how to protect yourself (and others) from soi dogs.

[vogie]

I believe the initial question was how to protect yourself from soi dogs while riding a bicycle. The complaint was about dogs aggressively running after the OP. I am not certain what he considers aggressive running and I am pretty sure different riders would gauge this differently but I think it is safe to say he was frightened.

There seem to be two very different responses. One is to bludgeon the animals or worse. The other is to adjust the behavior and elevate the understanding of the rider in an effort to reduce his fear. I know what works for me but I guess others are free to take a more aggressive stance.

All the theoretical talk about how to change Thailand really doesnt address the immediate question of dealing with the dog chasing you down the soi, which after all is the topic.

There probably isnt one simple solution as we dont all ride in the same place surrounded by the same dogs. Some of us have found a kinder gentler way of coexistence which takes into consideration a longterm relationship with our neighbors, both human and animal.

The fear factor may simply be too high for some people to use a similar approach. It is clear from my experience that dogs respond differently to different people. Our dogs will ignore most people but will display aggression toward others and you can usually see why. Maybe if you are the type of person who brings out the worst in animals you do need to protect yourself but I still think an attitude adjustment would be easier.

Would you say you were a cross between Dr Doolittle and Crocodile Dundee?

[villagefarang]

I believe the initial question was how to protect yourself from soi dogs while riding a bicycle. The complaint was about dogs aggressively running after the OP. I am not certain what he considers aggressive running and I am pretty sure different riders would gauge this differently but I think it is safe to say he was frightened.

There seem to be two very different responses. One is to bludgeon the animals or worse. The other is to adjust the behavior and elevate the understanding of the rider in an effort to reduce his fear. I know what works for me but I guess others are free to take a more aggressive stance.

All the theoretical talk about how to change Thailand really doesnt address the immediate question of dealing with the dog chasing you down the soi, which after all is the topic.

There probably isnt one simple solution as we dont all ride in the same place surrounded by the same dogs. Some of us have found a kinder gentler way of coexistence which takes into consideration a longterm relationship with our neighbors, both human and animal.

The fear factor may simply be too high for some people to use a similar approach. It is clear from my experience that dogs respond differently to different people. Our dogs will ignore most people but will display aggression toward others and you can usually see why. Maybe if you are the type of person who brings out the worst in animals you do need to protect yourself but I still think an attitude adjustment would be easier.

Would you say you were a cross between Dr Doolittle and Crocodile Dundee?

I am just a normal well adjusted guy who doesn’t go weak in the knees when a dog barks at me.

[vogie]

I believe the initial question was how to protect yourself from soi dogs while riding a bicycle. The complaint was about dogs aggressively running after the OP. I am not certain what he considers aggressive running and I am pretty sure different riders would gauge this differently but I think it is safe to say he was frightened.

There seem to be two very different responses. One is to bludgeon the animals or worse. The other is to adjust the behavior and elevate the understanding of the rider in an effort to reduce his fear. I know what works for me but I guess others are free to take a more aggressive stance.

All the theoretical talk about how to change Thailand really doesnt address the immediate question of dealing with the dog chasing you down the soi, which after all is the topic.

There probably isnt one simple solution as we dont all ride in the same place surrounded by the same dogs. Some of us have found a kinder gentler way of coexistence which takes into consideration a longterm relationship with our neighbors, both human and animal.

The fear factor may simply be too high for some people to use a similar approach. It is clear from my experience that dogs respond differently to different people. Our dogs will ignore most people but will display aggression toward others and you can usually see why. Maybe if you are the type of person who brings out the worst in animals you do need to protect yourself but I still think an attitude adjustment would be easier.

Would you say you were a cross between Dr Doolittle and Crocodile Dundee?

I am just a normal well adjusted guy who doesnt go weak in the knees when a dog barks at me.

Neither do I go weak at the knees, because I believe attack is the best form of defence.

[el jefe]

While I am certain the haters will not be swayed from their position, I continue to respond because I have hope there are some who are on the fence, between love and hate. Those individuals have the right to hear differing opinions before they make up their minds.

Not really a matter of love & hate. That's just you trying to deflect the discussion by emotionalizing it. The fact is, the dogs are a pest and a hazard, possibly even a deadly hazard if rabid. They are a problem in need of a solution. Yours is not a solution, just an attempt to make yourself feel better. If your child were attacked & injured, or even you yourself had to endure a rabies series, I'll wager you'd change your tune pretty quickly. Unfortunately, some people are just congenitally disabled from being able to learn from the experiences of others. Hopefully NOBODY finds your advice worthwhile and makes of themselves part of the problem.

We're pretty far off the topic here. Do you or 12drink even ride bicycles in Thailand?

When I first posted to this thread, I was only pointing out the misplaced and increased dangers. You are more likely to crash while avoiding a dog than you are to be bitten.

Hawker, you're entitled to your opinion but please don't state them as fact. Human fatalities from rabies has been going down steadily for over 30 years in Thailand. In my quick google search, the last year I found the statistic for was 2012. Four people died from rabies. Four. All in two provinces in the deep south. Like to guess how many died from lightning? 171. You're more than 40 times more likely to die from lightning than a dog bite. Based on your logic/illogic if you're letting your child out of the house during the rainy season, you're an unfit parent.

Feel free to hate dogs and torture other sentient beings. It's a crime, even here in Thailand, but it's unlikely you'll get caught. I've already suggested other, more humane solutions.

OH - so you want to bandy some cherry-picked fun facts, eh? Well, according to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2244672/

ONE IN TEN dogs in Bangkok are thought to be infected with rabies, 13 OF EVERY 1000 travelers to Thailand are bitten by dogs, and children are considered most at risk (because they are less likely than adults to report the incident). Also, India and Southest Asia have the highest incidence of rabies.

You continue to try & emotionalize this discussion to deflect it from real solutions. It's not about "hate" or "torture"; you just seem obsessed with that terminology. (Try some meditation or anger management techniques.). It's about practical means of dealing with a serious, or as I've now demonstrated to you even life-threatening, hazard.

That's an 8 1/2 year old link that makes no reference to the even older study about dog bites.

Why do I need anger management??? I'm pretty calm. I've even suggested several solutions. But there are still a few of you here who think they can solve the problem by hurting the few dogs they come across. Unless you are going to go out a kill several million dogs, I don't see how your methods will help. What are the "real solutions" you refer to?

[hawker9000]

While I am certain the haters will not be swayed from their position, I continue to respond because I have hope there are some who are on the fence, between love and hate. Those individuals have the right to hear differing opinions before they make up their minds.

Not really a matter of love & hate. That's just you trying to deflect the discussion by emotionalizing it. The fact is, the dogs are a pest and a hazard, possibly even a deadly hazard if rabid. They are a problem in need of a solution. Yours is not a solution, just an attempt to make yourself feel better. If your child were attacked & injured, or even you yourself had to endure a rabies series, I'll wager you'd change your tune pretty quickly. Unfortunately, some people are just congenitally disabled from being able to learn from the experiences of others. Hopefully NOBODY finds your advice worthwhile and makes of themselves part of the problem.

We're pretty far off the topic here. Do you or 12drink even ride bicycles in Thailand?

When I first posted to this thread, I was only pointing out the misplaced and increased dangers. You are more likely to crash while avoiding a dog than you are to be bitten.

Hawker, you're entitled to your opinion but please don't state them as fact. Human fatalities from rabies has been going down steadily for over 30 years in Thailand. In my quick google search, the last year I found the statistic for was 2012. Four people died from rabies. Four. All in two provinces in the deep south. Like to guess how many died from lightning? 171. You're more than 40 times more likely to die from lightning than a dog bite. Based on your logic/illogic if you're letting your child out of the house during the rainy season, you're an unfit parent.

Feel free to hate dogs and torture other sentient beings. It's a crime, even here in Thailand, but it's unlikely you'll get caught. I've already suggested other, more humane solutions.

OH - so you want to bandy some cherry-picked fun facts, eh? Well, according to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2244672/

ONE IN TEN dogs in Bangkok are thought to be infected with rabies, 13 OF EVERY 1000 travelers to Thailand are bitten by dogs, and children are considered most at risk (because they are less likely than adults to report the incident). Also, India and Southest Asia have the highest incidence of rabies.

You continue to try & emotionalize this discussion to deflect it from real solutions. It's not about "hate" or "torture"; you just seem obsessed with that terminology. (Try some meditation or anger management techniques.). It's about practical means of dealing with a serious, or as I've now demonstrated to you even life-threatening, hazard.

That's an 8 1/2 year old link that makes no reference to the even older study about dog bites.

Why do I need anger management??? I'm pretty calm. I've even suggested several solutions. But there are still a few of you here who think they can solve the problem by hurting the few dogs they come across. Unless you are going to go out a kill several million dogs, I don't see how your methods will help. What are the "real solutions" you refer to?

ROFLMAO. Yeah. For the last eight years soi dogs have been practicing safe sex. It's all better now. The OP is obviously hallucinating. 55555

[villagefarang]

I believe the initial question was how to protect yourself from soi dogs while riding a bicycle. The complaint was about dogs aggressively running after the OP. I am not certain what he considers aggressive running and I am pretty sure different riders would gauge this differently but I think it is safe to say he was frightened.

There seem to be two very different responses. One is to bludgeon the animals or worse. The other is to adjust the behavior and elevate the understanding of the rider in an effort to reduce his fear. I know what works for me but I guess others are free to take a more aggressive stance.

All the theoretical talk about how to change Thailand really doesnt address the immediate question of dealing with the dog chasing you down the soi, which after all is the topic.

There probably isnt one simple solution as we dont all ride in the same place surrounded by the same dogs. Some of us have found a kinder gentler way of coexistence which takes into consideration a longterm relationship with our neighbors, both human and animal.

The fear factor may simply be too high for some people to use a similar approach. It is clear from my experience that dogs respond differently to different people. Our dogs will ignore most people but will display aggression toward others and you can usually see why. Maybe if you are the type of person who brings out the worst in animals you do need to protect yourself but I still think an attitude adjustment would be easier.

Would you say you were a cross between Dr Doolittle and Crocodile Dundee?

I am just a normal well adjusted guy who doesnt go weak in the knees when a dog barks at me.

Neither do I go weak at the knees, because I believe attack is the best form of defence.

I never would have guessed.

Edited July 27, 2016 by villagefarang

[el jefe]

While I am certain the haters will not be swayed from their position, I continue to respond because I have hope there are some who are on the fence, between love and hate. Those individuals have the right to hear differing opinions before they make up their minds.

Not really a matter of love & hate. That's just you trying to deflect the discussion by emotionalizing it. The fact is, the dogs are a pest and a hazard, possibly even a deadly hazard if rabid. They are a problem in need of a solution. Yours is not a solution, just an attempt to make yourself feel better. If your child were attacked & injured, or even you yourself had to endure a rabies series, I'll wager you'd change your tune pretty quickly. Unfortunately, some people are just congenitally disabled from being able to learn from the experiences of others. Hopefully NOBODY finds your advice worthwhile and makes of themselves part of the problem.

We're pretty far off the topic here. Do you or 12drink even ride bicycles in Thailand?

When I first posted to this thread, I was only pointing out the misplaced and increased dangers. You are more likely to crash while avoiding a dog than you are to be bitten.

Hawker, you're entitled to your opinion but please don't state them as fact. Human fatalities from rabies has been going down steadily for over 30 years in Thailand. In my quick google search, the last year I found the statistic for was 2012. Four people died from rabies. Four. All in two provinces in the deep south. Like to guess how many died from lightning? 171. You're more than 40 times more likely to die from lightning than a dog bite. Based on your logic/illogic if you're letting your child out of the house during the rainy season, you're an unfit parent.

Feel free to hate dogs and torture other sentient beings. It's a crime, even here in Thailand, but it's unlikely you'll get caught. I've already suggested other, more humane solutions.

OH - so you want to bandy some cherry-picked fun facts, eh? Well, according to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2244672/

ONE IN TEN dogs in Bangkok are thought to be infected with rabies, 13 OF EVERY 1000 travelers to Thailand are bitten by dogs, and children are considered most at risk (because they are less likely than adults to report the incident). Also, India and Southest Asia have the highest incidence of rabies.

You continue to try & emotionalize this discussion to deflect it from real solutions. It's not about "hate" or "torture"; you just seem obsessed with that terminology. (Try some meditation or anger management techniques.). It's about practical means of dealing with a serious, or as I've now demonstrated to you even life-threatening, hazard.

That's an 8 1/2 year old link that makes no reference to the even older study about dog bites.

Why do I need anger management??? I'm pretty calm. I've even suggested several solutions. But there are still a few of you here who think they can solve the problem by hurting the few dogs they come across. Unless you are going to go out a kill several million dogs, I don't see how your methods will help. What are the "real solutions" you refer to?

ROFLMAO. Yeah. For the last eight years soi dogs have been practicing safe sex. It's all better now. The OP is obviously hallucinating. 55555

I have no idea what you're referring too. There are probably just as many dogs now as there were 8 1/2 years ago. (which would prove that poisoning a few won't solve the problem of "how to protect yourself (and others) from soi dogs" (the OP's subject line).

But I'm still waiting for your "real solutions."

[hawker9000]

^^^^^

(Yeah, I can easily believe you don't.)

To the vast majority it's obvious. Do what the SPCA does. Round them up, see to their immediate needs as best as resources allow (immediately put down all found to be rabid), and if not adopted (after being spayed/neutered) then as humanely as possible, put them down.

Edited July 29, 2016 by hawker9000

[fdimike]

I thought this topic was concerning soi dogs chasing a cyclist (bicycle) not a motorbike.

I have been cycling in Thailand for about 10 years now and find the best defense for one or 2 dogs is to just spray them with water from your water bottle. If it's a pack then I turn my bike and chase them. That normally will bring things to a quick ending as they will scatter. I've also been known to kick a few square in the head.

[el jefe]

On 7/29/2016 at 11:32 AM, hawker9000 said:

^^^^^

(Yeah, I can easily believe you don't.)

To the vast majority it's obvious. Do what the SPCA does. Round them up, see to their immediate needs as best as resources allow (immediately put down all found to be rabid), and if not adopted (after being spayed/neutered) then as humanely as possible, put them down.

Well we sort of agree. In a prior post I suggested supporting organizations (similar to SPCA's) that spay and neuter dogs. I've contributed a substantial amount over the years. I hope you have too.

But I think you're misinformed as to what SPCA's do. There are many SPCA's around the world. I believe most are unrelated. Most of them support and fund shelters but they do not go rounding them up and they certainly don't put down dogs themselves. Here's the Thai SPCA -- http://thaispca.org/?page_id=39&lang=en,   http://thaispca.org/?page_id=527&lang=en  http://thaispca.org/?page_id=529&lang=en  I can't find anything about euthanizing animals.

There's an SPCA International -- https://www.spcai.org/about-spcai/ -- but again I can't find anything about euthanizing animals. Interestingly, the Westchester SPCA has a program where they are paying to fly Thai street dogs to Westchester for adoptions.

I think what you're looking for is a western type of animal control office run by the government. Most developing countries have more pressing needs and can't afford this.

But the key point of all the SPCA's is what the "PC" stands for.

 

Edited August 1, 2016 by el jefe

[paulsingle]

I'm bringing my bicycle to Thailand in a fortnight from now and I was looking forward to it but now I'm dreading it. I've been chased and bitten by dogs before and I'm now very wary of them. I feel that if a dog is going to attack me, I have the right to defend myself by whatever means possible and hopefully discourage the dog from attacking me or anyone else in the future.

I am shocked and dismayed to read here that there are people who think I should not attempt to defend myself if it means hurting the dog!

My son was recently bitten by a dog in Chalong while riding his scooter. If I do ride and if I am attacked, I will defend myself as best I can and if the dog suffers any harm that's not my intention. I only want to protect myself.

[villagefarang]

In our village, it is people mistreating the dogs which causes the problem.  The dogs around here definitely remember the riders and vehicles who have tried to hurt them in the past.  They ignore most people but always bark at the mean ones.

[el jefe]

30 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

In our village, it is people mistreating the dogs which causes the problem.  The dogs around here definitely remember the riders and vehicles who have tried to hurt them in the past.  They ignore most people but always bark at the mean ones.

I've seen those dogs from your village. they come running out and bark at a passing cyclist. The cyclist usually panics and looks for his watergun, mace, ammonia, stick, etc and forgets to pay attention to the road. When the cyclist hits a pothole or a rock and crashes, the dogs laugh hysterically. It's all good clean fun.

[Ace of Pop]

Just bough my dogs some Cyclist Repellant.He only sprays Durian Types though,[emoji572]️


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[RamenRaven]

Soi dogs and street dogs are a piece of cake to deal with. After you throw some rocks and act like a boss, they all scatter.

 

But how do you deal with neighborhood guard dogs? They are the most stubborn, annoying dogs to deal with, and are pretty much semi-feral creatures who just have someone who feeds them. They are everywhere in rural Chiang Mai province and Lamphun province. Since most Thais in the suburban moobans don't run or bike around their neighborhoods, dogs will bark at and harass anything that does not have a motor engine.

 

Every time I go biking or running outside during around sunset or during the evening, I feel like I'm going into a war zone with dangerous beasts ready to eat me. Dogs don't tend to come out as much when it's scorching hot during the noontime, but that's the time of the day when you can't really exercise outside unless you want to get heat stroke.

 

Dog whistles usually don't work. Sticks and rocks agitate them. They are in the same place 24/7, ready to harass you. Sometimes there is just one dog, sometimes there are six. Once one starts barking, then the neighbor dogs all get aroused and start barking like mad. They will charge towards you and block your way.

 

I would get off my bike and show them who's boss and chase them. They are actually quite afraid of you. Do not let them think you are vulnerable.

 

I cannot possibly feed every single one of the house dogs while I am biking through the rural sois. So I have to scare them off with a long PVC stick. I have been biking around the rural sois of Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces for 2 years, and have not had to actually hit a dog. Raising and swiping your stick is enough to scare them. It is absolutely essential to have a stick while you are biking. Even the Shan migrant workers here (who actually bike unlike the motorbike-loving Lanna people) will carry long bamboo poles to ward off house dogs when they are biking around.

 

If anyone has better tips on how to deal with guard (not stray) dogs, please let me know.

 

Edited September 4, 2018 by RamenRaven

[el jefe]

5 hours ago, RamenRaven said:

Soi dogs and street dogs are a piece of cake to deal with. After you throw some rocks and act like a boss, they all scatter.

 

But how do you deal with neighborhood guard dogs? They are the most stubborn, annoying dogs to deal with, and are pretty much semi-feral creatures who just have someone who feeds them. They are everywhere in rural Chiang Mai province and Lamphun province. Since most Thais in the suburban moobans don't run or bike around their neighborhoods, dogs will bark at and harass anything that does not have a motor engine.

 

Every time I go biking or running outside during around sunset or during the evening, I feel like I'm going into a war zone with dangerous beasts ready to eat me. Dogs don't tend to come out as much when it's scorching hot during the noontime, but that's the time of the day when you can't really exercise outside unless you want to get heat stroke.

 

Dog whistles usually don't work. Sticks and rocks agitate them. They are in the same place 24/7, ready to harass you. Sometimes there is just one dog, sometimes there are six. Once one starts barking, then the neighbor dogs all get aroused and start barking like mad. They will charge towards you and block your way.

 

I would get off my bike and show them who's boss and chase them. They are actually quite afraid of you. Do not let them think you are vulnerable.

 

I cannot possibly feed every single one of the house dogs while I am biking through the rural sois. So I have to scare them off with a long PVC stick. I have been biking around the rural sois of Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces for 2 years, and have not had to actually hit a dog. Raising and swiping your stick is enough to scare them. It is absolutely essential to have a stick while you are biking. Even the Shan migrant workers here (who actually bike unlike the motorbike-loving Lanna people) will carry long bamboo poles to ward off house dogs when they are biking around.

 

If anyone has better tips on how to deal with guard (not stray) dogs, please let me know.

 

I've ridden over 100,000 kms in the last 13 years in Thailand and I wouldn't think of carrying a stick while I ride. So, no, it's not "absolutely essential".

[RamenRaven]

The other day, I was walking around my neighborhood, and two dangerous-looking German shepherd mutts suddenly came barging out of a front yard straight at me, baring their teeth and barking loudly. I picked up some rocks and threw them at the dogs a few times. The owner, an old guy, saw that and was angry at me. He yelled at me in hillbilly Northern Thai, "That's not how you chase dogs! You don't do that to dogs! Come over here!" I ignored him and walked on.

 

This was by the side of a major one-lane road in Chiang Mai that has heavy traffic, and the dogs have nearly caused accidents for many drivers before. Plus, this was not the first time I have seen these two dogs do this. They have nearly attacked me while I was on my bike, and I had to fend them off with a stick, and they wouldn't back off. A Thai guy at the other side of the road tried to help me too. They would only back off when their owner tells them to do so. Even the neighbors are visibly annoyed at the dogs, which can be seen running all over the neighborhood doing whatever they want to do.

 

I am absolutely aghast at the ignorance of these Thai dog owners. What else was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to just stand there and commit suicide by becoming dog food? What should I have done? What should I do next? Nothing makes sense here.

Edited October 11, 2018 by RamenRaven

[fdimike]

I've been cycling throughout SEA for over 10 years now and have run into this problem before.  I ignore most dogs unless they're very aggressive and in a pack.   I will normally turn around and chase the dogs on my bike.  You might also try carrying and using pepper spray.  Get off your bike and spray the animals.  Pepper spray is available on the Lazada website here in Thailand.

[Stargeezr]

Carry pepper spray and first of all spray the ignorant dog owner, then his dog.

 Next day go to Makro and buy the cheapest ground meat, enhance it with

pills and other chemicals, take a motorbike and go near the place the dogs were

at and toss the burgers to the dogs. Problem solved, dog gone!

 Geezer

[RamenRaven]

11 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Carry pepper spray and first of all spray the ignorant dog owner, then his dog.

 Next day go to Makro and buy the cheapest ground meat, enhance it with

pills and other chemicals, take a motorbike and go near the place the dogs were

at and toss the burgers to the dogs. Problem solved, dog gone!

 Geezer

That would look great in a cartoon.

 

But spraying the owner might land us in a nasty Thai jail. The idiot farang is always wrong, not the holier-than-thou Thai person.

[el jefe]

1 hour ago, RamenRaven said:

That would look great in a cartoon.

 

But spraying the owner might land us in a nasty Thai jail. The idiot farang is always wrong, not the holier-than-thou Thai person.

Poisoning a dog is illegal too. Do you really want to risk time in a Thai jail over a dog?

[Gecko123]

I have been asking myself for quite some time why dogs tend to chase bicyclists but not motorcyclists. The conclusion I have come to is that the circular pedaling action mimics a four legged prey's galloping action and is what excites a dog's hunting instinct. I have been experimenting with not pedaling and coasting when I encounter aggressive dogs, and have noticed that in the vast majority of cases the dog instantly loses interest. Most of these dogs seem to bark and give chase for the entertainment value it provides rather than out of protecting their territory.

 

I am also trying to minimize the use of an ammonia based window cleaner spray as my main line of defense. While this is very effective for most dogs, there are a handful of dogs that can't seem to put two and two together and continue giving chase no matter how many times they're squirted in the face. I've noticed that many pet owners don't appreciate their dogs being sprayed, and watch carefully when I go by to see if spraying their dog was fully justified. As most do not know what chemical I am spraying, I have begun to worry that were a dog to get sick or die, someone might decide the reason was the ammonia spray. I worry they might seek restitution or, worse, decide to retaliate by doing something stupid or dangerous while I'm aboard my bicycle. I just think using sprays probably isn't too smart from a community relations standpoint.

 

I have also been wearing a pair of black full fingered gloves and have found that just pointing at the dog with my forefinger looks enough like a weapon to give the dog pause.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Gecko123

[el jefe]

The dogs in my neighborhood all chase scooters. It's the sound of an accelerating engine. Some of the dogs chase cars too.

 

I agree with everything else you wrote. but you don't even need the full fingered gloves. I just lean towards the dog with an outstretched arm, point at them, and sternly tell them "Go home!" I haven't been bitten in 14 years of cycling here.

[WaveHunter]

On 7/11/2019 at 7:46 PM, el jefe said:

The dogs in my neighborhood all chase scooters. It's the sound of an accelerating engine. Some of the dogs chase cars too.

 

I agree with everything else you wrote. but you don't even need the full fingered gloves. I just lean towards the dog with an outstretched arm, point at them, and sternly tell them "Go home!" I haven't been bitten in 14 years of cycling here.

I agree that most dogs are all bark and no bite if you take an aggressive stance.  Packs of dogs are another matter and so I always carry pepper spray (never had to use it so far); it may be illegal but I'd rather deal with the law than being mauled by a possibly rabid animal!  Most of the time, just raising your arm as though you are about to throw something makes most dogs back off real fast.  Since only humans can throw things I think it really freaks them out to see that gesture LOL. 

 

I get chased or barked at often by stray dogs, and only once had a dog charge me in a real attack.  Luckily I was wearing cycling shoes with steel cleats.  Pedaling away from him, with him coming up fast from behind, one well-placed kick back at him landed right on his teeth.  I could hear and feel the cleat making contact and I know some teeth were broken.  It took all the fight out of him, and I bet he never chases another cyclist.

[scubascuba3]

i was bitten in Pratamak area 4 months ago, although i gave all the details to Pattaya City Hall, location, photos, googlemaps link, still they have done nothing, the dog is still there and I'm 4,000 baht lighter. See if it bites someone else

[WaveHunter]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i was bitten in Pratamak area 4 months ago, although i gave all the details to Pattaya City Hall, location, photos, googlemaps link, still they have done nothing, the dog is still there and I'm 4,000 baht lighter. See if it bites someone else

On Pratumnak Hill?  There are some real nasty feral dog packs there for sure!  Kind of scary to be on a remote path by yourself and suddenly be confronted!  Wish the public officials would fix that.  It's a shame because it's a nice place to run/bike except for that.  Of course...this is Thailand so I'm not holding my breath on that. ????

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by WaveHunter

[giddyup]

On 9/5/2018 at 5:03 AM, el jefe said:

I've ridden over 100,000 kms in the last 13 years in Thailand and I wouldn't think of carrying a stick while I ride. So, no, it's not "absolutely essential".

Then what's your solution to attacking dogs, give a peace sign?

[giddyup]

On 7/11/2019 at 7:46 PM, el jefe said:

The dogs in my neighborhood all chase scooters. It's the sound of an accelerating engine. Some of the dogs chase cars too.

 

I agree with everything else you wrote. but you don't even need the full fingered gloves. I just lean towards the dog with an outstretched arm, point at them, and sternly tell them "Go home!" I haven't been bitten in 14 years of cycling here.

Fine for one dog, what about a pack? Do the soi dogs understand the English "go home"?

[scubascuba3]

On Pratumnak Hill?  There are some real nasty feral dog packs there for sure!  Kind of scary to be on a remote path by yourself and suddenly be confronted!  Wish the public officials would fix that.  It's a shame because it's a nice place to run/bike except for that.  Of course...this is Thailand so I'm not holding my breath on that. [emoji20]
 

yes some nice walking paths deep in the wooded area, but the dogs have taken over. The dog that bit me was previously passive the last 50 times, that day it was in a bad mood and was being fed by a homeless type and they get territorial. No warning, no barks just walked casually behind me and bit my leg

[scubascuba3]

Then what's your solution to attacking dogs, give a peace sign?

the pump can be used but usually you don't have time to ride, keep your balance and swing for the dog