Dog!

[abecedarian]

Ok, I'm a newbie...a very GREEN newbie. I'm working up to a five mile ride, that's how new. Husband challenged me to go riding up and down our dirt road while he's at work...tried to do that this morning and was doing just fine til the neighbor's Mastiff came out and went ballistic. Usually when we walk, at most he'll come out and see who we are, then turn around and go back to his yard. Not this time. He lunged at my left leg and ran off when I yelled at him. As I got to the end of our road to turn around and saw my own dog was with me, so I thought maybe she'd run interference for me. Instead, he ignored her completely and attacked me again, this time biting my right calf and breaking the skin. I'm a dog lover from way back, but I didn't hesitate to call animal control. They'll be out here shortly to pick up 'Deuce' and have me fill out a report. I'm getting a tetnus shot from my doc this afternoon unless they call back to work me in sooner. Ouch!

[Biciclista]

next time, can you get off the bike and put the bike between you and the bad dog??
Sorry to hear that you were bitten!!!
welcome to TE...

[abecedarian]

Is dog spray very effective against a huge dog like this one? I'm just glad he was happy with one chomp, and that it wasn't my ten year old. The dog would have knocked him down like he nearly pitched me off.

[beccaB]

I wish people would exercise more control over their dogs. All but the most gentlest lazy dogs should be watched over carefully by their owners if there is not a gate or effective fencing method. I never let my dog outside without my direct supervision. It just burns me that people are so irresponsible with an animal that has the potential to cause great injury. One day while on a long ride a dog ran out into the road to "greet" me and I saw it get run over by a car. I saw the front tires go over that dogs body. It lived but I was traumatized!

[Biciclista]

spray isn't such a great idea on a bike. Best to get down off bike (quit looking like prey)
put bike in front of you between you and dog. You can use it to block dog. say:"Bad dog! go home! "
"lay down!" whatever commands you can use to let the dog know you're not a deer.

Now, other people use waterbottles and can spray the dog with water, also, pumps are good batons to hit dog with.

I am not that good of a rider to be able to do that kind of stuff and stay on the bike.

[Catrin]

First of all, I am sorry to hear this happened to you. I had a similar experience earlier this summer with a pit bull mix :(

How bad is the bite? Was it a full double-tap bite or more of a broken skin problem? If it is the former then you should at least have your doctor clean it well, I had quite a problem with getting mind to heal.

I've decided against spray since it doesn't sound all that effective and it matters which way the wind blows. What I need to get is an Airzound (http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound-Bike-Horn/dp/B000ACAMJC)...

Don't let this put you off, I must admit that I am more nervous than I once was about dogs, but I still ride. Now, however, when I see someone walking an unleashed dog I am more likely to just stop my bike and let them get by before continuing.

[abecedarian]

While I'd still call this a simple bite, since it's not too deep, it is definately a double tap. The animal control officers said he ran from them and tried to cover another neighbor's cocker spaniel who was in heat. I never saw the smaller dog today; I'm sure 'Duece' thought I was there to cause trouble with his 'intended'. The officers shot him with a tranquilizer, but he ran off anyway; they spent 45 minutes trying to find him after that. We live out in the county, where there's plenty of open fields a tawny dog could hide in. I'm going to my doc here in a few minutes to have it looked at and to get a tetnus booster.

[Catrin]

It is true the dog thought you were a prey animal though. Definitely stop, get bike between you, and act authoritative if it ever happens again.

I've been told this is less likely to work for a small number of breeds, pit-bulls and pit-bull mixes in particular. Is there anything to this, does anyone know?

[Owlie]

I'd imagine it depends on the dog. I've met quite placid pit-mixes, and some batsh!t insane members of "gentle" breeds. But looking and sounding like a human rather than "I don't know what this is. Maybe I can eat it!" goes a long way with most dogs.

I'm sorry you were bitten, OP. People really should keep their animals under control.

[marni]

another thing you should absolutely do is contact the owner, if you know them, or can and get proff from them that the dogs rabies vaccination is up to date. If the owner has proof then you can feel pretty safe, if the owner can't prove recent rabies vacinnation the dog can be held in quarantine for a specified time to see if the rabies develops. of course by the time they figure this out from the dog, you are probably going to be past the prophylactic (preventitive) treatment.

If the dog is safe, no problem, other than the trauma to the dog in being quarantined, If it turns out otherwise, well, they at least have a place to start and can autopsy the dead dogs brain to determine strain etc.

just saying.....

As far as I am concerned, all states should have a law requiring rabies for all domestic pets, not only for the protection of the animals, but owners and others as well.

just sayin.

heal fast

[Catrin]

Edit: when I read about your dog bite earlier this summer, I thought what you did sounded about right. May have worked better to stay and take charge of the situation, but its owner was there and it was biting you. Possibly being protective? I'd want to get out of there, because it was probably something hinky in the dog/owner relationship that caused the bite to begin with.

Thanks for this Murienn, I did what felt right at the time, but have wondered about my approach. I know next to nothing about dogs, haven't had one since I was 8 years old...

[abecedarian]

I just talked to Pooch's owner. He called to apologize, after calling up and down the street to track me down. Animal Control wouldn't give him my name, which I can understand and appreciate. Anyway, Pooch's shots ARE up to date, and he's now in quarantine with his own vet, and will be neutered before returning home. Owner also assured me that he will be installing a shock fence to keep him on his property. This is good, as Pooch tends to view the yard to his north as his land too. This as much as I can ask for at this point. I hope the shock fence is effective; some dogs learn to tolerate the moment's pain to gain their freedom. Since this pooch usually doesn't range far anyway, this might work for him. If not, they'd need a real fence. However, next time I ride after my leg is better....I'll have my water bottle ready to squirt him if he gets too close:p

[bmccasland]

A couple of treats couldn't hurt either. Throw them behind him.

A thought: walk by his yard while pushing your bike. Make sure you are wearing your helmet and sunglasses. Call out to him, give treats. After the dog is calm, get up on the bike. Talk to him. Get down. Push. Evaluate situation. Get on bike and ride slowly for a few feet. Get off. Push... So introduce the idea of 'bike' to doggie. Let him see it is you on the bike. Then when you go by quickly in the future, you should be safe calling out to the dog and slowing to a stop so his doggie-brain figures it out. (If it seems like it won't work, don't actually get on the bike the first time. But be prepared to take it slow and wait).

And if the owner walks his dog, could you go along with and walk beside or in front? (Never behind, that will make the dog more dominant). Only if the owner has good control on walks though, and knows how to handle the pooch. (Owner shouldn't walk behind, you may lose before you start if the dog is in charge of the owner, stay away then).

Seems like this "intro to wheel thing" was something I saw Ceasar Milan do on an episode of Dog Whisperer. Subject doggie was freaking out from kid on skate board or something - and after a certain amount of trials, walk-bys, and working with the fearful dog it worked. Dog does not see "human on bike," it's little brain sees a strange thing that needs to be controlled.

[Ritamarie]

A question about loose dogs who run out into the road... do you call animal control even if you have no major incident?

[abecedarian]

Well, it's been 8 months since neighbor pup went nuts. I haven't seen him much since then, so I thought they'd put in a shock fence. Found out last night he's a free bird when he's outside. This time my husband was riding with me, and while every other neighbor dog on the street was out in force(looked just like a block party for dogs!), Big Dog is the only one who acted aggressive. I yelled at him as he lunged and he backed off. On the way back, dh had his pepper spray ready, but the owner had pulled in and the dog was back inside. After telling this to one of my daughters, she told me that two days before, when she was out in our yard with my granddaughters(22 mos and 3 mos) this dog came up to them to investigate the little girls. Ava usually calls all four legged critters 'doggy' but she called this one 'horse'!