What to do about dogs?

dunnangall

Out for a nice spin this afternoon (between the showers) when I was ambushed by 3 dogs, what is it with people that let their dogs come out on the road and have a go at passers-by. Bad enough 1 dog at your heels but these 3 were working to a plan, 1 at each pedal and the other under the front wheel. Any suggestions for weapons of choice as I am only a newbie at cycling.

Captain Havoc

Keep going, 99% of the time they won't bite. If you do want to attack back, I suggest spraying it with water from your bottle. Ideally though you should just use it as sprint training.

DirkVoodoo

I find assuming the fetal position works best.

dunnangall

Right enough I was able to get the power down and escape with both ankles intact but what i am concerned about is some fecker coming out at the top of 1 or 2 of the small hills we have here in Donegal when i am knackered and nothing left in the tank to escape.

fenris

A bigger dog in a basket?

Lashed

I like to unclip and surprise a dog with a good kick into the side of the head.

niceonetom

I bark at them.

dunnangall

To be honest I was looking for advice more in the line of " What would Charles Bronson do?"

DirkVoodoo

"I shot him, now I'm going down to Emmett's fix-it shop to "fix" Emmett"

Captain Havoc

If you try to go Charles Bronson on a dog while peddling you're more likely to do more damage to yourself than the dog.

bbosco

A great big roar and/or a squirt of the water bottle. The water bottle is best because of the additional entertainment of seeing the dog's face as he thinks "Where the f*** did that come from?"

Rob A. Bank

This article from 'CrazyGuyOnABike' comes down in favour of pepper spray as the best deterrent...

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

Captain Havoc

I've been in a room when the cops released pepper spray, man does it sting.

Chips Lovell

Bite the dog

manwithaplan

Friend of mine was recently badly bitten by two dogs "on the wrong side of a drumlin". I thought this was a euphemism but it turns out he was in Monaghan for the weekend.

His brother, who lives up there, reported it to the guards. They paid a visit to the owner who turned out to be a little old dear. She told them that "they're not bad dogs - they only attack people on bikes"!

the_syco

Water pistol?

blorg

I am leaning towards the pepper spray or mace having been chased by a big fecker yesterday who had every intention on biting me. Another cyclist I met has this already. He latched into my panniers rather than my leg thankfully; my main concern would be rabies rather than being eaten as such. This is the first dog ever I have actually felt threatened by. Dervla Murphy used a pistol and I actually passed a gun shop two days ago which seemed fairly liberal but I'm not sure that would be a great idea at border crossings or that I would be a good aim from the bike.

spideog7

Pepper Spray is illegal in this country and it's also illegal to own a firearm for self defence (i.e. self defence is not a valid reason to own obtain a firearm licence).

Your best bet is to use those ultra-sonic gizmos, they work pretty well. You just press a button and it emits a very high frequency (ultra-sonic) tone that is inaudible to humans but uncomfortable to dogs. Failing that a length of wavin pipe might do that job!

Spray of water/ energy drink in the face usually works well in that it startles them for long enough for you to make an escape.

Most dogs are only interested in chasing and barking rather than biting and as such the biggest risk is that they'll collide with your front wheel and bring you down.

In the past when confronted by very aggressive dogs who look like they might bite I have stepped off the bike and used it as a shield by keeping it between me and the dog(s), then finding some gravel/stones to pick up and fling at them. A clatter of gravel across the head causes the vast majority of dogs to retreat as they can't understand how you've hurt them without having touched them!

blorg

I'm not in 'this country' though; pretty sure pepper spray is legal here, it is sold openly... My cycling companion has a high pitched whistle too but that seems less effective; I believe a major problem is you can find dogs that are agressive but deaf. I would repeat that in 15 years cycling in Ireland I have never felt seriously threatened by a dog, and even if you do get bit there isn't the rabies risk. Frame pump down the throat is the other option I have read but thankfully was able to sprint away before it came to that.

Captain Havoc

Throw a bit of steak or a few sausages at him

Chips Lovell

Blorg, you should totally start packing heat. When in Rome, and all that...

ThisRegard

Just cycle faster ;-) or has been said, shout at them, most are only in it for the fun, they're not going to knock you off the bike and cycle away on it.

jwshooter

slug toxs in a sausage works well

bonzie1

I use pepper spray. It really works. I sprayed a local dog that used to chase me, Caught the FKer in the face. He runs back into his garden now when he sees me. Result. But watch the wind.

on_the_nickel

I never, ever, wash my kit and I've never experienced any such problems.

bandit197

I normally borrow the neighbors cat when I'm going on a long run, a great decoy but can be a nightmare to get out of the backpack with one hand.

irishmotorist

niceonetom wrote: »

I bark at them.

Me too (actually!). I sent psycho looking two-face sheepdog (half white half black face - you know the tye) away with his tail between his legs one day - maybe on the Tour de Foothills. I think it was a throaty "wow wow wow wow" kind of bark, for those interested in the particular technique.

nuclearned

I was ambushed the other day,near the end of a 7km drag a jack russell came out yelping like a werewolf on oneside while a boxer came more stealthly on the otherside,I did'nt have the legs to pull clear fast enough,just as the boxer was about to bite into my right shin I caught him with a puck of my fist into his jaw,my forward momentum multiplied the force,the poor mut did'nt now what hit him as he turned upside down along d road,sometimes there is'nt time to take countermeasures.

Dr_Colossus

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Throw a bit of steak or a few sausages at him

Or eat the steak/sausages yourself to gain the strength to sprint clear.

ednwireland

blorg wrote: »

I'm not in 'this country' though; pretty sure pepper spray is legal here, it is sold openly... My cycling companion has a high pitched whistle too but that seems less effective; I believe a major problem is you can find dogs that are agressive but deaf. I would repeat that in 15 years cycling in Ireland I have never felt seriously threatened by a dog, and even if you do get bit there isn't the rabies risk. Frame pump down the throat is the other option I have read but thankfully was able to sprint away before it came to that.

dont know where your buyin yours but

A taxi driver has been given until today (Wednesday) to pay €2,000 compensation to another taxi driver for spraying pepper spray in his eyes following a row in a taxi rank at Eyre Square. Martin Giblin, aged 52, of Shudane, Newcastle, Athenry, Co. Galway, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court on Monday to assaulting Antony Akanni at Eyre Square, Galway, on 19 February last following a dispute over queue-jumping within the taxi rank.

Inspector Mick Coppinger said Giblin had an altercation with the other taxi driver and retaliated by spraying him in the face with pepper spray, which caused a burning sensation to his eyes.

A colleague of the victim took Giblin's licence plate number and, when the Gardaí contacted Giblin later, he at first denied the assault but later admitted it.

Judge Aeneus McCarthy said it was illegal for anyone to have pepper spray in their possession.

from
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Individuals

Stun guns, CS gas spray, and pepper spray all are totally prohibited in Ireland and firearm certificates are not granted for these weapons.

2 Wheels Good

I've found going straight for the dog in question usually makes them revise their decision to come at you (Obviously only works on dogs coming from the front)

blorg

@ednwireland- I am in not in Ireland. It is legal here. I have never had an issue with dogs severe enough in Ireland to warrant it.

mo_bhicycle

blorg wrote: »

@ednwireland- I am in not in Ireland.

blorg wrote:

Location: GMT+3

GMT +3 on a bike .... intriguing!
Any clues? What continent? .... or I guess you could just tell us the country

blorg

I will put up a post about it when I get a chance... probably in the next two weeks.

Paparazzo

Cycle just fast enough so the dog thinks he's going to catch you. When he's about to give up, slow down. The dog will continue chasing, but will be more tired. Keep doing this, and eventually the dog will realise that he just sprinted 2 miles and has to walk back home.

manafana

funny enough i passed by some dogs they had go at me, but then next tiem they remember me and left me alone, i even give them a wave.

Moflojo

Just keep drinking until they get better looking.

Rob A. Bank

"Of all a dog's senses, its sense of smell is the most highly developed. The structure of a dog's nose gives it a sense of smell that is thousands of times better than a human being's. A dog's nose has two hundred million nasal olfactory receptors. Each receptor detects and identifies the minute odor molecules that are constantly flying off different objects."

Something which attacks that canine sense seems the best method of defense against dogs.

Seeing that pepper spray is illegal here, perhaps someone has recepe for a home made pepper spray ?

Gillo

Bring a second bottle with a mix of mustard powder and water, it'd be mild enough not to do any damage but will have enough kick to scare them off. Luckily so far never had any problems but since I normally stick to main roads should be ok

ednwireland

blorg wrote: »

@ednwireland- I am in not in Ireland. It is legal here. I have never had an issue with dogs severe enough in Ireland to warrant it.

like i look at the gmt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOARDS.IE

i'm talking about ireland

seamus

I've never had an issue with dogs. They're generally not out to eat you alive, they're chasing you because you're moving, it's what they do. If you've no energy in the tank to sprint off, then dismount and put your bike between you and the dog, look it straight on and tell it very firmly to go home. No, it doesn't understand your words, but it will understand your tone.

Persistent attacks are extremely rare, so injuring the dog with pepper spray or whatever does nothing except get revenge on an animal which is incapable of understanding the concept. You only need to distract it moreso than disable it. Most dogs don't like getting their heads wet, so a spray in the face from the water bottle is often enough to get them to back off.

Start walking away (don't get back on the bike) and only cycle off when the dog is out of sight or seems to have lost interest. If the dog keeps following you and barking at you while you walk away, keep turning to confront it; it will back off. Remember that most dogs are simply defending their space, and have no interest in actually hurting you.

Watch out for the "swift kick in the head" brigade. Bigger dogs (St Bernards, Mastiffs, Rotties) and bull breeds don't feel pain like you and me. You could volley them in the head, full force, and they will shake it off and come back at you, enraged. I own a bull breed who has run full force into a brick wall and not even blinked afterwards; hitting them in the head is very ineffective. You also don't want to put any part of your anatomy near a bigger dog's mouth, even for half a second - if they catch you the wrong way they could easily remove a finger or crush the bones in your toes through your shoe.

Food is actually more useful. If you're standing with a growling dog looking at you, then throw a sweet or something else tasty in front of it and it will soon forget about what it was doing.

ednwireland

oh and i have had a sheepdog run out and take a chunk out of my calf (reported to a guard i know dog never seen again)

funkyjebus

Rob A. Bank wrote: »

"Of all a dog's senses, its sense of smell is the most highly developed. The structure of a dog's nose gives it a sense of smell that is thousands of times better than a human being's. A dog's nose has two hundred million nasal olfactory receptors. Each receptor detects and identifies the minute odor molecules that are constantly flying off different objects."

Something which attacks that canine sense seems the best method of defense against dogs.

Seeing that pepper spray is illegal here, perhaps someone has recepe for a home made pepper spray ?

which is what makes it so cruel. perhaps next time you do something which is human instinct but inconveniences me i can spray you with my homemade pepper spay.

just because a dog barks or growls does not mean its going to eat you. some might just enjoy the chase, of course if a dog goes to bite, i give it a kick, but not until i see those teeth moving for my ankle. 90% of dogs wont attack you (bite,etc) for cycling past, it just seems you might ne afraid of a cute little puppy.

bless.

JMJR

dunnangall wrote: »

To be honest I was looking for advice more in the line of " What would Charles Bronson do?"

Wrong- you have to ask yourself
What would Chuck Norris do?

Cabaal

funkyjebus wrote: »

which is what makes it so cruel. perhaps next time you do something which is human instinct but inconveniences me i can spray you with my homemade pepper spay.

Its illegal for the dog to be off the lead and roaming roads, if the owner gave a crap about the animial he'd be looking after it within the law.

The dog could easily get run over by a car and be killed or seriously injured so if a person has come up with a non lethal way to protect themselves from the animal then fair fecks to them.

Neither you or the owner can know for a fact if the animal will actually bite the passer by, as such they should take action to ensure the dog should not be running after passerby's

just because a dog barks or growls does not mean its going to eat you. some might just enjoy the chase, of course if a dog goes to bite, i give it a kick, but not until i see those teeth moving for my ankle. 90% of dogs wont attack you (bite,etc) for cycling past, it just seems you might ne afraid of a cute little puppy.bless.

So a home made pepper spray is awful but kicking it is ok?

funkyjebus

Cabaal wrote: »

Its illegal for the dog to be off the lead and roaming roads, if the owner gave a crap about the animial he'd be looking after it within the law.

The dog could easily get run over by a car and be killed or seriously injured so if a person has come up with a non lethal way to protect themselves from the animal then fair fecks to them.

Neither you or the owner can know for a fact if the animal will actually bite the passer by, as such they should take action to ensure the dog should not be running after passerby's




So a home made pepper spray is awful but kicking it is ok?

1st things 1st, it not illegal, get your facts. the dog must be under control of the owner while in a public place. while im not condoning people letting their dogs roam free, your statement is erroneous. im also not talking about the ownwr im talking about the man about to spray a dog in the face with pepper spray, which will effect the dog long after you are on your merry way. i can tell if a dog is going to bit me, cant you, and i know for a fact my dog will never bit a human. so again erroneous.

yes, kicking is ok and far far better than restricting a dogs breathing for what could be a few hours. dogs can be allergic to many things humans would not think (onions, garlic, chocolate, apples) so from the point a kick is safer. it should be noted i would only kick if it was goin to bite me. in addition, dogs are tough creatures and the kick is mearly asserting my domenance over him than to 'bust a lip' or knock him out. i will still be attempting to pedal.

if i saw someone pepper spray my dog becasue they thought i was going to bite them, id be straight onto the ispca and the gardai, thats if i could restrain myself from beating them with their front wheel. however all this changes if its in self defence, just to have a pre meditated pepper spay with a dogs name on it is not protection but cruelty.

markcroninbsc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfv2diohUXE

markcroninbsc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJzWYiXFtg this is a stupid thread. their only dogs

blorg

If a potentially rabid dog is looking like it is going to bite me that is a threat to my life and you can be damn sure I will do whatever I can to protect myself up to and including killing the dog if I am able. I have nothing against dogs but I don't have any concern for the well being of one chasing me. I have concern for myself in that situation.

Again, I have been chased by dogs often enough and I know when they are just in it for the chase but this one the other day was looking to bite me and indeed did get a good grab of my panniers. I haven't looked into any protective devices before because I honestly hadn't ever experienced a real threat from a dog as opposed to playful chasing but I reckon I will be stocking up on the pepper spray.

To be honest I don't think kicking is a good idea as it is difficult to aim from a bike and is putting your limb into a position where the beast can get a good grab onto it... Stopping and putting the bike between you is a good first option but pepper spray is a good second one if it is legal where you are.

funkyjebus

blorg wrote: »

If a potentially rabid dog is looking like it is going to bite me that is a threat to my life and you can be damn sure I will do whatever I can to protect myself up to and including killing the dog if I am able. I have nothing against dogs but I don't have any concern for the well being of one chasing me. I have concern for myself in that situation.

Again, I have been chased by dogs often enough and I know when they are just in it for the chase but this one the other day was looking to bite me and indeed did get a good grab of my panniers. I haven't looked into any protective devices before because I honestly hadn't ever experienced a real threat from a dog as opposed to playful chasing but I reckon I will be stocking up on the pepper spray.

To be honest I don't think kicking is a good idea as it is difficult to aim from a bike and is putting your limb into a position where the beast can get a good grab onto it... Stopping and putting the bike between you is a good first option but pepper spray is a good second one if it is legal where you are.

that dog sounds bad, and could warrant pepper sprsy, but you had to go out buy i and bring it with you all for this one occasion. im sure youve been cycling along time blorg, how often have you felt the need for pepper spray because your at risk from being attacked. i just fell that if everyone was going around with pepper spray, some dog who is just roudy and powerful and wants to play/chase will get sprayed. how about some bakers rewards, only 1.99 in tesco and throw one at its face, would that also not do the trick?

i possibly used the term kick wrong, i would more shove and use my foot to distance myself, but then ive never been attacked by a dog while on the bike (yet)! but even if i ever do, my first port of call will not be to purchase pepper spray for the next time this rare occurance happens as i maintain it to be very cruel. a more humane thing would be to spray the owner would cant train a dog correctly!!!