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Bad dog!!

Old 09-13-21, 02:05 PM
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Badbird2000
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Bad dog!!

What do you guys use when you are being chased by dogs? It happens on occasion, but Saturday it happened 6 times in 22 miles. I live in a rural part of east Tennessee and some people don't seem to follow our local leash law. By the end of the ride i was getting a little ticked off. Sunday, i went back out, different route out, but had to use the short cut back home as i was bonking. One of the same dogs, i knew the house, made another appearance. German Sheppard, at the top of a climb, when both quads are cramped. He came running out aggressivly, barking, showing teeth. Never got close enough to bite but if he did he probably would have. I was yelling at him to heal, stay, stop... nothing. Didn't want to chance taking a foot out of the clips and kick him.. bad things would ensue if i missed. He finally gave up after chasing me about 75 yards down the road. I yelled at the home owner, who may or may not have been home to Get your damn dog!

I have a dog, she is kept inside, or when outside on a leash. I love dogs and don't want to hurt any of them, but i need a way to fend them off, safely for me and them. Anyone use bear spray, or pepper spray? I am pretty sure i'm not going to walk up to the owners front door and ask them to keep Cujo chained up...
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Old 09-13-21, 02:12 PM
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Seattle Forrest
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I got a handlebar basket like Pee Wee Herman a gravel rider and keep a bunch of fire crackers ready to go. It frightens the dog, who leaves you alone as a result.
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Old 09-13-21, 02:20 PM
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Most dogs I've encountered stop when I stop. However usually I easily can just outrun them. Since they are on routes I don't care to ride much I don't usually bother worrying about them. I suppose you should report it to the sheriff or department that has jurisdiction in that area.

Might help someone that gets bit in the future if there are already reports on file against that dog and it's owner.

One of those loud CO2 airhorns for boats that fit in a pocket might scare the fun out of the dog. Pepper spray will be good for the owner if they pet their dog when it returns home and then the owner goes to urinate. <grin>
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Old 09-13-21, 03:36 PM
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Bald Paul
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HALT spray, if it's legal in your area.
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Old 09-13-21, 04:23 PM
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As Iride01 said, most stop with a lout "NO!" or "BACK!" Even the 80-100 pit bull with clipped ears and tail... yeah, I was shocked. He came out of the woods like a silverback - all shoulders and muscly... I yelled "BACK!" and he literally skidded and turned back. I actually felt bad for scaring the little fella... okay, not really.

For the one dog that didn't react like that and the did want to latch on to my foot, I managed a solid and direct shot in the eyes with the water bottle. It worked like you'd hope it would.

I've found the biggest danger isn't being "attacked" it's being (accidentally) tackled. Often, the dog focuses on one rider... then turns away - into another rider. Most dogs that chase us aren't mean... just being dogs.
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Old 09-13-21, 08:14 PM
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Years ago, jogging around my subdivision and a dog came tearing out of the garage ready to bite my head off. A shot from my water bottle up the nose stopped him in his tracks.

My next lap around he just sat in the garage and looked at me.
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Old 09-13-21, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by masonv45
My next lap around he just sat in the garage and looked at me.
waiting for the waiter (you) to bring him his water spritz, no doubt!
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Old 09-14-21, 02:45 AM
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Remove water bottle. Squirt bad dog in the face. Dog gets stunned and I ride away.
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Old 09-14-21, 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I got a handlebar basket like Pee Wee Herman a gravel rider and keep a bunch of fire crackers ready to go. It frightens the dog, who leaves you alone as a result.
how do you light them as you ride?
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Old 09-14-21, 06:13 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
how do you light them as you ride?
Has to be mad bike handling skills!
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Old 09-14-21, 06:16 AM
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I ride on/off the C&O Canal a lot, it is a few miles from my home and convenient. There are lots of dogs near the entry points, some unleashed.
I got chased by a small fox terrier a few weeks ago, at the end of a 30 mile ride, leaving the canal, up a steep hill for the two miles back to my home.
I realized the dog was not going to stop, I was in the wrong gear to accelerate. I went to kick the dog, and forgot I was clipped in. His snout hit my pedal hard enough to make him stop and head back to his owner. The guy had an Autozone shirt on.. I saw him a few days later in the local store and I reminded him to keep his dog leashed. He remembered me and apologized.
But, lesson learned by me - unclip if a dog approaches!
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Old 09-14-21, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Warbird21
Has to be mad bike handling skills!
hehe which he probably has. or maybe rides w/ a lit cigar. I saw that one time
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Old 09-14-21, 08:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Lazyass
Remove water bottle. Squirt bad dog in the face. Dog gets stunned and I ride away.
Wouldn't rely on water to protect my body against dogs. I'd carry bear spray if I was in an area where dogs were left unleashed, which is not the case in my area.
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Old 09-14-21, 10:40 AM
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just toss 'em a kitten.
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Old 09-14-21, 10:48 AM
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I carry a worse dog in a knapsack, with a pull-cord quick release for immediate deployment.
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Old 09-14-21, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Zaskar
As Iride01 said, most stop with a lout "NO!" or "BACK!" Even the 80-100 pit bull with clipped ears and tail... yeah, I was shocked. He came out of the woods like a silverback - all shoulders and muscly... I yelled "BACK!" and he literally skidded and turned back. I actually felt bad for scaring the little fella... okay, not really.

For the one dog that didn't react like that and the did want to latch on to my foot, I managed a solid and direct shot in the eyes with the water bottle. It worked like you'd hope it would.

I've found the biggest danger isn't being "attacked" it's being (accidentally) tackled. Often, the dog focuses on one rider... then turns away - into another rider. Most dogs that chase us aren't mean... just being dogs.
I have tried that and it worked on one dog a few weeks ago. Tried it with this particular German Shepard and he was not buying what i was selling. I totally get the dog thought he was protecting his property from me.. just doing what dogs do, I might try the water bottle trick first, it's the least obtrusive but might get his attention.
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Old 09-14-21, 11:39 AM
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Zaskar
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Originally Posted by Badbird2000
I have tried that and it worked on one dog a few weeks ago. Tried it with this particular German Shepard and he was not buying what i was selling. I totally get the dog thought he was protecting his property from me.. just doing what dogs do, I might try the water bottle trick first, it's the least obtrusive but might get his attention.
The bottle trick can be a leap of faith - resisting the urge to stand and hammer (which, in many cases, is the preferred tactic).
Do this...
- Keep pedaling if possible - makes it harder for the pup to latch on. If you can't keep pedaling, keep the dog-side pedal high - makes it easier to see his eyes!
- Wait 'til he's within 3'
- Bottle upside down...
- Channel your inner sniper
- Blast!

If you've missed or only angered the pup, throw the bottle at him and HAMMER! ;-)
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Old 09-14-21, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
hehe which he probably has. or maybe rides w/ a lit cigar. I saw that one time
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Old 09-14-21, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
omg that's hysterical. what could possibly go wrong?
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Old 09-14-21, 01:19 PM
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Carry pepper spray and use it. You'll be doing the dog a favor. If the dog feels encouraged to keep chasing, eventually it'll be struck by a car and maimed or killed. Or eventually it'll attack a cyclist, jogger or kid and seriously injure them. I've used it once and it worked immediately.

I carry the gel stream stuff that doesn't splatter back toward me, unless there's a stiff headwind, in which case I won't use it.

I've never seen a water bottle accomplish anything more than encouraging a chasing dog to think it's a game. Some dogs like to play in high pressure water streams in the garden, so they sure won't be discourage by a squirt from a water bottle. The only critter I've ever seen disturbed by a water bottle squirt was a young rattlesnake I chased off the highway last year. Won't work on copperheads since they like water.

And I don't try to outrun dogs. That's just asking for trouble. I slow down, stop and get off if necessary and put the bike between me and the dog, and watch for continued aggression. Most dogs will lose interest and trot home. But if the dog persists in being aggressive, Precious is gonna get the pepper spray hose.
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Old 09-14-21, 01:34 PM
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The water bottle squirt to the snoot has worked for me when outrunning them hasn't. 99times/100 stopping and issuing a stern 'NO' is also effective.
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Old 09-14-21, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Warbird21
I ride on/off the C&O Canal a lot, it is a few miles from my home and convenient. There are lots of dogs near the entry points, some unleashed.
I got chased by a small fox terrier a few weeks ago, at the end of a 30 mile ride, leaving the canal, up a steep hill for the two miles back to my home.
I realized the dog was not going to stop, I was in the wrong gear to accelerate. I went to kick the dog, and forgot I was clipped in. His snout hit my pedal hard enough to make him stop and head back to his owner. The guy had an Autozone shirt on.. I saw him a few days later in the local store and I reminded him to keep his dog leashed. He remembered me and apologized.
But, lesson learned by me - unclip if a dog approaches!
Dog was wearing T shirt?

gm
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Old 09-14-21, 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by gringomojado
Dog was wearing T shirt?

gm
"The guy had an Autozone shirt on.. I saw him a few days later in the local store and I reminded him to keep his dog leashed. He remembered me and apologized."

No, "guy" being the key word. While dogs rarely wear shirts, they never, ever, work in Autozone stores or even apologize (and I hate them for that). However I think my Advance Auto had a pitbull behind the counter the other day, but not surprisingly, shirtless and of few words.
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Old 09-15-21, 11:15 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
how do you light them as you ride?
Off his Marlborough of course.
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Old 09-16-21, 10:29 AM
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Yelling "NO" has stopped a lot of them. They usually stop chasing after you are out of their territory.

One time on a back road we were in a line of about 12 riders, just getting up to speed. A big German Shepherd looking dog bolts from the left and runs straight into the rider in third wheel. He exits the bike in a Superman pose and lands hard on the pavement, which knocked the wind out of him. The stupid dog ran off and luckily my friend wasn't hurt too bad.
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