General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Close call with Pitbulls Rss Feed  
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2016-01-01 12:37 PM

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Elite
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Alturas, California
Subject: Close call with Pitbulls
So I was just going for a 13 mile run so I am out of town a bit and these two pitbulls come flying down the road from a house that was roughly 1/3 of a mile from where I was at the time. I am usually pretty good with dogs, but these two had killing me on their mind even though I wasn't very close to their house at all. One of them bit my thigh and they had me split one on the left and one on the right, shoulders lowered and growling viciously. Fortunately a guy in a car was coming down the road and used his car to get enough separation that I could get in the car. I seriously would have been toast. There were no dogs at that house in previous weeks. I guess it is time to get some pepper spray and be safer out there. I just wanted to share. I had heard of people getting attacked by dogs before and have always been good with dogs, so I had not prepared for this. I am hopeful that if one person reads this and puts some pepper spray in their run gear and it saves them from hundreds of stitches or worse than it was worth sharing. Be safe out there and if you have attack dogs, please keep them contained. There was nothing to keep these dogs from laying into anyone within quite a big range. Folks also frequently bike by this area, and these guys are fast enough to drag you off your bike.


2016-01-01 4:25 PM
in reply to: Baowolf

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Penticton, BC
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls

You were very fortunate!  

Just in the last two days we've had two serious dog attacks in our province (British Columbia).  In the first attack, two pit bulls attacked a couple in their home.  A 61 yr old male may lose both his arms and his younger female companion is in hospital also in serious condition.

Then next day in Richmond, BC an 80 lb dog escaped it's collar and started to attack a 3 yr old child but a young woman (child's aunt I believe) intervened and is now herself in hospital in critical condition.  An older fellow also tried to fend off the dog and was injured but not as badly.  The young child must have escaped injury.

I think carrying pepper spray may be a wise idea.

2016-01-02 8:24 AM
in reply to: wenceslasz

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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Always reminds me of this.

American flyers
2016-01-02 9:05 AM
in reply to: Baowolf

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Member
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Exton, PA
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Heal up; I hope you contacted the police, those dogs should be put down. I like dogs, but there is a difference between dogs that chase and grab once vs a dog that continues to attack.
2016-01-02 10:46 AM
in reply to: #5158598


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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).
2016-01-02 11:46 AM
in reply to: Dutchcrush

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Elite
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Alturas, California
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Thanks guys. Anyone share where they keep their pepperspray, to still have access to it and not have it too bulky etc.?


2016-01-02 12:57 PM
in reply to: Baowolf

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Sidney, Ohio
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Man, pit bulls are scary! I had one Come up out of a ditch while going 20mph+, didn't see it until it was too late and wound up hitting it with my front tire. I went over the handlebars, sliding down the road. Came to with this monster of a dog snarling and drooling about 5ft from me, thought I was going to be a chewed up milk bone. Thankfully I think the dog was stunned when I hit it, and waddled back to his home. All the owner said was, "sorry, he tends to chase people"! Really! Next stop was the police station and I now report all dogs that give chase out of their yard. Too many people allow the dogs to roam as they please and it becomes dangerous.
2016-01-02 8:30 PM
in reply to: mambos

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Pro
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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls

Man, I'm afraid I would get a pistol, drive back to the area, start jogging down that road, and kill both of them when they came out to "greet" me. 

What happened to you is intolerable.  Glad you didn't come out worse then you did.

Both of those dogs should be put down.

2016-01-02 8:44 PM
in reply to: Baowolf

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New user
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Austin, Texas
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls

Originally posted by Baowolf Thanks guys. Anyone share where they keep their pepperspray, to still have access to it and not have it too bulky etc.?

I had been carrying pepper spray for a long time on runs but don't any more. I had tested my spray and it just sputtered out and was completely ineffective. Not sure what the shelf life is on those things. After reading your story I'm thinking of getting another can since I run a lot on country dirt roads that are very far away from anything and farm owners don't chain their dogs up. As long as it's not hot out, I've done what a friend of mine taught me- wear a glove and keep the pepper spray in the glove on the palm of your hand. Easy access. I now always run with a hydration vest and if I get another can I'll keep it somewhere on the front, maybe in one of the open pockets. Sometimes they come with the breakaway clips so that you can attach it to something but with a strong tug you can pull if off and be able to point it.

In any case, that really sucks what happened to you, and yea you might want to get the police involved since it bit you. I was bitten once on a run by a dog who jumped over a fence, and it drew blood from me. I was young and foolish at the time so I brushed it off, but my sister would have no such thing so she called the police and only then did we find out that the dog wasn't up on it's vaccinations so it had to be quarantined and it turned into a big deal. Better safe than sorry.

2016-01-03 8:49 AM
in reply to: Baowolf

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Master
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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
I think another point to remember is dogs like to ambush. If you see or hear dogs off in the distance, I still get my spray ready. I keep it in my Bento box on the bike. I have it out with the safety off and ready to go. They come out of ditches or from behind bushes fairly frequently. Their owners don't like me spraying their dogs but it's better than having the deputies shoot them.
2016-01-04 7:31 AM
in reply to: Dutchcrush

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Member
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Exton, PA
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Originally posted by Dutchcrush

anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).


You are completely wrong!

Many breeds of dogs can maul and tear you apart just as easily as a pit bull. The reason they are on top of the list is because of the way people raise and train them.



2016-01-04 12:01 PM
in reply to: Dutchcrush

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Regular
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St. Joseph, MI
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Originally posted by Dutchcrush

anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).



That really is an ignorant statement and shows a general lack of knowledge of dogs. I'm afraid it IS the training/upbringing, NOT the dog. Dogs, much like people, are products of their environment and upbringing. Pit Bulls are unfortunately the dog of choice in bad environments because of their toughness and use as fighting dogs. Remember 20 or so years ago when Dobermans were on the chopping block because they were "too aggressive"? And German Shepherds before that? And no, I'm not being selfish, I've trained working dogs for 20 years so I've picked up a thing or two.
2016-01-04 9:30 PM
in reply to: jgs733

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58
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, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Couldn't agree more.
It is absolutely a function of the dog's upbringing/environment. They arent born to chase down triathletes on runs.

Watch Out!



(watch out.jpg)



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2016-01-05 2:10 PM
in reply to: mike761

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Extreme Veteran
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Greenwood, South Carolina
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Originally posted by mike761

Originally posted by Dutchcrush

anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).


You are completely wrong!

Many breeds of dogs can maul and tear you apart just as easily as a pit bull. The reason they are on top of the list is because of the way people raise and train them.

X2

2016-01-08 10:13 AM
in reply to: mike761

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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
Originally posted by mike761

Originally posted by Dutchcrush

anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).


You are completely wrong!

Many breeds of dogs can maul and tear you apart just as easily as a pit bull. The reason they are on top of the list is because of the way people raise and train them.




Thank you! I have done dog rescue for ten years, and while I usually stick with lab and collies, I have rescued close to a thousand pitbulls and have never dealt with an aggressive one. The media pumps us up with fear about these dogs, and the animals suffer.

Any dog can maul you. German Shepherds are the most aggressive dogs if you come near their property. My pits would lie down on their backs for a stranger to pet their bellies and the German Shepherd I am holding for my son would do more than bark, shall we say. I trust pits over many, many other breeds. Yes, there are bad apples, but when my brother's purebred Golden Retriever mauled my son simply because he wanted my son's hamburger, it didn't make the front page of the newspaper.

Having said all that, these two sound like bad apples and I would call the police in the area to report what happened. And they sound like they have horrible owners.
2016-01-08 11:25 AM
in reply to: mike761

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West Michigan
Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by Dutchcrush anyone who says, "it is the training not the dog" is something much worse than a selfish jerk. it may be the training, but do we really need to allow people to own pits and *hope* they get good training? yes, other dogs bite, but they don't maul nor have the power to rip off your extremities (or a bumper off a car for those who have seen the video).
You are completely wrong! Many breeds of dogs can maul and tear you apart just as easily as a pit bull. The reason they are on top of the list is because of the way people raise and train them.

This is incorrect.  Many breeds of dogs can maul, however very few can rip limbs apart like a pitbull.  

Pit bulls trained to attack or are improperly trained to resist their instincts to attack just makes matters worse.  Remember even though they look like roided out muscle heads, in reality it's their natural physique and they are powerfully designed to fight and kill.  If one latches onto your arm, leg, face, good luck getting them to release...

The link below is just one example of information available on pitbulls.  Take a read on pitbull "myths."  

In the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014, pit bulls killed 203 Americans and accounted for 62% of the total recorded deaths (326). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 74% of these deaths.

http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-dogs-pit-bull-myths.php

 

 



2016-01-08 11:26 AM
in reply to: Dutchcrush

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Subject: RE: Close call with Pitbulls
I have had several such encounters. your #1 ally is speed. I have clocked pitts at 23 mph as I have tried to out-run them though ... so only doable on a bike IMHO

Since we all run as well ...

I run/ride with HALT! a canine specific OC spray available for around $5 online. I have used it several times and it works. I have had numerous problems with dogs going after me where I ride in mostly rural areas.

I also CC a Kel-Tec .380 when I ride as well - the whole system weighs aprox 13 OZ (with a remora pocket holster) and fits in a bike or tri jersey pocket opposite the OC spray. To me a diminutive pistol like this is an extreme last resort against any threat.

I wish I had a repellant spray for rednecks in trucks that try to push me off the road because for some reason they don't want to share the road with cyclists ...
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