Dealing with dogs whilst cycling

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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Beakyboy
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Dealing with dogs whilst cycling

Post by Beakyboy »

After reading the 'What do you dislike about cycling' thread, and dogs appearing quite often, I wondered what is the best way to deal with them?

I have tried the Dog Dazer and it doesn't work (€80 down the drain),
I have tried out running them but am only successful if on a flat or going down hill,
My mate gives them the shoe but the pesky little terriers latch on to the toe,
I have tried dismantling and trying the crocodile 'Dundee approach' but that doesn't work either.
Someone said squirt them with the water bottle, but when 'under attack' I haven't the foresight or reaction time to try this yet.

So short of returning in the middle of the night with a 'special' steak, what is the best way to avoid being bitten, again!

Lastly if you live in the South of Ireland and own a dog, please do not let the little feckers roam the streets, be a responsible dog owner!!!!!! :evil:
May the wind always be at your rear!
peanut

Post by peanut »

they can be a real menace can't they.
The short answer is if a dog isn't under control then the owner is contravening the law and you would be entitled to call the local authority dog catcher and have it taken to the dog pound .
That doesn't help with the immediate problem though does it.

I love animals and wouldn't see them come to harm but when self preservation is urgent and the dog isn't under proper control then I think it is necessary to do whatever is necessary to preserve life and limb.

Personally I would try and outrun them but if that was not possible I would wack them on the muzzle with my pump. If there was a persistent offender I'd contact the owner and tell them that if they don't control their dog then you will report them to the RSPCA etc

I would have no compunction over using a pepper spray if I thought my life was threatened.
If you can't get away or have no deterrant with you you should get off your bike and use it to keep the dog at bay. Gradually back up to a wall or hedge to protect your rear and hope that help comes
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Beakyboy
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Post by Beakyboy »

Pepper spray, now I never thought of that. Has anyone used it? and does it work?

Here's a good link to a cycle mounted spray:
http://www.desert-gear.com/cypespbiun.html
May the wind always be at your rear!
gilesjuk
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Post by gilesjuk »

Carry some dog treats, dogs can't resist food.
thirdcrank
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Post by thirdcrank »

peanut wrote:If you can't get away or have no deterrant with you you should get off your bike and use it to keep the dog at bay.


I'm sure that dogs with a chasing tendency don't survive as long in traffic as they used to

peanut's post reminded me of a frightening incident twenty-odd years ago when a dobermann went for me. No chance of outrunning it so I got off and used the bike as a shield. Luckily it only seemed quite young or I am sure I should have been seriously bitten. I managed to kick it a couple of times in the face as its nose poked through gaps in the frame. This was going on all over the road and a couple of cars nearly hit it. Unfortunately, the drivers did emergency stops instead of running over it.

This went on for several minutes. Luckily, for me at least, it decided a passing postman would be easier prey. To a loud cheer from me he managed to hit its head with a perfect swing of a heavy mailbag. After staggering for a few seconds it ran off and for all I know it is still running.
reohn2

Re: Dealing with dogs whilst cycling

Post by reohn2 »

Beakyboy wrote:After reading the 'What do you dislike about cycling' thread, and dogs appearing quite often, I wondered what is the best way to deal with them?...................


Just be glad they arn't sharks :)

Seriously, I find if I stop pedaling it helps,but for the persistant/nasty ones its got to be a kick preferably to the head,I'm aware that some may find this a drastic but if its the dog or my leg/anatomy then my leg/etc wins every time in the concern stakes.
I have very little sympathy with stupid dog owners,and all the sympathy in the world with considerate ones.
Though why some people who own dogs think that everyone likes them is beyond me.

PS I like dogs, I grew up with them, but they must know their place(and thats not on the end of my leg :? )
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anniesboy
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Post by anniesboy »

I have used a Dazer for many years ,it does work,but not on deaf dogs or dogs trained to cope with it.
I admit you need to let the dog get very close.
byegad
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Post by byegad »

Another vote for dog dazer and a word of warning. Mine works well confusing dogs and stopping them from thinking of me as dinner! My sister bought a look-a-like dazer and its only use would be to throw it at the pooch.
Last edited by byegad on 6 Apr 2008, 9:02pm, edited 1 time in total.
PW
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Post by PW »

Toe pie, 12" adjustable spanner or lure it under a car.
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!!
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noonoosdad
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Post by noonoosdad »

:x I must firstly admit that I am not a lover of Dogs at all and in fact we own a rather charming Cat called 'NooNoo'
I find Dogs and Dog 'walkers' an absolute pain in the nether regions. Quite regularly I encounter both dangerously meandering ahead of me, completely oblivious of any cyclists that might be there on a mile long of section of Cycle path on my route to work. I sometimes wonder what part of the words 'Cycle' and 'Path' they don't understand. Quite regularly I have to sound my approach using my rather nifty AirZounds Horn. Even then the dog walker will stand at the side but let their pesky unleashed Mut still running around where it could easily cause a hazard to the passing cyclist.
Yesterday my 15 year old son and I were cycling along the Shropshire Union Canal between Ellesmere Port and Chester and found similar problems. I quite understand that pedestrians and cyclists are equally welcome and some dog walkers do have the deceny to grab a hold of their animals whilst cyclists pass by, but quite often they just let their dogs wander free and this poses even more of a hazard alond a narrow towpath !
In the words of Jacques Cousteau," Il est tout mon cul et Betty Grable !"
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

Another tip is to point the Dog Dazer at arms length at the dog, that way it is a visual thing as well.

As for cheaper versions we did get one in with a view of offering a range of dog deterrents, trouble with the version we tried instead of a constant noise is pulsed on and off, although it started with the 'off' pulse and seemed to us to be to long a pause before any noise was made!

Paul_Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk


byegad wrote:Another vote for dog dazer and a word of warning. Mine works well confusing dogs and stopping them from thinking of me as dinner! My sister bought a look-a-like dazer and its only use would be to throw it at the pooch.
Paul Smith. 37 Years in the Cycle Trade
My personal cycling blog, Bike Fitter at C & N Cycles
Member of the Pedal Club
thirdcrank
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Post by thirdcrank »

I read a review on the Dog Dazer a few years ago, probably in the CTC mag where the tester pointed out that once the mutt has launched on its final leap, it has no way of stopping, no matter what you do.

I think PW's general advice is spot on.
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

If you have left it that late then you would never have beaten Doc Holiday :lol:, more often than not you can see the blighters in their gardens up ahead waiting to pounse, so last minute quick on the draw tactics are not necessary.

Best deterent I ever saw On the doggie front was with a rider on a the Trike, when I was touring Ireland. He had a big advantage here with his rear wheels protecting him in a ‘Ben Hur’ Chariot kind of fashion, took a couple of days for me to realise this.

I thought he was ever so brave to begin with, as he didn't batter an eyelid when they would frequently leap over their garden walls with our names on their fangs! Where as I would just whizz up the road as fast as my little legs would allow, accompanied by lots screaming and shouting, hoping of course that they understood fluent English swearing! Not big or clever I know but justified, as a polite "begone doggie" never seemed to work, I did of course try to look as rough tough and bad to know as I could; although that did not seem to work that well when I was wearing my lycra! In the end I found it best to just point to the rider behind me and shout "eat him, eat hiiiiiiiiim"!

Paul_Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk


thirdcrank wrote:I read a review on the Dog Dazer a few years ago, probably in the CTC mag where the tester pointed out that once the mutt has launched on its final leap, it has no way of stopping, no matter what you do.

I think PW's general advice is spot on.
Paul Smith. 37 Years in the Cycle Trade
My personal cycling blog, Bike Fitter at C & N Cycles
Member of the Pedal Club
ronyrash
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Joined: 28 Jan 2007, 1:11pm

mans best freind

Post by ronyrash »

the way to handle the unwelcome attention of a dog/dogs.is remain
perfectly still.they will then sniff around,become confused and wander off.dont forget the dog is mans best freind.in time you will get used to doing this and may even find the encounter amusing.dont look at the teeth of a menacing dog it knows this scares you.in parksdont get entangled with dog walkers,complaining to them dosnt work,and only results in vexation,better to say what a nice dog it is .if the dog as been trained to menace and goes to far report it to the appropriate people in the oppropriate manner.
iaincullen
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Post by iaincullen »

Pepper spray is of course illegal in the UK.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/25amro
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