How to deal with Dogs?

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Profpointy

Legendary Member
With most dogs, staring it down, pointing to where it appeared from and saying, in your most commanding voice, "BUGGER OFF HOME", or words to that effect, normally works. For something obviously more aggressive and/or very large, get the bike in between the two of you.

This does work. Some years back we were out for a walk and two (perfectly friendly) dogs appeared from the bushes and came over. We fussed them a little expecting the owner to appear but he didn't but the dogs then followed us for maybe a mile or two despite us by then discouraging them as best we could. It culminated in one of them running into a road very nearly getting itself run over, whilst the lady driving the car glowered at me crossly shaking her head: "they're not my dogs" I mouthed to no avail. Finally I pointed back the way we came and sternly said "Go Home!" - and amazingly they did
 
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glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
I've found throwing a handful of my own shite at them puts them off attacking.
 
Read somewhere to "Ram the bike pump down it's throat". Not too sure if I would be brave enough. Chased uphill in Devon on my end to end trip, by a farm collie waiting in the gateway, my heart rate was pretty impressive when I got to the top of the hill. Not funny.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
The thing that works with nearly all dogs is get off the bike. This turns you from "prey" to be chased, to a friendly human to make friends with. Even in the unlikely event the dog is still somewhat hostile you can give "the look". Even non friendly farm dogs get the message. OK it might not be so clever if a pack of rotweiller guard dogs have escaped from the scrap yard but normal dogs, including working farm dogs will be fine
 
Been bitten a few times now, but as suggested, getting off the bike and showing you're not afraid works best, just gotta be quick enough.
On my morning walk I carry a piece of plastic pipe, and raise it at any dog that gets too close - they always scamper off.
I'm not a hater of dogs, think most are playful or inquisitive, but you do get the odd berserker now and then.
 

Foghat

Freight-train-groove-rider
"they're not my dogs"



I use different methods according to size, aggressiveness and damage potential of the dog in question - variously covered in the posts on this thread.

However, my favourite technique also happens to be the one that is most suited to deterring the most worrisome and threatening dogs that I encounter. And that is, assuming I can't out-run it, to stop, lay the bike down between us and then go completely bloody batsh1t-furious yelling-mental while waving my long aluminium-barrelled Topeak Master Blaster pump wildly above my head and pursuing said dodge in as menacing a manner as possible. Never actually connected pump with dodge - they've always turned tail and run when confronted this way. I concede it might not work with the most vicious fearless roaming guard dogs in the depths of rural Turkey or wherever, but I ain't never been in that situation.....yet.

er-Road-Frame-Pump-Internal-Silver-NotSet-TRMB5964.jpg
 
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Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Sometimes the case.
Like people :smile:
I was chased by two dogs on a rough dirt track in sardinia.
Though the surface was rough I tried to outrun them but failed.
One of the dogs was a bit of a big brute but gave up after a bit of playful running.
It was the small rat of a terrier which was never going to kill me which nevertheless decided to bite my ankles for no good reason.
I had to go and have a precautionary jab.
Beware small people and small dogs.
It is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog. Samuel Langhorne Clemens
 

Chromatic

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucestershire
I was sort of chased by a dog a couple of weeks ago. I was riding along minding my own business when as I rode past a house a little terrier came charging out barking at me but instead of going for me it just stayed on the pavement and ran alongside me for a couple of hundred yards before suddenly stopping, turning round and going back home. Once I realised It wasn't going to savage me I thought it was quite charming.
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
I was sort of chased by a dog a couple of weeks ago. I was riding along minding my own business when as I rode past a house a little terrier came charging out barking at me but instead of going for me it just stayed on the pavement and ran alongside me for a couple of hundred yards before suddenly stopping, turning round and going back home. Once I realised It wasn't going to savage me I thought it was quite charming.

I had a big black farm dog similarly befriend me in Spain last year.

It ran alongside me for several km - a bit worrying as it was on a twisty road under the trees and it was on the 'wrong' side of the road..
Rather selfishly I was hoping any oncoming traffic wasn't going to swerve into me to avoid the dog.

Maybe there isn't a international language of "Go home you dumb mutt"

I then had to try and explain in my bad Spanish to a little old lady that I met further up the road, that no this wasn't my dog, and I also didn't know how to get rid of it.


The dog wandered off in the end - probably disgusted at my inexpert linguistics..
 
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