Have you ever been chased by a dog

[supercooper]

I was riding to work the other night (that's right i do night shifts ) when I passed this person walking a dog. As I passed I heard the dog growl but thought nothing of it but then realised it was after me but I could'nt speed up because I was coming to a roundabout so just as it caught me up I jumped off my bike and swung it round towards the dog to put something between me and the mutt as it was trying to get to me through my frame, Thats when I realised it was a Pit bull thats when I felt something coming out of my pants.. As luck would have it the dog was muzzled so happy days but the stupid female owner was shouting " come ere " in a pathetic damsel in destress type of way I gave her a right mouth full ,even the 3 car drivers that had to stop was shaking their head in disbelief . So lucky escape for me but have you been so lucky :?:

 

[zacklaws]

I was passing a gypsies caravan last year, which only spelt one thing out to me "dogs", and sure enough as I flew past, if I recall 3 or 4 came at me barking, all of them luckily turned out to be tethered and yanked back by their leads apart for a little Jack Russell that seemed to be going for my ankle, but instead got in front of me and tried to bite my front tyre, the result was an almighty bump as I ran straight over its head and rolled it over. As I sped away, I had a quick glance back to see the dog limping and whining off the road and could hear the owner of the caravan shouting "What's f***ing going on".

About a month later I found the same caravan but down a different lane and luckily all the dogs were tethered so the score remained the same, 1-0 to me.

 

[fungus]

There used to be 2 dogs (I think they were Alsatians but never hung around long enough to see properly) at the top of honey hill (No mans heath) that used to chase you, made for a great sprint interval after the climb

 

[John the Monkey]

Only once, in France - some farm dogs.

Sadly, I was on the Gite owners' Appollo full sus, which turned my frantic pedalling into an ever more vigorous pogoing action. The dogs stopped pursuing, luckily, possibly after being confused by the sight of a human bouncing ineffectually up and down whilst shouting random imperative French at them.

 

[ianrauk]

More times then I can remember.
Last 2 times I do remember were 2 Dobermans in the Waterlink Way last year. And in Yalding, kent by a rather large angry Alsation. Luckily I managed to out run them.

 

[Stevie]

Maybe a Wheel in the same style as ben hur's opponents chariot wheel would see these pesky dogs off ?

 

[Sambu]

been chased by a few gypsy dogs but i was ready for them with a burst of speed lol. dad got bitten on the bum by one on his mountain bike though lol.

 

[mickle]

Confounding the Canines
JOHN NAYLOR discusses new ways and old for the cyclist to avoid becoming a dog's dinner

You're wheeling along happily when you spot something black and unspeakable coming up at you fast. Yes, it's someone's beloved family pet 'gone bush'. You are some strange kind of centaur, a meal on wheels, and he's going to get you.

Just as you are wondering whether you have paid your life insurance premium an angel appears. It's a balding one in wellies, manure fork in hand. And the angel speaks: "Come on Prince, you bad lad! Here boy. There's a good doggy," (pat pat). The ravening wolf reverts into pure pooch. The gardener-angel resumes his digging, and peace is upon us once again.

There seems to be something about a moving cyclist which excites an otherwise placid animal. Maybe it's the sound of swishing wheels that 'drives them nuts'; maybe it's an instinct to chase running prey. Yet hardly any attack is a serious threat to life or limb. In thousands of miles of cycling in several countries over several years, I've been run at by dogs many, many times, but not one of these has been a serious assault.

The dog problem goes back as long as cycling itself. In the 1840s a 14-year-old French youth, who regularly toured Paris on a hobby horse, used a coachman's whip to keep marauding dogs at bay. Correspondents to early club magazines exchanged tips and advice on the matter. They suggested wielding lead-weighted sticks, spraying pepper, squirting ammonia, throwing stones and scattering tacks. The most spectacular deterrent, marketed at the turn of the century, was the exploding petard, a gunpowder-filled pellet designed to scare rather than harm.

Many of these techniques are time-honoured favourites but of doubtful value when confronted by half a hundredweight of hungry Rottweiler. Most modern experts agree that the best way to deal with a menacing dog is to stand still and 'play statues'. Dr Roger Mugford, of the Animal Behaviour Centre in Surrey, advises cyclists to stop, dismount and put the bike between self and dog. Don't look into its eyes (this is a challenge in doggy language), don't move - especially don't raise your arms - and keep quiet.

If it keeps coming, throw something away from you, preferably something edible. The animal's main motivation is to play and chase, not to kill; but excessive challenges can cause an ugly change of behaviour in some dogs.

Fortunately today's cyclist can leave catapult and rolling pin at home, for there are sonic deterrents available. But these devices don't work on all dogs. My favourite method is a quick squirt in the face from the water bottle. It stops dogs in their tracks as they suddenly can't see, and it doesn't do any real harm.

In general the law is on your side, although charges of cruelty could be brought against anyone who is unduly violent towards the dog.

Education is the long-term solution, says Dr Mugford, especially of owners. Dogs can be trained not to chase people. However, if you are attacked and actually bitten, try to find out who the owner is, tell him or her about the attack and inform the police. Seek medical attention immediately, especially if you are in a country where rabies is present.

 

[Zoof]

Confounding the Canines
JOHN NAYLOR discusses new ways and old for the cyclist to avoid becoming a dog's dinner

You're wheeling along happily when you spot something black and unspeakable coming up at you fast. Yes, it's someone's beloved family pet 'gone bush'. You are some strange kind of centaur, a meal on wheels, and he's going to get you.

Just as you are wondering whether you have paid your life insurance premium an angel appears. It's a balding one in wellies, manure fork in hand. And the angel speaks: "Come on Prince, you bad lad! Here boy. There's a good doggy," (pat pat). The ravening wolf reverts into pure pooch. The gardener-angel resumes his digging, and peace is upon us once again.

There seems to be something about a moving cyclist which excites an otherwise placid animal. Maybe it's the sound of swishing wheels that 'drives them nuts'; maybe it's an instinct to chase running prey. Yet hardly any attack is a serious threat to life or limb. In thousands of miles of cycling in several countries over several years, I've been run at by dogs many, many times, but not one of these has been a serious assault.

The dog problem goes back as long as cycling itself. In the 1840s a 14-year-old French youth, who regularly toured Paris on a hobby horse, used a coachman's whip to keep marauding dogs at bay. Correspondents to early club magazines exchanged tips and advice on the matter. They suggested wielding lead-weighted sticks, spraying pepper, squirting ammonia, throwing stones and scattering tacks. The most spectacular deterrent, marketed at the turn of the century, was the exploding petard, a gunpowder-filled pellet designed to scare rather than harm.

Many of these techniques are time-honoured favourites but of doubtful value when confronted by half a hundredweight of hungry Rottweiler. Most modern experts agree that the best way to deal with a menacing dog is to stand still and 'play statues'. Dr Roger Mugford, of the Animal Behaviour Centre in Surrey, advises cyclists to stop, dismount and put the bike between self and dog. Don't look into its eyes (this is a challenge in doggy language), don't move - especially don't raise your arms - and keep quiet.

If it keeps coming, throw something away from you, preferably something edible. The animal's main motivation is to play and chase, not to kill; but excessive challenges can cause an ugly change of behaviour in some dogs.

Fortunately today's cyclist can leave catapult and rolling pin at home, for there are sonic deterrents available. But these devices don't work on all dogs. My favourite method is a quick squirt in the face from the water bottle. It stops dogs in their tracks as they suddenly can't see, and it doesn't do any real harm.

In general the law is on your side, although charges of cruelty could be brought against anyone who is unduly violent towards the dog.

Education is the long-term solution, says Dr Mugford, especially of owners. Dogs can be trained not to chase people. However, if you are attacked and actually bitten, try to find out who the owner is, tell him or her about the attack and inform the police. Seek medical attention immediately, especially if you are in a country where rabies is present.

 

[Davidc]

Back to the OP - yes and like ianrauk, far too often.

The most recent was a couple of weeks ago, when I had a hot cooked Morrisons chicken in the pannier.

In the end I outran it, which probably means it was seriously unfit by dog standards, and I last saw it from over my shoulder collapsed in the middle of the road with people going to look after it. I didn't join them.

Many years ago a dog bit my back tyre, which exploded. The dog cleared off and I fell off, and that's the nearest I've come to being bitten by one.

 

[Globalti]

Here, read this: https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[HLaB]

I've had dogs come at me a few times but usually if I trackstand they just sniff but if their owner is not about and I've got an opening I'd just scarper. The most annoying one I remember though, was cycling up some road in Ireland on a heavy hire bike; it was one those staircase type, steep, flat, steep, flat, etc. and this wee barsteward was biting at my ankles; I suddenly found the energy to sprint up that last climb.

 

[Dave Davenport]

I wouldn't try it with something big and vicious, but I've seen a few small & medium size dogs off by growling and barking at them.

 

[Gixxerman]

All the bloody time!
It is one of my pet hates (no pun intended).
As I have said in the past, you could go past on any form of transport, like pogostick, spacehopper etc. and they pay no attention.
Go past on a bike and all of a sudden, they seem to want to kill you!
Could never work it out.

 

[benb]

I had one last year, going through a park.
It was a red setter or something of that ilk.

It came running alongside barking furiously, and really put the shoots up me.

The owner was calling to it, but with no real will in her voice - she clearly was not in proper control of the dog.
I was furious, as I had my 2yr old son on the bike with me.

I think I shouted something like "Control your mutt" but I wasn't sure whether the best option was to keep going or to stop.

I love dogs though - I'd like a Newfoundland.
IMHO there are (mostly) no such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners.