I don't like dogs! (around my bike)

[jamawani]

I've done many cross-country tours in 49 states.
(It's hard to bicycle to Hawaii...)
No question that dogs are worse in the South than elsewhere.
Kentucky and Missouri are often mentioned because the TA goes thru those states.
But I can assure you that Alabama and Mississippi are just as bad, if not worse.

Rural southerners now frequently commute to work in the county seat.
They just leave their dogs out - and they tend to congregate into a pack.
At one rural crossroads I had about a dozen come at me.
It ain't a nice feeling.

I have always used two things - my voice and the bike pump.
I had a great standard sized Zefal pump for many years.
Dogs see it as a stick and are freaked when the handle flies out to double its length.
But more importantly, I yell fiercely at them. (I have a bass voice and opera training.)
And - - I jump off my bike towards them, not behind the bike.

I continue to advance and yell until the leader's ears & tail drops.
Sometimes, if there is more than one dog, one of the pack
may try to sneak around to the side - and they have this sneaky crawl.
They are much easier to scare into submission than the alpha.
My language tends to be unprintable.

I have never used Halt - don't carry it.
I have always had success with the above - - however - -
it takes a certain attitude and certainty. And I don't have kids with me.
One time a Doberman jumped out from some bushes and surprised me.
I was pretty hoarse by the time I shouted him down, but he dropped into submission.

One nice side-effect of this method
is that you have plenty of adrenaline for the rest of the day.

BTW - After the Alabama episode with the dozen dogs,
I got to the county seat and went by the courthouse.
I told a deputy about the dozen dogs and the danger they presented.
And asked, "What can be done about it?"
She said with a deep southern drawl, "Jus' shoot 'em."

[FusoRider]

Maybe I’m just lucky, but I discovered a method that worked every time in more than a dozen dog encounters during a three-month, cross-country ride (LA to Massachusetts). As soon as I spotted a dog or dogs heading toward me, I’d call out to them as if we were old friends. “There’s my boy! Good to see ya! How ya doin’?” That usually slowed their dash to the road. (I’d swear that a few times I could see them turning their heads in confusion, as if thinking this was not how the routine usually went. The cyclist was supposed to act like an animal being chased!) If they they kept coming and approached the road I abruptly blasted them with a change in tone: “HEY! GET OUTTA THE ROAD! BACK TO THE HOUSE! NOW! GO ON!” With that, they put on the brakes and watched me go by. If I still had time, for karma’s sake I’d praise their good behavior. “Good dog!” It was one of my proudest achievements of the ride.

[Alessa3322]

I point at the chasing dog and with authority say, "NO!!". Who doesn't tell their dog No? Every dog has stopped, looking confused, and has broken off the chase.

It makes sense. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the idea!

[mobilemail]

A few weeks ago I wrecked riding a local country road when a dog ran between the wheels of my recumbent.  He wasn't smart, but he was speedy!   I never try to outrun a dog. The truth is that they are usually faster than me, especially if I'm on a recumbent trike.  But most dogs are chasing for entertainment or herding instinct, not because they intend to be mean. At the time I was unarmed with dog deterrents, but here are my faves and things I plan to try:

1. I give a few loud "lay down!" commands.  This usually works on dogs that otherwise have been moderately schooled by their owners.
2. In the past, option #2 was to squirt directly in the face with my water bottle - just water or maybe an energy drink.  This nearly always works after a squirt or two
3. I will use Halt if I have it with me...which is maybe 10-20 percent of the time.  I generally don't like to because, well, people are nuts for their pets nowadays and I like to avoid unpleasant confrontations. But there is a time and a place...

I saw a video recently where well-known tourist Sylvia Halpern recommended a safety whistle as being highly effective.  I like this idea since I have found in the past that it also works in traffic, and on MUPs where other users have stuff blaring in their headphones.  So I bought the loudest safety whistle I could find - loudest by listed specs, at least - and will try that on the next opportunity.  It is a hyperwhistle, if your curious.