Big, Angry, Fast Dogs! What should you do?

DrWorm
DrWorm Posts: 66
edited June 2009 in MTB general
Hi,

Yesterday I was out cycling around on my own on some local lanes and bridalways. All was good until I was coming down this one bridalway past a few houses and I see this huge long haired alsation come bounding towards me, growling, barking and generally scaring the sh*t out me!

Fortunately I had gravity on my side going down this lane so I clicked a couple of gears and spun my legs like crazy. I was up to 25-30mph hurtling down this bumpy lane and the angry killer dog was right up next to me, still growling, still barking, still scaring the sh*t out of me. I just couldn't out pace it even downhill! Just when I think I'm going to run out of lane (it merges with a busy road for a few yards) and start thinking about how I can best use my bike as a weapon the dog stops it's pursuit of me and trots back home. Thank <insert deity here>!

Now I pretty much soiled myself but how should I have dealt with it, short of mounting a lump hammer to my handlebars? Any tips?

DrWorm
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Comments

  • Steve Legend
    Steve Legend Posts: 87
    edited May 2009
    I had this in Richmond park just yesterday, a border collie that took a liking to my leg and ran straight at me snarling and growling! Managed to skid the back wheel towards him, gravel and dust flying his way and scare him a bit before the owner pipped up The owner got an angry glare...and he sheepishly apologized.

    lol, you could try to stop and pet the nice doggy! :shock:
  • deadliest
    deadliest Posts: 471
    Had the same thing with a Rottweiller on my way to work last week . . . I just put the bike inbetween me and him and hoped to god he did'nt attack.

    Fortunately the owner turned up and put him on his lead . . . Unfortunately she was not strong enough to hold him . . . Ensue more panic and heart attempting to jump out of chest before she finally got the bear like b*stard under control.

    Needless to say I pedalled to work in half the time.
    Bikes are drugs and Im pedalling

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  • pirwin1
    pirwin1 Posts: 248
    Taser?
  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    Use your bike as a weapon. Throw it at the dog (or the owner). It's amazing how much strength panic can generate...

    Provided that you hit it square on this will buy you some time to set up for kicking it in the side of the head, Jackie Chan-stylee. Oh, and again, I'm refering to the dog or the owner.
    Give a home to a retired Greyhound. Tia Greyhound Rescue
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  • dunker
    dunker Posts: 1,503
    had this with two very energetec springers, after sprinting uphill 1/2 mile with two barking springers after my ankles i stopped, totally exhausted and they just walked over towards me wagging their tales gave me a sniff then bolted off into a field running around flat out and barking at air hehe.

    then i can hear a ladys voice calling her dogs (they actually leaped from a car window to chase me) so back i go to find the lady and point her to where i last saw them. i ride back up the lane to find them mooching about in the same area and i grab them both and wait for her to come and get them. all ended well :)


    glad it was'nt alsatians :shock:
  • Fully
    Fully Posts: 257
    I had an Alsation come running at me all aggressive and the like while i was out running a couple of weeks ago. I stopped and faced him, and he stopped, barked a bit and trotted off. I think they're just being territorial or protective of their owners. It's a bit of a risk i know, but i think you need to be assertive/aggressive with them and you SHOULD be alright :wink: .
    Forget your heart, it's your bank i wanna break, it's just yer money i'm after baby...

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  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    That's the thing with dogs, you need to be assertive with them. They're pack animals after all and you need to be their alpha male. Stand tall, advance on the dog and make more noise than it is.

    Trouble is dogs know when you're afraid of them and they'll take advantage. But if you can make yourself bigger, louder and more agressive than they are, nine times out of ten they'll back down.

    The other time, you'll get your face ripped off.

    And remember, it's not the dog's fault. Dogs are very rarely (if ever) capable of applying reason or complex thought processes to a situation. Sadly, many owners are like this too.
    Give a home to a retired Greyhound. Tia Greyhound Rescue
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  • DrWorm
    DrWorm Posts: 66
    Yeah. I'm not terribly assertive when it comes to dogs. Never owned one, I'm more a cat person. There was no owner in sight either. Why they can let 40kg lumps of meat with teeth wander around free is beyond me, especially aggressive ones.

    As you say Dave it's usually the owner who is at fault, rarely the dog.

    I'll just opt for the 'run away' tactic and then use extreme violence as a last resort. Sucks though because now I'll think twice before going that way again but this only happened once in about 7 times down this lane.
  • rob_mafia
    rob_mafia Posts: 136
    I have this quite often and to be honest I feel like a proper wimp because the dog is a little pokey yorkshire terrier type thing and I don't want the owner to think I'm bothered so I just smile, the thing that does my head in is the owner smiles to and says "Jake leave the man alone" to which I reply "I'm going to shove this dog down your throat...ALIVE!!!" in my head obviously, I'm not a violent man.


    I agree though just run away there is no shame in it!!
  • Airienteer
    Airienteer Posts: 695
    Dogs?? I get more worried when cows start chasing me, they're bloody scary!!
  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    Try having a pit bull chase after you up a long hill, it's not fun!!!!

    All i could hear was his claws scrabbling on the road whilst i was praying for the chain not to break whist hammering it.

    I've always considered keeping a wakizashi on me for such events, i have a license so can carry one legally within reason of course.

    If it's me or the dog i choose dog everytime and sod the consequences, if the owners have a problem with it i'll shove the dog in their face teeth first.

    I really do hate owners that don't keep control of their dogs, it's their responsibility afterall, if it's that skittish they should find a better way of controlling it.

    I've always thought about sharpening up the studs on my sidi's just in case. ;)
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
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  • Hi,

    I've been working in Turkey for a couple of years and last year bought a locally-made MTB. There are quiet roads around the Gallipoili area where I work, and back roads to my site office. The roads are fine, but unfortunately the Turkish shepherds and goatherds have dogs to protect their flocks. I'm a dog person, but give me an angry UK Alasatian any day. The Turkish sheep/goat dogs are something else. Built like a brick sh*house, and fast with it. Generally they don't bother me, but when they do - be afraid, be very afraid.

    A couple of weekends ago I had 7 after me in one ride (a record). 4 tried it on en-masse from 2 fields away - but I managed to put enough room in so they lost interest. The one with the spiked collar looked iffy but backed off when I screamed at it (and I'm a big 105kg...), but the dogs at the farm gave me a real fight. They are usually loose behind a fence, but as I came up to the farm I could only see one. Then I spotted the other, ambling along the road, outside the fence, and I was coming up behind it. Needless to say I caught it by surprise and that was not good. Just what is the land speed record for a dual suspension MTB on knobbly 28x1.95s, on the flat? Whatever it is, it's my record.

    Scary day that one. Other people plan their rides by the hills and their gearing, I plan by Turkish shepherd dogs...... :(
  • Aldo001
    Aldo001 Posts: 251
    Turkey sounds scary :shock:
    I had a bad experience in Denmark when me and my dad where just walking along, this f**k off huge dog came sprinting towards us, snarling and showing its teeth. I bricked myself and hid behind my dad :oops: using him as some kind of barrrier
  • phz
    phz Posts: 478
    having owned dogs pretty much all my life most times this kind of thing happens i find it pretty easy to read when one is just making a racket and can be stood up to or said hello to and when one is being genuinely agressive (in the latter case its pretty much always down to the owner unless the dog feels REALLY threatened by you)

    but i can imagine if you dont own or know dogs it can be pretty scary

    having said that there are some breeds (bull terrier variants and rotties mostly) i would ALWAYS try to get away from or get something physical between me and them - not because of the dogs being inherently dangerous but because of the type of owner these dogs have round here

    slainte :roll: rob
  • MeddlE
    MeddlE Posts: 322
    Two weeks ago, hurtling down a hill, come round the corner to see three Rotties being walked by one small built woman. Brain kicks up a gear, neither dogs or woman have heard or noticed me. First dog jumps when it suddenly notices me, followed by same reactions from second and third and then owner!! Then I notice the fourth Rottie. Each looked in the 10 to 12 stone size. I was semi-bricking it at this point.

    Luckily they were all soppy as s**t, just wanted attention, no agro.

    But, had they not been there is no way the owner could have stopped one of them, let alone four.

    Certainly ups the heart rate.
  • I was out on my road bike this weekend and whilst going through a village,I went past someones drive and on this drive was an alsasian.thought to myself that dog won't chase me but the rechid animal made me sprint up a hill so a the top I squirted it with the lemon stuff in my waterbottle right between the eyes and he left prompley
    I assume this is French petrol - be careful in reverse - the car will retreat rapidly at the least provocation.
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    if you've got a water bottle on you try and land a squirt of water on the dogs face should make it stop and think "WTF just happened!" :lol:

    if not you could aways throw the water bottle at it :twisted:
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  • stev68
    stev68 Posts: 109
    Aah just the thread! Was out a couple of months ago plodding along the thames at bourne end/marlow,when a greyhound of all freakin mutts wants to eat me.I pedalled off (which i understand is the incorrect thing to do) then i stopped ,dog still wanting a go,owner comes running up trying too control it ,could not get near him so i pedalled away again.

    But it all changed in an instant ,when i started to hear the other couple the owner was with ,start to laugh at the situation i was in.The old adrenaline startted to kick in then boom a nice left shimmy dx straight to the right temple at full whack,dog yellped and when straight back to the owner,who promptly said WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR!
    called him a prick and rode off.

    just wish these k.nob ends would keep there dogs on a lead,there are sheep in some of the fields,and about a hundred yds behind me were a father and daughter,who was about 8yrs old,might have been nasty.

    rant over lol
    Told ya itll hurt!
  • Davy-g
    Davy-g Posts: 401
    smack the bugger over the head with your bike pump....... 8) 8) 8) 8)

    I had 2 Jack Russell's chasing me, of all breeds of dog to have chasing you down (rotties in minature), my Logic that day was.... "me go faster", "they have short legs!" and won't be able to catch up... tell you what though.... it was bloody touch and go for a momment with them.... I stopped 400 yards further up the road when they gave up the chase... MAN... was I sucking in lungfulls fo air or what.....and cursing the little buggers, I am now always wary when I go past the owners house.... just incase the dogs are lying in ambush for me... PARANOID.....!... :lol::lol::lol:
  • Mr Wu
    Mr Wu Posts: 1,238
    I posted a thread about this a few months back, I now carry a spray can of deep heat in my upright bottle holder, a quick reach down and spray in the eyes will fend off any dog.
  • XxxBFGxxX
    XxxBFGxxX Posts: 1,355
    undr the dangourus dogs act the owner can get done as its an offence for the dog not to be under control.

    Report it then the owner will have to keep it under control or face a fine


    on a lighter note did the dog look like this lmfao.

    This is what i used to do for a living belve me a trained dog is fooking scary wen at full tilt
    johnkaizer1.jpg
  • Biggus86
    Biggus86 Posts: 385
    PMSL haha... bad luck... tbh the only thing to do is pedal like fawk... or find the nearest tree haha
  • DrWorm
    DrWorm Posts: 66
    Yeah pretty much like that BFG! But this had long hair and if my vivid imagination serves me correctly it had twice as many teeth as that dog and was at least three times the size... :wink:
  • XxxBFGxxX
    XxxBFGxxX Posts: 1,355
    DrWorm wrote:
    Yeah pretty much like that BFG! But this had long hair and if my vivid imagination serves me correctly it had twice as many teeth as that dog and was at least three times the size... :wink:

    mate that was a big dog then as the one in the pic was actualy huge lol
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    XxxBFGxxX wrote:
    DrWorm wrote:
    Yeah pretty much like that BFG! But this had long hair and if my vivid imagination serves me correctly it had twice as many teeth as that dog and was at least three times the size... :wink:

    mate that was a big dog then as the one in the pic was actualy huge lol

    Problem is not the trained dogs but the ones that wander anywhere whilst the owner has no idea of how to control them - or the idiots that keep dogs on extended leads usually across the trail and then get all huffy when you ride over the lead
  • XxxBFGxxX
    XxxBFGxxX Posts: 1,355
    XxxBFGxxX wrote:
    DrWorm wrote:
    Yeah pretty much like that BFG! But this had long hair and if my vivid imagination serves me correctly it had twice as many teeth as that dog and was at least three times the size... :wink:

    mate that was a big dog then as the one in the pic was actualy huge lol

    Problem is not the trained dogs but the ones that wander anywhere whilst the owner has no idea of how to control them - or the idiots that keep dogs on extended leads usually across the trail and then get all huffy when you ride over the lead

    even if there on a lead, they can stil be done under the dangoures dogs act. as tecnicaly there not under control.

    alot of dogs behavyers is from the owner so its not always the dogs fault.

    one thing to remeber if a dog is snarling and barking if histail is waggin he prob wont bite you. its wen his tail is down he is scared and defending its self so to speak.
  • pvtpile
    pvtpile Posts: 74
    apparently dogs dont like the lynx effect if you spray them in the face with it cant say iver tried it tho
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    There are defence sprays that are UK legal like stoppa red but this is a situation where pepper spray or foam would be a life saver, and pretty handy when a couple of scrotes try to rob you of your bike with knives, but the UK doesn't care about victims :x
    Anyway whilst running I've been approached by rotties, staffs and a neopolitan mastiff all of which have been utterly charming and more of a risk licking me to death rhan anything else. It's bloody collies, labradors and mongrels that snap at you and try to trip you up, Once a collie must have run up behind me and gone for my heal and got a kick in the face because all I heard was a yelp and it's gormless owner shouting "what do you think you're doing kicking my dog", funny how his attitude changed when I walked over to him and he realised I look about 15% smaller when I am at a distance when I was two foot away from him shouting "keep your dog and fucking lead, or next time it will be you getting kicked in the face." (sometimes I'm a real charmer) he realised I was six inches taller and more broader across the shoulders he started to appologise.
    But as said before a can of deep heat/ralgex and a par of DH knuckle protection gloves to make a punch more efective and a decent kick in the guts to wind it are about as much as you should really do, then wrap you seatpost round the owners neck, that's what QR was made for :wink:
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  • Chaz.Harding
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    +1 for battering the dog.

    BUT, only if it's really aggressive. I love dogs (I have a mad springer spaniel puppy), so I don't want to hurt any any dog. Or animal for that matter. But if it's a choice between me getting eaten by said dog, or dog getting a face full of chainrings... The dog EVERY time. As someone said above, sod the consequences! At least you'll still hav fully working limbs!!
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  • Rich101
    Rich101 Posts: 30
    On one of my trips exploring bridleways I got to a section next to a house that used the bridleway as their driveway to the road. The house had two big dogs running free in the garden and onto the bridleway that barked at me and ran after me. Anyhow i had enough speed and time to just get through a gate, and off my bike, smug grin at now harmless dogs and off the the next gate 20 yards away.

    On the next gate was a sign saying "beware of the bull" and possibly the biggest animal i have ever seen outside of a zoo standing right in the middle of the route i had to take. So i was stuck in some kind of horrible dream, snarling dogs behind one gate and evil bike chasing bull behind the other. Something told me someone doesn't like people using the public right of way through their property!

    Anyhow i eventually chose to brave the dogs again rather than risk getting past the bull and finding the next gate led to a field wth their pet tiger and killer bee collection or something. I have to say that the evil dogs still barking and trying to look scary backed off the moment i opened the gate again and moved towards them. My very limited experience tells me that if a dog wants to bite you it will do so pretty soon, if it just wants to tell you it's there and have some fun chasing you it will bark like crazy but not much else.

    I suppose the real question is how many people have been genuinely bitten by a dog while out on their bike?