Any advice on mad dogs?

ebojorq

Hi.

I'm a beginner doing about 3-4 1 hour rides a week... I have a serious problem though, there's this very mad dog that chases me every time I pass by its house.

Any suggestion besides taking another route or shooting the animal down?

P.S: I already tried showering the four legged bastard with cold water and it doesn't work

TheDarkLord

Is it stray, or does it have an owner? If the former, I would contact the authorities about it; if the latter (which seems to be the case by the way to refer to its house), I would try to talk to the owner about the problem.

ebojorq

I'll try talking to the owner... I hope he's not the same breed as the dog.

TheDarkLord

If he is the same breed as the dog, you can threaten to take action. You have a right to not be harrassed by the dog when you are on public property, and are not trespassing his property (or threatening the owner). Ask him to put the dog on a leash, or confine it within his property in other ways if it cannot behave itself.

Edited to add: I see that you have put your location as Mexico. Don't know if Mexico has any laws about these things...

kdelong

On your next ride take a squirt gun or a small spray bottle filled with a weak ammonia water solution. When the dog starts to chase you, spray in his direction. This usually works the first time, however, be ready to sprint like mad if you made the solution too weak. If he still chases you, increase the amount of ammonia until he stops chasing you.

This may sound cruel as the ammonia irritates the dogs nose and eyes, but if it is used in a 50/50 solution or less, it will not do any permanent harm to the dog. This is the same thing that occurs when a dog gets sprayed by a skunk, and most dogs give skunks a wide berth after getting sprayed once. All you are trying to do is let the dog know chasing you can be painful to him.

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ebojorq

That's the problem, man... I don't think we even have a City Dog Pound...

I know I have every right to roll freely, but here the laws don't always work in favor of who they should...

ebojorq

That sounds ok... I'm also going to try the ammonia solution... after proving the owner is the same breed as the dog, of course.

Yojimbo_

Most dogs respond to "NO", so you could try shouting "NO" at it in Spanish. That might work.

Or choose a different route.

ebojorq

I tried that also, but this one seems to be deaf.

Guaps

I find that angry dogs are a good motivation to start my next interval - my heart rate is already up, so I might as well keep it there by pedaling a little harder.

Another trick that has worked pretty well for me is to raise your arm like you're going to throw something at it. Someone did that once while I was riding with them and I laughed at them, but it's worked for me several times.

ebojorq

That I haven't tried... thanks!

MarkInNC

I bought a small spray can of what I think is pepper spray from an online bike place. I usually talk, then pedal faster, then spray. I have tried spraying twice. Missed the first time and it worked the second time.

Mark

nns1400

Isn't that "NO" ?

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If someone really bothers you, think about walking a mile in their shoes...then, you'll be a mile away, and you'll have their shoes.

ebojorq

Yes... it's "no"