Best way to deal with dogs threatening while biking?

[bluesofa]

It surprises me there are so many people with this problem.

 

If a dog chases me while I'm cycling, I shout at them. Anything - 'Aaargh!', 'Go away', anything at all as long as it's said aggressively. They nearly always stop.

In more than five years, it's only failed to scare them off twice. Then I just keep pedalling and they get tired within a hundred metres.

[FarFlungFalang]

57 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

 

When I used to run everyday I was terrorized by a large dog even the postman was afraid of. One day I had enough. Instead of running, I stopped, turned around, and ran toward the dog yelling and waving my arms. It paused for second, looked confused, and turned tail and ran away. He never bothered me again. Play the game they know and it never ends. Invent a new game and they become very wary. Think out of the box. 

I've used this method for over 30 years as a survey assistant and having to deal with dogs and found it to be the most effective against all but a few dogs I could tell they would obviously rip anyone to shreds.

[Aomelia]

Stun gun works great just the noise scares them off , you don’t have to apply 

[Kurtf]

A small hand squirt gun loaded with bleach water will do the trick.

[donnacha]

28 minutes ago, cauldlad said:

I bent down and pretended to pick up a stone and they ran away about 10 meters, still barking.

That always works for me when walking. Pick up the imaginary stone, walk confidently in their direction with my arm raised as if ready to throw.

If in a spot you often pass, maybe use real stones and, if you are a good shot, aim for their snouts. The shock of getting hit in a sensitive area creates a memory and they are less likely to bother you in the future.

If cycling, keep a stick, or branch, or piece of pipe in the basket. Again, merely raising it seems to warn them off.

I feel so sorry for small Thai children who might not have a family car to drive them around everywhere. Their lives are made a misery by soi dogs. Shamefully, a big part of the problem is the soft-brained expats who keep feeding the soi dogs. They get to feel virtuous and then drive away. Disgusting, anti-social behavior in a country with rabies. These dogs need real care, especially medical, but, no, that would cost actual money.

 

 

[RocketDog]

43 minutes ago, JanPeder said:

Yesterday this happen to me att closed to a Temple. I pass, this area, many times but yesterday around 17.00 it was about 15 dogs and I came with a high speed....every dog start barking and one dog, almost bite my leg...ooo I got a little scratch....no blood.... I try to get away as fast as I could. One car stopped and a man saw my situation.....start shouting....jissus I was scared.....but I got away. Some advise here said stop and talk calm with the dogs. <deleted>. Never in my life I will stopp when 15 dogs attack me. Before it use to be maybe , 4-5 dogs in front of that Temple but now it was so many. 

I had problem some times before. Always in front of the Temples. Many dog have meeting there and maybe wait for food. In the future i think best advice from people in this forum, is water and vineager. Maybe I will try. I hate dogs.

Your last sentence is the key takeaway. Perhaps you didn't truly mean hate; that's often confused with fear. Hate very seldom yields beneficial results in any given situation. 

 

Here I apologize if I sound condescending; I'm just being frank. You are entitled to your opinion, but it does affect your life experience. Life is all about choices. I applaud your decision to try different solutions.

 

Most of those offered on this thread work well. My experience is that the more one understands dogs the more wonderful they seem. Like humans though there are some incorrigibles among them, and other more submissive individuals tend to follow such leaders. Witness the last few years in American politics. 

 

May I suggest avoiding the temples? It's not like they are on every street. I avoid temples and Wats for a variety of reasons myself. I rather enjoy exploring new routes and seeing new things and people, and yes, even new dogs. It's a fact that the majority of dogs are not vicious killers. 

[RocketDog]

20 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I've used this method for over 30 years as a survey assistant and having to deal with dogs and found it to be the most effective against all but a few dogs I could tell they would obviously rip anyone to shreds.

No doubt, there are times that a tactical retreat is in order! Thankfully other methods much less strenuous usually prevail. 

If dogs are trained, by humans, to attack, they are not easily deterred. And whose fault is that? 

 

In America the mailmen have seen it all and most carry pepper spray as a last resort. 

[Peterphuket]

I always carry a bottle of concentrated vinegar, it helps good.

[brianthainess]

21 hours ago, CharlieH said:

When a dog approaches stop pedalling, the motion attracts some.

Couldn't agree more, from my observations, and people running, they seem to dislike feet moving to fast, I can remember a dog once having a sleep in a T junction a car ran over its foot' next day the same car was taking the same turn, the dog ran after the car trying to bite its rear bumper/ fender,

[FarFlungFalang]

7 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

No doubt, there are times that a tactical retreat is in order! Thankfully other methods much less strenuous usually prevail. 

If dogs are trained, by humans, to attack, they are not easily deterred. And whose fault is that? 

 

In America the mailmen have seen it all and most carry pepper spray as a last resort. 

Sometimes we had to have the dogs restrained inside the owners homes whilst we performed our task which only occurred very rarely as most dogs are usually easily scared off by the technique of running at them yelling which again didn't happen often as most dogs I encountered were quite friendly.

[LawrenceN]

21 hours ago, shdmn said:

Maybe try spray them with water mixed with vinegar or rubbing alcohol.  If that doesn't work then pepper spray should do the trick.

I do this, but I don't mix with water. Straight vinegar as it comes from the store, which is already diluted acetic acid. Mine usually has red or black pepper in it as well. I keep an inch or two in a second water bottle on my bike. Aim for the eyes. I have never been bothered by the same dog twice. It does no real harm, and gives them something to think about for half an hour or so. 

[RocketDog]

5 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Sometimes we had to have the dogs restrained inside the owners homes whilst we performed our task which only occurred very rarely as most dogs are usually easily scared off by the technique of running at them yelling which again didn't happen often as most dogs I encountered were quite friendly.

I think dogs are one of the most wonderful things the world has to offer. If I was religious I would consider them a gift from god. I've raised a number of them from infants through to death and would never trade those experiences. 

[Stevemercer]

If you are doing serious riding, it is impractical to stop or muck around every time dogs run at you. The three things I do are below. None of these methods requires you to change your speed and allows you to keep both hands on the handlebars and keep full control of your bike.

 

First, if the road conditions are suitable and the dogs are on your left or right, ride close to the verge so the dogs have to run on the rough verge. This normally slows them down so they fall behind.

 

Second, when the dogs first close in, you might be able to get a good kick in the nose of one (assuming you are un-cleated). The yelp is very satisfying and usually discourages the pack. However, this usually only works for younger dogs. The dogs quickly learn and most will stay out of kicking range.

 

Thirdly, if you have a trailing pack, after 30 metres or so you can turn around on the seat and look back. This change of profile, and the fact you are now looking at them, always discourages them and they trail off.

 

If you are on a regular route, and know there is a pack of dogs ahead, I will grab a mouthful of water, get my hands back on the handlebars and spray the first dog that closes in. If you get a hit, the dog will usually be discouraged.

[Blue Muton]

21 hours ago, PatOngo said:

A good pair of steel capped boots!

 

A pair of Colonel Rosa Klebb's shoes would do the trick, after all I don't think she'll be needing them any time soon!

 

 

 

 

[Tagged]

40 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

No doubt, there are times that a tactical retreat is in order! Thankfully other methods much less strenuous usually prevail. 

If dogs are trained, by humans, to attack, they are not easily deterred. And whose fault is that? 

 

In America the mailmen have seen it all and most carry pepper spray as a last resort. 

Now, thai dogs is not like american dogs, who often are trained and breeded because of their aggretion. Thai dogs are removed from streets if are in danger to people. Thai dogs is mostly loud deffensive dogs, and if you behave deffensive and calm it will in 99.99 % of the times resoult in no aggression what so ever back. A giod test with every dog to check their mental strenght is to stand your ground, talk to them, make a step up, and you will see they back off, and pretty much the same ass pretend  picking up a stone as someone described earlier, and it is not the stone as he think is the resoult, is the dominent move that makes the resoult. Same with a stick or the arms up, same same and not even necessery to act aggressive at all, that will fail you with the wrong dog or the pack of dogs.

 

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Tagged

[rwill]

You will find that some dogs just like to chase things.  If you stop so will they and lose interest.

[AlfHuy]

2 hours ago, J Town said:

I carry a stick in my front basket. I stop, raise the stick over my head, and that stops them. Then I have to move away slowly cuz the gutless chickensh!ts start to come at me again.

I think I saw you last week.

[AlfHuy]

I put my dog face on.

[JAFO]

Get a flashlight that has a voltage stun gun in the bezel. Trust me, that crackling noise makes them run away. A few times by and they associate your smell with that sound and do not mess with you.

 

[digger70]

4 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Problem is, so many of the inbred mongrel soi dogs are ownerless!

You run over one of them mutts you find the Owners.  Well, they Will Claim to Own it.  

[digger70]

17 hours ago, KC 71 said:

good luck with that

some guy tried that on my dog and it just made things worse

How can someone Try that on Your Mutt if it's in your yard and Not on the road .

If it's on the  road  and chasing ,Good for him to kick in the Marbles.

[jomtienisgood]

22 hours ago, sagra said:

I take a long bike rides every day on some rural roads and through local villages. What is the consensus on the top 2 or 3 ways to repel or scare off dogs that are chasing and threatening you? Thanks for any suggestions offered.

Call the guy who drags his cat on a rope behind his bike..... I know not funny....

[robertson468]

22 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

I just get off the bike, sometimes until they calm down. Inconvenient of course. But once they are familiar with you, the nuisance with that pack should stop. But I'm a dog person, so I don't have any fear.

Okay, but the last Guy who tried that with my dogs ended up with a broken leg!

[Iron Tongue]

Ammonia works better than vinegar in spray bottle.

[Gecko123]

17 hours ago, HighPriority said:

MARR DEE !

Mardi Gras? (sorry couldn't resist)

 

Pointing with your finger like you are taking aim generally keeps them from getting too close.

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Gecko123

[Eindhoven]

36 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

Okay, but the last Guy who tried that with my dogs ended up with a broken leg!

 

Tried what? Did you quote the wrong post?

[soi3eddie]

I've ridden well over 2,000 Kms in Southern Thailand both touring and morning rides. A fair few dog chases but never been bitten. A chase certainly increases the heart rate a bit especially when unexpected. The bas-tards often come racing out of a driveway into the road just as you're passing. Nearly always from the left hand side. If I see dogs in the road ahead I will get some speed up before nearing them and STOP pedaling until well past them. Normally they will not take chase. If they do chase then I unclip the bike pump and raise it as if to swipe them while shouting "PAI" as in to go away. Usually works but some just won't quit. Don't pedal but come to a standstill and get ready to whack them. They usually lose interest after a while then you can slowly move off. A fair few dog owners have called off their dogs in the past so there are some responsible owners about. I was chased by some vicious dogs while riding a motorbike in remote border area of Ranong last year and that was particulary scary.

 

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, rwill said:

You will find that some dogs just like to chase things.  If you stop so will they and lose interest.

Sounds just like my wife.

[thaibeachlovers]

23 hours ago, sagra said:

I take a long bike rides every day on some rural roads and through local villages. What is the consensus on the top 2 or 3 ways to repel or scare off dogs that are chasing and threatening you? Thanks for any suggestions offered.

I made a holster on the bike frame to hold a meter long piece of blue plastic water pipe. When they saw me pull that out the little <deleted>s ran for it. Sometimes I'd follow them back to their master's place where they were hiding under the table.

Carrying big stones works too, but I never threw one as it might have hit the wrong target. Just holding it as though going to throw it was enough.

No dog ever got close enough for me to actually hit it.

[scoupeo]

maybe just grow some ?