I’ve always put it down to (perhaps wrongly) most of them being taken from a working dog, nipping around the legs of the sheep was natural to them. Could be utter horseshit mind!
Dogs are smart enough to be trained the difference between nipping a sheep, and biting a human.
Usually with farm dogs the issue is a lack of exposure to people, so they can't tell the difference. I don't accept that as an excuse, if you let your dogs into your yard and folk walk through there - you need to make sure they're safe.
I stand corrected. What are the bigger climbs?
Great Dun Fell and Lowther Hill, according to the link I posted on the previous page. Though I can't see how they worked out Lowther Hill to have more ascent.
Please report this! That dog needs to be dealt with.
You mean the owners. No dog is born a bad dog, they are raised that way.
@Rickon: How dare you! I meant it exactly as I wrote it! As far as I know the owner of the dogs never bit anyone? Make sure that dog never bites any innocent bystander again! Then go after the owner, and make sure he understands what is involved in owning a dog.
Seriously, this is the kind of "Guns don't kill people, people do" stuff I thought we could all agree on was pure bollocks.
That *is* bollocks.
It is not the dogs fault. It's the owner.
The dog may well be destroyed if you report it, depending on the situation - as it is absolutely incredibly serious. You only have to be in fear for your life, you don't even need to be bitten.
What I'm saying is the dog has been allowed to act that way, either through a lack of exposure to people and situations or incorrect reinforced behaviours.
If you don't deal with the owner, it'll happen again and again. They need to be taught how to train their dogs, expose them to desensitise them to common situations and humans.
In all likelihood, the issue is the remoteness and sparse population where they live. Where interaction with people is very infrequent. Couple that with even more infrequent exposure to cyclists - and it's a recipie for issues.
The owner needs to be clearly shown that they need to have their dogs under control in situations the dogs cannot handle. This is as easy as using a long line and pegging them out.
Obviously desensitisation is the best way to deal with it, but it's not that simple when you live remotely.
Unfortunately, what could be an otherwise decent dog could be destroyed because the owner isn't acting in the public or the dogs best interests to keep them safe.
Great Dun Fell and Lowther Hill, according to the link I posted on the previous page. Though I can’t see how they worked out Lowther Hill to have more ascent.
Green Lowther has 600m of height difference from mennock to the top, what's bealach na ba?.
I answered my question a couple of weeks back of 'can you get from the lighthouse N of Big Sand round to Poolewe ? Yes, but don't take a Cx bike. Nice mini adventure.
Blakec
Just in case you see this but not your messages, check your messages😀
Great Dun Fell and Lowther Hill, according to the link I posted on the previous page. Though I can’t see how they worked out Lowther Hill to have more ascent.
I thought the link showed BnB to have more climb than either of those.
Lowther Hill - 279m
Great Dun Fell - 625m
Bealach na Ba - 626m
That's just off the Strava images though.
Not even close to being the highest road!
yep you're right, apparently it's only the 3rd highest in Scotland but the steepest in the UK. Either way it's a git of a climb.
The Kenmore / Applecross and back via Bealach Na Ba is now dead to me.
Depends on your definition of 'road'. Great Dun Fell and Lowther Hill are private roads (though you can cycle up them).
I thought the link showed BnB to have more climb than either of those.
Lowther Hill – 279m
Great Dun Fell – 625m
Bealach na Ba – 626m
That’s just off the Strava images though.
The Strava link for Lowther Hill doesn't include the first part of the climb to Wanlockhead, though whether that makes it higher in total I don't know. Most sources I looked at say Great Dun Fell is just higher, and comfortably so if you start from the valley floor rather than Knock village. Not that I've climbed any of them!
Full climb from mennock to green Lowther (slightly further on than Lowther hill) goes from 120m to 732, can't think of any even small undulations on the way up that would add to the 612m difference.
It's not as steep as BNB.
Many thanks for the Kenmore Applecross suggestion, did it today and it was indeed excellent. Much better than the Loch Damh route IMHO and a stack load easier despite being longer and with more climbing. The fact that it repeatedly goes up and down loads makes it much more kid friendly than Damh.
The Polis came and took a statement about the dugs and seem to taking action, which is cool.
Currently back in Laggan knackered and wondering about tomorrow.... Ardverikie, Corrieyairack or Ben Alder hmmmmm
Corrour.
Venison lorne sausage.
Job done.
DOH, too late. The missus decreed a rest day as we are all completely exhausted. I tried to get a post breakfast nap but failed, so unlocked the bike and nipped up Corrieyairack. 50km later I am now utterly spent.
Kids have voted Wolftraxx again for tomorrow, and I'm having scheming thoughts about tacking on the Ardverikie loop as well.....(. Sans enfants of course)
Have a spin up Dùn da làmh too.
Thanks for reporting it and glad the police seem to be taking action. Sounds like you’re having an excellent holiday.
I had this about 10 years ago up there. No long in and you get to the dogs, time it happened I came up to the dogs, and the guy was out in the middle of the loch. Dogs were right up growling. I'm no the best with dogs. Guy was shouting, just go on by while whistling at the dogs. I got by fine, but it was brutal. Properly shitting myself.
Not really on at all. Doesn't sound like much has changed.
ps yeah was border collies back then.
No one claiming its all your fault for not knowing how to behave around dogs? A first for a dog thread on here.
😆
Can we please have one thread without someone antagonising. Ffs...
Update:
Got a letter from the Fiscal saying that they have " insufficient admissable evidence"
Apparently there needs to be more than one source of evidence to prove that a crime was committed. There must also be more than one source of evidence on who committed the crime. In this case there is no corroboration so they aren't prosecuting.
So, lesson learned. If you're getting savaged by a dog in Scotland, hang around a few hours till someone else comes along to corroborate the fact that you're being savaged by a dog in Scotland.
Or film it.
Or something.
But s'russly, if anyone finds the same situation up there, get it reported to the polis.
Disappointing to hear that.
That is disappointing.
We are up there in July, and I expect to pass through there.
I have three lads, I could volunteer one as bait, one as filmographer and one as independent witness?
I have three lads, I could volunteer one as bait, one as filmographer and one as independent witness?
Good plan. Which one is your least favourite/slowest runner?
I have three lads, I could volunteer one as bait, one as filmographer and one as independent witness?
Bear in mind that there were three dogs, so the kids may all need to multi task. 😜
Apparently there needs to be more than one source of evidence to prove that a crime was committed
We were robbed by a former cleaner a few years ago, she had retained a house key. Three months after we had sacked her she was seen by a neighbour coming in to our house whilst we were on holiday. Unfortunately our neighbour didn't realise that we had sacked her. We suffered about £10k of loss.
Despite being seen entering our house, the police couldn't charge her as there was only one witness.
Bear in mind that there were three dogs, so the kids may all need to multi task. 😜
My wife and I can assume filming and witnessing duty.
Three dogs, three lads....
As an aside, an ex colleague and arctic explorer used to make the point that you don't need to be able to shoot far in defence. Just far enough to hit your companions foot.
The bear would eat any evidence.
😂😂😂
Hmmm. I live close enough to go there as a local ride. Better make sure that I don't go alone!
Please report this. People need to make sure their dogs aren’t a danger to others and unfortunately sometimes it’s a fine or worse that is the only way.
And some people want to release wolves into Scotland... 😕
Glad everyone is ok and no serious damage done, though the mental scars for the kids might take some time to come to terms with.
Please report this. People need to make sure their dogs aren’t a danger to others and unfortunately sometimes it’s a fine or worse that is the only way
Eh?
Is confusion.
If riding up there can you not take something sharp with you? Might resolve the issue if attacked
Take Richard's advice
"If the dog attacks: one defense is aerosol pepper sprays made for this purpose. They have a range of about ten feet and are light enough to clip to your handlebars. A water pistol loaded with a water-amonia solution will also work but is a good deal less convenient. If you have neither of these and can't or won't climb a tree get a stick or a large rock. No? The bicycle pump. Try to ram it down his throat. In any event, don't cower or cover up, because the dog will only chew you to ribbons. Attack. Any small dog can simply be hoisted up by the legs and his brains dashed out. With a big dog you are fighting for your life. If you are weaponless try to tangle him up in your bike and then strangle him. Kicks to the genitals and which break ribs are effective. If you have got a pump or a stick hold it at both ends and offer it up to the dog horizontally. Often the dog will bit the stick/pump and hang on. Immediately lift the dog up and deliver a very solid kick to the gemitals. Follow up with breaking the dogs ribs or crushing its head with a rock. If worst comes to worst ram your entire arm down its throat. He will choke and die. Better your arm than your throat."
Can’t we get WCA to make a dog trap?
Take Richard’s advice
“If the dog attacks: one defense is aerosol pepper sprays made for this purpose. They have a range of about ten feet and are light enough to clip to your handlebars. A .... Etc,..... Follow up with breaking the dogs ribs or crushing its head with a rock. If worst comes to worst ram your entire arm down its throat. He will choke and die. Better your arm than your throat.”
Be my guest. Torridon's easy to find. Head north, turn left at Inverness and you can't miss it.
Tell us how it goes.
PS. Watch out for the second and third dogs whilst you're executing Richard's sage advice.
😁
Can’t we get WCA to make a dog trap?
Imagine the trail of destruction as he transports it 600 miles from Southampton to Torridon in the back of his AC Cobra or similar.
I was chased and nipped by a Collie while cycling in my local woods the other day. Once the dog nipped the back of my ankle I stopped and gave it a boot across its chops a few times before it pissed off back to his owner. The owner wasn't too happy with me but once I reminded him of the dangerous dog act he shut up and walked off.
dyna-ti
Free MemberAnd some people want to release wolves into Scotland… 😕
Having spent a bit of time around wolves, they don’t actually have a reputation for unprovoked attacks on humans. They don’t see them as a prey species (for some reason) and the only time you’d likely be at serious risk is if you tried something like taking cubs from the den - then you’d be asking for whatever you got anyway.
Far more unpredictable are wolf/dog hybrids, which can inherit whatever neuroses the domestic dog had, which combined with the strength and power of the wolf makes them (potentially) very dangerous.
Mind you, a wolf or two would soon sort a couple of bad-tempered Border collies out 😉
If riding up there can you not take something sharp with you?
Or be traditional and carry a velo-dog pistol.
I was once chased by a dog, I kept riding, it kept chasing, I kept riding.....and riding......and riding. Still to this day I have no idea if the dog made it back to its owner.
Manual spray pump filled with chilli sauce ?. Its not a mist but more of a stream and I think would discourage any dog from attempting to do anything other than wipe the stuff out its eyes.
Skunk v dog, skunk wins every time. So maybe take the hint from nature.
Keep in mind this is a last defence protection thing. Nobody is advocating hurting animals
And some people want to release wolves into Scotland… 😕
"I was much disturbed by the barking of a dog, an animal that I fear more than any wolf. A dog is vastly braver, and is besides supported by the sense of duty. If you kill a wolf, you meet with encouragement and praise; but if you kill a dog, the sacred rights of property and the domestic affections come clamouring round you for redress."
From 'Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes'
Or be traditional and carry a velo-dog pistol.
Only to be arrested later by armed police and given 5 years imprisonment. As said before, a chilli flavoured fluid in a pump action bottle. No creature on earth is going to continue trying to attack as its eyes are burning. Possibly why the cops use such.
Thats frankly outrageous that they aren't going to do something.
Can you not forward extracts of this thread to the police as substantiation ?
Hate dogs coming for me when riding and hate the bloody owners who cant control them and are happy to let the wander off the lead even more.
I was once cycling in Anglezarke and a collie came running round the bend ahead and started to nip my shoe, bit further along the young couple came into sight. I shouted to them that if your dog bit be one more time, I'll get of the bike and kick it till it stops. The bloke mumbled under his breath as I was passing "kick it and I'll kick you". Cycled in a loop to have it out with him and said I was quite happy to follow them back to their car, take the reg then report them for having a dangerous dog. Got a less than heartfelt apology.
I'm always wary of them since I was mauled as a kid on a camp site.