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How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride?
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 2010-07-30 7:19 PM |
Member  45 |  Subject: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride?Visiting my mum in Ohio for the next couple weeks, and I went on a bike ride on beautiful country roads this morning. It was a lovely ride, until a dog chased me and bit me quite badly on the leg. I went to the ER, filed charges w/ the dog warden and am on the mend. Here's my question: how do you deal with dogs chasing you on a bike ride? I'm tempted to get some pepper spray (which is legal in Ohio) but I'm concerned I would blind myself before hurting the dog! Any advice you veterans have for dealing with this is greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to be back training on the bike by Monday or Tuesday of next week. |
| 2010-07-30 7:40 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Expert 684   Bend, OR | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? Sorry about the dog bite. That sucks! I've always been able to do one of two things: 1. Out run them 2. Squirt them right in the face w/ my water bottle Edited by n.k 2010-07-30 7:41 PM |
| 2010-07-30 7:42 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Extreme Veteran 397 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? i deal with alot of dogs riding in the country, a squirt in the face with my water bottle usually stops em.and yell like hell. |
| 2010-07-30 7:48 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Veteran 458 , Wisconsin | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? Wow! Sorry to hear about the bite. There's just no excuse for such badly behaved dogs!! I usually just yell "NO" very loudly (really loudly) when dogs come out, and haven't been bitten yet. I've thought about carrying pepper spray and I think it would be a good idea for you. I've heard about stopping and body blocking the dog with the bike, but you'd have to be really quick. Stopping might quell the dog's chase instinct though. I've also heard about pretending to throw something, as most dogs recognize that arm motion and will stop and turn to look - but I have my doubts about that working with a dog that's focused on chasing you. Heal quickly! |
| 2010-07-30 7:57 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Champion 4942 Richmond, VA | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? reminds me of my quarter mile "race" with a very large Pit Bull on a backroad in Virginia. with chomping teeth at my heel, in hindsight it turned out to be a great practice in sprinting as I outran him. i would have preferred to have had a 45 with me, or at least pepper spray, but considering how fast the dog came up on me and how quickly he was at my ankle - not sure I would have had time to do anything but downshift and peddle like heck! |
| 2010-07-30 8:03 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Master 1858 Salt Lake City | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? Loose dog = spontaneous sprint interval. IMO, pepper spray is just as likely to work as a squirt from the water bottle or yelling No! with a commanding voice. |
| 2010-07-30 8:13 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? KJ1965 - 2010-07-30 5:19 PM Visiting my mum in Ohio for the next couple weeks, and I went on a bike ride on beautiful country roads this morning. It was a lovely ride, until a dog chased me and bit me quite badly on the leg. I went to the ER, filed charges w/ the dog warden and am on the mend. Here's my question: how do you deal with dogs chasing you on a bike ride? I'm tempted to get some pepper spray (which is legal in Ohio) but I'm concerned I would blind myself before hurting the dog! Any advice you veterans have for dealing with this is greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to be back training on the bike by Monday or Tuesday of next week. Pepper spray at 10+ mph is just as likely to mist all over and get you just as much as dog. Water bottles, yelling both work, and when I rode in rural Colorado a lot, I had a large rattan stick velcroed to the bike. Only had to use it once, but it saved my butt. John |
| 2010-07-30 8:41 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Expert 2189 Dodge County, MN (out in the corn) | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? You could carry a special smaller bottle with either lemon juice/water or vinegar/water. One squirt of that in the face should stop a dog. It will sting, but won't do any permanent damage. It just might teach the dog to leave moving things with wheels alone. I live out in the country and just hate it when people let their dogs run loose. There's a dog near us that used to chase everything with wheels. One day he ran into my front wheel... when I was standing dead still. I had come to a stop to give him time to figure out what to do. He looked at me and the approaching car. Then ran straight into my wheel. First time I saw him this spring, he only had 3 legs when he used to have 4. Guess he got a little too close to something bigger than a bike. Poor dumb beast. His people should take better care of him. He still tries to chase, but he's a bit slower. |
| 2010-07-30 8:48 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
| 75 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? +1 on squirting with water bottle. I have the same issue. I did get off my bike one of the times because the dog cut me off. Once I stopped and put the bike inbetween us, he backed off. Out running is the tricky part. If you can out ride them, then do it. But make sure you can. When anything runs from a dog, they go into predator mode and you are the prey running from them. I have used the squirt and it works well. Good luck! |
| 2010-07-31 6:25 AM in reply to: #3015168 |
Member 45 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? Out running is the tricky part. If you can out ride them, then do it. But make sure you can. When anything runs from a dog, they go into predator mode and you are the prey running from them. I'm pretty slow, so obviously, I sucked at out running him - lol. I'm going to start riding with a squirt-style water bottle to combat them. Thanks everyone for your responses!! I'm hoping to feel much more confident about dealing with the dog issues when I get back on the bike! |
| 2010-07-31 7:09 AM in reply to: #3015092 |
Veteran 559 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? x2 on the loose dog = sprint interval, just drop the hammer, there is now way a dog will keep up with you |
| 2010-07-31 8:22 AM in reply to: #3015092 |
| Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? No don't do this really, but it always sounds like a good idea |
Work on one legged drills, gives you an opportunity if chased to remove the foot on the side the dogs on and maybe he'll run into the pedal or you can at least get you foot out ofthe say & or be able to kick him. I think the yelling now and the squirt bottle are the better options. 
| 2010-07-31 10:52 AM in reply to: #3015438 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? crusevegas - 2010-07-31 6:22 AM No don't do this really, but it always sounds like a good idea Yeah, *THERE* is a good idea. Wave a very convincing replica gun around, so that panicky dog owner can call the police and say "There's a cyclist waving a gun around on the road outside!" John |
| 2010-07-31 11:38 AM in reply to: #3015092 |
Master 2236 Denison Texas | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? My old frame pump makes a handy baton without carrying anything extra. It's just a backup if I use up my CO2 anyway. Once I actually stopped and dismounted-the dog pulled up suddenly, looked sort of confused and then magically changed from a blood thirsty snarling beast to a happy little tail wagging puppy. I think cyclist provoke a chase instinct in dogs, and I'm not certain they identify cyclists as people, kind of like some motorist. On a long ride in the country I had five dogs taking turns chasing me over a mile-that was exhausting |
| 2010-07-31 12:02 PM in reply to: #3015587 |
| Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? tkd.teacher - 2010-07-31 8:52 AM crusevegas - 2010-07-31 6:22 AM No don't do this really, but it always sounds like a good idea Yeah, *THERE* is a good idea. Wave a very convincing replica gun around, so that panicky dog owner can call the police and say "There's a cyclist waving a gun around on the road outside!" John Just curious if you read what I wrote or just looked at the picture? You think this is a replica and not a picture of a real firearm? |
| 2010-07-31 2:08 PM in reply to: #3015438 |
Extreme Veteran 482 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? |
| 2010-07-31 2:28 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Expert 684 Bend, OR | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? I went for a long run this morning and was in the zone, listening to a podcast, and hammering it home (I'm working on sprinting the last half mile) when a huge dog came flying out of no where at me. And I was in a residential neighborhood a half mile from my house! It was barreling at me at a breakneck speed and barking and going insane. I starting screaming cuss words at the top of my lungs and about s**t my pants. Once I stopped freaking out, he was still charging at me about 5 feet away and closing (and I knew there was no way I was out running him in a foot race) so I just stopped running. And so did he. I pet him and then started jogging away and he turned and went home. Scared the living day lights out of me but reminded me that *most* dogs are nice and are just chasing after you because you're running/biking. Once you stop, usually they do too. But that doesn't make it any less scary! |
| 2010-07-31 2:41 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
Elite 3022 Preferably on my bike somewhere | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? I've had success with the water in the face trick. All you need is to get them to break stride for a bit and off you go. I like the gun idea. On the owners. |
| 2010-07-31 4:43 PM in reply to: #3015122 |
Extreme Veteran 584 Puyallup, WA | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? condorman - 2010-07-30 7:57 PM reminds me of my quarter mile "race" with a very large Pit Bull on a backroad in Virginia. with chomping teeth at my heel, in hindsight it turned out to be a great practice in sprinting as I outran him. i would have preferred to have had a 45 with me, or at least pepper spray, but considering how fast the dog came up on me and how quickly he was at my ankle - not sure I would have had time to do anything but downshift and peddle like heck! Must have found Eddie... He's a real son of a B.... |
| 2010-08-01 1:49 AM in reply to: #3015092 |
Veteran 559 | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? This is going to stick with me the whole day. What was the movie that line came from, I can remember the scene of the dog chasing the cyclists but the name of the movie...please...I just have to know |
| 2010-08-01 10:43 AM in reply to: #3016302 |
Extreme Veteran 584 Puyallup, WA | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? kocourek - 2010-08-01 1:49 AM This is going to stick with me the whole day. What was the movie that line came from, I can remember the scene of the dog chasing the cyclists but the name of the movie...please...I just have to know It comes from the movie American Flyers Here's the link to the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfv2diohUXE |
| 2010-08-01 12:12 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
New user 13 Madison, MS | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? Old days - whack then with the frame pump. Now - as posted earlier, instantaneous sprint interval. Idea I read here or on ST, but I haven't tried ... Yell "get off the couch". Confuses the dog as he's probably heard this hundreds of times from his owner. Edited by wkrives 2010-08-01 12:13 PM |
| 2010-08-01 12:38 PM in reply to: #3016629 |
Champion 5376 PA | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? wkrives - 2010-08-01 1:12 PM Old days - whack then with the frame pump. Now - as posted earlier, instantaneous sprint interval. Idea I read here or on ST, but I haven't tried ... Yell "get off the couch". Confuses the dog as he's probably heard this hundreds of times from his owner. I thought this was a call to the owner to get his butt off the couch and get his dog under control.  |
 2010-08-01 3:44 PM in reply to: #3015092 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2010-08-01 3:51 PM in reply to: #3016863 |
| Master 2236 Denison Texas | Subject: RE: How do you cope w/dogs attacking on a bike ride? melbel1038 - 2010-08-01 3:44 PM I live in a rural neighborhood and have battled dogs and piles of horsecrap on every run and bikeride since I started all this tri traing stuff. Recently a Florida panther has taken to my neighborhood and has attacked a few horses and goats so now I'm driving into town to bike and run. Well apparently I'm still a little gun shy, because the other day I was running through an upscale neighborhood hermetically sealed in my earbuds. The song I was listening to made a clicking sound that resembled dog toenails on the pavement behind me. I screamed and sprinted only to find there was nothing behind me lololol. Lucky for me it was early and I don't *think* anyone witnessed my seizure. Reminds me of Poe's The Raven: "And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; - Darkness there, and nothing more." |
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