Sometimes...

[smurfalicious]

I knew it was bound to happen, just wasn't planning on tonight. Tonight I went for a quick see how hard, and how long I can go ride because otherwise I had wasted the day. Well, as I pulled off the forest service roads onto the road home I met my first dog who meant business. Ironically, a black lab, the kind I tell my boyfriend only wants to come with. Well, the way this one was barking, and the way he was coming at me did not indicate he was up for some fun!

I was paniced, I had no clue what to do put pedal hard and pray. Then, all of a sudden I felt like that little girl in Nike ad. You know, the one where she goes into the spooky dilapadated house and comes bailing out a lean and long sprinter in a skin suit until she gets home and flops down with her back against the door. Yeah, that's how I felt, and the "You're faster than you think" tagline was so true.

That damn dog, I yelled and screamed at him, and used what was left in my lungs to get over the crest of the hill in the road know that if I got going downhill again I could get away. All this with the impossible rolling resistance of a brand new set of knobby MTB tired. Wow, is all I can say, what a freegin rush! I wanted so bad to unclip and kick him in the head, but that seemed like I was asking for it. Ugh, we've always had big dogs, German Shepherds, golden retrievers, and cattle dogs (blue heelers) but I tell you, if my dog ever did something like that, it would either have hell to pay or be a goner. My policy is that my dog chases your livestock or mames your chickens, shoot her. Ugh, people!

love and cookies
-smurf

[cathy]

Yikes! A lab?!? I share your frustrations. I was bit last January on the bike - the Nike ad didn't materialize fast enough. Good job by yelling at the dog - they say that helps sometimes. Glad you're ok! - You are ok, right?

Cathy

[bounceswoosh]

As a kid, I was always told not to run because it would engage the dog's chase-down instincts ... of course, that's easier said than done when a dog is barreling down on you.

Glad to hear you got away unscathed.

[emily_in_nc]

Interestingly, some of my worst dog encounters while riding have been with none other than black labs. Closest I've ever come to being bitten was a black lab who meant business, and there have been several who terrorized the h*ll out of me. I carry Halt pepper spray and don't hesitate to use it if they get too close and don't appear to be playing.

I'm not too fond of black labs any more.... :(

Emily

[smurfalicious]

Yikes! Black labs eh? I've never known a lab to be anything but a big doofy love bug, so it really spooked me! I mean, here I see this dog running along, and all of a sudden he's running faster and barking viciously. My friend's family bred labs, and a friend of mine breeds labradoodles. I'm a forestry student so I'm pretty used to being around friend's hunting dogs, so a mean lab was not something my brain processed well!

love and cookies
-smurf

[Irulan]

I was bitten by a black lab once.

~Irulan

[Cdalekat]

Funny, I do alot of work at an animal shelter, and I always avoid handling the labs if I have to. Usually they are poorly trained and jump on me... leaving bruises and scratches. :(

[KkAllez]

This is too weird, the dog that I spooked about and cycled blindly into an oncoming car was a black lab and he meant business. I grew up with one. I know they are cute but they are hard to train. I have German Shepherd and Blue Heeler and both are exceptionally well trained. Both are also exceptionally well contained on our property. Loose dogs just drive me nuts. The tiny ones I worry about getting caught between my spokes and the bigs ones just downright scare me.

Ironically, yesterday with a stiff cross wind and steep hill I was gutting out I got a rush of adrenalin that got me up and over by imagining that a house near the top of the hill had a black lab ready to eat me alive. It worked! (as far as I know those people don't even have a cat!!) So, if I ever need a boost all I have to think about is that big, black dog with white foaming teeth coming at my legs (not the tires, he was wanted flesh).

[iFKA]

I must share with you one of the tactics my boyfriend tought me, and is used for scaring the dogs. Instead of waiting for the dog to start runing after us, immediately as we see the unleashed dog without owner in the near by, we starts pedalling as fast as we can but not away from the dog, but toward him. The dog usually gets scared, because we are at least as twice as big as him and we show no fear an is in animal instict not to start atacking if he estimate that we are more powerful, so he runs away. I'm not sure it this would work for the black lab, but it's certainly proven for the other «normal» dogs.

I hope you've undrestood what I ment, cause my English is very bad. I've stop learnig it 4 years ago and since then forgot almost everything.

p.s.good luck with the dogs – to all of us:D

[Irulan]

Hi!!! your English is better than a lot of Americans...

Irulan

[mandigreene]

Well I'll avoid labs :) Lot of people had bad experiences huh? Well glad your ok...it's amazing what fear can drive you too...I remember being little and being chased by dogs...hmm...if they had training with dogs chasing everybody we'd all be pretty dang fast !! j/k hehe, glad u are unscathed!

mandi

[mandigreene]

New road biker and loving every bit of it...but I don't like speed...little afraid of wrecking hard...at my fastest I average about 27

[mandigreene]

I just accidently posted my reply for the wrecking thread...sorry