Dog bites man

Brian G said:

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was on
me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock.

This happened to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago whilst cycling.
Fortunately he had a camera on his phone so took some pictures and phoned the
police when he got home. Strangely enough they actually took an interest and
were round in 30 minutes to look at the pictures, promising to go and have stern
words with the owner.

Shame they aren't as interested when I report dumped stolen cars or fly-tipping
that I come across (regularly) when cycling.

Brian G wrote on 13/05/2007 16:42 +0100:

Quoted message said:

As a dog owner, I've tended to be fairly sceptical about some of the urc
accounts of attack by dogs, but this morning it all came back to, well,
bite me. I had cycled up the west bank of the Tay from Perth and had
just crossed the Caputh bridge to cycle back down the east bank when I
came to a roadside cottage. It was uphill and I was cycling fairly
slowly. There was a large, shaggy German Shepherd dog in the garden and
as I drew near the owner began to shout at it and make attempts to grab
it. I didn't see a collar on it. As I thought I was spooking the dog I
decided to stop and let the owner deal with it.

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was on
me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock. I think I was saved from serious harm because firstly I have
substantial gluteal muscles [1] and secondly I was wearing shiny lycra
shorts. These factors meant the animal failed to get a firm grip on
flesh. If it had gone for my leg I could have been in some trouble. As
it is, I have a very sore and bruised buttock and feel a brief empathy
with David Chase.

And the owner? He muttered the classic line "Are you all right pal?" to
which the only answer should have been "As all right as I can be with
your dog hanging by its teeth from my bum, pal". Instead I told him
that if he couldn't train the dog, at least he could keep his gate shut.
So he shut it, tied it loosely with an ancient bungee cord and muttered
"No harm done, then".

Other than that, I had a very pleasant 20 miles or so before lunch.

You might have a word with the police while the evidence is visible.
Dogs like that need to be kept under control by their owners or removed.
Next time it could be a child it goes for.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

Brian G said:

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was on
me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock.

Bummer ;-)

Seriously, I've been bitten myself once, fortunately with little damage,
but not a good experience. I was also climbing at the time, no chance of
sprinting out of trouble.

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

Some carry pepper spray to repel dogs, I favoured the above remedies.

Quoted message said:

And the owner? He muttered the classic line "Are you all right pal?" to
which the only answer should have been "As all right as I can be with
your dog hanging by its teeth from my bum, pal". Instead I told him
that if he couldn't train the dog, at least he could keep his gate shut.
So he shut it, tied it loosely with an ancient bungee cord and
muttered "No harm done, then".

They shouldn't be allowed to get off so easy. I took pictures of the
puncture wounds and bruising on my thigh and considered getting the
police and the local dog warden involved and demanding replacement of my
jeans. I didn't in the end as it would have meant a lot of effort from
me, the wounds weren't serious and it was a cheap pair of jeans. But I'm
still kinda peed off with myself for not following up on it.

--
Membrane

Membrane said:

Brian G said:

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was on
me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock.

Quoted message said:

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

Much of the above ran through my mind in the half second it took for the
dog to emerge from the gate and attack. Unfortunately the dog executed
its clear strategy while I was still developing mine :-(

--
Brian G
www.wetwo.co.uk

In article <[email hidden]>, Membrane
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

23) Make yourself big and go "RARARRARAAAARRGGHH" very loudly. Dogs are
usually baffled by this, decide you aren't what they thought you were,
and stop or retreat.
I've only used this for 'nuisance' dogs, the sort that you can rely on
to run out in front of you, nip at your ankles or chase your wheels, but
it's always been effective. I don't feel threatened by dogs, if you do
this might not work.

In article <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

You might have a word with the police while the evidence is visible.
Dogs like that need to be kept under control by their owners or removed.

It's usually the owner who is bad, not the dog - anyone who has watched
Dog Borstal will have seen how the most unruly mutt will respond well if
only he's given the right 'signals' by his handler. They should bring
back dog licences, but with a theory and practical test, permitted types
and endorsements. :-)

On Sun, 13 May 2007 17:32:29 +0100

Membrane said:

Brian G said:

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was
on me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock.

Bummer ;-)

Seriously, I've been bitten myself once, fortunately with little
damage, but not a good experience. I was also climbing at the time,
no chance of sprinting out of trouble.

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing
with dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.

Never found that effective. Even tried buying a water pistol and adding
chillies, without any useful effect on two dogs that were a regular
nuisance (painful noise mostly).

Quoted message said:

4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.

Stooping as if to pick up a stone seems to have a miraculous effect
on bad dogs.

Quoted message said:

5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

They'll normally only ever attack from behind (that's one reason they
hunt in packs - so the prey can't keep all of them in sight).
Keeping your eyes on them is usually effective.

Quoted message said:

Some carry pepper spray to repel dogs, I favoured the above remedies.

I recollect a dicey situation some years ago. Minor road. House, with
smallish front garden and no wall, fence or hedge. In the garden, small
toddler and large alsatian. Toddler knows dog should be kept separate
from passerby, shouts at dog. Dog hears alarm in toddler's voice, goes
into defensive mode, comes for me. Yours truly stays calm, manages to
deescalate the situation and convince dog it's not an enemy.

--
not me guv

Rob Morley said:

I've only used this for 'nuisance' dogs, the sort that you can rely on
to run out in front of you, nip at your ankles or chase your wheels, but
it's always been effective.

I have found that a mongrel bent on savaging my leg, that won't be detered by
shouts or the like will definately loose interest after a karate kick to the
chops. I do remember some of my Wadu-Ryu from when I was a lad. A bit of a
yelp will hopefully persuade the owner to control it better next time.

If it doesn't get the hint it won't get a third chance, if you get my drift.

"Stewart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shame they aren't as interested when I report dumped stolen cars or
fly-tipping
that I come across (regularly) when cycling.

You can usually contact the council about fly tipping (and maybe abandoned
cars) and they will clear it up and they claim to investigate and prosecute
when then can.
Round here it's usually cleaned up in a week and they'll phone you to tell
you it's done as well! When I reported some rubbish they informed me that
they'd removed 2 cubic metres of waste from one site so I hope they pinned
the cost of that onto someone.
--
peter

Cheap train tickets database
http://www.petereverett.co.uk/tickets/

Email sent to this address is generally deleted upon arrival
Visit website if you want to contact me

Brian G said:

As a dog owner, I've tended to be fairly sceptical about some of the
urc accounts of attack by dogs, but this morning it all came back to,
well, bite me.

One of the frustrations of cycling in Richmond park or along the towpath
Teddington to Kingston is that both are prime Dog Walker territory, I've
never been bitten but cycling through crowds of poorly controlled dogs and
trailing leads across the path are regular frustrations.

Well, the other day I got my own back. As I pulled away from Teddington
lock, I cycled through one of said packs. One mutt decided that my left
ankle looked tasty, I sped up out of it reach, it thought it was fun to try
again. "Come back, Sam!" shouted dog walker while looking after his other 8
or 9 charges. The dog eventually gave up about 2 miles later as I reached
the end of the track near Kingston!

PK

naked_draughtsman wrote on 13/05/2007 18:21 +0100:

Quoted message said:

You can usually contact the council about fly tipping (and maybe abandoned
cars) and they will clear it up and they claim to investigate and prosecute
when then can.
Round here it's usually cleaned up in a week and they'll phone you to tell
you it's done as well! When I reported some rubbish they informed me that
they'd removed 2 cubic metres of waste from one site so I hope they pinned
the cost of that onto someone.

I took a photo of some dumped domestic rubbish on a bridleway and put a
print of it in the village shop window asking if anyone recognised it
could they get the owner to clear it up and take it down the local tip
(which is only two miles away!). It was gone in days.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

Rob Morley said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Membrane
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

23) Make yourself big and go "RARARRARAAAARRGGHH" very loudly.

94.. Reach down through the animal's mouth and grab the inside of its
tail. Pull swiftly and turn the animal harmlessly inside-out.

Dog Dazer's work, but they are a pain to carry. Has anyone found a
good way to mount them on a bike?

The dreadful Josie Dew mentioned in one of her books that she taped
one to the handlebars, but that doesn't seem possible.

I've never understood the thing about outsprinting dogs. I have often
had them passing me at 25 mph.

in message <[email hidden]>, Membrane

(') said:

Brian G said:

In a flash the dog burst through bushes and out of the gate and was on
me before I could move. It came straight at me and bit me on the
buttock.

Bummer ;-)

Seriously, I've been bitten myself once, fortunately with little damage,
but not a good experience. I was also climbing at the time, no chance of
sprinting out of trouble.

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

Some carry pepper spray to repel dogs, I favoured the above remedies.

Quoted message said:

And the owner? He muttered the classic line "Are you all right pal?" to
which the only answer should have been "As all right as I can be with
your dog hanging by its teeth from my bum, pal". Instead I told him
that if he couldn't train the dog, at least he could keep his gate shut.
So he shut it, tied it loosely with an ancient bungee cord and
muttered "No harm done, then".

They shouldn't be allowed to get off so easy. I took pictures of the
puncture wounds and bruising on my thigh and considered getting the
police and the local dog warden involved and demanding replacement of my
jeans. I didn't in the end as it would have meant a lot of effort from
me, the wounds weren't serious and it was a cheap pair of jeans. But I'm
still kinda peed off with myself for not following up on it.

Dog bites man. Man, being manly, doesn't make a fuss; owner, who can't
control dog (or it wouldn't have bitten man in the first place), does
nothing. Dog bites child. Child dies. Owner wails 'oh, but he isn't
vicious'. Police shoot dog.

You can shortcut this three act tragedy by going to the police now.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

There are no messages. The above is just a random stream of
bytes. Any opinion or meaning you find in it is your own creation.

Rob Morley said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Membrane
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

A web search I did after that produced some strategies for dealing with
dogs:

1) Try to read the seriousness of the dog's intent, ears backward and
straight tail means trouble.
2) If a dog threatens to have a go, bellow out in a commanding voice
(e.g. DOWN BOY!, STAY!) whilst pointing at the dog (but make sure that
he doesn't use that to go for your hand).
3) If needed use your bottle to squirt water at the dog.
4) If needed make a throwing gesture at the dog.
5) If all that doesn't deter them, get off and place your bike between
you and the dog, try and get the owner to call the dog off.

23) Make yourself big and go "RARARRARAAAARRGGHH" very loudly. Dogs are
usually baffled by this, decide you aren't what they thought you were,
and stop or retreat.
I've only used this for 'nuisance' dogs, the sort that you can rely on
to run out in front of you, nip at your ankles or chase your wheels, but
it's always been effective. I don't feel threatened by dogs, if you do
this might not work.

indeed, speaking as ex postie, confidence goes a long way, used to
beable (probably still can) stop a dog with a stare.

roger

Al C-F <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

94.. Reach down through the animal's mouth and grab the inside of its
tail. Pull swiftly and turn the animal harmlessly inside-out.

Wasn't the original edition of 'Richard's Bicycle Book' censored for its
suggestions for dealing with biting dogs??

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

raisethe said:

The dreadful Josie Dew ...

Now that's certainly not an adjective I ever expected to see used to
describe the delightful Josie Dew.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

I suppose that this OT as I was walking and not cycling at the time.....

But the same topic - as we were walked past this large house, in the middle
of nowhere, (on a right of way), two huge rotties bounded down at us. I
had my two walking poles ready as spears fearing the worst that could
happen........

Well my female partner (who happens to be a mother of four kids, and a
Brownie Leader). Having been nipped on the bum by one of the dogs - shouted
very loudley "Go Home!!!".

I couldn't believe the rest..... - both dogs just lay down. They
eventually slunk off.

The voice of command means a lot to dogs (sometimes).

Alan

"p.k." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Brian G said:

As a dog owner, I've tended to be fairly sceptical about some of the
urc accounts of attack by dogs, but this morning it all came back to,
well, bite me.

One of the frustrations of cycling in Richmond park or along the towpath
Teddington to Kingston is that both are prime Dog Walker territory, I've
never been bitten but cycling through crowds of poorly controlled dogs and
trailing leads across the path are regular frustrations.

Well, the other day I got my own back. As I pulled away from Teddington
lock, I cycled through one of said packs. One mutt decided that my left
ankle looked tasty, I sped up out of it reach, it thought it was fun to
try again. "Come back, Sam!" shouted dog walker while looking after his
other 8 or 9 charges. The dog eventually gave up about 2 miles later as I
reached the end of the track near Kingston!

PK

On 13/05/2007 19:05, Tony Raven said,

Quoted message said:

I took a photo of some dumped domestic rubbish on a bridleway and put a
print of it in the village shop window asking if anyone recognised it
could they get the owner to clear it up and take it down the local tip
(which is only two miles away!). It was gone in days.

I pass a regular fly-tipping and car-dumping and gypsy-camping spot on
my commute, and the council are always good at clearing it up (all
three!). The local tip is actually visible from this particular spot...

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/