Kick or not to kick?

I'd kick 'em if they got too close.   They should feel lucky that its not the old days b4 co2 inflators when I rode with a pump.  Otherwise they get whacked by it.    I realize the dog is protecting "his turf"  but the owner should take better care of the dog and make sure it stays ON his turf. 

I AM an animal lover, but the answer is NOT "HTFU and ride".  A dog chasing might be a dog that will injure, or at least has the potential to tangle under the bike and cause an injury.  Sure, if you are fast enough, you can just get away, but better than the kick (which could backfire and give the dog something to grab) is to either squirt it from the water bottle, or tell the dog "NO" in a firm tone.  Also getting off and putting the bike between you and the dog is sometimes a smart move. 

If the dog is a regular at that spot, you may need to counter-train the dog.  Right now, if he barks/charges everytime, and every time you go away, he "wins" in that he has succesfully driven you off (in his mind - he doesn't get it that you would have left anyway). Stopping and squirting him with water or pepper spray; or if he stops the charge and makes friendly overtures (and you trust the dog) calling calmly to him to "go home" will change the interactions.  If he is a regular, and you can figure out his house, I would also consider either knocking on the door, or calling animal control.  A dog that chases bikes in the street is a dog that could be hit by a car.

Whether you are an animal lover or not is irrelevant.  Self-Protection is all that matters.  In the scenario you provided, where it seems like you could not escape the dog by riding away, then choosing between doing nothing and risking being bitten or kicking the dog in the face I would choose the kick everytime.

I am not sure kicking it is your best defense.  I can't imagine getting a good kick while on your bike enough to even make a dog that is red-lined think twice.  I love dogs but wouldn't hesitate to do what I need to do to protect myself.  I usually just shout NO! in a firm voice and that usually stops it.  More often then not it stands there for a few secs and I will tru GO!  (dogs usually don't know go home, but tend to know GO means just go somewhere else).  So that's going to cover 80% of your cases.  I would try the water bottle next.  Spray it with the bottle and see if it helps.  Remember you can get off your bike and keep your bike betweeen you and the dog to protect yourself.  I've never seen the need for that yet though.

Not the dogs fault, where is the owner?  That said, sharp tone  from your voice "NO" water bottle, squirt in the face.  No kicking, you could end up being really hurt.  I LOVE dogs, but I do not want to be chased by one, any time, any where. 

Mace that mutt- non leathal solution. I'm also a dog owner/lover.

This is what I do. Squirt with water bottle first, yell NO, last resort is stop the bike - get off - and put bike between you and the dog. I'd rather not be hurling down the road at XXmph if a dog is going to try something. I know too many people who have wrecked their bikes (and bodies) cause a dog got caught up in their wheel. I'd rather be stationary, and put something inbetween me and the dog.

 

I'm all about the kick - until my wild leg swing misses the dog and puts me in a tangled heap in the middle of road and defenseless. I think the other ideas are better.

I've found if you yell STOP or SIT (very loud) 9 times out of 10, the dog will stop or at least pause long enough for you to open a gap big enough where it will loose interest.

I had heard this years ago and have used it a couple of times.  It really works.

If not, a little kick is not going to hurt them permanently..

While running, I have found taking a very aggressive step TOWARDS the dog has turned them.  Granted, all but one were tiny dogs (the other was a saint bernard).  In general, dogs seem to be more bark than bite.

I'm sure there is that occasional aggresive dog that by lunging at them might result in a bad situation, but so far, they have always turned tail.

On the bike?  That's a bit if a sticky situation.  Falling becomes a bigger problem.

Ditto, any dog I've ever stepped towards in this situation has immediately backed down.  However, I'm around dogs a lot and I like to think I have a pretty good read on their body language.  To date, I've never been in a really worrisome situation on the bike.  I've always had a big enough head start on the dog where I can out run them or the dog was too fat or disinterested in really giving chase.  If I felt like it was going to be an issue I think my instinct would be to get off the bike and put it between myself and the dog. 

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Two Words: Counter Assault (Bear Spray)

Another note, yell firmly and keep going. If he persists, stop and use your bike as seperation.

(on another note: I put my shoe to the face of a dog that did come at me on a run last week. Luckily, I caught him square in the jaw and dropped him. Unfortunatly, it only stunned him. He then kept his distance, but continued to show aggression. I called animal control.)

One issue for me with pepper spray, anti bear attack spray or anything like that, is that I would probably accidentally spray myself. Then I'd fall off the bike, clawing at my eyes while the dog moves in and rips me to pieces.    And THAT outcome is if I was lucky enough to find my spray where ever it is, and get it in position to spray it  while trying to pedal hard to get away.   Too much for me to try and think about.   I can shout NO!  SIT! GO!  I suppose, but if the dog gets close to me, I'm going to try and put him DOWN.

Ay yi yi.  Glad you raised this.  Off-leash dogs are the eleventh plague in Oklahoma City.  On foot, I can yell 'em down, with a certain voice and stance - even charging pit bulls stop in their tracks.

But, sadly, after a long hiatus from the road bike, my bike handling skills are at square zero.    This limits the options.

On my ride Monday night, I was chased about a block by a barking small-medium dog whose owner lamely tried to recall it once then watched us go.  Yelling DIDN'T work, because I was still "fleeing."  I thought about reaching for the water bottle, but didn't trust myself not to fall or veer trying to grab and aim the bottle and accelerate at the same time.  Ditto getting off the bike - I was afraid it would just take too long, that the dog would be on me by then.  Basically, in these next few weeks while i get the knack for handling my bike, my only options (1) yell; (2) pedal like heck; and (3) if I feel truly threatened, kick.    And I am a BIG dog lover.

While I've been able (so far) to outrun every dog that chases me, it still infuriates me to do it. My thought is always, "What if my wife and kids had car trouble and walking on this road? How would they defend themselves against this animal?"
So my primal instinct is to kill any dog that is aggressively chasing me on a public road, to prevent them from hurting someone that can't outrun them (and no, I'm not a dog lover [gasp]).
But since that option isn't practical, I say kick with BOTH feet!!

I sometimes ride with a group whose leader carries a co2 BB pistol, which he empties into any dog that chases them. He has pretty successfully trained the dogs on their regular routes not to chase cyclists!

Edited by Sooner Tri Guy 2010-04-01 10:47 AM