, just hoping.

Also, I am not that worried about a dog bitting me. I am worried about a dog taking my bike down. I followed a good friend last year that had his front wheel hit by an agressive dog. It took my friend down at 20 MPH on the asphalt. Not a pretty site. The dog ran away unharmed and I do not want the dog hurt, but I want some way to turn such a dog around before he takes MY front wheel out.

jamawani 

As the police dispatcher in a small town in South Alabama once said - -
"Shoot 'em!"

jorbenweb

As a former small town Alabama boy, I concur.

...but probably the spray is more practical on a multi-state bike tour.

NeilGunton

I wrote an article on dealing with dogs a few years ago:

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/dealingwithdogs

Summary: I have tried the "Dazer" (an ultrasonic dog deterrent) and found that while it does work on some dogs, many appear to not be phased by it at all. I certainly would not rely on it. I have found judicious use of pepper spray to be most effective in dealing with aggressive dogs - I try to use the stronger variety which is usually listed as "law enforcement strength", which has more of the capsaicin than regular "Halt!".

In my experience, this subject always tends to raise strong opinions. My view is that any dog chasing a bicycle is a potential threat, regardless of the dog's intent. It's not just about possible attack - simply having the dog around your wheels when you're in motion on the road is a recipe for disaster (I've seen many stories of people wiping out and having serious accidents from such encounters).

The "other" side believes that dogs are basically harmless and can be dealt with by methods such as body language, voice commands, etc. These people tend to want to minimize the possible dangers posed by chasing dogs, since (in their view) most dogs aren't actually aggressive at all. I get the impression that these people are mostly dog lovers, and they seem to think that those of us who have had problems are just wimps who don't know how to relate to animals or otherwise are just over-reacting. I've even seen arguments to the effect that dogs should be allowed to run free, and if we are in their territory (including the public road running past the dog's residence) then it's our fault if the dog chases us.

I think the truth lies somewhere in between. I like dogs, and I don't spray every dog that comes my way. I try to read the body language. Many times, you can tell in advance how the dog in interpreting the situation. I always slow down when a dog approaches - this has several effects, including reducing the severity of any crashes that might occur, giving myself more time to evaluate the danger, and also reducing the impulse to chase on the dog's part. Much of the time, the dog is just playing, and I have been followed by dogs for a couple of miles or more on quiet country roads, the dog just running quietly alongside me, showing no inclination to get too close. I have no problem with this type of encounter. However, I do always have the pepper spray at hand on my handlebars (on tour, I try to have two cans, on clips that you can buy from Nashbar). It's important to have it immediately close at hand, since encounters tend to develop very quickly, and it's no use at all if you have to go digging around in a bag or pocket.

In my experience, pepper spray always works well. I use the stream variety (the fogger type is too easily dispersed by wind). You can practice with "test" units which have no pepper, but the same liquid as the real units. It's important to get the dog in the mouth, nose or eyes. If you slow down, then you're more likely to be able to retain control of the bike. It's easiest to hit the target when the dog is somewhat behind you - to the side, the stream is dispersed more by your motion.

As I say in the article, I don't like the alternatives - I find shouting to be spotty (it depends on how the dog has been trained), hitting with a stick or lashing out with your foot is dangerous for you (you can easily lose control of the bicycle, and it requires the dog to be very close), ultrasonic devices don't work on all dogs (maybe they are hard of hearing, or maybe they just don't care, I don't know). and so on. Pepper spray is the only solution which, in my experience, works consistently and is also fairly non-confrontational. If the owner gets angry about seeing his dog getting sprayed, then you can just explain that it's very temporary, and in fact you're doing the dog a favor by teaching him not to run out into the road where he might get run over. It's important in such situations not to get angry yourself, otherwise things can rapidly spin out of control.

Neil

sknhgy 

HALT. 'nuff said.

northboundtrain

I don't think there's any universal or easy solution. For one, each situation is different. Some dogs are harmless, but others can and will bite, especially when you trigger their predator instinct by "fleeing".

Carrying pepper spray can't hurt, but it shouldn't be the only or first option. Like others have said, the wind might be blowing the wrong direction, or you might fumble it in the heat of the chase, or you might not be able to effectively deploy it while at the same time handling your bike and negotiating other obstacles. If I carried pepper spray, I would only do so as a back up to the protocol, if you will, that I've developed:

It involves making some split second decisions and then acting on them immediately.

1) Can I out run the dog? If I'm traveling fast and can easily accelerate and the dog didn't get the jump on me, then I just pedal faster.

2) Is the dog aggressive or is it just playful? The breed is a good indication -- lab vs pitbull for instance -- but mainly it's a question of whether the animal seems happy or pissed. It isn't hard to distinguish.

3) If the answer to the first question is no, and the dog indeed seems aggressive, then I slam on the brakes, get off the bike and confront the darn thing, even sometimes charge back at it. I've never had a dog not back off at that point. You have to show them you're not afraid.

If at this point you still didn't feel safe and in control, then it would certainly be appropriate to use pepper spray.

It's never "okay" that dogs run out onto a public road and chase bicyclists, but they are predators by instinct, and bicycles can be quite rare in many rural areas, so quite a novelty for the animal. It's simply going to happen. IMHO, Pepper spray is a rather extreme measure, and vengeful if it's not absolutely necessary. I can understand why an owner might get pretty upset seeing his or her animal doused and wrything in pain unless you've exhausted all your options and it is still clearly menacing you.

It's still quite a drag to have your peace of mind (not to mention your forward progress) so viciously interrupted, and it can leave you rather angry because it seems that there's something personal in the attack, as if the dog is a proxy or extension of the ignorant redneck owner. But in reality, the animal is just responding to a rather unusual occurance -- a bicycle going by -- and most owners are quite apologetic. I've started to see it as just an inevitability of bike touring and a small adversity to be dealt with just like a flat tire or a bridge out. Calmly take care of the situation and move on.

Beelzebutt

i completely agree with northboundtrain. peper spray should be the very last option. these encounteres are usually out on country roads where people have a lot of property and dont neccecarily have to have fences to keep there animals in or people out.. thats part of the reason people move out there and i could imagine how someone would get upset in this situation if a cyclist maced there pet.. i think getting off of your bike and standing your ground should be the first option for a dog that is just barking at you and getting around your wheels. if a dog is going to attack you there will not be much warning and it will get right down to buisness. you should be able to tell the difference between the two pretty easily.

juggleaddict

i often invite the dog for a cup of tea and talk things over, usually (s)he understands that i was not intentionally invading his territory and we settle things with a simple handshake and an apology from both sides.

i did have one that insisted on compensation, but luckily i didn't have to use a bike bell before the next bike shop. i figured it was the least i could do.

Prabuddhadg

I have a simple solution. Most dogs I have been chased by have been stray street dogs. Most of the time they are hungry. Like NeilGunton said, I too slow down to try and understand what the dog intends to do. But sometimes, its a pack of dogs, in which case it gets hard to understand their plan, because usually there isn't any. So, I just coast, and if they still keep up the chase, say something sweet, like Hello. If the attitude does not change, I take out some biscuits/cookies I keep in my pocket and throw one towards one of them.

Till now, this has worked, and I have in fact befriended dogs in neighbourhoods I have passed regularly. I have often had four or five dogs just loping along with me, just sort of enjoying the ride. These dogs keep me company till they get to the end of their territory. Even if I do not give them biscuits to eat, they still treat me as a friend.

I like dogs, and would not be keen on using pepper spray on them.

cyclezealot

We have an unfriendly dog close to where we live. I try to outrun him. In traffic, I am afraid his distraction might cause me to run stop signs, etc.. My patience is running out.. If the dog is in your neighborhood, you should first report it to the police.. 2. Think I am going to start carrying my pepper spray . Annoying dogs seem to come with two dispositions. 1. All show , stop and chase them they run away. Or.. They are determined to take a nip of your calf.. .. I wonder if once subjected to pepper spay, if they would still continue their behavior. Maybe make them meaner.?

acantor

I do not try to outrun dogs. If a dog shows undue interest while I am riding a bicycle, whether by barking or running, I slow down; if the dog appears in the least bit menacing, I stop, get off the bike, use the bike as a shield, and grab my pump. I don't wield the pump as a weapon, but it's ready if I need it. (I never have.) I try to radiate confidence, and communicate with words and body language that the dog better not mess with me, or else. Then I slowly walk away, always keeping the bike between me and the dog.

For me, no encounter has ever gone beyond this.

The worst situation I have been in is that a barnyard dog held its ground, and continued barking until I was far away. And that was fine. It didn't attack me, and I didn't need to attack it.

I have tried yelling at dogs, with mixed results. Sometimes an aggressive (or frightened) scream stops a dog in its tracks. Other times it riles it up.

A pack of aggressive dogs is the worse case scenario. It's never happened to me. If it did, I probably would be wishing I had pepper spray!

sknhgy 

THESE are the dogs that need a quick dose of halt.
Squirt them a couple of times and they'll leave you alone. Halt is like 1/3 of 1% active ingredient. Mace is 10% unless I'm mistaken. Halt doesn't hurt them. Just gets their attention.
Most dogs are just friendly/curious.

Roughstuff

The non fog pepper spray is best. I have never had to use it; my encounters with dogs have been occasionally threatening, but I have never been seriously bitten. (Was nipped a few times).

You can not fight off a dog attack while riding on your bike. Make a quick decision to get off (using your bike as a shield, as others have mentioned) and STICK TO IT.

I always tell the story of the three ROTTWEILERS who came out in the road and pursued me as i raced off during a tour in alaska. One was killed instantly; one was seriously injured; the other got out of the way and got real mellow real fast. So my encounters with dogs have been pretty even.

The owner ran out and hugged her dogs in agony. She didn't like that i took a picture of the whole scene to show to the police later if i needed to. I told her if the RV hadn't killed her dogs it could have been me dead in the road, but that didn't seem to phase her one bit.

With the pepper spray, first do the dogs, then do the owner. ?


roughstuff

tieka

My father owns a construction business and sometimes homeowners forget that they left their dog at home after they give him the key. Never fail approach whether the dog is inside or outside... beef jerky. Most dogs just want to defend their territory and once they see there is nothing wrong with you, they won't care. I tried using dog treats when I had a pet sitting company, but nothing works like beef jerky.

smovlov

The velo dog revlover

(I'm not serious but they were back in the day)

jorbenweb

Heh heh. I love this quote:

stevemtbr

If I can't out run a dog or I judge him to be possible threat I usually get off the bike and do one of two things. Put the bike between myslef and the dog, try to find a large rock or pine cone and throw it over there head. Most will go after it, beacause we all play with our dogs by throwing something for them to chase after. But have another object to throw as a back up. Another option that has worked for me is pick up a large hand full of pea gravel from the side of the road and hurl it at the dogs feet. It will confuse them and the noise of it hitting the road sends them scurrying. It may not work for all encounters but it has not failed me yet.

antokelly

well i usually just slow down squirt the dog with my water bidon,but what's really excellent is a kid's water gun ,never miss with one of those things.stop's the dog dead in it's tracks.

kipibenkipod

lol

Beelzebutt

haha! thats the best idea ive heard yet.

AsanaCycles

dogs
=
me thinks "dog fight" in the aircraft sense

dogs = angle of attack

this occurred yesterday, while i was on a group ride at around the 60 mile point.

dogs attack at an angle
typically, i accelerate, which is exactly what most prey do
then open the angle of attack by quickly veering away
then tap the brake
and reverse the situation (let dog go skidding past)

if you can run them over even better
if you can lure them into traffic even better
if you can document it with a digi cam even better
if you can use the recorded media for a police report even better
(all of this requires a degree of skill)

dogs are one of my most favorite ride entertainment
however... a group of Boarder Collies while out mountain biking, is typically a major bummer.

often i ride a Big Dummy
in Humboldt 2 dogs attempted a chase
i simply let them get close, swerved to open the gap
and once the WideLoaders where at their shoulders, i just ran them over
both at the same time. (sort of like slapping the Stooges all at once in a line)
circle around
and ran them over one more time.

it sucks to do that, especially with that kind of weight
the owners where on their porch
the dogs where sitting on the porch
and the owners actually said "go get-em!"

when i ran their dogs over, i turned on the digi cam instantly
they were not happy at all!
i apologized over and over
then reported them to the Ranger.

I had a couple of young Hispanic guys sick their pit/mix on me
again... on The Dummy
same tactic
that time, i ran the dog over with the WideLoader and into/under a parked car
circled around
and ran it over one more time, pinning it under the car.
used cell phone to dial 911

the list goes on and on

i had a pit/mix break loose from his owner
a young male, body builder type, running his dog on the bike path.
that dog, i had no chance to swerve, etc...
rather i ran it right into traffic, as i sprinted down the double yellow on Lighthouse Ave in Monterey, Ca.
car traffic, blaring horns, skidding cars, etc... total chaos
when i circled around, and found the guy running in the direction we took off in...
he clearly wanted to kick my ass
but was confused wether to kick my ass or chase his dog
both, guy and dog, i maintained my distance.

it goes on and on
i think the key is to learn how a dog thinks, if at all possible.
and know the local laws.

i was house sitting a buddy's place, he has 2 greyhounds
i walked them by the park, where dogs are not allowed
i was on the edge of the park
technically not in the park
there were 3 loose dogs playing
a little terrier came right up to the 2 greyhounds.
i stood still, had them both close in 1 hand (tight grip) with the other hand providing back up (wrist thru the loop)
the little dog ran right up, to play
the greyhounds, looked at that little dog like a rabbit
and grabbed it by the neck, shook it around
i stomped across their heads, and pinned the little dog down with my foot, and yanked the dogs back.

the lady was hysterical
i was almost in tears, as i was certain that little dog was hurt.
again...
know the laws, the boundaries, etc.
lots of bystanders, witnesses, etc...
i offered to call the cops, and documented it with the video on the cell phone.
technically their dog was off the leash.
there is a "leash law"
and the crazy part was that the lady was all bent out of shape, and verbally attacking me, as if it were my fault.

I said, "i think we should call the cops"
and she quickly agreed.
then i said, "because, there is a Leash Law, and your dog is clearly off the leash. Clearly you are negligent in abiding by the law."

when you document things with video and ask for I.D.
the whole scene changes.

well... at least thats how it typically goes, here in Litigious California.

rant off.....
d-