Chased by dogs...best strategy?

[YesNdeed]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

I have used the "Top Gun" maneuver with success: shift down to a low gear so that you are spinning too fast to bite...let the dog come up a bit to the side, slam on your brakes so that he/she shoots out in front then proceed to chase the dog...with extreme malice (act like you are going to eat it). I chased one dog to exhaustion once. It dove into a canal to cool off.
Works better on a mountain bike...

This is fantastic! I'm not going to go look for chances to try it, although I know a few places that would work, but I'll keep it in my saddlebag.

[LouDeeter]

Bark at him! Also, I agree with the post that you need to ride with someone slower than you. Also, rule #1: Dogs always attack on the uphill.

I once was on a very rural road in Arkansas checking out a bike I had picked up. Three "country dogs" came out of the woods and chased me, getting very close on the uphills, then I would outrun them on the downhill. I thought I had lost them, so I slowed, only to look around and there they were! It was like Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid--"Who are those guys?"

[hartmmike]

"Going on a training ride with Eddie. He's a sonofabitch" Or something like that.

[zambenini]

I have a good one: known evil dog with no fence, no leash on a very fun, very rural route. Buddy and I are riding this particular route for the first time together; when approaching, we confirm with each other that the other knows about this dog, and pick up the pace. We are flying by the time we're passing his yard, and sure enough he runs out, ferocious as can be, we're sprinting by now, he's running, running, barking at us, mile long trail of saliva stranding out from his open jaws straining towards out ankles ... and runs headfirst into his own mailbox.

Ding-dong! Definitely rung his bell!

So yeah, find an obstacle to scrape them off your trail.

[Hellgate]

Look right at them and very loudly, hiss like an angry cat! Then, water to their snot, then swing the frame pump. The cat hiss works most of the time.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by 93KgBike

I watched a guy gas himself trying to pepper spray a dog - he crashed and I swear the dog was laughing.

Water bottle squirt has worked for me in the past, but you have to have time to anticipate the dog (or person).

Dismounting and using the bike as a shield gives you time to grab that bidon and squeeze!

Don't hurt the dogs, please.

Not the dog's fault but the knuckledragging owner(some of them)..Water bottle, outrun, stop and bike between dog and you..then get address if you can and call police...There are laws against aggressive dogs off one's property.

[old_fat_and_slow]

First line of defense, frame pump rapped across dog's snout.

If that doesn't work, then plan B:

Bear spray

[bigbill]

When I lived in Paris, TX, some guys wanted to put together a gravel route so they scouted some roads. Lots of dogs on gravel country roads, a bike is a novelty to them. A couple of riders went out with bear spray and each dog that left the driveway to charge them got a blast. They did it two days in a row, probably over the top, but on all the following group rides the dogs would just bark from the driveway. I think they were lucky some bubba didn't take exception to their dog being sprayed.

[Ronsonic]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

If one gets too close, I YELL: NO!!!!!
That sometimes effects a reflex reaction with a dog.

^^^ This ^^^

Works for me. That and most dogs respond to "Go HOME!"

[54ny77]

now that's funny.

Originally Posted by daker13

There's a RBR thread where a guy recounts being chased by a dog at a spot on his regular loop, so he fills one water bottle with ammonia in order to spray it at the dog, then accidentally drinks the ammonia himself.

[redir]

Dogs are very responsive when you hold a frame pump, or even a little one, above your head in a striking pose. So far I've never seen one not cower when I do that. In one case a dog got a hard enough wrap on the snout that I broke my pump and from then on after that dog NEVER came out at me again.

[54ny77]

p.s. a very easy and effective item is to get a dog whistle. ultra low frequency whistle that humans can't hear. just keep it in your jersey pocket, blow on it when dog gets close. they'll stop and be confused. can add to it and shout "NO!"

no harm & no foul to any creature.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by 93KgBike

I watched a guy gas himself trying to pepper spray a dog - he crashed and I swear the dog was laughing.


Don't hurt the dogs, please.

Yea, that was me, August of 1990.

Yes, the dog was hysterical.

Meanwhile, I was rolling down the street at 20 miles an hour, blinded, in pain, can't see where I'm going, and wondering where the dog was. I pictured him rolling on his back, laughing hysterically!

Fortunately my sunglasses deflected much of the stream and I had enough water in my water bottle to rinse my eyes. No permanent damage, except perhaps to my ego.

I've been a dog parent for 10 years now and have a totally different relationship with dogs. I still carry pepper spray, mostly out of habit, and to ward off the occasional pickup truck driver brandishing a pipe wrench (long story there) and coyotes on the conservation land.

So far I have not had the opportunity to find out whether pepper spray will slow a coyote attack, nor do I want to.... When I ride or run in the woods I also wear a bear bell so that they can hear me coming long before I'm within dining range.

In the three years of riding/running the local woods, I've never seen a coyote. On the other hand, my trail catches them behind our house from dusk to dawn, and one particularly bold male went sauntering through our front yard at 6 pm, full daylight.

[chiasticon]

I typically scream NO as well. one, because it's a gut reaction from me. two, because they typically do stop in their tracks when they hear it (the louder and angrier you yell, the better). and three, it alerts the owners that they need to get off their ass and come get their dog before someone gets hurt and sues them. I typically try to sprint as well, just instinctively. the sooner the better, just to get more ground between you and them. never had to get off and do battle. hope to never have to!

the more remote the road, the more the likelihood of rogue dogs is. and it's always when you're gassed from climbing a hill or battling a headwind, etc. your guard is down, they got you right where they want you.

[PSJoyce]

Way, way back when i was racing, I was out with a track sprinter friend. We were going along pretty good, when Greyhound came up and just blew past us, just enjoying running. We kept up for a bit, then just sat up and laughed.