If the dog dazer thing works?

[ukdodger]

One of my neighbours is a retired dog-handler, indeed, a retired trainer of dog-handlers. I'm not going to go banging on his door but the next time we are having a reminiscence session, I'll ask him if he has any suggestions. He'll not suggest anything that would unnecessaily harm a mutt, but if there is a general solution, rather than simply pedalling much harder, he's likely to know. I don't know why I didn't think of asking hime before.

Excellent my man! I await your investigation.

[Penfold]

Anyone who wants a check on the damage dogs can do to a riders legs can have a view of this journal.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 73087&v=5O

The next 10 or so pages tell a little more of the surgery etc etc etc...

Not for the fainty types.

[ukdodger]

Anyone who wants a check on the damage dogs can do to a riders legs can have a view of this journal.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 73087&v=5O

The next 10 or so pages tell a little more of the surgery etc etc etc...

Not for the fainty types.

Think I'll give it a miss thanks.

[pedalpower2]

I have been chased by lots of dogs, especially in Devon. If I am feeling sociable I stop and talk to them, if not I turn and chase them. Dogs are not so keen on someone who looks lihe fighting back. I think the reason dogs chase is because anything going away excites their hunting instinct and also appears scared of them. So turning and facing them causes confusion. Tha t said I'm not sure if this would work with a really vicious dog, but I have not encountered one of these.

[Swallow]

Never had to try it but I'm told a squirt from the water bottle usually does the trick but I suppose it could just upset them further

[danfoto]

... Providing the attacking dog isn't a big Alsatian or Rotty etc, most can be wrestled and hurt/injured/killed. I reckon I'd have compunction about killing one. How would I stand legally?

How would you stand at all if it bit your legs off?

Wonderful. Thank you for getting my day off to a cracking good start.

[byegad]

Let me say first of all, I'm delighted that I've never had to use my Dog Dazer in anger.

http://www.dogdazer.co.uk/

When I first bought it, in the days before this forum, I did as much research as I could to make sure I wasn't simply wasting my money. Either directly or indirectly through aquaintances I spoke to Dog wardens, other users and even the main regional Post Office staff training department (who were most helpful to such an unsolicited call).

In a nutshell, the feedback has been;

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. It depends on the dog. One anecdote related to a frenzied dog in France with a snapped chain attached to it's collar that went away. Against that there are other less hopeful stories.
They don't work against packs of dogs
The Post Office were clear that individual dogs can get used to it and are therefore immune to it. So if it's the pesky dog at #15 you're trying to defend yourself against every day, then forget it.
Dog Dazers have been issued to Government Farm Inspectors (I do not know if that is still the case, my information is from 2 or 3 years ago on that one)

On balance, I decided the money might be well spent to have a last ditch defence come a fateful moment. A 10% chance (my estimate) at that point would be worth the then £30 (I reckon)

Oh, and it does nake a loud noise - I've checked mine with a sound meter, which registered the signal - which I couldn't hear of course.

I carry mine more when I'm walking rather than cycling tbh.

Hope this helps.

We have two. My wife who was bitten as a small child is inordinately afraid of dogs so we carry at least one when riding together.

My experience is that a dog looking a bit interested in approaching us is put off by the sound. A dog snarling but defensive, is put off by the sound. A dog really intent on getting you is almost certainly too far gone to be affected. It gives my wife reassurance and has its uses, of which more below, but as a method of saving your backside from a vicious attack, forget it.

An added bonus we accidentally came across is that cats absolutely hate the sound and run at once. Very useful to train next doors cat which was intent on pooing on our back doorstep, every time I saw it in the yard I zapped it. It soon stopped coming around.

Richard Ballantine in his earlier editions of Richard's Bicycle Book had a passage which upset dog owners/lovers. Cut to the bone it said, 'If attacked by a large dog, you are fighting for your life, use any and all means to defend yourself.' Some of those measures were indeed extreme but, in the context of dealing with a sustained attack, perhaps necessary.

[thirdcrank]

I'd suggest that the first decision is whether to try to escape or to stop. If you can beat the dog for speed, no problem (unless you are a Wiggo wannabe with a dodgy ticker.....) If there's a good chance that that the mutt will catch you, then I think you are inevitably safer stationary and on your feet rather than astride a bike. I've successfully used a bike as a shield, but it's not ideal. Passing traffic is sometimes acts as a distraction and there's always the hope that the animal will be hit by a car. I've posted before that a huge (small donkey sized) dog chasing my then young son was hit by a car being driven much too fast. The dog ended up completedly trapped under the car, howling pathetically.

(My neighbour is enjoying his retirement in some far off land. I'll watch out for his return.)

PS

I think if there are two of you there is a lot to be said for standing appart, rather than huddling together. This means that the cur has to pick a target and turn its back on the other . If you are then both brave / daft enough, the "bystander" attacks the dog's back end and if it turns on them, the original target does the same. It only needs so many blows with a big stick / heavy boot for most mutts to get the message.

The dangers here can be very real. Apart from dealing with plenty of dog bites over the years, I remember we used to be issued in Leeds with a really heavy quality woolen overcoat. The skirt part at the back fell down in vertical folds (probably going back to some earlier age when it helped to keep the horse warm.) Anyway, a colleague was attacked by a large dog which went for his backside. Although the resulting origami effect caused some ribald humour, if he hadn't been protected by the bulk of the coat fabric, he would have been seriously injured.

[dionherbike]

I have read that dogs will chase cyclists because they like the chase, which has been mentioned before. Apparently the best way to deal with the dog is to get off and walk or stop with the bike between you and the dog, then the dog loses interest because there is nothing to chase. I have used this method a few times and found it successful, but only if I 'catch the chase' early or if the dog is reasonably domesticated. One day I actually chased a dog down the street, f-ing and blinding. The dog put its tail down and ears back and just ran for it. It was a great way to get rid of a bad mood and by golly gosh it felt good. I have found the best deterrent to be stick. Both my husband and I carry one each when we are touring. We put it within easy reach so that we can just whip it out and wave it at the dog/s, while making snarling noises of our own. It's also quite effective to whack it against your panniers. They soon back off. In the extreme I guess the stick could be used as a weapon. This is in Romania and Bulgaria by the way where there are many stray dogs.

[pete75]

I think if there are two of you there is a lot to be said for standing appart, rather than huddling together. This means that the cur has to pick a target and turn its back on the other .

If there are two of you you only need to out speed your companion not the dog.

[Ray]

A friend who does a lot of tandem touring abroad, often in areas (such as S. America) where dogs may be (even) more of a threat than in the UK, swears by his compressed air horn - 'Air Zound' or similar. It's always to hand while riding and, if the dog is allowed to get fairly close before 'firing' it, the sudden and very loud noise usually does the trick. I believe he has been fortunate enough so far not to meet an 'unusual' assailant.
Does anyone else have experience with these devices as dog repellents? They seem to work almost as well with humans, too, even penetrating the cabs of HGVs.

Ray

[ukdodger]

A friend who does a lot of tandem touring abroad, often in areas (such as S. America) where dogs may be (even) more of a threat than in the UK, swears by his compressed air horn - 'Air Zound' or similar. It's always to hand while riding and, if the dog is allowed to get fairly close before 'firing' it, the sudden and very loud noise usually does the trick. I believe he has been fortunate enough so far not to meet an 'unusual' assailant.
Does anyone else have experience with these devices as dog repellents? They seem to work almost as well with humans, too, even penetrating the cabs of HGVs.

Ray

Like it. Especially as it penetrates the cabs of HGVs

[thirdcrank]

With a tandem, it's harder to leave your companion as a decoy.

[james01]

A squirt in the face with a child's water-pistol charged with soapy water causes immediate but temporary eye pain and is very effective. If your regular assailant still attacks then a spot of chilli essence in the water is the ultimate deterrent

[ukdodger]

A squirt in the face with a child's water-pistol charged with soapy water causes immediate but temporary eye pain and is very effective. If your regular assailant still attacks then a spot of chilli essence in the water is the ultimate deterrent

That's a good one. A water pistol would be easy to carry and deploy.