What to do re: dogs??

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

It may not be the most civilized, but definitely the most effective, ..

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_Th_f.494$8q.326@dukeread08...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

It may not be the most civilized, but definitely the most effective, ..

Water pistol ...............

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_Th_f.494$8q.326@dukeread08...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

Water pistol ...............

Quoted message said:

Water Bottle. One quick squirt.

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

http://www.chainreaction.com/dogs.htm

Basically, dogs have a way of sensing fear. If you can avoid giving the dog
that thrill, it just may get bored and stop bothering you. Or it could
decide to eat you after a while, but usually that's not the way it works
out. Your mileage may, unfortunately, vary...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

My old favorite, the freon-powered boat horn, is no longer available
(alas). Mace or pepper sprays like Halt! have their own set of
problems. I fear that the practical answer at this time is that the
potential "solutions" may be more troublesome than the problem.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

George Farnsworth said:

"Fred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_Th_f.494$8q.326@dukeread08...

Quoted message said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
> coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
> tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
> problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
> this.

Water pistol ...............

Quoted message said:

Water Bottle. One quick squirt.

Hadn't thought of that, but it sounds like a potentially useful
suggestion. It ought to be safe from a legal standpoint, it's
unlikely to infuriate the mutt IMO, and they do tend to shear off when
spritzed.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

di said:

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

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

It may not be the most civilized, but definitely the most effective, ..

I have been bitten and the gun sounds good to me, even if overkill. It
might come in handy if you find yourself camping out in coyote, cougar,
or even bear country. Dogs aren't the only thing out there, just the
most common. I have found that most dogs will turn around and run if you
turn around and chase them, but not all dogs. Water spray will not work
on a dog determined to bite you, and pepper spray takes a good aim. A
baseball bat might be better for dogs that won't give up without a
fight, but even that would be unwieldy.
Just some thoughts on self preservation.
Good luck.
Bill Baka

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

http://www.chainreaction.com/dogs.htm

Basically, dogs have a way of sensing fear. If you can avoid giving the dog
that thrill, it just may get bored and stop bothering you. Or it could
decide to eat you after a while, but usually that's not the way it works
out. Your mileage may, unfortunately, vary...

Being able to read doggie body language helps as well. If you can
distinguish between a friendly chaser and a mean biter you're halfway
there. IME, friendly chasers greatly outnumber mean biters. Friendly
chasers have their heads up, tails wagging, and show other signs of
non aggression that most dog owners can recognize. They want to play
most likely won't bite. But they can get in front of you and that is
their most dangerous aspect. You can slow down and make sure they
won't get hit before you go on your merry way. They generally won't
chase you beyond their small area of territory.

Mean biters crouch with their ears back, tail down, sometimes the hair
on their rump bristling, and the look in their eyes making it clear
that you are prey and not a plaything. Couple that attitude with
known aggressive breeds and you've got a problem if they come at you
for the attack. Then you need the weapons that others have
recommended. Outrunning a sleek, fit biter that wants your leg ain't
gonna happen unless your name is last name Boonen or Petacchi.

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs?

I posted this link within a similar thread about 3 weeks ago. It's a
small cheap baton, that looks like a tire pump, is light, and would
easily attach to one of your long tubes. Works well as a deterrent and
provides confidence. Easy to buy or make...

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/18TK.aspx

"Doug Taylor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Being able to read doggie body language helps as well. If you can
distinguish between a friendly chaser and a mean biter you're halfway
there. IME, friendly chasers greatly outnumber mean biters. Friendly
chasers have their heads up, tails wagging, and show other signs of
non aggression that most dog owners can recognize.

If you have the well-trained mutt who is just out chasing you for a lark,
you can use a technique I learned here on rbm: just as the dog catches up to
you, in a commanding voice say, "get off the couch!" (or "...sofa!",
depending on the region of the country). The dog will think, "Couch? what
couch? I'm not on the couch!" This amount of thinking will slow the dog down
enough that you can put pedal to the metal and sprint away.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa041102a.htm

<[email hidden]> wrote ...

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

ras
rasiel.com (biking america)

My solution has been to get off the bike quickly, hold the bike between me
and the dog and shout "No!" or "Go Home" very loudly and aggressively at the
dog. Pointing your finger so the dog knows who you mean helps. Getting off
the bike makes you look like a person instead of a new form of prey, and
keeping the bike between you and the dog makes it hard for the dog to bite
you. This has always worked for me on the typical badly behaved house pet or
watchdog, I doubt that it would work on a stray or feral dog(s).
--
mark

Doug Taylor said:

Being able to read doggie body language helps as well. If you can
distinguish between a friendly chaser and a mean biter you're halfway
there. IME, friendly chasers greatly outnumber mean biters. Friendly
chasers have their heads up, tails wagging, and show other signs of
non aggression that most dog owners can recognize. They want to play
most likely won't bite. But they can get in front of you and that is
their most dangerous aspect.

And that is exactly what happened to me three weeks ago. The dog
ambushed me after I was already past his house (he has been chasing me
regularly for several months). He ended up under my front wheel which
caused an endo. The bike suffered a bent wheel, a bent fork, a bent
frame, scratched up barends, a torn seat, a stripped seatpost and a
broken fender. The rider (me) suffered a broken hand, cracked ribs, a
sore back, and a few tiny scrapes. I'm now looking to replace the bike,
the helmet, and hospital expenses courtesy of the dog owner. Of course,
I have to take him to court first....

Pepper spray did not dissuade this dog from chasing. Firm language did
not deter this dog. I know he survived being run over as I saw him when
I drove past his house last week. I'm hoping the experience taught him
not to chase. I'll find out when I can ride again in a few weeks. There
are no leash laws in the county (as I suspect there are none in most
rural areas), so there are no legal repercussions other than civil
court.

As for travelling across country, any dog interaction could end the
trip. I would suggest to the original poster that a can of pepper spray
might work (get the version meant for bears - it has a stronger dose
and a greater range), but a big voice backed with a big stick might be
necessary.

Good luck!
-Buck

I stop and feed them, if they'll stay around after I stop.

Carry a Milkbone or two.

Particularly worthwhile with dogs on regular routes. Not only
do you convert him to a friend who's glad to see you, but it
builds your own character.

A trained dog won't go for the Milkbone, but then a trained dog
won't chase you, either.

I've had 100% success with Milkbones.

--
Ron Hardin
[email hidden]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

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

Quoted message said:

<[email hidden]> wrote ...

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

ras
rasiel.com (biking america)

My solution has been to get off the bike quickly, hold the bike between me
and the dog and shout "No!" or "Go Home" very loudly and aggressively at
the dog. Pointing your finger so the dog knows who you mean helps. Getting
off the bike makes you look like a person instead of a new form of prey,
and keeping the bike between you and the dog makes it hard for the dog to
bite you. This has always worked for me on the typical badly behaved house
pet or watchdog, I doubt that it would work on a stray or feral dog(s).
--
mark

The above has been my usual reaction and it has worked well until last
Saturday when the wife and I were faced with a group of 3 dogs.
Fortunately, I was able to get between them and her long enough for her to
evacuate the area. I managed to get off the bike with it between them and
me and was using the strong voice "Go Home" and gestures when one of the
dogs darted around the end of the bike trying to bite. Luck was with me, I
managed to land a good solid kick to the underside of his jaw as he lunged.
Took the fight out of him and distracted the others long enough for me to
escape. Normally a single dog doesn't worry me too much, but I hadn't
considered how to deal with multiple dogs at the same time. Since then,
I've mounted pepper spray to both bikes on the top of the top tube using
stick on Velcro. I don't know much else to do, I don't want the weight of a
gun and it would only get me arrested, or shot by the owner of a dog I had
to shoot!

Tommy

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

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

My most important comment: Blame the owner. Dogs chase because that's what
dogs do. The dog is blameless. The owner is - or should be - the responsible
one.

As for strategies: My experience is that most dogs have a _very_ short
attention span and are out for fun not an attack as another poster
indicated. If they don't startle you just keep riding and they are likely to
lose interest in you.

If they are truly aggressive then a polite discussion with the owner -
assuming he/she is nearby - about controlling their pet? I've never tried
this myself as I am a miserable [censored] and more likely to give the owner a
death stare and the unkind suggestion that they control their pet but a
courteous suggestion might actually work.

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

Quoted message said:

I stop and feed them, if they'll stay around after I stop.

Carry a Milkbone or two.

I wouldn't recommend that. It causes the dog to associate 'bike' with
'food'.

Quoted message said:

Particularly worthwhile with dogs on regular routes. Not only
do you convert him to a friend who's glad to see you, but it
builds your own character.

A trained dog won't go for the Milkbone, but then a trained dog
won't chase you, either.

I've had 100% success with Milkbones.

Just hope the next person who comes along isn't one of those people who
believe carrying a gun to deal with dogs is a good idea.

Nope, I can't say I agree with he Milkbone gambit while riding. Now if you
get off the bike - separate the treat from the activity that's fine.

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Being able to read doggie body language helps as well. If you can
distinguish between a friendly chaser and a mean biter you're halfway
there. IME, friendly chasers greatly outnumber mean biters. Friendly
chasers have their heads up, tails wagging, and show other signs of
non aggression that most dog owners can recognize.

If you have the well-trained mutt who is just out chasing you for a lark,
you can use a technique I learned here on rbm: just as the dog catches up
to you, in a commanding voice say, "get off the couch!" (or "...sofa!",
depending on the region of the country). The dog will think, "Couch? what
couch? I'm not on the couch!" This amount of thinking will slow the dog
down enough that you can put pedal to the metal and sprint away.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky

Claire is the Sleeping Beauty of RBM. She slumbers away, never having grown
up and continues to live in a fantasy world. I would like to live in such a
world myself, but my very high IQ has prevented it. I wish I could be dumb
like her and then maybe I could be happy like she is. Dumbness = Happiness!

Dogs are very territorial and are only chasing you off their territory.
However, a few dogs are real killers and nothing short of a shot gun blast
to their freaking heads will stop them. The trouble with this solution is
that you then have to kill the owner of the dog too. Well, that is
altogether too much murder for me and Claire. So I guess we will just have
to take our chances with whatever dogs we encounter on our blissful rides in
the fairyland countryside that Claire lives in.

Claire is like a child and any of you here on RBM who listen to her do so at
your peril. Instead, listen to your wise old Uncle Ed Dolan, who will always
tell it like it is.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

are there any good tips regarding hostile dogs? i'm riding coast to
coast and at the moment riding through the south where i'm sorely
tempted to go into a gun store and buy me a shotgun to take care of the
problem but fear that might not be the most civilized way of handling
this.

so, any alternatives that work?

http://www.chainreaction.com/dogs.htm

Basically, dogs have a way of sensing fear. If you can avoid giving the dog
that thrill, it just may get bored and stop bothering you. Or it could
decide to eat you after a while, but usually that's not the way it works
out. Your mileage may, unfortunately, vary...

This is true, but the main issues are the dog protecting his territory and
giving chase to prey. Though counterintuitive, it may help to
slow down and ride calmly. This way you do not give chase, and you also
demonstrate that you're just passing through, and on your way out of the
dog's territory. They may continue to harass you for a couple hundred
yards, but eventually they'll turn around and go home -- back to their own
territory.

Cyclists' biggest fear with dogs is being bitten, but the greatest danger
is that they'll get under your wheels and cause you to crash. I don't
have any statistics on this, but anecdotally it seems the case. Our bike
club and neighboring ones have had several serious bike-dog incidents in
the last several years, and they've all been crashes. But no one can
remember anyone ever being bitten, going back two decades.

Finally, report all dog incidents to the authorities. Though it may seem
to be "every man for himself" in rural areas, with no law and no
enforcment, in fact things like dog incidents are common problems for
which there are laws, and officers willing to enforce them. So forget
"Deliverance" stereotypes and just call the cops. For example,
here in Montgomery Co., VA, a loose dog is a *misdemeanor* offense, with a
$200 fine. Knowing the laws in your own area gives you leverage in
discussions with troublesome dog owners too.

Matt O.