Any advice on mad dogs?

JohnO

I have a similar problem on one my favorite loops near my house. There's a long climb, about a mile and 800 foot rise. About halfway up, an old woman has several rangy dogs that come out after you. After a few passes, they seemed to be relatively harmless, but on that climb I have to keep enough in reserve to sprint past them.

It's fun to take other people on that route. When the dogs come out, they always ask - what's that? I respond as I begin my sprint... That's Eddie!

Bauzille

It is a problem... I do a regular training ride and there is a big black villain sits on a porch in the village of Fontanes until you ride by then careers down the garden intent on ripping your throat out. Fortunately it's a big garden and by the time he gets to the road you are long gone....

Not to treat this flippantly, but I am reminded of the man who took his dog to the vets. 'I'm worried', he said, 'the dog keeps chasing people on bikes. I'm scared he'll kill somebody one day!'

'That's easy to cure', said the vet. 'Just take his bl***y bike off him!'

Mike

ebojorq

That sounds like something my brother would do... I'm still not that good with sprints... I'm barely beginning my cycling career, just quit tobacco and getting back on track to exercise... When I'm able to outsprint the dog, I'll let you know.

docgtn

Isn't this just like a scene from American Flyers? It has been my experience that most dogs don't bite and really can not run very fast for very long, so just speed up. It will become a game after a few rides and you will actually get in better shape because of the exertion. Or you could just do something else.

dougadam

You could try making friends with it, by giving the dog a treat. If that doesnt work, a good smack on the nose might.

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stlblues

If all else fails, SHOOT. I know, midwest mindset. You can get some of the guns that shoot plastic BBs. Sting like hell but for the most part harmless. The guns are light and a couple of good shots to the nads and I doubt he chases you anymore.

kdelong

Riding in the back roads of Virginia in the mid Eighties, I climbed a rather steep road out of a valley. At the top of the incline was an old farm house with a bunch of people on the porch. Looked something like a scene out of Deliverance. Anyway, I'm half whipped from the climb, and all of a sudden a large black Lab mix comes tearing around the house after me. I tried to out run it until it got hold of my sock. My only weapon at hand was a frame pump, and I was able to wollop him a good one before he got anymore of me. After whacking him a couple of more times, he decided he'd had enough and left. The whole time the only thing coming from the porch was laughter. No one yelled at the dog to come back, etc. Several miles down the road I felt an urge to go back and use what was left of the pump on the hillbillies on the porch, but common sense and the fact that I would have been badly out numbered, won out. After this incident, a freind told me about the squirt bottle with an ammonia solution and I have had no dog problems since.

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stlblues

Pepper spray could also work.....or mace the sucker.

bicyclerubber

One of those laser pointers to the eyes