HALT! animal repellent

[rij73]

Very well said Cari! I was trying to figure out how to say something like that, but you did it eloquently.

Sandra, your dogs are adorable! They definitely seem to rule the house. Not to hijack, but here's mine:

[sandra]

Yours is pretty relaxed too! Cute!

I doubt I'll ever use the spray on dogs. We don't really have a problem with dogs. We ride the rails to trails and over the years we have had several incidents of reported attacks by people, not dogs. I hope I never use it at all, BUT, if I'm every by myself, I'll feel better being prepared whether I ever use it or not. There is a tunnel area that is particularly scary.

[Scarlet]

What kinda dogs do you have that are out and out to chase you all???
Most of the roads and lanes i cycle have dogs but they are usually in gardens and if on the public places have to be on a lead.
occaisonally i have cycled thru a farm and had a dog chase me but i think i would not spray them its a bit harsh.... serious do the dogs bite you???

[KSH]

What kinda dogs do you have that are out and out to chase you all???
Most of the roads and lanes i cycle have dogs but they are usually in gardens and if on the public places have to be on a lead.
occaisonally i have cycled thru a farm and had a dog chase me but i think i would not spray them its a bit harsh.... serious do the dogs bite you???

I have read stories of being being nipped out while riding.

Although, that's not what is scary. What is scary is the horrible WRECK that a dog under a wheel can cause.

Yes, the might be playful and nice... and just having fun... but they could cause you to have a very serious accident. Just think, there you are with a demolished bike and broken bones on the side of the road. The dog isn't so cute anymore.

I personally just get water in my mouth or my water bottle ready when I see a loose dog. A little water sends them off on their way.

My Uncle did have an aggressive one on his country roads though... and he did the cayane (? spelling) pepper in the water bottle trick. It only took once.

[RolliePollie]

Actually, it's Triple SSS, at least for me:

1. Swear
2. Spray
3. Sprint

No measley Triple S for me! Oh no, it's always the Quadruple S:

1. Scream
2. Swear
3. Spray
4. Sprint

Many times I add in extra screams for dramatic effect.

My scariest dog encounter was with a Rottweiler because I really think there was the potential for death (mine!). Second scariest was an Australian Shepherd because he was trying to bite my legs and back tire. Third scariest was a terrier because of the potential for a nasty crash. All three of these were within two days and I didn't hit any of them with my pepper spray (I was too terrified to think of grabbing it!). I'm hoping my quota is up for a while. It doesn't help that I'm scared of dogs in general.

[Cari]

Thanks for the support, rij.

Sandra, I'm glad to hear you were using it for personal safety -- sounds like you have the right idea.

Scarlet: Several times it's *looked* like the dog would try to bite me, but like I said, they just licked my leg. I've come across dogs along farms and narrow, winding mountain roads which are steep enough so that a quick getaway would be unlikely. Which is probably while I had to learn to deal with them. Fortunately, people who have truly dangerous dogs *usually* keep them confined.

I did encounter an aggressive-looking chow chow once while mountain biking. It was sort of scary because I was alone, and the trail winds around a lot, so if I'd kept going, he could have easily cut through the brush and reached me. So I calmly got off my bike while I was still at a safe distance, grabbed a water bottle, stood facing the dog, and put the bike between him and me. I kept track of Mr. Chow but pretended ignore him while I sipped some water. This went on for 5 or 10 seconds until he lost interest, turned around and walked away.

KSH: You're right, there's definite potential there for a wreck. That's partly why (unless the dog is very, very far away) I usually slow down instead of speeding up. Once I let them catch up, dogs will usually run alongside me at a safe distance, not toward me.

I actually had a close call once with a *cat* who seemed to think that he could outrun me. When I slowed down, he jumped right across my path and gave me a nice scare. What a nut.

[SouthernBelle]

I was nipped in June, so yes they will get you. Sometimes they do just want to run with you. I have an ankle-biter sized dog that regularly likes to chase me on one route. I miss him when he's not there.

As to chows, there was one that would come charging down from his home up on a hill, sounding like he was going to eat me up. I shout out, "Hello Puppy!" He sits down. Too funny.

[Dogmama]

Sometimes dogs are just jazzed by our feet turning on the pedals. It's hard to know, unless you are experienced in reading dogs. I even get surprised sometimes at the dog parks.

I have a funny cat story (thread hijack warning). Post surgery, I had to walk. I would walk up my street and the neighborhood cat would join me. He had a self-proscribed boundary. If I ventured beyond his boundary, he would grab my leg with his teeth & claws until I turned around. He is also the kind of cat that doesn't move for cars. He lays there & looks up like "So go around me!" Thankfully, this is a very quiet cul-de-sac and everybody knows about "Grey Cat."

[emily_in_nc]

What kinda dogs do you have that are out and out to chase you all??? Most of the roads and lanes i cycle have dogs but they are usually in gardens and if on the public places have to be on a lead.
occaisonally i have cycled thru a farm and had a dog chase me but i think i would not spray them its a bit harsh.... serious do the dogs bite you???

Consider yourself very lucky to live in such a civilized place! I live in the rural southeastern US, where it's quite common for folks to let their dogs run wild, even where leash laws exist. One dog is usually not a problem. You can usually either outrun them or stop and walk your bike slowly past. It's more often the groups of two or more dogs that egg each other on and can "double team" you, one running on each side of you. Or they get smart and figure out how to cut you off from the side. They are sometimes barking and growling, sometimes just running like wild. Some are simply frisky and playful, but there are definitely those that are very territorial and would love to bite at your ankles if given a chance. It's not always possible to tell which is which as they approach you very quickly!

After having two large dogs run out at me in the road and cause me to fall, breaking my pelvis in three places two years ago, I take precautions. I go for my air horn first, as that is usually enough to dissuade them, but I wouldn't hesitate to spray a dog with Halt pepper spray if s/he were harrassing me and were close enough to get good aim. It causes no permanent injury to the dog, but might save my skin (or bones!)

I love dogs, have had two in my adult life, but dogs that chase bikes are no friends of mine.

Emily

[Flybye]

I find this thread very interesting. I too, carry pepper spray and wouldn't hesitate to use it, if need be.

The main reason that I find this thread interesting is because of and incident that happened at my house the other day. Pardon the hijack...

I was out watering my flowers enjoying the nice summer morning.... la la la, flowers, bees, sunshine, etc. I had just returned from a lovely morning ride...

My weim, the one in my avatar, is extremely well trained. We've had her in 3 obedience classes plus agility. She is two years old and the nicest dog I have ever had. She is fantastic with the kids. I would call her skiddish, nowhere near agressive.

Anyhow, she was in the front yard with me and a jogger went by the front and she took off running and barking. No concern for me, as this is normal for a dog to do. I figured she'd come back as soon as she got the barking out of her system. I said good morning to the jogger and said "don't worry, she's a big chicken, all bark and no bite"................ my dog proceeded to nip her on the rump.

Profuse apologies. The jogger was fine. I was disappointed in my dog and really confused. What the $#@1**&&$% just happened??

Anyhow, I feel like
#1 - I would be HAPPY if someone would spray my dog with some cayenne, etc, so that she wouldn't feel the need to chase the next jogger down. Part of training.

By the way, we almost always have her in the backyard, but with kids, etc. she does get out. I am not so relaxed after this incident with letting her out front.

#2 - I think that if the jogger would have STOPPED and let my dog sniff her for a second, the nip would not have happened.

This was one of those AAHHHHHAA moments for me as a cyclist/pet owner. Dogs still have that prey instinct in them, even if they are domesticated and WELL TRAINED. It runs, they chase. I now stop when I see a dog out of the yard, let it approach me, and move on my merry way. I have the pepper spray handy in case the dog isn't friendly. I feel like I have more of a chance against a dog with pepper spray if I am standing than cycling anyhow. I don't think I could successfully spray a dog in motion, let alone manage to spray downwind. Ouch!

This has worked so well for me, I thought I would pass it on. I also love the idea of water in the mouth from the water bottle. I hadn't even thought of that one

Does this look like a beast to you??

[Zen]

The amount of coordination needed to get the spray out and aim it at the dog would result in me crashing more than it would spraying the dog.

I read somewhere to carry dog biscuits and throw them at the dog

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Flybye,
I know your dog is well loved and very well trained....but....
Yes we never know when our dog will do something unexpected. They are animals after all. Now your dog has bitten someone and may likely do so again even though he is a generally well behaved dog.
I knew a man who had two "very friendly" lab-type dogs who had the habit of leaping up at people who were merely walking away slowly and nipping them on the butt. My girlfriend had a huge purple bruise from this right through her jeans, and found out that his dogs did this to other people as well. Yet he kept saying they were "real friendly dogs". This happened at HER house, by the way- I can't believe he was taking his dogs visiting after this having happened before!

As pet owners we have to take responsibility for our pets whether on or off our property. No matter how well trained a dog is, it should never be allowed to chase people down public roads barking at them. Joggers and bicyclists, joggers with baby strollers, rollerbladers, etc, should be able to travel on public roads without being chased by loose barking dogs. People on the road have no way of knowing whether a dog coming at them will bite- they must assume it will. It's a scary feeling when a big dog is running towards you barking. We all need to be responsible keeping our dogs on our property and prevent them from chasing people down the road.

I don't mean to pick on you in particular, or accuse you since this was a first occurence. I am just giving my opinion in general about dogs on the road.

[Flybye]

LisaSH,
I totally agree with the responsibility issue. I generally (read 99.9%) of the time have a shock collar on her when she is out front with us b/c the neighbors have chickens and she is, after all, just a dog. There is no way I could call the best trained dog off of a chicken chase. I would say that in a given month, she is out with us once and sneaks out with the kids about 3 times. We have 23 kids on our block and my house is the hang out central. It is quite a blessing, however, I don't know how many times I have had to remind them "shut the door" "shut the door" "shut the door" . We live at the end of a dead end street and so joggers are a rarety (read one jogger or walker every other month or so).

Anywhooo, she had never done anything like this before, hence my surprise and my vigilance about keeping her in the back yard. I totally agree with you about dogs being a responsibility. It angers me to see them running at large, not being cared for.

I just want to make the point that just because a dog runs at you and barks doesn't mean that it is vicious. It is just doing what dogs do - being a dog. I have found it WAY more beneficial to stop and say hi to the dog than keep going. I have, I am sure, avoided dog nips on the heels by doing just that - stopping.

I don't feel picked on by you Lisa, because I already know that I am a responsible dog owner. No worries!!

We share the same opinion about dogs on the road. Keep them inside or fenced.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just want to make the point that just because a dog runs at you and barks doesn't mean that it is vicious. It is just doing what dogs do - being a dog. I have found it WAY more beneficial to stop and say hi to the dog than keep going. I have, I am sure, avoided dog nips on the heels by doing just that - stopping.

I don't feel picked on by you Lisa, because I already know that I am a responsible dog owner. No worries!!

I'm glad you are not offended.

I agree with you about stopping your bike when a dog comes running. There is really no way I can out pedal a running dog unless I'm flying downhill. I stop my bike when I see one coming, get off and swing the bike between us, grab my pepper spray off my handlebars just in case, and then when the dog is about 12 feet from me I use my most commanding deep loud voice and say NO!-GO HOME!! GO HOME!! and point back to where they are coming from. I try to look big and authoritative. Might need to throw in a BAD DOG if they hesitate. This routine stops the dog in its tracks every time I have used it (about 6 times now, maybe just lucky so far?) and usually the dog seems ashamed, confused, and embarrassed and slinks off back home. It's the best thing to do I can think of, and it seems to work well for me so far.

If I threw dog biscuits I'd be training every dog for miles around to chase bikes-

[Zen]

If I threw dog biscuits I'd be training every dog for miles around to chase bikes-

Instead of the ice cream man you'd be the Dog Biscuit Woman. I can hear the familiar music now as dogs dash out their front doors with quarters in their teeth and notes tucked into their collars....