Worst dog incidents, and tips for dealing with them

[pwa]

I used to have a lot of dog incidents perhaps 30 years ago. Mainly farm dogs. Now very few when walking or cycling in the UK. Have things changed?

Decline of traditional agriculture, rise of factory farming

Now you mention it, I've not had a good old traditional farm dog rushing out from a farm yard incident for ages. Maybe you are right. Maybe something has changed. Livestock farms are still livestock farms, but maybe the quad bike has replaced the dog.

[pwa]

The thing I find strange is that dog owners always have this compulsion to introduce their dogs to whoever may or may not be interested - If I did that with my bike they would (doubtless) think it very strange And to be Frank it would be

A dog owner with dogs that are less than perfectly behaved will want to make things more relaxed for all concerned, the visitor, the dogs and themselves, by introducing the dogs to the visitor. Once done, the dogs will generally soon lose interest in the visitor but be relaxed about them being there. The last thing you want is to be greeted in the way an intruder would be greeted. So this is just the owner managing things for your comfort.

Putting your hand in front of the dog to let it have a sniff is good practice, so long as the dog isn't looking too nervous. Don't put it too close to the dog. Let the dog come to it. Hands going in too quickly can be seen as threatening for nervous dogs.

[Airsporter1st]

The thing I find strange is that dog owners always have this compulsion to introduce their dogs to whoever may or may not be interested - If I did that with my bike they would (doubtless) think it very strange And to be Frank it would be

A dog owner with dogs that are less than perfectly behaved will want to make things more relaxed for all concerned, the visitor, the dogs and themselves, by introducing the dogs to the visitor. Once done, the dogs will generally soon lose interest in the visitor but be relaxed about them being there. The last thing you want is to be greeted in the way an intruder would be greeted. So this is just the owner managing things for your comfort.

Putting your hand in front of the dog to let it have a sniff is good practice, so long as the dog isn't looking too nervous. Don't put it too close to the dog. Let the dog come to it. Hands going in too quickly can be seen as threatening for nervous dogs.

Likewise putting a hand over the top of their heads - much better to tickle them under their chin until they are used to you.

[Airsporter1st]

Over the years I've tried to believe that dogs mean me no harm, but (even when I'm not on the bike) they must know I cycle..... and I'm convinced they don't like bicycles - maybe it's a noise we emit? On entering a customer's house last January I was asked "are you ok with dogs?" to which I replied "only if they don't try to bite me" to which the lady said "they may spring up, but that's all" and opened an internal door (I was in the hall) and a small dog came towards me - I lowered the back of my hand so it could smell it (I've been told this is a good approach) and it came close and all was well. A much larger dog then came out, bounded towards me, leapt up and aimed its paws at my shoulders.... as I fell back it got its jaws around my lower leg to prevent me falling and cracking my head against the wall! The owner was quite shocked "it's never done that before! I'm very sorry".
The apology was accepted - I don't think he was "serious" otherwise he'd have drawn blood, but it was unnerving. The thing I find strange is that dog owners always have this compulsion to introduce their dogs to whoever may or may not be interested - If I did that with my bike they would (doubtless) think it very strange And to be Frank it would be

One thing is for sure - dogs sense nervousness and behave differently than they do around a confident person. No different to strolling past a gang of scroats without a (outward) care in the world, versus giving them a wide berth whilst looking about nervously. The latter behaviour will almost surely invite aggravation.

[Cyril Haearn]

Offer it the back of your hand that it can smell, not the fingers it could bite

If one needs to bite a dog in self-defence, where is the best place?

[pwa]

Over the years I've tried to believe that dogs mean me no harm, but (even when I'm not on the bike) they must know I cycle..... and I'm convinced they don't like bicycles - maybe it's a noise we emit? On entering a customer's house last January I was asked "are you ok with dogs?" to which I replied "only if they don't try to bite me" to which the lady said "they may spring up, but that's all" and opened an internal door (I was in the hall) and a small dog came towards me - I lowered the back of my hand so it could smell it (I've been told this is a good approach) and it came close and all was well. A much larger dog then came out, bounded towards me, leapt up and aimed its paws at my shoulders.... as I fell back it got its jaws around my lower leg to prevent me falling and cracking my head against the wall! The owner was quite shocked "it's never done that before! I'm very sorry".
The apology was accepted - I don't think he was "serious" otherwise he'd have drawn blood, but it was unnerving. The thing I find strange is that dog owners always have this compulsion to introduce their dogs to whoever may or may not be interested - If I did that with my bike they would (doubtless) think it very strange And to be Frank it would be

One thing is for sure - dogs sense nervousness and behave differently than they do around a confident person. No different to strolling past a gang of scroats without a (outward) care in the world, versus giving them a wide berth whilst looking about nervously. The latter behaviour will almost surely invite aggravation.

My own approach to encounters with groups of yoof and drunks has long been one of presenting a welcoming and smiling face, sharing a joke, etc. I try to speak to them before they speak to me. So far it has always had good results.

[Airsporter1st]

Over the years I've tried to believe that dogs mean me no harm, but (even when I'm not on the bike) they must know I cycle..... and I'm convinced they don't like bicycles - maybe it's a noise we emit? On entering a customer's house last January I was asked "are you ok with dogs?" to which I replied "only if they don't try to bite me" to which the lady said "they may spring up, but that's all" and opened an internal door (I was in the hall) and a small dog came towards me - I lowered the back of my hand so it could smell it (I've been told this is a good approach) and it came close and all was well. A much larger dog then came out, bounded towards me, leapt up and aimed its paws at my shoulders.... as I fell back it got its jaws around my lower leg to prevent me falling and cracking my head against the wall! The owner was quite shocked "it's never done that before! I'm very sorry".
The apology was accepted - I don't think he was "serious" otherwise he'd have drawn blood, but it was unnerving. The thing I find strange is that dog owners always have this compulsion to introduce their dogs to whoever may or may not be interested - If I did that with my bike they would (doubtless) think it very strange And to be Frank it would be

One thing is for sure - dogs sense nervousness and behave differently than they do around a confident person. No different to strolling past a gang of scroats without a (outward) care in the world, versus giving them a wide berth whilst looking about nervously. The latter behaviour will almost surely invite aggravation.

My own approach to encounters with groups of yoof and drunks has long been one of presenting a welcoming and smiling face, sharing a joke, etc. I try to speak to them before they speak to me. So far it has always had good results.

= confidence

[tim-b]

Hi
IME:

I can't out-accelerate a running dog
They will go for the back of your leg, where you can't see them
Shouting makes no difference
They seem to give up within a hundred metres or so
I haven't actually been bitten yet, although I have heard jaws "clopping" on thin air
My camera had recorded over the footage by the time I got home

My conclusion is that cycling past will eventually lead to your undoing. Stop, bike between you and the dog(s), h*^&%t and sunglasses off, walk/wait for the owner to get fed up with their dog(s) barking
Regards
tim-b

[thirdcrank]

My main tip for dealing with dog incidents is

KEEP YOUR DOG UNDER CONTROL

[Tiberius]

I was recently cycling along the local cinder track (part of NCN1) There were lots of dogs around, non on leads, so I was riding slowly and on red alert. Sure enough a dog decided to give chase...a sort of small alsatian. The dog ran at the side of me in a real frenzy of barking and trying to bite my legs. I leapt from the bike, got the bike between myself and the dog and grabbed my frame pump. I then heard the owner (a young woman running along pushing a pram) She was screaming out the dog's name, the dog took no notice of her whatsoever and continued to bark like mad but keeping on the other side of the bike, just out of pump/snout contact distance. The owner eventually arrived, grabbed the dog by the collar and started to drag it away. Her screaming continued though, informing me that the whole event was my fault as I was (her very words) 'trying to out stare' the dog. I hadn't even seen the dog until it started chasing me FROM BEHIND !!

The overwhelming majority (really) of dog owners that I encounter, are both selfish and plain old fashioned stupid.

Be careful out there, they walk among us....

[hondated]

Here's a link to an old post of mine, where I used my bike as a shield until I was saved by the Royal Mail

viewtopic.php?p=91194#p91194
I think this is where that one used to live. Note the two sets of gates.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75437 ... 384!8i8192

Anybody who's a whizz with streetview may know how to bring up earlier versions of that view showing the sign which used to be displayed on those gates: DOGS BITE FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER, or something to that effect. I'm glad they never bit me, but that sign would have been priceless evidence.

Boy dont I know that tc !. Some years ago now I took a friend of mines children with mine for a walk, and we spotted a dog laying on the railway line.
They were all upset to see this, so I pacified them by saying I will go to the nearest house and get the owners to ring the rail company.
Thankfully I told them to wait at the gate entrance whilst I went down to knock on the door. As I did the front door opened as I approached it and two big alsations bounded out. Spotting me they went for me, and the owner rather than calling them off kept asking me what I was doing on her property. During that time one managed to bite me tearing my trousers.

Long story short I managed to walk away but boy was I glad that I had told the kids to wait at the gate. Still think to this day the dogs owners were up to no good given their initial reaction and I just could not be bothered to report the incident to the police.
Being a CGOAB fan I have read a few times of cyclists encountering attacking dogs in the States and if its one thing that could deter me from touring over there it is the fear of being attacked by dogs.

[hondated]

I was recently cycling along the local cinder track (part of NCN1) There were lots of dogs around, non on leads, so I was riding slowly and on red alert. Sure enough a dog decided to give chase...a sort of small alsatian. The dog ran at the side of me in a real frenzy of barking and trying to bite my legs. I leapt from the bike, got the bike between myself and the dog and grabbed my frame pump. I then heard the owner (a young woman running along pushing a pram) She was screaming out the dog's name, the dog took no notice of her whatsoever and continued to bark like mad but keeping on the other side of the bike, just out of pump/snout contact distance. The owner eventually arrived, grabbed the dog by the collar and started to drag it away. Her screaming continued though, informing me that the whole event was my fault as I was (her very words) 'trying to out stare' the dog. I hadn't even seen the dog until it started chasing me FROM BEHIND !!

The overwhelming majority (really) of dog owners that I encounter, are both selfish and plain old fashioned stupid.

Be careful out there, they walk among us....

Here's an example of one of those owners. This charming fella walking his dog, not on a lead, along the cookoo trail took exception to me as I approached from behind to me saying " excuse me " rather than ringing a bell. We then got into a heated discussion about bells & dogs off leads.
During the course of this he told me to F off & used the C word s good few times. My initial reaction was to punch his lights out but she has wearied me and time has made me wiser so I didn't. But what I did do was take this photo. He didn't like it but clearly wasn't brave enough to try and retrieve it. In this instance the dog looked and it was the owner that was ferocious. Lesson learnt I just cycle pass pedestrians carefully not saying a word now.

[awavey]

I wouldnt say I dislike dogs, just not a big fan of them, they smell, leave little presents in black plastic bags everywhere, and slobber/drool all over you

fair enough alot of those are problems caused by useless owners, not the dog itself, and I tend to have more problems with them when im not on the bike

but on the bike, its the dogs off leads on cycle paths that cause the most issue, one commute home in the dark I remember most was I was cycling along a cycle path no-one seemingly around at all and a dog which hadnt been visible at all till that point, suddenly leapt out of a bush in front of me and my lights lit up its eyes like it was the hound of baskerville, apart from the aah reaction, I had the panic swerve/brake try not to hit it or fall off, followed by lots of me swearing and then the owner appeared from way off to the right.

I tend to avoid as much of the shared spaces on my route from now on, as Ive had a few chase me at times and try and bite my heels, they seem to get more energised around the bigger space they have to run across, but even on a small country lane, owners couldnt hear me calling and I had to stop to ask them to let me by and their dog bounded over headbutted my leg growling, then tried to leap up as my foot was still clipped in that side I couldnt move it out of the way and I know I was concerned about it taking a bite out of my calf so just pushed away on the pedals and it dropped off, all the owners did was that most useless of statements every dog owner deploys "its just trying to make friends with you".

[thelawnet]

The overwhelming majority (really) of dog owners that I encounter, are both selfish and plain old fashioned stupid.

I met a prize one yesterday. She was on her bike, and was exercising her very energetic weimaraner on a busy shared canalside path. The dog took great delight in running up to my bike chasing alongside it at 3" separation and then turning around for another go. It was not barking or aggressive, it just had lots of energy and had apparently got used to chasing bikes, presumably by its owner.

I like dogs and wasn't really bothered, but the owner had this sort of helpless 'sorry he's so energetic' air about her, as if the dog's behaviour was anything other than entirely predictable from the outset by her. I think you CAN exercise your dog on a bike, but unfortunately for the owner it might be best on some muddy path with a proper MTB rather than a busy surfaced path being used by lots of elderly people, other cyclists, etc.

[pwa]

When some of you say most of the dog walkers you meet are substandard, I must accept you are telling it as you see it and the dog walkers on your patch are a bit rubbish. I live in a semi-rural area with no cycle tracks, just lots of lanes and paths across fields. And the dogs are almost always under control. A man who used to live about half a mile from my home had two border terriers that were the best trained dogs I've seen off a lead. He had a whistle and one peep from that and they would dash back from wherever they were to walk closely beside him. He didn't need to shout, and while he did have leads for them they were rarely needed. To get a dog behaving that way you have to put some effort in when they are young. Poor dog behaviour reflects on the owner.

We live in an imperfect world and poor dog behaviour is something we will encounter. I remember it being particularly bad on a visit to Ireland many years ago. So it helps if you have a feeling for dog psychology and confidence in your own ability to deal with situations. Hopefully you won't need it too often, but it's good to have it. I do a lot of walking and I try to understand farm animals for my own protection. Horses and cattle both give cause for concern sometimes. Someone in our village was nearly killed by a cow last summer.