What's the best tool for dog deterrence?

[swbluto]

I've been keeping around the hottest pepper spray just in case. Most of the "dog sprays" seem to be simply the human variety EXCEPT weaker because dogs lack tear ducts so they can't shed the irritant as easily. From what I've read, those kinds of sprays will work on most dogs but since pepper spray is supposedly a pain-compliance device and humans are apparently wussies compared to dogs, the determined or the "dog with a mission" may still attack afterwards - apparently there was one guy who used "pepper spray" to deter a dog, and it just made the dog more enraged and guaranteed amputation of his arm from the injuries. What? I want to deter all dogs, especially the ones that are most likely to do the most damage (assumably the "determined" ones.). (I'm thinking that guy was probably using weak stuff, like the dog stuff, or older versions or possibly didn't get it in the eyes with the "stream versions". There's "Halt!" dog spray, but some people report it isn't always effective.)

So, I use the strongest stuff out there. Forget the "weak stuff". If I need an excuse, it's as easy as "I carry it for human use and it's all I had when this vicious dog approached. What else was I supposed to do? Quickly contact the EPA to see if my spray was more humane to use on the dog than the humanity of the dog ripping off my leg?". Of course, I'm not sure if that's good enough for the "determined" dog. Is there something that will actually temporarily blind or physically incapacitate in some manner (At least enough to render attack impossible) to make attack nearly impossible? I really don't want to carry around a lethal device because that introduces a whole another set of complications and limitations. I've heard, well, I suppose "rumors" that effective pepper spray physically affects vision, supposedly beyond merely "blurry eyed" from the tears. If the dog is temporarily blinded at least for a minute or so afterwards, that'd be good enough for a getaway. But I'm not sure if it does that... (And I don't really want to try it to find out! )

Btw, I know someone is going to say "Get a fast ebike!", and I'm doing that too. But that's more "dog avoidance" than "dog deterrence"; if you're in the situation where you can't avoid it, deterrence is among the few options you have.

Btw, NO, I don't hate dogs. I've had several over the years and they've been good, and dogs whom I know or are owned by an owner I know seem to like me. It's the ones that apparently don't that bother me.

 

[BikeFanatic]

I have come upon the same issue a few times I used to carry HALT dog spray, but never used it.
I have been thinking an Air horn would work as it is loud and distracting, loud noises can scare a bear off why not a dog? It would have to be handy like on the top tube or handlebars

I have never actually been bit - able to talk the dogs down some how. It only happens like one a year at most that I am actually chased.

 

[swbluto]

I have never actually been bit - able to talk the dogs down some how. It only happens like one a year at most that I am actually chased.

Most strays aren't naturally attacking, they're just friendly. But there's that one that defies the odds...

 

[TylerDurden]

Release a squirrel just as the dog begins its run.

Seriously, bikes are things dogs understand as intruders or prey: as they pass, the dog barks; after barking, the bike goes away. This happens again and again reinforcing the understanding. A dog would need to be specifically trained to actually be deterred from chasing a bike.

The air horn is a good first-line... But any means is justified if you are attacked. I carry bear-spray.

 

[John in CR]

I just steer toward them. Works every time. It's kinda hard for them to bite when they're on the defensive. I like Dogman's approach to get off the bike and stand them down until they submit. It probably doesn't take many repetitions for them to stop chasing him.

Displaying the attitude of if you come and bite me I'm going to kick your ass because I'm bigger in a confident and non-threatening manner with body language and eye contact. If the dog is on your regular route then it's probably worth investing the few minutes and stopping several times to resolve the issue with the dog, and turn it into a just saying hi bark as you go by. If you need to carry a stick the first couple of times to help with your bravery do it, and I'd take a good stick over some silly spray that's just as likely to end up in my own eyes any day of the week. Dogs are easy, it's the owner that are the problem, because they never taught the dog how to act and its proper place in the world.

 

[TPA]

If you love little doggies, and can't stand the thought of having them endure anything unpleasant, please disregard the following;

Try full strength ammonia in a spray bottle or water gun.

If you want to go Batman style, you can mount misters on your bike to fire with the push of a button.

If that does not work, try dropping a freshly grilled pork chop on the ground, seasoned with a little red wine, garlic, and oregano. By the time he is finished with a critique of your culinary skills, you will be long gone.

Or you could yell "Get off that sofa" to try and stimulate some Pavlovian response.

 

[JEB]

I was walking at night several times a month years ago, one time a medium size dog came charging out of his yard growling running straight at me. I had one of those 100,000+ volt stun guns with me, I turned round to face him holding it out at arm lenght I turned it on, it got within 10-15 feet of me, stopped and made a U turn.

Years ago a young kid was killed by a pit bull with people trying to pull the dog off, I wonder if a stun gun would have caused the dog to let the kid go?

 

[dogman dan]

For walking its easy. All the meter readers now carry umbrellas. Turn and face the charging dog, and when he gets close open the umbrella suddenly in their face and yell. Works every time. Freaking hard to do on a bike. If going slow on a bike, I'll allways turn and chase a dog back to his yard and face him down, if you dismount, of course have the bike between you. Going fast enough to outrun him safe, I'll nearly always go back and attack the dog once I get to where I can turn back safely. If I don't, its because I'll never pass that way again. The idea is to train the dog to never chase you.

Cezar Milans favorite tool for protecting himself from a likely to attack dog is a tennis racket. He simply holds the racket so the dog would have to bite through the strings and makes dominant postures till the dog surrenders. But a racket could be used in other ways Seriously though, it's the perfect tool since it can protect any part of the body the dog is going after, high or low. And it doesn't set off people on sight like a can of mace might. A tennis racket might be easier to carry than a dang umbrella.

You gotta stop walking around with a vibe that says "take a chunk out of me" though. Not sure how you do that, it's just how I am naturaly.

 

[deronmoped]

I was chased occasionally on my paper route. One tactic I used was just to put the bike between me and the dog. I would not stop, just swing my leg over so I was just riding along standing on one pedal. They usually only have a set distance they will chase you.

Deron.

 

[TPA]

Dogs always seem to want to kamikaze me on my bike. They make a path right into the side of it, and will collide if I do not swerve away.

 

[biohazardman]

I have managed near 5K miles on my two e-bikes without a single dog incident until last week. I was out trail riding and saw a dog and owner up ahead so slowed way down. Just as I went to pass them the dog abruptly turned and lunged at my leg. The owner trying to stop his charging dog turned quickly with his walking stick, which naturally went into my rear spokes and thus the reason for the quick deceleration. It all happened so fast I wasn't sure what was going on at first. Then I saw the guy trying to pull what was left of a two foot long 1.5 inch stick out of my spokes. I figured major damage as I now had no throttle but the wheel still spun freely. It took me a few minutes to realize that the magnet from my brake cutout switch had broken off and was now in such a place as to never let the motor run. Pulled it off and away I went thinking I had no damage. Twelve gauge spokes saved the day they did not even bend. My rear rack suffered the brunt of the stick in the spokes attack and stopped the rear wheel from spinning. It did not last long as you can see in the pic the fender supports bent badly also but straightened out pretty good and held the batteries up till I got home too. So found another rack moved my throttle outside the rear pack to make room for more batteries and built a 56-volt pack. Things looked good until I plugged in my new charger. Measured positive on the blue wire the sticker says is negative and 2.8v instead of 58v. Such a deal glad I checked it before I plugged it in. Put the old batts back in and I am on the road again after just a few days.
So, dogs are for dinner and snacks from now on.
Edit: When I finally decided to hook the new charger up to the pack, everything was fine but weird readings with just the meter connected. I just guessed that somebody knew what they were doing. ;^)

 

[John in CR]

Dogs always seem to want to kamikaze me on my bike. They make a path right into the side of it, and will collide if I do not swerve away.

You just need to turn toward them much sooner.

 

[marty]

Marty's dog fighting instructions. For small dogs, grab the rear legs and repeatedly smash their head on the ground. For large dogs you might have a problem? Stick your thumb in their eyes. Put your arm down their throat and choke the dog. Kick em in the balls if it's a boy dog. Same techniques usually work on the dog's owner.

 

[Rassy]

Is a tadpole trike a deterrent? The other day a large dog that had barked and chased along inside a fence in the past was able to chase after me on the road because a driveway gate had been left open. I just kept pedaling and motoring, and when he caught up with me he seemed confused by the front wheel between him and my legs. He stopped and then went back home. Was he just done giving me his message, or was he deterred by the trike? Has anyone else on a trike had any dog experiences?

 

[EVnewbie]

I'm with TPA on this one

Back in the 80's, there was a pit bull that would run across a field and attempt to bite my leg as it gave chase for half a mile. The first time this happened he slammed into something on the road as I was hauling butt at 30+ MPH. The next week, I had me a little something different on my bike--a water bottle with sandpaper glued on.

That pit bull saw me and started his charge so I grabbed the water bottle and felt the sand paper. The gonzo dog had the hammer down and got close so I squeezed a stream of 50/50 water/ammonia mix which hit the thing in the face. That ended the chase right then so I continued on. The next week the same pit bull spotted me and started to give chase...recognized it was me, saw that sand paper covered water bottle then stopped and ran back whimpering and hid under the porch. That dog never gave chase after me or my friend on his bicycle again. Guess he learned bicycles are the same as skunks--best be left alone.

Yes, I own a dog and she knows to leave cyclists alone. Maybe due to the 5 bikes in the garage but she learned as a puppy not to play with them. I don't carry the water/ammonia mix since none of the dogs around here bother cyclists...but if I need to, the sand paper goes back on as my warning not to drink out of that bottle. I do let a 12 pound little dog chase me around a few times a week, it gives the little guy exercise and I find it entertaining.

 

[EVnewbie]

Is a tadpole trike a deterrent? Has anyone else on a trike had any dog experiences?

I have ridden a short wheel base recumbent for 11 years and have noted dogs generally won't chase me. From what I understand, the dog sees a person leaning forward on bicycle bars as an attack position so they give chase. Recumbents have you leaned back with your feet up (like a dog's owners?) and it is not very aggressive to the dog. I would ride with a buddy on a upright bike and the dogs would chase him and leave me alone. On rare occasions a dog would chase after me but probably due to boredom as their tone would change VS riding my mountain bike.

Do dogs chase velomobiles?

 

[Lessss]

What's the best tool for dog deterrence?

= Shotgun

 

[swbluto]

What's the best tool for dog deterrence?

= Shotgun

Considering that the noise is what likely stops them, I wonder if it'd be considered a concealed weapon if you had a gun with blanks? Maybe there's less threatening-looking but just as loud devices - oh yes, an air horn . I'm curious how I would best use it in dog - owner interactions, though... (Use it when it's within 10 feet? Use it right away as the dog approaches? Use it after the dog engages in attack?)

I'm thinking there are pocket sized air-horns.

 

[swbluto]

After google searching, I found a pretty good thread on this issue from a triathlete's forum.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=158918&posts=19

They pretty much said that pepper spray doesn't work on determined dogs, *damn*. But, he did have a good hint of what is actually needed.

My only point is that when the teeth are bared, the ears are back, the froth is flowing and he's running at top speed with death in his eyes... nothing but voltage, blade, blunt trauma or firearm is going to stop him.

He then especially suggested this:

A collapsible stun baton. He's used it with success on a pit-bull.

 

[evblazer]

Hey I started to carry one of those batons on all my long country rides last year Even the siren on it usually works to confuse some dogs. I have a bell, airzounds and sometimes that baton. Best thing I ever had was a plan. Always have a plan. Expect a dog to come busting out behind a bush or behind that barn. Is there traffic up ahead or behind you. Do you have space to swerve in either direction. Slow down a bit then do you have enough juice to spring and break off the pursuit. Listen, have mirrors, look around like your driving instructer told you but no one ever does

I usually ride with mostly recumbents but when I do ride with Diamond Frame bikes dogs usually leave me alone and go for them. They'll chase me solo or chase a group of recumbent so I always need to be prepared.

I ride a quasi-low racer recumbent as does my wife and she has a low trike also. It is alot different when your at or below face level of the fast approaching or magically appearing dog. I'm not going to try and headbutt that chasing pitbull but if he wants to run in front of my he may get some fur removed by my chainring :wink:


I've been completely surrounded in an instant by a pack of dogs and my wife has been surrounded going up a very long hill when she was barely moving. A quick throw of frosted flakes she happened to have in her hand (not a primary defense and led to being blamed as the action that has caused all dogs throughout history to ever chase a bike so I apoligize in advance) and the dogs were off her. She does know a bit about dogs having worked with them for 20 years or so and being some officer of sorts that deals directly with them but that was the best option at the time to keep her face, arms and legs intact. It is better to persuade them not to come out again or their owners to make sure they don't but your individual safety at that second comes first whether it be frosted flakes, a stun baton or a big oldf eliptical chainring.

Course if I had this I could play bumper cars with em

 

[dogman dan]

A chasing dog and an attacking dog are two different things. for the truly attacking dog sound won't cut it. Deadly force at that point.

But for merely annoying dogs, food could be a good method. 95% of dogs aren't really attcking you, just chasing and defending a piece of ground as is thier instinct. For those dogs a bite can still easily happen, on the leg or heel so it's no joke. But a true attack is a dog trying it's best to actually kill you and needs to be taken very seriously. The real problem is trying to know which is which in the heat of the moment. Kill em first and sort em out later if they look that about to bite.

95% of dogs have had a rock thown at them, sometimes just a throwing motion with the hand is all it takes to turn em. You can try that , or actually have something you can throw while they are still out of bite range. But real attacks happen lightning fast, the few dogs that have made me bleed did it so fast I couldn't believe it.