Dog repellents?

[ridein]

I currently live in Texas piney woods country and need a better idea to repel dogs during my rides. While the barking isn't too bad by itself, I don't like it when they are agitated and running next to me in the street. So far I've tried 1)riding offensively towards them, 2)yelling "BAD DOG" at them,
3)Halt-pepper spray specific to dogs, 4)emergency rape whistle, 5)air horn, 6)spraying energy drink/water and
7)spraying a bottle of vinegar/pepper/water mixture 8)water pistol w/vinegar. So far to date these have all had little to no success. The only suggestions I haven't tried are the "police grade" pepper spray and the bear grade pepper spray. Another is ultrasonic dog repeller, but the general opinion I've seen on the reviews is that they don't work. I really don't want to permanently harm the dog, but would like to give them an attitude adjustment from a cyclist POV.

 

[Oldman]

Frame pump, polo style.

 

[mikeNphilly]

I currently live in Texas piney woods country and need a better idea to repel dogs during my rides. While the barking isn't too bad by itself, I don't like it when they are agitated and running next to me in the street. So far I've tried 1)riding offensively towards them, 2)yelling "BAD DOG" at them,
3)Halt-pepper spray specific to dogs, 4)emergency rape whistle, 5)air horn, 6)spraying energy drink/water and
7)spraying a bottle of vinegar/pepper/water mixture. So far to date these have all had little to no success. The only suggestions I haven't tried are the "police grade" pepper spray and the bear grade pepper spray. Another is ultrasonic dog repeller, but the general opinion I've seen on the reviews is that they don't work. I really don't want to permanently harm the dog, but would like to give them an attitude adjustment from a cyclist POV.

Here this might help...

I know it's a rural area but the dogs should not be running around like that. I used to have to deal with the same stuff when I would ride back home in WV. Seems they would always show up just as I was starting a climb, which made it even more crazy. I would try the bear pepper spray, it works, and have seen it in action..against a bear.

 

[avanti]

When I lived in California loose dogs were a menace - several of us had electronic dog zappers that worked. This looks like the one I had:
http://www.dazer2.com/

Years ago members of my club just used their old style pumps to swing at dogs.

 

[ebandit]

?

I appreciate that this may sound stooopid but would you feel confident enough to stop and dismount?

in my experience I have found that dogs don't identify a cyclist with peoples
that they are bred/trained not to chase

in rural areas I have cycled through and been chased when I stop the crazed
dog becomes my friend if I stop and give it a quick stroke

Mark L

 

[MarkvW]

I appreciate that this may sound stooopid but would you feel confident enough to stop and dismount?

in my experience I have found that dogs don't identify a cyclist with peoples
that they are bred/trained not to chase

in rural areas I have cycled through and been chased when I stop the crazed
dog becomes my friend if I stop and give it a quick stroke

Mark L

Had a dog chasing me knock a pannier off my bike. Next time I ride that road, there is going to be a high quality squirt gun loaded with a rich ammonia solution mounted to my bike. Aggressive dangerous little doggie is going to get a blast in the eyes.

 

[BigMac]

Had a dog chasing me knock a pannier off my bike. Next time I ride that road, there is going to be a high quality squirt gun loaded with a rich ammonia solution mounted to my bike. Aggressive dangerous little doggie is going to get a blast in the eyes.

I seriously do hope you are joking.



As for the OP, quite bizarre, I must say. I often ride outside the city, on the countryside, and never had such problems with dogs. Or I might have had one time, but if irc, I just slowed the pace, and happily went by. Can't give you a solution.

ebandit's tactic should be a good approach though.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[avanti]

The dogs I referred to were pit-bulls as I recall and they would bite cyclists and pedestrians alike.
The local postmen carried a spray repellant.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Gotta say I quite enjoy them, makes me go faster.
Seriously, the vast majority of dogs just likes a bit of exercise and wants to show a bit of teeth. Ignore and carry on. Nothing to worry about imo.

 

[rhubroma]

Squirt water, yell and sprint.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Try throwing them some Milk-Bones.

And if that fails, throw the odd cat toward them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7znI_Kpzbs

 

[ridein]

Yes, I forgot the squirt gun and I did try that. Not sure if there is a "high quality" squirt gun made since my small toy gun leaked horribly.

 

[ridein]

I don't plan on rewarding the dog's bad behavior with milk-bones or any food.

 

[ebandit]

?

Squirt water, yell and sprint.

great game! the mutt would love that.............no wonder they chase

Mark L

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I don't plan on rewarding the dog's bad behavior with milk-bones or any food.

Dude, it sounds like these dogs already have some bad behavior, seeing as their masters are, apparently, nowhere to be found.

Maybe you can teach them to sit while you ride by, and make them earn their Milk-Bones?

 

[ridein]

A dog at the top of a climb is even worse. I knew a guy who needed a year off work to recover from his injuries after a large dog attacked him at the top of a steep climb. He was in good shape (eventually a RAAM rider), but couldn't get enough speed to get away.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Dog behavior 101 - some dogs like it when you run/try to get away, they see it as a challenge and they will go after you.

A few years back when I still used to run I had a Rottweiler barking and chasing me, I just decided to stop because I knew I would never outrun him in case he decided to attack. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stomach in order to protect the most vital of my organs, I was expecting immense pain because I thought he would bite me.

He just ended up circling me, giving me a dirty look and growling at me, and then he just ran off to wherever he had come from.

I'm not trying to minimize the frustration with stray dogs, I'm just saying understanding the most basic of dog behavior might be of some help.

 

[ridein]

Dog behavior 101 - some dogs like it when you run/try to get away, they see it as a challenge and they will go after you.

A few years back when I still used to run I had a Rottweiler barking and chasing me, I just decided to stop because I knew I would never outrun him in case he decided to attack. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stomach in order to protect the most vital of my organs, I was expecting immense pain because I thought he would bite me.

He just ended up circling me, giving me a dirty look and growling at me, and then he just ran off to wherever he had come from.

I'm not trying to minimize the frustration with stray dogs, I'm just saying understanding the most basic of dog behavior might be of some help.

The stray dogs usually don't pursue a chase, the dogs with an owner that do the chasing. I'm assuming the dogs feel they have something to defend and protect. A stray dog doesn't have this motivation unless you are a potential threat to its offspring.
Your point about the challenge of a chase isn't valid either, since these dogs will only chase within what they perceive as their owner's property/domain. They will continue to bark possibly, yet will often stop chasing before I'm beyond passing the owners fenced in property.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

The stray dogs usually don't pursue a chase, the dogs with an owner that do the chasing. I'm assuming the dogs feel they have something to defend and protect. A stray dog doesn't have this motivation unless you are a potential threat to its offspring.
Your point about the challenge of a chase isn't valid either, since these dogs will only chase within what they perceive as their owner's property/domain. They will continue to bark possibly, yet will often stop chasing before I'm beyond passing the owners fenced in property.

Oh dear, I must now defer to your expert, and "valid", opinion on dog handling...

Let me give you another case - back when I used to run I once ran past a Standard Poodle (who was leashed and walking with her master) who ended up biting me in the thigh.

To make this picture more clear...

I'm running up behind the Poodle and its master, I swerve to the left onto the bike lane so we all have some room to either run or walk. The split-second I ran past them the Poodle turned and bit me in the thigh. (Thankfully no blood was drawn, if there had been blood I would have had to to sue the master, or, at the very least, I would have had to find out whether the Poodle had had its current rabies shots.)

Now, in my mind the Poodle was merely startled and did the first thing that came to mind, I didn't fault that Poodle at all, so I just let it go.

What would you have done?

 

[Master50]

I have heard from a couple of racers that Mexican federal police use their handguns and kill strays?

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I have heard from a couple of racers that Mexican federal police use their handguns and kill strays?

Their handguns would have served better if they had used them on all the Mexican drug cartels, methinks. :/

 

[hiero2]

I currently live in Texas piney woods country and need a better idea to repel dogs during my rides. While the barking isn't too bad by itself, I don't like it when they are agitated and running next to me in the street. So far I've tried 1)riding offensively towards them, 2)yelling "BAD DOG" at them,
3)Halt-pepper spray specific to dogs, 4)emergency rape whistle, 5)air horn, 6)spraying energy drink/water and
7)spraying a bottle of vinegar/pepper/water mixture 8)water pistol w/vinegar. So far to date these have all had little to no success. The only suggestions I haven't tried are the "police grade" pepper spray and the bear grade pepper spray. Another is ultrasonic dog repeller, but the general opinion I've seen on the reviews is that they don't work. I really don't want to permanently harm the dog, but would like to give them an attitude adjustment from a cyclist POV.

Some thoughts:
1. Halt worked for me for most dogs for many years. You have to "jiggle" the spray as you spray to make sure it hits the dog. Just like people, some dogs don't mind hot stuff. Pit bull and fighting breed dogs, when they have a strong instinct, will tend to ignore pain, so may be among the dogs needing a different method.
2. It sounds to me like you aren't having a problem with many dogs, but rather one specific dog. Yeay or nay? If it is one dog, you can try the ammonia water mix, too. Should work better than vinegar.
3. If it is a particular dog, one has to wonder which instinct type it is enacting - prey, herding, guarding. Slightly different motivations, slightly different behavior responses. A herding dog might nip, but won't intentionally give a serious bite. A prey-motivated dog will usually stop when you do, since you are bigger. A guarding dog - best to keep moving along, imo, BUT --
4. Dog body language - turning your backside towards the dog, curving your back alignment so you are partially turned away, not looking the dog in the eye, not smiling or grimacing - are all calming moves dogs make to each other. A dog who is serious about calming a situation can help do so by even lying down on the ground. They don't need to roll over into a submissive pose, just lying down with their head still up is still a very calming gesture. I don't see how you could use this - but I do use the backside turn to calm excited dogs when training dogs. Of course, this is only useful if you decide to try the "stop and let the dog know you are a person" technique.

The dog may still decide, once you start moving again, that you are a fun target for a chase, or whatever. I tried stopping on occasion, but in my experience it was less successful than my Halt. I only had a couple of dogs who didn't respond to the Halt once they got hit. But it wasn't always easy hitting them - for me that was the hard part. If they didn't get hit - it wouldn't bother them.

It's just pepper water - so I wouldn't hesitate to use the bear spray myself. A dog in the street is no longer considered under the control of the owner in most legalese, I think. Some places a dog in the street without a leash is flat-out illegal. Not in my town, nor where I used to ride when I had to use Halt on a regular basis. The worst possible outcome from a severe pepper spray hit is still temporary. Ammonia could, I suppose, cause more severe burning - and could cause permanent damage, but I think it would have to be full-strength, in the eyes, and a real dousing for that.

I wonder if you could buy skunk spray online. (tongue in cheek, but you never know!)

Dog behavior 101 - some dogs like it when you run/try to get away, they see it as a challenge and they will go after you.

A few years back when I still used to run I had a Rottweiler barking and chasing me, I just decided to stop because I knew I would never outrun him in case he decided to attack. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stomach in order to protect the most vital of my organs, I was expecting immense pain because I thought he would bite me.

He just ended up circling me, giving me a dirty look and growling at me, and then he just ran off to wherever he had come from.

I'm not trying to minimize the frustration with stray dogs, I'm just saying understanding the most basic of dog behavior might be of some help.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

This is why i can never like dogs. I say send them all to thailand or china.

 

[ridein]

Thanks for your honest reply

Some thoughts:
1. Halt worked for me for most dogs for many years. You have to "jiggle" the spray as you spray to make sure it hits the dog. Just like people, some dogs don't mind hot stuff. Pit bull and fighting breed dogs, when they have a strong instinct, will tend to ignore pain, so may be among the dogs needing a different method.
2. It sounds to me like you aren't having a problem with many dogs, but rather one specific dog. Yeay or nay? If it is one dog, you can try the ammonia water mix, too. Should work better than vinegar.
3. If it is a particular dog, one has to wonder which instinct type it is enacting - prey, herding, guarding. Slightly different motivations, slightly different behavior responses. A herding dog might nip, but won't intentionally give a serious bite. A prey-motivated dog will usually stop when you do, since you are bigger. A guarding dog - best to keep moving along, imo, BUT --
4. Dog body language - turning your backside towards the dog, curving your back alignment so you are partially turned away, not looking the dog in the eye, not smiling or grimacing - are all calming moves dogs make to each other. A dog who is serious about calming a situation can help do so by even lying down on the ground. They don't need to roll over into a submissive pose, just lying down with their head still up is still a very calming gesture. I don't see how you could use this - but I do use the backside turn to calm excited dogs when training dogs. Of course, this is only useful if you decide to try the "stop and let the dog know you are a person" technique.

The dog may still decide, once you start moving again, that you are a fun target for a chase, or whatever. I tried stopping on occasion, but in my experience it was less successful than my Halt. I only had a couple of dogs who didn't respond to the Halt once they got hit. But it wasn't always easy hitting them - for me that was the hard part. If they didn't get hit - it wouldn't bother them.

It's just pepper water - so I wouldn't hesitate to use the bear spray myself. A dog in the street is no longer considered under the control of the owner in most legalese, I think. Some places a dog in the street without a leash is flat-out illegal. Not in my town, nor where I used to ride when I had to use Halt on a regular basis. The worst possible outcome from a severe pepper spray hit is still temporary. Ammonia could, I suppose, cause more severe burning - and could cause permanent damage, but I think it would have to be full-strength, in the eyes, and a real dousing for that.

I wonder if you could buy skunk spray online. (tongue in cheek, but you never know!)

Thanks for your honest reply, unlike "Tricycle Rider" snarky replies
Regarding your points:
1) Yes, Halt did have some effect and I aimed for the eyes whenever they were less than 8 feet away.
2) No, not a specific dog. It seems that people in the country don't really care where their dog(s) roam, therefore I'm the one that has to discipline them.
3) It seems to me the dogs are guarding their owner's property, since the strays typically won't chase after me.
4) So you're saying how dogs act to each other is directly translatable to how humans respond to them?
Another idea I had for a dog repellent was to use a predatory animal urine like mountain lion, wolf or bear. Although I might end up smelling pretty bad myself for the rest of the ride.

 

[BigMac]

[...]

Another idea I had for a dog repellent was to use a predatory animal urine like mountain lion, wolf or bear. Although I might end up smelling pretty bad myself for the rest of the ride.

Are you sure you're not trolling here? This whole situation seems odd. And this comment... no words.

Where do you plan to get the urine? Politely ask those predatory animals to **** in a jar? Roll on their urine in the woods? From black-market?

And would you bath yourself in such thing before each ride?


...seriously.