Runners - need advice on dealing with dogs!

I would probably report them. I got bitten by someones dog here in the city. Pissed me the hell of. I wasn't running I was just walking on the sidewalk. He reached his head over the fence and bit my arm. It happened SO FAST. My son was running a few paces in front of me and the dog had been tracking him along the fence, didn't bark or act threatening. I reported it to animal control. The place where the dog bit me in the arm was the same height as my son's face. It could have been bad. They came by and asked what I wanted them to do and I told them I just want them to make sure the owners control their animal. I had no interest in the dog being hurt or punished. It was his owners problem not his.

No matter what route I run from my house, there are at least a few areas where there are sketchy dogs to contend with. In two places in particular, 2-5 dogs come at me on the road as I am running by, barking, growling, and sometimes chasing me...until this point I have squirted them with my water bottle or a couple of times thrown rocks, but I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for another method of getting them to back off. I am a little nervous using spray because with my luck it would get blown back into my face or something.

I always carry dog treats or crackers with me. It never fails to win dogs over if you start tossing treats at them!!

A friend of mine got bit while running while the owner was standing right there saying "Oh, she wont bite". It was a couple days before her first 5K, she was so mad. If a dog is really vicious I don't know how much throwing them a treat would help. I had a very big pit bull growl at me one day. I just turned around and went back the other way real fast. I don't go that way any more. I drive 4 miles to a trail and have never seen any dogs there.

If you have ever taken a dog obedience class, you know that you have to be the 'Alpha Male' . This means that when you sternly say go home, you may even have to walk towards them as well to be the dominant one. Most dogs will immediately hang their heads and turn around. If you begin to WALK away and the dog turns to follow, turn back toward the dog and order it again to go home- pointing and a few more steps towards them.

You can generally read the dog's posture too- if the tail is wagging and he is jumping and barking- he wants to play. You running, is playing to him and he wants to join in. Dogs with their heads low and hackels up are being defensive. Be sure to be extra stern with them and DONT corner them. Dogs instinctively want to please the dominant one and will follow commands if they feel they need to be submissive. This means you must be just as 'aggressive' with them if they appear to be threatening you.

Remember, you have to think like a dog...

I had a dog once I would chase for hours when he got out... took him to obedience class and learned it was the stupid owner causing all the issues. I was twice his size chasing and yelling at him- was he going to stop? Oh no- he was running for his life. The cure? Get the car, pull close to him and open the door- yell "lets go for a ride" and he was captured in seconds. Tail wagging and a happy owner!