Why Do Dogs Chase Bicycles?
No one knows exactly what lurks in a dog's brain. Some dogs will only cast a glance, while the sight of a moving bicycle invokes frenzy in others. It is instinctive for dogs to protect their territory by barking and running off intruders. Some just want to play. Still others are truly aggressive beasts. It's hard to know which type is racing toward you as you pedal by, but all of them are potentially dangerous. You may unintentionally swerve into traffic if a dog startles you, or a dog, in its exuberance, may become tangled in your bicycle and cause a serious crash. It's best to know and use defensive techniques to keep those dogs at a safe distance.
Photo by carterse via flickr.com
How Do I Stop Dogs Chasing Bicycles?
Safe, simple strategies
Shout.
Sometimes all you have to do is shout. The dog just wants to make some noise to let you know not to step foot on his territory. Yelling out, "No!" or "Stay!" or "Go home!" may be all it takes. This dog wasn't going to bite anyway, and probably wouldn't even leave his yard, but it's good to use your first line of defense, just in case.
Stop.
It can be hard to know when it's safe to use this method. If the dog is just chasing your bike for fun, stopping will take the fun out of the game. Of course Fido will probably wait patiently for you to start riding again, at which point he'll resume the game. You may be able to walk the bike until the dog gets bored and goes home.
You may find yourself in a pickle, though, if you stop and find out it wasn't just a game. If the dog continues to bark and threaten you, shield yourself with the bicycle, and don't make direct eye contact. It can be dicey if there's more than one dog and they surround you. Yell, and if you're lucky, the owner will show up to drag his beasts home.
Photo by The Sean & Lauren
Spectacular via Flicker.com
It can be effective to squirt water from your sports bottle into the dog's face. However, the dog may consider this just another fun twist to the game. Some bicyclists carry a special bottle containing a vinegar-water mixture. You wouldn't want to get mixed up and drink from this bottle, but it won't hurt you if you do. The acetic liquid will irritate the dog's eyes, and even the smell may deter it. Now it's the dog that's in a pickle.
Spray.
Pepper spray is almost always effective if you can direct it right into the dog's face. It comes out in a stream, not a fog, so placement is important. It can take nerves of steel to allow a barking dog to get close enough for an accurate shot, and you must be an experienced, relaxed rider to pedal a straight line while aiming at a Spot that's often toward your rear tire. It's quite gratifying, though, when that snarling beast screeches silently to a halt. Pepper spray won't damage the animal; it just burns its eyes and nose for awhile. A big plus is that the smarter dogs will learn to associate bicyclists with pain, and will stop chasing altogether. A huge warning: don't spray into the wind, or you'll be suffering the effects instead of the dog.
Photo by justin via Flickr.com
Photo by smerikal via Flickr.com
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