What do you do to ward off attacking dogs?

Army_Of_One
Army_Of_One Posts: 107 Member
in Chit-Chat
How do you handle when a dog or dogs give chase as you are riding your bike, walking or running? I asked one of my peddling buddies what we would do if a dog started chasing us while we were riding a 48 mile route through a farming area. I asked "What is our plan?" He said "I just have to out peddle you." He was serious. Because just then two dogs came after us and he peddled right past me. These days I have a much better peddling buddy. He looks out for me and I try hard look out for him. But a dog came after us today in our neighborhood. He bit my buddy but did not break the skin. He came after me too, but the owner finally got control of the dog with a radio collar. I may keep a squirt gun with ammonia/water mixture to spray an attacking dog in the snout.

What are some solutions bicyclists/pedestrians use to ward off dogs?

Replies

  • ibafishinfool
    ibafishinfool Posts: 108 Member
    Peperspray or my S & W 9mm
  • _SantaClause
    _SantaClause Posts: 335 Member
    My foot.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Katana.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Peperspray or my S & W 9mm

    Bingo. Ditto (except SA XDS for me :tongue:)
  • runforestrun35
    runforestrun35 Posts: 480 Member
    My foot, and any big stick I can grab to give it a chase....
  • FitnessMarkk
    FitnessMarkk Posts: 7 Member
    Climb up the nearest tree like a squirrel or run for my life! ha
  • SugarBabyGirl
    SugarBabyGirl Posts: 7,026 Member
    my foot.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Taser
  • DaniiMarie13
    DaniiMarie13 Posts: 19 Member
    Being a dog owner myself, I prefer to take the less harmful approach first in these situations. Dogs dislike the smell of citrus, especially orange, so diluted orange essence in a spray bottle may deter them. Lemon juice or pepper spray works as well. Pepper spray is more harmful to the dog so that would be my 2nd option, but it also depends on how fast you can react and how vicious the dog is.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I stop running, and keep my eyes open for the closest stick to use to defend myself. Dogs will chase a runner, and they can outrun me. So far, I haven't had to use the stick - most dogs just get excited and want to check out "the thing that was running", and the owners have all gotten the animals in check.

    But I wouldn't hesitate to kick, or use a stick if I had to.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    unless you know you can out run it, stop. be calm but assertive and stand your ground. just be prepared to put foot to *kitten*
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    My own band of ornery Ninjas
  • DenDweller
    DenDweller Posts: 1,438 Member
    My own band of ornery Ninjas

    Whew! Thank God they're only ornery. If they were cantankerous that'd REALLY be dangerous.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    unless you know you can out run it, stop. be calm but assertive and stand your ground. just be prepared to put foot to *kitten*

    Running, I would stick with this. I don't cycle, so no help there.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    Carry a whistle that makes a high pitched noise humans can't hear.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    Garlic and holy water......

    Oh wait, that is for vampires.
  • dsm1991
    dsm1991 Posts: 156
    attack back
  • veitnamwar1965
    veitnamwar1965 Posts: 30 Member
    rpg only thing that can stop them .............. or a challenger 2 tank
  • Army_Of_One
    Army_Of_One Posts: 107 Member
    Thanks for the great tips! For the rest . . . You all are very entertaining :wink:.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    My foot
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    I get this crap a lot when I run the beach early am. Fortunately the owners are usually right there so it's not the kind of danger you're facing. I'm more concerned about the shore birds than me, so I'll tell the owner to "get your f***** dog under control." I had a family once let their dog chase after me while running the beach, so I yelled, "want me to chase your f******* kids?!?" I think the f bomb is quite effective.

    i3klm8l.gif
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Pepper spray...or I'll lead them further into traffic.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    Pepper spray is my weapon of choice when I'm running or walking.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    I don't ride a bike, but have come across a couple aggressive dogs while hiking trails. It's happened twice. I threw the first one in a creek that was next to the trail. He swam downstream a bit, climbed out, and didn't bother me any more.

    The second time, some transient sicked his dog on me. I kicked it several times until it lost it's desire to attack, then I smacked the transient.

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