It's a puppy!
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404 days
callco posted 20 weeks ago.
For those runs, you should always run with somebody else. Specifically, run with someone who is slightly slower than you.
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diva_mom posted 20 weeks ago.
if it's just a game of get out of my yard, tell it to go home in your strongest alpha voice. but stop running, as the chase instinct is strong.
not a dog trainer disclaimer :)
Don't be so easy on yourself 'cause this one might be all that you have left
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712 days
MrUtley posted 20 weeks ago.
There is one dog on my run route that always chases me and barks too. He never gets close enough to bite but he always scares the s**t out of me!!! He's behind one of those invisible fences but he gets right at my leg before he stops.
I've started grabbing a handful of dirt as I get closer and I plan on throwing the stuff at it when he approaches. I'm not trying to hurt it just scare it and make it back off some. So far he hasn't been around the last couple of times I've run...whew!
I've also thought about pepper spray but I don't want to run holding a can.
I'm not sure what else to do except going up to the house and talking with the owner. In my case the owner is never home when I run so I'd have to go after he gets home from work and I don't run then. I don't especially want to make a special trip to the owners house.
If he bites I plan on calling the police but I don't want him to bite me first. Kind of a catch-22.
Anyway, good luck
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514 days
Iron Dan posted 20 weeks ago.
They make cans of pepper spray that are specifically designed to be carried by runners. My wife runs with one all the time and she says it doesn't bother her.
Your choices are to either avoid this area when you run, or talk to the owner and see if they are willing to do anything. Other than that, you will run the risk of getting attacked if you think the dog is really that vicious.
1074
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297 days
TriSooner posted 20 weeks ago.
callco wrote:
For those runs, you should always run with somebody else. Specifically, run with someone who is slightly slower than you.
"I don't have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you."
Seriously though, look up the law in your city/state. It is usually pretty clear: The dog has to stay in the owner's yard and/or be on a leash. If not, and the dog is in the public right-of-way (e.g., in the street), even if said dog does not bite you, you (should) have every right to defend yourself from a perceived attack.
Don't misinterpret: I love dogs and am a dog owner. But if the owner is irresponsible enough to allow their animal to chase people in or onto the street, it is reasonable to expect the chased person to take necessary preemptive measures to eliminate the threat. I am not going to wait to find out (as I crash my bike into a parked car) if little Fifi of Fido is just chasing for fun.
I run and ride through an urban area and it isn't any better than riding in the country: residents routinely let their dogs walk around the front yard unleashed, and in my community that is a violation of the law. Ergo, I run/ride by and they chase and bark. When this happens, I do not wait to see if this is just a friendly chase or something more sinister. I care pepper spray for a reason.
Iron Dan wrote:
We shouldn't have to do this. We shouldn't have to avoid a public street because a dog owner won't abide by the laws. Also, we shouldn't have to talk to the owner and inform them of city ordinances. And frankly, I am not interested in going up to some hyper-sensitive dog owner and telling them to keep their dog on a leash or in the backyard. How well do you think that would play out? Most people don't want runners and cyclists on the street to begin with, so let's compound that by going up to their front door and telling them to leash their dogs. I'll let the police handle that.
Your choices are to either avoid this area when you run, or talk to the owner and see if they are willing to do anything.
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272 days
xc800runner posted 20 weeks ago.
I had this happen to me while riding in Chicago, in the city. A doberman tried crossing the street, nearly got hit by an SUV then saw me on my bike and took chase. For a solid half mile I was running red lights trying to get away from the thing while the driver of the SUV kept clear and blaring the horn to frighten the dog. Worst thing about the situation was that I was riding a fixie. Trying to kick at the dog's head with the right foot while still pedaling with the left and not get hit by a car had to look pretty funny.
That said, the best thing you can do in this situation is stop, stare the dog down and shout at it. "No" seems to work pretty well, as most dogs understand this command.
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1676 days
beads1985 posted 20 weeks ago.
I love dogs.
Unfortunately it isn't the dogs fault, it is an irresponsible dog owner, so you don't want to hurt the dog.
You can get a loud whistle to carry around your neck or an small airhorn
taped to your hadlebars
http://www.falconsafety.com/signalHorns/Default.aspx/
That will scare the crap out of most dogs, but won't harm them.
If it is early and is outside the negligent owners house, even better. ;-)
Nothing to it, but to do it
997
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362 days
ChunkyB posted 20 weeks ago.
It's a pain to carry an extra bottle, but if you mix some ammonia with water and spray it at the dog, it will definitely stop chasing you, and it won't hurt the dog or anything either. However, if you forget which bottle is which and drink it, then you'll probably wish you had just let the dog catch you.
"The melting point of wax means nothing to me": Thrice
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151 days
cutiger95 posted 20 weeks ago.
Living in the country this whole thing entertains me. I suggest as someone else pepper spray or some other eye irritant. Generally it won't cause you to have a problem as there is a little hand holder and once administered by you the dog will certainly remember you.
Now to the funny part. My parents live on a very rural road and have a giant schnauzer that runs kinda loose in the yard or so it would appear. They have an underground fence around 5 acres that to anyone but those of us that installed it would be unaware of it's existence. I can't tell you how many times that crazy dog has run down the driveway to great joggers, bikers, etc. He will get about five foot from the fence line and lock down but by that time this 135lb behemoth has gained solid attention from the poor soul in the street. The next time that I see them they are always running with a stick or spray.
If I am over at my parents house and notice them, I try to walk down to the street and inform them that Sam simply wants to say hello and that there is an underground fence that he will not cross. The whole converasation generally improves and the next time no pepper spray.
I guess the big thing is to check to make sure that the dog is getting into the street. Also look for that telltale shocker collar. If you don't see one and the dog takes a step onto the street then aim for the eyes and send him home.
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Danny Fiasco posted 20 weeks ago.
Wow, this is a bit more global problem than I thought ;). I have tried yelling at a dog, and it's worked two out of three, this first time I think I surpised the dog more than actually assert any dominance though. I was also thinking about bringing bisquits for the dog close to my house (the one that scared the sh!t out of me). I thought it might be a more humanitarian effort, but I don't know if food will soften her up and if it does, if she'd just follow me for the rest of my jog.
526
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TryScott posted 20 weeks ago.
callco wrote:
For those runs, you should always run with somebody else. Specifically, run with someone who is slightly slower than you.
My brother isn't slower than me on foot, but I think he's a step or two behind me in other ways. I heard an owner calling for their dog, so I asked my brother if the dog was chasing us. As he turned to look, I took off. By the time he turned around, I was a few steps ahead of him.
I've been lucky so far as I've just kept running and let the dogs get their chase in, then turn to go home. Many dogs have come uncomfortably close to my ankles and barked, but no bites yet. I should carry one of the things that people have suggested, or get the biggest dog I can find to go running with...
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M posted 20 weeks ago.
So if pepper spray works for dogs, what works on gigantic turkeys? Cranberry sauce? We were both chased by one, twice, during a run a few weeks ago. His head was at least as high as my hip and as soon as I would get to some certain point (possibly where it looked like I was running away from him), he would lean his ugly neck forward and pursue! I tried to look intimidating and subjected him to a barrage of loud verbal abuse and he finally left me alone. I know that other big birds like ostrich and emu can run very fast; not sure if it's true of monster turkeys. Getting beaked just sounds awful. During the confrontations, though, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a hidden camera recording the whole thing. I felt very foolish.
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342 days
Danny Fiasco posted 20 weeks ago.
M wrote:
During the confrontations, though, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a hidden camera recording the whole thing. I felt very foolish.
I've heard turkeys can be really mean. I don't know if Turkey's are laying this time of year, but geese are and mother geese are very agressive about protecting their nests. I heard a story of someone trying to get a goose egg out from under a hen and then the the crap beat out of. Also, my dad has a hunting story where his friend wounded a goose, and then chased the goose for a awhile, and then the goose chased him for awhile...
Also, from what I heard, i think that male turkeys (toms?) are very territorial.
987
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1153 days
PJT posted 20 weeks ago.
You seemed to have guessed part of the answer, but I would not suggest bringing dog biscuits as a way to bribe dogs on your run. The problem is that dogs are very quick to learn via positive reinforcement (like food), but don't always learn the intended lesson. The ones that are just out to say "hello" by chasing you will only have that behavior positively reinforced and will continue to chase you and every other runner or cyclist they see for the rest of their lives in the hopes of getting another biscuit. This is bad news for both athletes and the dog.
Also, the ones that mean to harm you won't necessarily be deterred by your peace offering.
668
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1102 days
deepbluex posted 20 weeks ago.
I often encounter loose dogs roaming in my neighborhood. I meet them as I walk my own dogs and it's not something I like. Loose dogs can be sweet, playful and curious, but can potentially be mean, dangerous, and diseased. There is no way to know if a quiet approach will suddenly turn bad. So I never take a chance and practice the a) yell, then b) kick / threat of kick, c) deploy metal stick (not so much to beat the dog but to serve as an extension to keep the dog at a distance and to not endanger your own arm/hands) and finally d) pepper spray if I see active aggression.
I'll only introduce or permit my dogs to meet other dogs when the owners are present and the dogs are all leashed or all loose in a controlled area.
I'm in an urban/residential area of Los Angeles so loose dogs are definitely not permitted in such an environment. I usually report the loose dog to animal control when I get the chance.
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274 days
M posted 20 weeks ago.
Yesterday I had my first loose dog encounter. I saw him from a distance and thought of this thread. At first it seemed he wouldn't bother me, then he started circling and coming in closer in a playful/aggressive way. The problem is, it's kind of hard to interpret if you don't know the dog. I tried walking calmly away but if I moved he would jump at me. I yelled for the whole street to hear that the owner of the dog needed to come get him. I could see in the distance the guy who turned out to be the owner's neighbor ignoring me. Then I said "Hey you in the yellow shirt" and just as he was answering "what" as if I had interrupted Christmas dinner, the lady came out of her house (which I was standing right in front of) saying things like, "oh, he's just a crazy puppy," [if he was a puppy, he'll grow to be a horse] "he just slipped out of his collar," "he won't hurt you," etc. She made motions as if to corral him, but he was running up the road in the other direction. I just ran along on my way. When I came back through (unfortunately no other way), he was still out running around but now the neighbors were out front talking so the dog was brought under some measure of control. I suspect it was the MO to just let the dog roam while she did things in the house.
One thing about this: I don't remember whether he had another collar on aside from the one that he had supposedly slipped out of. A friend of ours was hurt in a loose dog encounter on a motorcycle. The dogs were un-collared. The people "responsible" for the dogs then denied any association with them.
While living in the country has many advantages, such as almost every intersection is exactly one mile apart, it has a disadvantage of many large dogs and no leash laws. In fact, many dogs get dumped out around my house from city people who no longer wish to own a dog and think farmers will take care of them for them... i digress.
Anyways, on a run or a bike, a dog will occasionaly decide to give chase, and especially on the run, leave you a little timid. While many dogs are just having fun, I have encountered one dog on a run that I was afraid was going to bite me after she snapped at my ankles. My question is, do any of you have these problems, and do you take any dog prevention steps? I was thinking about buying some pepper spray for the particularly nasty ones...