Chased by dogs...best strategy?

[axel23]

In my experience, squirting the dog in the nose is not effective. It may give them pause (momentarily) but then they redouble their efforts. The same with using the frame pump as a baton.

I've tried pointing at the dog and saying - sternly - NO, which may or may not work. Getting off and using your bike as a shield is a last resort, but probably the best option if it comes to that.

Being chased, however, seems to be much less common than it was years back. Seemed like every ride then was a potential (mis)adventure. Much more broken glass, vicious dogs, enraged motorists. Believe it or not, it's a lot better than it was.

[clyde the point]

Yelling usually surprises them and stops the foolishness. I've kicked a few in the face in my time as well, unclip and "pop". Never have gotten off the bike but I like the dirty chainring idea.

[93KgBike]

Originally Posted by Vonruden

The few times I had this happen, a stern, deep voiced yell has always stopped em in their tracks. Nein! or Achtung! works great.

You must be riding in central IA.

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by axel23

Being chased, however, seems to be much less common than it was years back.

I agree, and I think it's due to the prevalence of electric fences.

[bikinchris]

Good ways I know to deal with a dog are:
1. Outrun the dog. If you are fast enough. Small dogs can't run very fast and all you have to do is leave their "territory." Combined with a loud "NO, BAD DOG! GO HOME!" May help.
2. Stop and place the bike between you and the dog. Back away ubtil you leave their territory.
Other ways involve harming the dog, which is not a good idea legally speaking unless the dog actually bites. Although I once knew someone who had a device that screamed a siren dogs but people could not hear. The dogs would do a cartoon style backpedal before turning and running.

[jemoryl]

For the OP, at least the dog's owner intervened. I had one encounter with a particularly nasty and aggressive dog as the owner sat on her porch and seemed perturbed that I was trying defend myself with a 'he's just playing'!

But yeah, I hardly ever get chased now, but did more often when I was a teen in upstate NY.

[mt2u77]

It’s all about a little mental calculus— terrain, head start, angles, sizing up the dog. If I’ve got a flat open road ahead and the dog is still coming out of the yard as I pass, I’ll absolutely out sprint a dog, usually with a very firm NO yelled out for good measure. Most dogs give up if you pull them too far from home. I’ve done it enough times to know when I can win, so it’s a way of avoiding unnecessary confrontation.

On the other hand, if it’s dicey, it’s better to stop. A dog running fast near your wheels is unpredictable— I’ve seen one get under a wheel in group ride— you want that encounter to be low/no speed. Very firm NO or SIT usually works. The percentage of dogs that will chase you is high, the percentage that will do anything serious to you when they catch you is extremely low.

[Tony]

I used to get chased by dogs when I worked a swing shift. I would carry a shop rag in my jersey. When I came to the area of these chases I would get the shop rag ready for deployment, hand on the drops shop rag in hand. If a dog chased i would hold out the rag making sure he sees it and then let go. The dog would go for the rag or get startled enough for me to speed away.

[Spoker]

We had a friendly pitbull follow us for miles twice. Had to stop a truck to bring him back home.
Weeks later I got chased hard by 2 dogs , and out of the blue came Jake (the pit) to grab the other dog by the throat and take him down. My friends were perplexed.
Otoh been bit by a pit too. Water and loud -low pitch yelling helps.

[Tickdoc]

Just ride with a slower friend and you’ll be fine.

[bigbill]

I had a route in NE Texas that had dogs that I'd see coming. My strategery was to move 3-4 feet to the left as the dog approached then swerve towards it. It messes up the dogs angle and usually gives them some pause.

Most dogs just want to run, especially in rural areas.

[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.

[duff_duffy]

Love this response! Thanks all.

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

Just ride with a slower friend and you’ll be fine.

[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...

[YesNdeed]

It depends on how I'm approached, but more often than not, nothing prompts an "attack" like a protective dog. Most exciting sprints, really.

When approached from the front or side, bellowing NO, is usually enough. Reaching for the bottle and giving a squirt is the next step, and has worked well.

Twice I've dismounted, once holding the frame in front of me and being aggressive back. The second time, slowly walking my bike past a Rottweiler and reminding him he's a g'boy. Just doing his job.

The last time was different. I was on an unfamiliar, desolate and very rough road. Exploring an out and back from my road ride, I heard barking from what sounded like quite an old dog on the way up, but s/he didn't run all the way up me. On the descent, I caught a glimpse of a VERY large white dog, and it was a little more pissed this time. I figured it would stop after getting so close, but it kept coming and at its closest was right behind my wheel. I attempted to look back a second time, but the road was so rough it was like descending a steep rock garden on a road bike and couldn't (shouldn't) even pedal. The only thing I did right that time was not crash. The dog stopped about 5 seconds after I had reason to panic.

Sometimes you just get lucky.