Dave Cutter

Not all dogs bark. I think it might be an error to assume that a silent dog is somehow more aggressive. Some dogs have been trained to behave.... which in their minds means not making the sounds.... that get them caught. Chasing a cyclist: not a problem. Barking at a cyclist: the dogs owner comes out and yells. So the dog learns to modify it's behavior so as to stay out of trouble.

BlazingPedals

Sounds to me like a coyote. I've got 'em here in mid-Michigan, even had to rescue one of my barn cats from one a few months back.

RideMyWheel

SQUIRREL!


But seriously, folks.... As much as I defend dogs around here, some Labs are downright stupid. I've had four. Two were great. The other two were too playful, aggressive, clumsy, and sometime bullies. It's impossible to predict what one will do if you're unfamiliar with it, but frustratingly easy if it's your dog. Inbreeding has undone what natural selection had taken care of centuries ago. Some have chased deer through the woods until their own heart exploded and killed them. Be suspicious of any creature that will willingly jump into ice water just to retrieve a dead bird--and then beg for the chance to do it again.

So if you happen to see a Labrador Retriever closing in on your rear wheel, it is most likely one of the stupid ones. Don't trust that it's just happy to have someone to run with. They're dangerous even when they're not being aggressive. My same rule of thumb applies: STOP, use the bike as a shield, and forcefully order the dog home. Any Lab that would chase you would probably LOVE to be yelled at.

...and by the way, pepper spray does NOT work on them. They like pain. It might follow you home and you'll have to keep it.

BlazingPedals

My brother had a lab that wouldn't play fetch unless it involved swimming. Even in the winter. Cold water might bother us A LOT but it doesn't seem to bother labs. Maybe has something to do with liking pain?

When a dog is in 'final attack' mode, pepper spray will not even slow them down. Spray only works when they're in the 'evaluation' mode - deciding what to do. But then they're probably too far away for spray to do any good.

koolerb

I've never had a dog chase silently, they are always barking their heads off. Cows are another story.

Mountain Mitch

Around here black bear sightings are a daily occurence (often in my yard/porch/deck) and cougars are not infrequently seen. I don't worry about the bears (my wife has ridden right up to them to shoo them off the trail!) but I take the cougars very seriously. We know the habits of the bears and they are not prone to be aggressive - I'm not suggesting that holds true for bears in other areas. Just that there is a long history of 'sharing the woods' around here.

I don't think much can be determined about the intent of a dog based on barking or lack of it. Our area is full of mountain bikers who ride with their dogs as 'coach dogs' who can keep things like the bears (see above) away. These dogs are entirely familiar with bikes and have no aggressive intent when they run silently with you. My own dogs (Lab and German Shorthair) are both 'bike blind'. They literally don't seem to even see bikes and have no interest in them...although they would also never chase one simply because bikes don't exist to them.

GravelMN

Yep, I had a lab too. Lovable mutt not a mean bone in her body but a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, knocking things over and causing general mayhem. I miss that dog but would never have wanted her running along side of me while I was riding, heck, she could be a hazard just taking her for a walk.

rumrunn6

a little levity ... Pink Panther - Peter Sellers as Clouseau, "Does your dog bite"? - YouTube

trackhub

Hmm... A dog, or possibly, a Coyote story. Darn! Reading the title of this thread, I was hoping for something like this: "On Today's ride, this gorgeous woman appeared on my left,
and she was clad entirely in skin tight black lycra, and she said, in a voice that would melt steel, "I know everything there is to know about you." Now, this would be creepy, but in a
good way.

But, a dog/coyote story is fine.

Corben

Put pure lemon juice in a spare bottle and squirt it into thier eyes. (I read.)

RideMyWheel

I have a new addition to the creepy list. Deer in rut.

Several times yesterday, an hour before dusk, there they were at the edge of the road. Some ran away when they heard me coming, some just stood there less than 10 feet away and watched me ride by. A few ran along side through the leaves--I couldn't see them, but they ran faster than I was rolling. Once over the summer I saw one dart across the street about 30 feet in front of me.

I'm going to glue some antlers to my helmet. Gotta be sure they know I'm a buck.

David Bierbaum

That might actually be a really bad idea. If they think you're a doe, they'll be thinking thoughts of love, but another buck is a rival to be driven from their territory with extreme prejudice!

RideMyWheel

Well, I hadn't thought of it that way... I was thinking about the old joke about the bulls. I'd rather have to fight a buck than experience the alternative!

I rode the same route yesterday and the deer were quiet, but I got a new distraction--SQUIRREL! Seriously, a little dude jumped onto the street from out of nowhere--he might have fallen from a tree. Then he ran along beside me for 50 feet or so, darting toward my front wheel a couple times. He chattered at me once, too. Kind of funny but could have been just as disastrous for both of us.

Louis Le Tour

Spot on.