Chased by a scary dog

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike J
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I stared
at the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F*** off. It did too.

....

Quoted message said:

So, what's the best way to deal with this sort of situation?

I think you found it already. :-) I think the advice is to avoid
direct eye contact, which the dog will see as aggressive, but that's
more about keeping it calm while you back away - I'd tend to take the
assertive approach, although I'm more likely to stop and make a fuss of
the beast.

Quoted message said:

It was a
very scary dog and I don't want this to happen to someone else. Would
the police take any action? Probably not. I'm really wondering what are
the best comments I should make to owners of uncontrolled dogs like this
to make them take action without being threatening.

Probably best not to - they're obviously inconsiderate irresponsible
idiots who don't care for the safety of their dogs or the public, so
you'd be wasting your time.

"Mike J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I was cycling on a shared cycle path in a park at 8pm last night. I had a
hi-vis jacket and proper lights on when from nowhere a very scary dog
started to chase me. It was stout, muscular and black and gold, maybe a
Rottie mongrel - I couldn't tell, it was dark.

I thought I could outrun it but it was fast so I just stopped, turned my
bike at a right angle to maximise my size and stood behind it. I stared at
the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F*** off. It did too.

I found the owners of the dog and told them about keeping dogs under
control in public areas and rode off.

I'm rather annoyed by this. I have a dog which I considerately walk around
this park and keep under control. I cycle through it everyday too and most
regular dog walkers say hello because they recognise me and that I will
always slow down and give their dogs a wide berth. It's consideration and
courtesy isn't it?

So, what's the best way to deal with this sort of situation? It was a very
scary dog and I don't want this to happen to someone else. Would the
police take any action? Probably not. I'm really wondering what are the
best comments I should make to owners of uncontrolled dogs like this to
make them take action without being threatening.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. It's really got me annoyed. Aaaarrrgghhh.

I would certainly agree with you that the diog should have been under proper
control, that this sort of experience can be terrifying, and that its owners
should have been informed.

I suspect, however, from your description of the incident, that the dog
thought that this was a marvelous game, and was probably quite hurt when you
insisted on not playing. I think that a problem is that a lot of dog owners
know that their dog is playful rather than aggressive, and therefore think
that they do not need to be controlled, leaving the rest of us to undergo
the uncertainty of having to guess a galloping dog's intentions, and denying
uds the right not to be bothered by them.

Mike J writtificated

Quoted message said:

So, what's the best way to deal with this sort of situation? It was a
very scary dog and I don't want this to happen to someone else.

The best thing to do is what you've just done, although it's likely the fog
just wanted to play. I tend to make a fuss of any dog that looks like it
may be a problem. They get puzzled when the Threat (you) starts talking to
it in baby language. Exception are those horrid little terrier type
things. EVERYTHING is prey to them, from gnats to supertankers.

To prevent a dog from attacking anyone else I've found the best way is to
stop and make friends with the dog. The idea being that if it is a savage
ball of teeth and fangs then it'll get put down for mangling my leg rather
than some childs face. So far all they've done is decided that I'm not as
fun as they thought I'd be and lolloped off to find something else to sniff
at and dribble on.

"Mike J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I was cycling on a shared cycle path in a park at 8pm last night. I had a
hi-vis jacket and proper lights on when from nowhere a very scary dog
started to chase me. It was stout, muscular and black and gold, maybe a
Rottie mongrel - I couldn't tell, it was dark.

I thought I could outrun it but it was fast so I just stopped, turned my
bike at a right angle to maximise my size and stood behind it. I stared at
the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F*** off. It did too.

I found the owners of the dog and told them about keeping dogs under
control in public areas and rode off.

I'm rather annoyed by this. I have a dog which I considerately walk around
this park and keep under control. I cycle through it everyday too and most
regular dog walkers say hello because they recognise me and that I will
always slow down and give their dogs a wide berth. It's consideration and
courtesy isn't it?

So, what's the best way to deal with this sort of situation? It was a very
scary dog and I don't want this to happen to someone else. Would the
police take any action? Probably not. I'm really wondering what are the
best comments I should make to owners of uncontrolled dogs like this to
make them take action without being threatening.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. It's really got me annoyed. Aaaarrrgghhh.

Kick the thing in the face if it goes for you. You'll doubtless upset the
owners but I'd rather that than be savaged.

On 28 Feb 2008 09:52:03 GMT someone who may be Mark T
<pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>
wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

To prevent a dog from attacking anyone else I've found the best way is to
stop and make friends with the dog.

That would make for rather slow journeys by bike.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

My current strategy is to see how far away from the owner I can get
the dog to chase me.....

Mike J said:

Hello,

I was cycling on a shared cycle path in a park at 8pm last night. I had
a hi-vis jacket and proper lights on when from nowhere a very scary dog
started to chase me. It was stout, muscular and black and gold, maybe a
Rottie mongrel - I couldn't tell, it was dark.

I thought I could outrun it but it was fast so I just stopped, turned my
bike at a right angle to maximise my size and stood behind it. I stared
at the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F*** off.

I've had a similar and very frightening experience with a Dobermann.
I placed my bike between me and the dog, while the dippy owner just
smiled and shouted from 50 yards away, "He's harmless, really." After
it's third lunge at me I picked up the bike and smacked the [censored] in
the face with my chainring.

That sorted it.

Calum

calum said:

Quoted message said:

... while the dippy owner just smiled and shouted from 50 yards away, "He's harmless, really."  After it's third lunge at me I picked up the bike and smacked the [censored] in the face with my chainring.<<

I should clarify that it was the dog I hit, not the dippy owner!

Calum

Thanks for the replies. I'd never hurt an animal if I can avoid it but
self-defence kicks in in these situations. Luckily that was avoided. I
must admit I smiled when I shouted at it and it ran off. Neither of us
were hurt but turning my bike around sideways to make me larger did make
it halt.

Being a dog-owner I thought I knew how they would react or play. It's
the owners of the dog I'm angry with and I hope my words to them will
encourage them to take more responsibilty and prevent this happening to
someone else. I somehow doubt it though.

This from today's guardian:

"Nearly 3,800 people in England needed emergency hospital treatment after
being attacked by dogs last year - a 40% rise over a five year period, NHS
figures revealed yesterday."

Alan Braggins writtificated

Quoted message said:

IIRC Richard's Bicycle Book recommended some lead tape wrapped inside the
handle of a traditional pump. This assumes an accessible pump and a lack
of obsession with the weight of your bike. Also that you've already tried
non-violent methods of discouraging it and are forced to defend yourself.

This would transform the pump into an offensive weapon, which could cause
problems if plod found out.

Budstaff said:

I think that a problem is that a lot of dog owners know that their
dog is playful rather than aggressive, and therefore think that
they do not need to be controlled, leaving the rest of us to
undergo the uncertainty of having to guess a galloping dog's
intentions,

Don't bother. Treat them all as you would any unknown large carnivore
running at you with its teeth and fangs bared.

I was on a beach once where a dog ran at a young girl and leapt up at
her, hitting her in the chest with its front paws, jaws heading
straight for her face. The owner went apoplectic when the father of
said girl, running at full speed, barrelled feet-first into the brutes
rib-cage at this point. Apparently, if a large carnivore, bigger than
you are, goes for your face with its teeth, some people think the only
reasonable thing to do is assume it's trying to be friendly.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

Mike J said:

I was cycling on a shared cycle path in a park at 8pm last night. I had
a hi-vis jacket and proper lights on when from nowhere a very scary dog
started to chase me. It was stout, muscular and black and gold, maybe a
Rottie mongrel - I couldn't tell, it was dark.

When I was 17, I used to regularly ride past this farm, which had an
enormous dog. It chased _everything_, or would do, if the farm gate was
open (which generally, it wasn't). However, it always made a spirited
attempt to leap the gate and got worryingly close to succeeding.

It was a huge bugger, standing about waist high to me at the shoulder,
and looking sort of a bit like a shaggy wolf with pointy ears.

One day the farm gate was wide open. The gate was unfortunately next to
a junction, which I had to slow to negotiate the 90 degree bend on the
narrow country lane. The dog had exquisitely timed its acceleration run,
so as I approached the junction, it was already at full speed. There was
no way I could get away from it. Unfortunately, it was hidden by the
trees so I didn't see it till it came thundering out of the farmyard.

It bit me hard on the backside. I was so furious I walloped the bloody
thing, which turned out to be a coward despite its size. It backed off,
then turned around and loped back to the farmyard with me swearing in
its wake.

My Dad just laughed when I got home and told him about it! So much for
sympathy.

--
From the sunny Isle of Man.
Yes, the Reply-To email address is valid.

Our old alsatian used to chase the postman on his bike.

In the end we had to confiscate it.

Mike J said:

... a very scary dog started to chase me ...

Quoted message said:

... I stared at the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F***
off. It did too.

A talking dog?

calum said:

After it's third lunge at me I picked up the bike and
smacked the [censored] in
the face with my chainring.

That sorted it.

Aaah, this is more like it. :-)

--

Geoff

spindrift said:

Our old alsatian used to chase the postman on his bike.

In the end we had to confiscate it.

The old ones are often the best, though perhaps not in this case!!!!

calum said:

calum said:

Quoted message said:

... while the dippy owner just smiled and shouted from 50 yards away, "He's harmless, really." After it's third lunge at me I picked up the bike and smacked the [censored] in the face with my chainring.<<

I should clarify that it was the dog I hit, not the dippy owner!

Calum

Pity

--
John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

Mike J said:

Hello,

I was cycling on a shared cycle path in a park at 8pm last night. I had
a hi-vis jacket and proper lights on when from nowhere a very scary dog
started to chase me. It was stout, muscular and black and gold, maybe a
Rottie mongrel - I couldn't tell, it was dark.

I thought I could outrun it but it was fast so I just stopped, turned my
bike at a right angle to maximise my size and stood behind it. I stared
at the dog and with my loudest voice I shouted F*** off. It did too.

I found the owners of the dog and told them about keeping dogs under
control in public areas and rode off.

I'm rather annoyed by this. I have a dog which I considerately walk
around this park and keep under control. I cycle through it everyday too
and most regular dog walkers say hello because they recognise me and
that I will always slow down and give their dogs a wide berth. It's
consideration and courtesy isn't it?

So, what's the best way to deal with this sort of situation? It was a
very scary dog and I don't want this to happen to someone else. Would
the police take any action? Probably not. I'm really wondering what are
the best comments I should make to owners of uncontrolled dogs like this
to make them take action without being threatening.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. It's really got me annoyed. Aaaarrrgghhh.

A friend of mine who had a lot of experience with dogs told me that
you should look away and ignore it. It is to do with sorting out who
is top dog and staring is a challenge. It is quite hard to do when a
large dog is running towards you especially, when like me, you have
been bitten by a dog when young and needed your leg stitching back
together. However, is DOES work. I run, and regularly pass many farm
dogs, people walking dogs in town etc. and always look away and just
plod on. I don't run anymore - I can't; some dogs bit my legs off
(just kidding). I'm not sure if a bicycle changes the scenario though.