Dogs--yet again

[beccaB]

One thing I would NOT do is give a dog treats when he comes out into the road. That would most likely teach him that it is appropriate behavior. There are animal protection laws everywhere in the US and it is no longer ok to have unsupervised dogs running around. Maybe some communities don't have the resources to deal with it, and being a dog lover myself I'd have a hard time turning somebody in to animal control. Ours here is extremely overzealous. What I might do if the opportunity arises is to talk to the owner from the perspective of a dog lover who has witnessed a dog getting run over by a car as he was coming out to meet me in the road. I've also gone up to the front door of a dog owner whose dog came out into the road and bit my husband, leaving a bruise. He was unaware of his dog being out there chasing us. I think it's just a matter of helping people see the light, especially since I am familiar with being investigated by animal control myself, and I had to work very hard to get out of trouble there, but that's another story.

[goldfinch]

One thing I would NOT do is give a dog treats when he comes out into the road. That would most likely teach him that it is appropriate behavior. .

I strongly disagree. I have done this and the dogs I was "training" quit chasing. Instead they wait expectantly. I was taught to do this by an animal behaviorist.

Sometimes it is far easier to train a dog than an owner. Where I am from people rarely confine their dogs and in the rural area I am not aware of any law that requires them to be confined.

[beccaB]

I strongly disagree. I have done this and the dogs I was "training" quit chasing. Instead they wait expectantly. I was taught to do this by an animal behaviorist.

Sometimes it is far easier to train a dog than an owner. Where I am from people rarely confine their dogs and in the rural area I am not aware of any law that requires them to be confined.

It does seem like there should be some freedoms from city rules in the rural areas, and I do observe people being more free with their dogs on their property in those areas. I don't necessarily agree with imposing strict animal control laws in the rural areas, but according to the way the law is written in surrounding areas here, there is no delineation. I have become somewhat of a student of this subject because my dog and I got into a situation that I had to spend a large amount of time in a courthouse to get the outcome that was fair to the situation. I participate in an online dog forum and this subject has come up numerous times. Many of the professional dog trainers discouraged people from using treats to keep loose dogs at bay. I have had some lengthy debates with our dog obedience trainer about how the expectations in communities have evolved. As a dog owner and a cyclist, I know I am being responsible with MY dog, but I would also have a hard time being on the receiving end of a dog attack and having to make a case of it with animal control.

[tiva]

Really interesting discussion--thanks for all the replies. I expect I'll continue to hop off the bike, because the neighboring dogs are all curious, not vicious. I do clicker training with my pit bulls, so who knows--maybe I'll bring hot dogs and a clicker along on my next ride and start training the one dog in particular who is bothering me. Or maybe I'll knock on the door and tell the owner how dangerous for the dog it is when the dog runs into the road.

[tulip]

The ones I worry about are the ones that don't bark. They're the ones who want to get close enough to bite and might get tangled up in the bike.

The barkers usually respond when I yell SIT! or NO! The non-barkers are not as common. I have successfully fended a few off with a well-aimed squirt from a water bottle; however, I have been cycling for decades and am very comfortable with my bike handling skills. Another person might not be comfortable doing that.

I've wondered if an air horn would work.

[Catrin]

The ones I worry about are the ones that don't bark. They're the ones who want to get close enough to bite and might get tangled up in the bike.

The barkers usually respond when I yell SIT! or NO! The non-barkers are not as common. I have successfully fended a few off with a well-aimed squirt from a water bottle; however, I have been cycling for decades and am very comfortable with my bike handling skills. Another person might not be comfortable doing that.

I've wondered if an air horn would work.

Yep, the one who took a bite out of my calf last April was a non-barker. Those air horns are huge, I've looked at them. I will go that route if I start having problems with dogs once I start bike-commuting to work.

[Catrin]

Maybe a big whistle?

That wouldn't have stopped the dog last year - I think it would have just pis*ed her off But that was an unusual situation I think.