Hazard of jogging. What to do when

Well I am always prepared with water, blistex and pepper spray when I go for a jog. But when a puppy follows you home what can you do. I tried not to pay any attention to it, but I think it knew I was a dog person and followed me and my daughter the last half of our jog home. It was so cute, jogged like a pro! Of course we made flyers and ended up just now having the owner come and get the dog, but it took a lot of effort putting up flyers and not to mention making them up with a picture and everything. I could have spent my time better doing things I needed to get done.
Does anyone have a sure fire way to not have a dog follow you short of shooting it with pepper spray. I really wish people made a better effort of keeping the dog in the yard. I have a feeling (from what he said) it happens a lot. Why don't they fix it? I have three dogs myself and we would never let that happen. If there is a spot they can get out or fit through, fix it! It is so dangerous to let them get out., not just to the runner, but to the dog. I have sprayed a couple dogs that have scared me, and I always feel guilty after.

Replies

  • Well I am always prepared with water, blistex and pepper spray when I go for a jog. But when a puppy follows you home what can you do. I tried not to pay any attention to it, but I think it knew I was a dog person and followed me and my daughter the last half of our jog home. It was so cute, jogged like a pro! Of course we made flyers and ended up just now having the owner come and get the dog, but it took a lot of effort putting up flyers and not to mention making them up with a picture and everything. I could have spent my time better doing things I needed to get done.
    Does anyone have a sure fire way to not have a dog follow you short of shooting it with pepper spray. I really wish people made a better effort of keeping the dog in the yard. I have a feeling (from what he said) it happens a lot. Why don't they fix it? I have three dogs myself and we would never let that happen. If there is a spot they can get out or fit through, fix it! It is so dangerous to let them get out., not just to the runner, but to the dog. I have sprayed a couple dogs that have scared me, and I always feel guilty after.
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
    I used to have two dogs that loved to escape. No matter what hole in the fence/ground/etc. you fixed, they would want to get out and explore. When my Grams died, I had to find new homes for them, and so far haven't heard of any problems.

    Sometimes it's a combination of two dogs and the strange needs to explore, sometimes it's one dog intisgating, sometimes it's a bad owner.

    As for your want to have no more followers.....good luck! My brother always attracted dogs when riding his bike, and cats seem to seek me out on my walks.

    :flowerforyou: But you did such a great thing finding his owner! :flowerforyou:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    I hate stray dogs--not that it's their fault but the dumb owners. Try having a vicious dog came flying at you when you're zipping along at 13-14 miles an hour on a bicycle and then the dang thing crosses right in front of your tire in it's attempt to bite you!

    Since I've been riding my bike, I've been chased pretty much every day. One day it was 2 pit bulls and they might have gotten to me if a car had not come along and got in their way. Today, it was 3 dogs that I knew they lived in this house--they have chased me before (see dumb dog in 1st paragraph!) but the last few weeks I haven't seen them. Well... today I'm zipping by their house and here they come! Today, I resorted to my pepper spray. I'm hoping they'll think twice next time.

    I'd call animal control but I know that it's a joke around here--they've got 2 part-time people who do no law enforcing at all, so I'll not bother.

    Edit-I should add that I've read a suggestion to use an air horn--that is supposed to scare them but I have my doubts.
  • ali106
    ali106 Posts: 3,754 Member
    awww that is sooo cute!!!

    I really don't know...but I steer clear of dogs when I'm running...if possible....because you never know....ya know LOL

    I love dogs too, but I am terrified of a loose say pit bull.....which I've encountered a few times....with my child in his jogger....talk about being scared....one time he followed a bit, and I was freakin' out cuz I had nothing to protect us, and was ready to cover my son if he decided to attack ...and then I just walked and then crossed the street and he got side tracked......phew! lol

    pepper spray is good to have on hand for something like that....but w/ a friendly puppy....awww how could one even attempt too LOL....you just have to let him I suppose LOL....you guys are great for the posters etc...!

    hugs!
    Ali
  • mholmes
    mholmes Posts: 949 Member
    awww that is sooo cute!!!

    I really don't know...but I steer clear of dogs when I'm running...if possible....because you never know....ya know LOL

    I love dogs too, but I am terrified of a loose say pit bull.....which I've encountered a few times....with my child in his jogger....talk about being scared....one time he followed a bit, and I was freakin' out cuz I had nothing to protect us, and was ready to cover my son if he decided to attack ...and then I just walked and then crossed the street and he got side tracked......phew! lol

    pepper spray is good to have on hand for something like that....but w/ a friendly puppy....awww how could one even attempt too LOL....you just have to let him I suppose LOL....you guys are great for the posters etc...!

    hugs!
    Ali


    I have a pit and the only crime he'd be guilty of is licking you to death and then falling asleep at your feet. BUT I agree stray dogs can be very dangerous. I'd say short of pepper spraying every dog that follows you (which how often can it REALLY happen?), it may just take the same thing the next time - flyers, waiting, and being the great person that I think you are for doing what you did. :flowerforyou:
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
    awww that is sooo cute!!!

    I really don't know...but I steer clear of dogs when I'm running...if possible....because you never know....ya know LOL

    I love dogs too, but I am terrified of a loose say pit bull.....which I've encountered a few times....with my child in his jogger....talk about being scared....one time he followed a bit, and I was freakin' out cuz I had nothing to protect us, and was ready to cover my son if he decided to attack ...and then I just walked and then crossed the street and he got side tracked......phew! lol

    pepper spray is good to have on hand for something like that....but w/ a friendly puppy....awww how could one even attempt too LOL....you just have to let him I suppose LOL....you guys are great for the posters etc...!

    hugs!
    Ali


    I have a pit and the only crime he'd be guilty of is licking you to death and then falling asleep at your feet. BUT I agree stray dogs can be very dangerous. I'd say short of pepper spraying every dog that follows you (which how often can it REALLY happen?), it may just take the same thing the next time - flyers, waiting, and being the great person that I think you are for doing what you did. :flowerforyou:

    Ditto on the pit. I have two that will maul you with lovin's before they would ever bite you. And when you get right down to it, it's pretty cruel to spray a dog unless it's causing you harm.

    Best bet is to stay calm. It may interrupt your run a bit, but slowing to a walk may be a safe idea too. If a dog thinks it's a game of chase, they're more likely to keep coming at you and may get rough.
  • ali106
    ali106 Posts: 3,754 Member
    awww that is sooo cute!!!

    I really don't know...but I steer clear of dogs when I'm running...if possible....because you never know....ya know LOL

    I love dogs too, but I am terrified of a loose say pit bull.....which I've encountered a few times....with my child in his jogger....talk about being scared....one time he followed a bit, and I was freakin' out cuz I had nothing to protect us, and was ready to cover my son if he decided to attack ...and then I just walked and then crossed the street and he got side tracked......phew! lol

    pepper spray is good to have on hand for something like that....but w/ a friendly puppy....awww how could one even attempt too LOL....you just have to let him I suppose LOL....you guys are great for the posters etc...!

    hugs!
    Ali


    I have a pit and the only crime he'd be guilty of is licking you to death and then falling asleep at your feet. BUT I agree stray dogs can be very dangerous. I'd say short of pepper spraying every dog that follows you (which how often can it REALLY happen?), it may just take the same thing the next time - flyers, waiting, and being the great person that I think you are for doing what you did. :flowerforyou:

    Ditto on the pit. I have two that will maul you with lovin's before they would ever bite you. And when you get right down to it, it's pretty cruel to spray a dog unless it's causing you harm.

    Best bet is to stay calm. It may interrupt your run a bit, but slowing to a walk may be a safe idea too. If a dog thinks it's a game of chase, they're more likely to keep coming at you and may get rough.

    don't get me wrong I grew up w/ three dogs at once and have one now...that is histerical and looks like benji....I love them....and my best friend has a big beauty of a pit that lays down w/ her and my sons while watching tv....still....when you're w/ your child...and you see a lone dog, that stops and stares...and starts to follow you...and he's big one....you freak LOL...
    and you wish you had pepper spray...just ....in....case! lol

    hugs!
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
    awww that is sooo cute!!!

    I really don't know...but I steer clear of dogs when I'm running...if possible....because you never know....ya know LOL

    I love dogs too, but I am terrified of a loose say pit bull.....which I've encountered a few times....with my child in his jogger....talk about being scared....one time he followed a bit, and I was freakin' out cuz I had nothing to protect us, and was ready to cover my son if he decided to attack ...and then I just walked and then crossed the street and he got side tracked......phew! lol

    pepper spray is good to have on hand for something like that....but w/ a friendly puppy....awww how could one even attempt too LOL....you just have to let him I suppose LOL....you guys are great for the posters etc...!

    hugs!
    Ali


    I have a pit and the only crime he'd be guilty of is licking you to death and then falling asleep at your feet. BUT I agree stray dogs can be very dangerous. I'd say short of pepper spraying every dog that follows you (which how often can it REALLY happen?), it may just take the same thing the next time - flyers, waiting, and being the great person that I think you are for doing what you did. :flowerforyou:

    Ditto on the pit. I have two that will maul you with lovin's before they would ever bite you. And when you get right down to it, it's pretty cruel to spray a dog unless it's causing you harm.

    Best bet is to stay calm. It may interrupt your run a bit, but slowing to a walk may be a safe idea too. If a dog thinks it's a game of chase, they're more likely to keep coming at you and may get rough.

    don't get me wrong I grew up w/ three dogs at once and have one now...that is histerical and looks like benji....I love them....and my best friend has a big beauty of a pit that lays down w/ her and my sons while watching tv....still....when you're w/ your child...and you see a lone dog, that stops and stares...and starts to follow you...and he's big one....you freak LOL...
    and you wish you had pepper spray...just ....in....case! lol

    hugs!

    Know whatcha mean!! I'm just thinking there may be a more humane way of keeping them away. Even if it is noisy as all heck!!

    Not judging, just thinking out loud. :happy:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Pepper spray doesn't harm dogs. In fact, it's usually fairly useless against them unless you get it right in their eyes or in their throats--which means you have to be VERY close to them at that point. The stuff that is available to the public is fairly weak--effective against humans but not so against dogs.

    What it does do is to scare them more than anything--the sound and the smell are very unfamiliar and frightens them (hopefully because if you're using it, then you probably need to use it!).

    5 years experience as an animal control officer to back this up. So when I decide to use pepper spray--which has been just once so far while riding my bike--I feel I have enough experience to distinguish between a dog just being "territorial" and a dog who will bite if it can get to me.
  • ali106
    ali106 Posts: 3,754 Member
    hmmm maybe I'll run w/ a blow horn LOL.....
    thanks!
    hugs,
    Ali
  • Well thanks for all the tips, I didn't mean to make a controversy. It is funny, because this puppy was a Pit Bull, when I first saw it I nudged my daughter and said watch out and then we could see it was still young. But my best friend has one, and even more so why I would not own one. They are so strong!
    But I did pepper spray a dog once really good (not a pit) and because he or she was coming strait at me I actually got a strait shot into its eyes. I sware he wanted to eat me. I could see the look in his eyes as I was doing it and it will never forget that look. As I ran back by the house later, the owner was rinsing the dogs eyes out with the hose. He looked at me like I did something wrong, but really it was his fault, leaving dogs out front without supervision.
    I will check into the bull horn though, sounds like a great idea and I can do it from a distance and use it to keep the ones from following that may be close to thier own home.
    Thanks again!:smokin:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Most dogs will respond to a deep as you can make it--loud as you can make it--yell to "go home" or NO!" And, I mean, loud, deep, and angry! that's why the airhorn might work on some dogs.

    If that doesn't work, you could try raising your hand like you're going throw something--that might psyche them out.

    But it the dog is determined to attack, not much can be done except get something--anything--between you and the dog and hit it with whatever you can get your hands on! At that point, don't worry about hurting the dog, worry about protecting yourself and/or child.

    Oh, and if you do get bitten, CALL ANIMAL CONTROL! Rabies is 100% fatal--so don't take chances.
  • psuastro97
    psuastro97 Posts: 125
    if you want to make their owner actually resolve the problem - call animal control too. if the dog has a microchip, they can easily find the owners. and if there is a license they should be able to tie that to the owner. also, if you do the flyers, you can then just tellt he owner the dog is with animal control.

    animal control will find the owner and then make them fix the hole in the fence or whatever allowed the dog to get out in the first place!

    i absolutely love dogs - mine is my baby. i can't imagine knowing your dog gets out (possibly multiple times now) and not caring about finding them quickly, or preventing them from escaping to begin with! that is just an irresponsible dog owner!