Being chased by DOGS

solseadog

On my ride home I go through a park,No probs from the dog walkers ,apart from one dog which tries to rip my ankles....any ideas ???? I used to carry a frame fitting pump,and whack them with it...But now have a mini pump.....Nothing against dogs I have two,

Porgy

I used to have the same trouble from early morning dog walkers (or rather their dogs) along the regents canal near Hackney. The last time it was a Jack Russell trying to bite my feet. The answer is to kick them and keep moving fast.

Massimo

Squirt them with your water bottle - never fails...

AndyGates

Usually just accelerating does it. Bellowing "GET DOWN!" (and I mean bellowing, full Tyrannosaurus Alan mode) works great too.

WyS

i remember dogs chasing me in the park as a kid, dalmations iirc. running along side me and then infront of me and i rode right over the top of it!

owner came running over, burly guy.. looked like he was fuming, i thought i was for iit then he turns to me, apologises then gives the dogs a right b•llocking!

heh

lateralus

I seem to remember from my motorcycling days that the recommended thing was not to hit the gas immediately - hesitate a little, then as the dog gets close, put in a sudden burst of speed. It's like a rugby sidestep - if you keep a steady course and speed it can cut you off, but if you change line and speed you can get a gap and then speed away.

Failing that, water bottle or bike pump as suggested by others...

mrchrispy

get off and wrestle them into submission

formerlyknownasbonj

you ideally want to run it over with your back wheel but not your front, so you don't have the risk of losing balance/trajectory.

BentMikey

Now this is where bents are useful, with that cracking great chainsaw on the front. I got chased by a dog last year, and waited for it to get right behind me, whereupon I slammed on the brakes. I was hoping for the dog to crash into the back of me, or overshoot. It overshoot, so I stood up, picked up the bent, and started chasing it with the pizza wheel on the front. Result, the owner called his dog in a rapidly rising squeek of terror on its behalf, and the dog ran back to the owner.

mailmannz

Ive always wondered what dogs would do with a bike if they ever managed to actually capture one

But seriously, as a kid dogs were the least of my worries biking home after school. One time (no, not at band camp:)) I remember being charged by a bull as I cycled across the paddock behind home!

Never moved so fast in my life!

Mailman

Buggi

here's a lesson in dog psychology.

why does the dog go mad at the postman more than other visitors to the house? it's because the postman comes to your door pushes the letter through and then retreats. Human's know that this is because it's the postman's job to walk away. but the dog doesn't know this, he just thinks it's his job to protect the house and that the postman retreats because he is being aggressive towards him and the postman is scared of him, so his aggression is working and the dog thinks "job done, house protected". (you may also notice that dog's bark at people who are simply walking past your house, for exactly the same reason, all the dog sees is they come one way, he barks and they go the other way)

It's exactly the same with bikes. when you ride past a human, they know you're not going to stop, but with a dog he's protecting his owner and it thinks you're not stopping because he's chasing you and it's working...

... and it is.. you're riding away. "job done, owner protected".

Give the dog a shock, stop the bike, get off and face up to the dog. (not advisable if it's a rottweiller, in which case pedal like hell !!! :shock: )

it's not really necessary to inflict violence towards the dog, just show the dog you're not scared and you're not going anywhere just bcoz he's barking at you. if you get chance chat to the owner, say "what a lovely dog, would you mind putting him on a lead while i pass" shake his/her hand before leaving and the dog will no longer see you as a threat. (you may have to do this a few times for the dog to learn)

ps. if owner is chav type and dog is a pit bull type follow advice of "Rotweiller" situation as above" as neither are likely to be amiable towards you.

pps. another way would be to carry a treat in your pocket and then when you face up to your opponent give him the treat. thus changing the dimension of the situation. he will start seeing you as something good rather than something bad. better if you give it him once he has calmed down, thus "rewarding" him for good behaviour

andrewc3142

In Poland, where I used to live, I rode in the forests a lot and dogs were always what worried me most. Near houses generally vicious, territorial guard dog types and in the middle of the forest, feral ones, a fair number with rabies.

Don't show you're frightened, don't attack them, don't try to out-stare them and if they are large you're unlikely to out-run them on a dirt track. Just keep steady, ignore the dog and keep going is most likely to avoid problems.

adifiddler

Some good advice in the last two posts, well done guys.

I come from Exmoor and grow up with dogs many were farm dogs that were very territorial, I learnt from a young age to walk past with no emotion.

Back in the days of Northern Ireland many dogs were taught to attack the green patrols again it was a case of showing no emotion but be a little submissive i.e. dont stare at the dog but look down to the ground slightly, dont be aggressive or make sudden movements, talk reassuringly to the dog if it is still content on its attack then change your stance to a defencive one and give load direct commands to the dog and be prepared to guard the dog with your weapon or something. Bikes are great for this, if you have to dismount keep your bike between you and the dog.

A trick one of mates does (i dont advise you try this) is as the dog is running in to make its attack he drops to the floor into the fetal position but staying on his knees and forearms and he tucks his head right in and puts his forehead on the ground. As the dog closes he starts to talk in a gentle high pitched voice as you would to a baby. He allows the do strike if it wants to but in most cases this takes the attack out of the dog. As the dog noses him trying to find away to get in he starts to switch the dog off and turns it into a game. If the dog is stand offish or once it is starting to warm to this game he puts his hand out and starts wiggling his finger whilst saying in baby voice whats this, get it. It is amazing to see the dogs demeanor change so quickly. He does this till he has made friends with the dog and the dog will ignore its owner and its sat next to him whilst he stroking it.

I have witnessed him do this with street dogs, feral dogs, highly trained police dogs and even with an East German Border Patrol attack dog, considered the most dangerous attack dogs on the planet during the cold war, to the utter amazement of the East German patrol who are absolutely terrified of the dogs and wont go anywhere near them. These dogs were shot from a distance whilst still on there running lines along the border a couple of weeks after the border was opened.

I have worked security all over the world and packs of feral dogs are a major problem in many countries, follow andrewc3142 advice, dont try to run or speed up if the dog/s are just watching you or approaching slowly, keep an eye on them at all times but dont stair or look straight at them and carry on with your business. If you were planning to stop for a break keep moving for at least a couple of miles before you stop. One thing about a bike is you are not leaving a large sent trail and the trail you are leaving is mostly of ground disturbance rather than your sent, Trained dog will follow this through training but normally dogs wont. Remember an approaching dog/s might be very boisterous or vocal especially if they are running in a pack, they might not be attacking you they could be telling you to get away or just inquisitive. Try not to show emotion and dont be scared.

These tricks work with wild predators too such as wolf and including many of the big cats such as tiger but with wild animals you want to keep eye contact and face the animal at all times as they look to get behind there pray to attack, they are also looking to strike the neck so it is a good idea scrunch your neck into your shoulders so it looks as if you dont have a nice long neck. Research in the US has found this is the only way you will turn off a mountain lion attack (god knows how the researched it) and if you have children with you call them to you and pull them into you whilst keeping up right as soon as you bend over holding you child you suddenly appear to have four legs and start looking very deer shaped and you are now looking at your child and not the mountain lion/or other predator (evidence suggests this works with tigers too) and as soon as you break eye contact bang it will strike.

Ok that might not be much use to many of you but it you cycle tour in the US, Eastern or Northern Europe, Africa or further afield it is of use.

Buggi

i hope i never have such an unfortunate situation that i need to test this theory on a tiger :shock: but if i do i hope you are right LOL

Mikey Mouse

I've known a few dogs in my time. :oops:

mbukfan

I found using an air zound horn works on dogs

I don't sound it at people but for cars and dogs it's a useful aid

wildmoustache

this is a nice post!

i have had the odd dog issue abroad and have either ignored them totally with no problems or else hit full gas and outrun them (to their apparent chagrin and amazement I like to imagine).

last time this came up on the forum the ideal response was: a tandem with the stoker acting as early warning and full weapons sytem. He/she could be armed with whatever takes your fancy, as long as he/she is willing and ready to attack with unimiginable ferocity. one of the "solutions" was a water bottle full of white spirit and a lighter. burn the f***ers alive!!