Dog Chasings...Advice?

[echidna]

If/when a dog situation gets up close and personal, stick your water bottle in its mouth!!! That gives them something to chew on, makes 'em feel like they've "won", and it doesn't require putting vinegar or anything nasty in a special doggie-defense-system water bottle.

[annie]

I live in Iowa, close to the Wis. border and ride in both states. There are farm dogs everywhere! You can't really go on a ride without getting chased by at least one dog. I used to carry pepper spray, but I'm just not coordinated enough to feel comfortable using it. I'm always afraid I'll end up spraying ME instead of the dog. NOT a good plan. Sometimes I'll spray them with whatever is in my water bottle, and that's usually enough to at least distract them long enough to ride out of their territory. But what seems to work the best is this - "STAY!" said authoritively, firmly and calmly. Do NOT let the dog know you are afraid.
"NO," is too undefined, I think. "Stay" tells the dog exactly what you want it to do. Works almost all the time.

Annie

[Miranda]

Excellent thoughts ladies. I actually went by my dog incident situation to get a better look, and the house is hidden in the curve corner (thus aiding in the sneak up factor) plus I could see how it got out... the people have a chain link fence, but their driveway goes thru it, with a double gate for a vehicle to go thru... it was wide open, as I assume it is a pain to shut it going in and out, thus how the dog is out. I say at my house with our dog, that the nice expensive fenced yard does absolutely no good if someone forgets to shut the gate. Yeah, I could also see me "pepper spraying myself"...maybe other squirt stuff would work, if I could get to it in time.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just a note: the little pepper spray cannister I got on Ebay has a flip-top that you have to flip up with your thumb to reach the red spray button- there is really no way to spray it at yourself accidentally because it sort of has to aim away from you to get your finger on the red button. I keep it bungee'd upright, right on my headtube where I can grab it quickly.

[annie]

Just a note: the little pepper spray cannister I got on Ebay has a flip-top that you have to flip up with your thumb to reach the red spray button- there is really no way to spray it at yourself accidentally because it sort of has to aim away from you to get your finger on the red button. I keep it bungee'd upright, right on my headtube where I can grab it quickly.

Have you ever had an occasion to use it, Lisa? And how well did it work, if you did?

Annie

[elk]

as a trainer and student of dog behavior...I would suggest:

Directly confronting a dog who is genuinely aggressive can be risky and
unless you feel pretty sure that you're able to "own the space" with a calm, and certain "knock it off" it might be a better idea to--as most of you already know-- get off, keep the bike between you, stay very calm, keep your SIDE to the dog, fake a yawn and move away slowly.

In other words, send calming signals and refuse to play chase me, or who can yell the loudest.

You guys are right about the chase...in 90% of the cases, nothing to chase, game's over.

And better to learn to read dog body language than rely on nose length...

elk

[RoadRaven]

I heard a rule of thumb that I thought was interesting:

long nose - fast running dog
short nose - slow running dog

So in theory you could decide whether to stop and confront a dog based on the type of dog. Many dogs you just won't beat because they run too fast, the stop and confront is probably better and getting thrown off your bike. Dog that don't run that fast you might get rid of easily....

Any confirmation of that somewhat dubious theory?

I don't know if this is true, Grog, but the theory doeas make sense to me...

Short-nosed dogs (I'm thinking the shortest - pugs, bull dogs and so on) often have breathing problems, and the shorter the nose, I imagine less air is breathed in/out and that the nose is less efficient in getting oxygen in and CO2 out.

Long nosed dogs are made to run - greyhounds, some hounds, huskies, malamutes...

I think a combination of long nose and long legs would be the hardest to outrun...

[elk]

also short nose --technical term: brachycephalic-- goes with muscular stocky build....more inclined to grab and hold than chase.

an interesting side note :fyi.....the more wolflike the head and face, the more "mature" and predatory the dog...Border collies are using predator technique to herd sheep.... Hunting dogs who actually kill the game as opposed to finding and retrieving it...like sighthounds, whippets, Salukis, greyhounds have very long jaws, as do most terriers. Chase. But this doesn't mean they are the most likely to inflict alot of damage, although they could knock you down.


The more infantilized (sp?) the head shape (think labs/ goldens) IOW, the more puppy like the head stays (blocky/drop eared) the more likely you'll get mouthy behaviors (playful, like to carry things...retrieve).

But a dog is a dog, and at one point more dog bites were inflicted by cocker spaniels than any other breed.

[elk]

Don't mean to sound like an old Know it all...but breed history and psychology is my subject...

A GREAT book on dog body language and communication, also a great read, is The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. Even if you just pick it up and look at the pictures, you'll learn a lot.

[Tuckervill]

I LOVE Patricia McConnell (Calling all Pets on NPR).

Some cocker spaniels are the devil's spawn. lol.

Karen

[SouthernBelle]

With my Halt in the holder on the bars, I feel in no danger of spraying myself. Used it just this morning.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Have you ever had an occasion to use it, Lisa? And how well did it work, if you did?

Annie

I have not needed to use it yet. Had it in my hand a couple times, though!

I did test it out on my lawn when I first got it, so I would know how the spray pattern was, etc.

So far, every time I hop off my bike and do the deep "GO HOME!" confrontation command, each dog has stopped in it's tracks and become ashamed before it got too close. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[musicalmarf]

My biker Dad taught me how to yell at them. Timing is everything. When the dog gets about 10 feet away, yell out a very fierce, low, ferocious "YYYYaaahh!" Begin the yell very suddenly and percussively. Don't be one bit civilized nor lady-like. Translated, the yell should mean, "Get away from me, dog, before I rip your stinkin' gizzard out!'" The dog will invariably jump and reverse his direction! I haven't be bitten yet, nor have I really had to rip out any gizzards. It does make my throat sore for a mile or so!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My biker Dad taught me how to yell at them. Timing is everything. When the dog gets about 10 feet away, yell out a very fierce, low, ferocious "YYYYaaahh!" Begin the yell very suddenly and percussively. Don't be one bit civilized nor lady-like. Translated, the yell should mean, "Get away from me, dog, before I rip your stinkin' gizzard out!'" The dog will invariably jump and reverse his direction! I haven't be bitten yet, nor have I really had to rip out any gizzards. It does make my throat sore for a mile or so!

Do you think I could scare them off with my yodeling if I'm really loud?
(seems to work with people, anway....)

[froglegs]

Short-nosed dogs (I'm thinking the shortest - pugs, bull dogs and so on) often have breathing problems, and the shorter the nose, I imagine less air is breathed in/out and that the nose is less efficient in getting oxygen in and CO2 out.

I guess it depends on what the definition of "short" is. I have a boxer, they are generally short-nosed and are not allowed on many airlines because of it. I don't know how long my dog could keep up a chase at his maximum speed, but he is SO incredibly fast, I doubt it would matter. But once he got there, he probably wouldn't do anything except maybe cut you off. Anyway, our gate is always closed.