Even very well trained dogs are not perfect and make mistakes and get confused sometimes like humans do so give them break if its something silly. Please slow down a bit when passing as well, bikes whizzing past there heads tends to spook some of them. I will be more than happy to get out of anyone's way if asked in time and politely. Happy trails I'm of to watch a movie.
AA - then thats fine as I repeatedly say. Just make sure its under control and not bothering me and that is fine - I have said this a dozen times.
I did not say being near me is illegal - its coming up to me that is - I don't want your dog to come up to me in any way.
Keep it under control and its a non issue.
Sherry - I always give dog owners plenty of time to get their dog under control if it needs it. I do give way. I am a very polite rider as anyone who rides with me will testify
Ever been through Skalderskew Farm between Was****er and Ennerdale nr Cold Fell?
I was surrounded by about eight bloody collie dogs on the bridleway outside this farm and they were all trying to get a nip at me. I was not bloody impressed.
I was surrounded by about eight bloody collie dogs on the bridleway outside this farm and they were all trying to get a nip at me. I was not bloody impressed.
probably not a good idea to kick a farmers dog.
you knowz dem farmer guyz iz packin heat innit.
TJ
Wow - a puppy kicker.
Is that your normal way of dispencing discipline. Treat your kids and friends and family the same way? Little toddler waddles up to you, might happen to get in the way of your progress? Thats right give it a sharp tap under the chin, that taught it a lesson eh?
Why not try and be a little more tolerant and understanding of other people and the surroundings?
My dog has twice been hit by bikers with no consideration for me, my kids or the dog. So dont come on here giving it the 'big one' because there are 2 sides to the story.
No doubt you will get whats coming to you if you continue acting in such manner.
billyboy, if 8 collies were actually trying to get a nip at you they would have, if they were actually trying to properly bite you you wouldnt be here posting about it you'd be in hospital. Sounds like a very unpleasant experience but if you are out and about in the countryside it might be worth learning what the resident populkations of animals and people are like.
If a horse is approaching whilst I'm cycling I will pull over and allow it to pass.
If dogs are approaching or I am catching up to them I will slow to a bimble and pass. Never had a problem, everyone should be sensible and curteous in public places.
I didn't like or understand dogs until I got my own a year ago (Neopolitan mastiff x American Bulldog.)She is the friendliest dog I have met, something people always comment on, she is great off the lead and doesn't chase children, cyclist's or jogger's. But.. like a small child
or anyone for that matter, if a cyclist comes flying towards her she may not know whether to move right or left. Just be sensible and there will rarely be a problem.
If my dog did anything like the OP described she would be dealt with severly and days of roaming free would be over.Dogs must be under control.
I got bitten a week or two back.
Fairly narrow path, woman with 2 red setters (both on leads but leaping around) coming towards me, so I slowed down to walking pace and trundled past. One of the dogs decides to bite my calf, broke the skin - nice big holes in my bib tights.
I told the woman 'how I felt' and kept riding. If I'd stopped I'd probably have kicked the dog.
OP how are you approaching said dog walkers? Do you slow right down as you pass? A dog instinctively may be startled (like a horse) and go into primeval defence mode of their 'pack'.
You wouldnt approach a horse rider at a fair speed would you?
Big airhorn works for me in our local park. My 20 month old son thinks it is great. Here comes a fierce dog..... PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPP!!! There it goes.
It's like a magic disappearing tail trick. 🙂
Report the dogs. No dog should think its acceptable to bite a human without being thoroughly chastised and corrected. If you are bitten take the owners details. If they refuse follow them and report.
Although I cant agree with kicking a dog that bites- if you had slowed right down well before then Im afraid theres no alternative. If you whizzed past its your own fault.
Why not try and be a little more tolerant and understanding of other people and the surroundings?
Ooh, he's only playing / being friendly.
He's never done that before.
Dog-owner's Cliches For Dummies, vol 93
If my dog bit anyone I would be mortified.
Some people are idiots, some dog owners are idiots, but don't tar us all with the same brush.
I always find these threads funny as, there is the group of people who think that their ninja like reflexes mean that a dog tried to bite them but they dodged it, where in actual fact a dog can move its jaws around 3 times faster than you can more your hands (let alone your feet) so if it wanted to bite you, you would be bitten, also people who call a nip (which is totally unacceptable, as nips lead to bites) a bite.
A dog can bite with a pressure of 220 -> 320 pounds per square inch, so trust me if it bites you, you will know about it.
Also anyone who thinks their dog is 100% under control at all times is smoking crack, unless they never let it off the lead that is. Mine is 99% in control, and to tell the truth still catches me out every now and then when I am not paying attention.
nimrod2410
another precious dog owner - note several dog onwners on this thread find it quite acceptable to kick a dog that bites.
I was cycling along a busy shared use path. woman with young dog ahead. I ring my bell, the woman looks up an sees me and makes no attempt to restrain the dog so I think " well trained dog its ok" I slow down and pass them. As I pass, without warning the dog lunged at me and bit me. I gave it a sharp kick under the jaw. If the owner won't discipline it or control it I will. Perhaps this way the dog will learn that biting cyclists has pain repercussions. I did not vick the dog in revenge - I kicked it to get it to stop biting me. It worked. It was not a "nip" - it was a full on bite and drew blood.
I am sorry precious dog owners - your mutts should be under control and if they are not and bite people you need to accept the consequences. Why should I have to accept being bitten? Get real and be responsible.
Richc - I am talking about kicking a dog AFTER IT HAS BITTEN ME
I use one of those Maplin ultrasonic devices against troublesome dogs - they work pretty well. The dog isn't injured but it moves away sharpish.
TJ trust me if my dog bites someone, then the kick the bitee gives it, is the least of it worries as the bollocking it will get it make the kick look like nothing.
I would add though, that if people kick a dog just for getting close to them, runs the risk of dog thinking cyclists = danger, so will get in first. Saying that if someone kicked my dog for getting close, then if I caught them then I wouldn't hesitate to kick them.
Not really a huge problem for me though, as I mainly walk on footpaths so shouldn't see any cyclists 😉
Dog owners are 'some' of the most ignorant people in the world
Mountain bikers are 'some' of the most ignorant people in the world
Does anyone find it surprising that we struggle to get along nicely?
On another note i took my daughter who is morbidly scared of dogs out for a ride around a local lake at the weekend. She is 2.5yrs old and riding her little bike around the track. She needs pushed on most of it so she is at walking pace and at no single point was she more than an arms length away.
Imagine the grief she went through having countless dogs who are at head height to her on her bike come bounding up. Admittedly not one was acting in an aggressive manner but not a single owner walked up and put their dog on a lead once they spotted my child frozen to the spot and clinging to her dads leg. I would have been like a scene from riverdance if i had took the TJ line and kicked them all 🙂
As i said above, its all ignorance.
richc - thats fine and will teach your dog not to bite people.
I wouldn't - nor has anyone on this thread suggested they kick dogs for getting too close.
However dog owners are really precious about their dogs - you need to understand that people like me do not wnat to be bothered or annoyed by your dog in anyway. Keep it under control and that includes stopping it from jumping up at me or chasing me or even running towards me.
Edit - HObo - once again I ONLY KICKED THE DOG AFTER IT HAD BITTEN ME
Dog under control - live and let live. dog not under control - a nuisance at best and breaking the law for sure.
I realise that TJ. Just doesnt sound as funny in my story 😉
I agree with your last statement
Dog owners are 'some' of the most ignorant people in the world
Same principle with those people in a carpark who open their door onto yours chipping it and ask what your problem is 'its only a car'.
If someone faces responsibility they go into denial/on the offensive.
[i]However dog owners are really precious about their dogs [/i]
Not all of them. I think I posted very early in this thread to that effect.
[i]On another note i took my daughter who is morbidly scared of dogs out for a ride around a local lake at the weekend. ... Imagine the grief she went through having countless dogs who are at head height to her on her bike
[/i]
Well duh! Bit of a stupid place to take your kid then eh?
Anyway, did anyone see the report on Breakfast about supposed new legislation being brought in?
It mmade no sense to me whatever, as usual a load of politician twoddle going nowhere.
I'm always wary of people who dont like cats or dogs. (I wouldnt have a cat as a pet but would happily go out of my way to stroke one).
When people jump off the pavement to avoid sharing any space at all with my dog I think they are alittle backward.
did anyone see the report on Breakfast about supposed new legislation being brought in?
I thought that.
And, to be blunt, i think it makes more sense to neuter and muzzle the owners of these dangerous dogs. The problem stems from the owners.
DezB - Member"On another note i took my daughter who is morbidly scared of dogs out for a ride around a local lake at the weekend. ... Imagine the grief she went through having countless dogs who are at head height to her on her bike"
Well duh! Bit of a stupid place to take your kid then eh?
so according to you he is stupid for taking his kid where he wants because irresponsible dog owners do not have their dogs under control? Blaming the victim again.
I think the real issue is why is the little girl morbidly scared of dogs? There is a reason behind it and that should be tackled first. Usually stems from an experience or the parents own fears.
The worse thing a kid can do around a dog is recoil quickly. It'll make the dog more inquisitive. Teach your kid how to behave calmly around dogs.
Ps. I think binners is Asian sometimes.
So blame the victim then.
Which Victim? 😯
TJ you can blame who you like but its not going to help as idiots are amongst us and many own dogs. Dogs should be trained and controlled but they are not so it is an important life skill IMO to understand the animals you will meet regularly through your life.
Many asians around my neigbourhood are really very scared of my dog so I keep her away, however some of the kids bark at her when I walk past with her on the lead, she turns to look at them and sometimes jumps away in fright. This leads to choas as parents and child run for cover. Seems daft to me one day a dog that isnt well socialised like her will turn round and bite them.
Oh and dogs can smell fear in humans in much the same way as they can smell many types of cancer and diabetes etc.
A couple of years ago I was out locally & came across a bloke with 2 Doberman that clearly looked 'excitable'. I stopped at the side of the trail to let them past (I had heard before that it's the noise/movement of bikes they don't like)and they ran off down the trail. Next thing I know is one of them turned round and sank its teeth into my calf & didn't let go until I punched it between the eyes.
Long story short, he refused to give me any contact details so I took a note of the car he got into then, after a visit to A&E to get patched up & a tetanus boost I reprted him to the local bobby. Turns out the description matched one or two other reports so they tracked him down by his reg no & he was prsecuted. At the time the Police stated that it was a criminal offence to fail to control a dog in a public place & he was bang to rights. He was fined & banned from dog ownership for 2 years & the mutt in question was removed (I guess it may have been put down).
Initially I was unsure whether to report it or not but the thought of it happenening to anyone else, especially a littl'un, made my mind up - it is not something I regret.
Good work Nobby, shame these retards are only banned from owning dogs for two years...
I was out walking our dog a few weeks back and a dad with his 2 young children were walking the other way. The 2 young kids came to run over so they could pet our dog and at the last minute the dad shouted over to them to keep away as the dog could bite them!!!
FFS, when you have dumb ass parents like that no wonder some kids have issues with pets.
Dogs should not be bothering anybody full stop, but.. we all live in a world where people do have dogs, so it is better for everyone to have an understanding of them.
A few years ago I was quite scared of dogs, I always have been and so has my sister (I'm 36 now.)Due to my wife's persistance I now own a dog and it has completely changed my perception of them. Situations which once would have had me in terror I actually enjoy. My sister is still terrified of dogs and consequently so is my three year old niece. Another niece has since been born, will the cycle of fear continue I wonder?
Looking back at dog related events which spawned my fear I realise none of them were ever trying to attack me. Nowadays I come into contact with more dogs than I could count, I never fear for my safety, but am always on the look out for dogs that may be aggressive toward mine. You can see and understand a dogs intentions by it's body language and from a fair distance.
Anyone want a free Daily Mail??
Like many have said:
- Pass a dog as if you would a horse or any other livestock. It's an animal, not a human, what do you expect if you startle it?
- Expect to give way on trails. Ignorance on the part of both parties doesn't help anyone...
- Learn to read the dog's "body language", are they being inquisitive, friendly, protective etc. This may seem unnecessary, but you more likely to respond in an appropriate manner.
- Having a dog bite you is totally unacceptable, and a fend off with a foot, or a kick might be the best defence - but will likely reinforce in the dog's mind that bikes aren't to be trusted...
Regarding "bikes aren't to be trusted" is a key point. Animals may not see you as a human when on a bike, which is why slowing down / stopping and making yourself recognisable is a useful approach. I find the same with horses. If I'm on the bike and moving they are more spooked than if if was in a car / motorbike. Stopped and they are fine.
Collies are notorious for chasing / biting bikes - and from my experience it is normally the rotating parts that they go for, tyres, cranks, pedals. My farming cousins have had problems with their collies doing this in the past - with cars.... something about the tyre rotation that short circuits their brain!!!
Regarding "bikes aren't to be trusted" is a key point. Animals may not see you as a human when on a bike, which is why slowing down / stopping and making yourself recognisable is a useful approach. I find the same with horses. If I'm on the bike and moving they are more spooked than if if was in a car / motorbike. Stopped and they are fine.
this is ridiculous advice - I can pass 30 dogs in a couple of miles on one route I commonly use.
I will alert the owners and slow as I would for anyone - but to stop each time I see a dog - how ridiculous
how ridiculous
Only ridiculous as you appear to have not read my post...
I will alert the owners and slow as I would for anyone
So your actions already match what I have said - so how am I being ridiculous???
My statement was slow down or stop - and it was preceded by a point about reading a dogs body language to choose the best course of action. I know damn well that there are a number of farms where I purposelfully speed up to get past the collies as quickly as possible!
[url= http://news.aol.co.uk/dog-owners-facing-tough-regulations/article/2010030819222657027030 ]Proposed new legislation[/url]
Dont **** with me
[img] 
[/img]
The problem with a lot of [i]pet[/i] collies is that the owners exercise them physically, but don't work them mentally - collies are hard work as they have a massive work drive and if it's not directed through some kind of practical activity (agility, flyball etc) it'll express itself in default behaviour like herding.
I can understand why people would react violently to dogs that are aggressive, particularly if they bite, but trying to deter an aggressive dog with more aggression is unlikely to improve the situation - if the owner isn't recognising it as aggression and trying to adjust the dog's behaviour then it's going to be an ongoing problem with the dog and should be reported.
Kids and dogs are a bloody nightmare combo - we have 2 collies and the younger one (6months old) needs to be put on the lead if we encounter children when we're out walking, as she can get a but jumpy and licky - she's being friendly, but I completely appreciate it's inappropriate and I cringe with embarrassment if I don't get there in time as it's entirely my responsibility as her owner to keep her under control and teach her good manners. Our older collie is great with kids - she'll lie down with her ball, roll it down her paws and wag her tail to invite them to play. We've used her to work with kids who are frightened of dogs to show them how to interact safely and appropriately with dogs. It seems to me important to do that in the same way we teach kids how to cope with traffic - both are a fact of life in the country they live in.
If nothing else, at least this thread has shown us that everyone has a little bit of Daily Mail reader in them - even TJ!!
and on the basis that this thread is useless without pictures, here are my girls sorting out a stick ownership issue on the beach recently. They worked it out without any blood being spilled, but I wouldn't want them exhibiting that behaviour in any interactions with humans (including me) because it's too easily misunderstood as aggression.
[img] 
[/img]
On this occasion, age and cunning was no match for youth and enthusiasm...
[img] 
[/img]
Not a fan of dogs....or the fact that typically owners don't take responsibility for them....summed up by me being bitten whilst rehabilitating....walking alongside the river Dee on crutches...woman said the dog didnt like sticks 😥
Not a fan of dogs....or the fact that typically owners don't take responsibility for them....summed up by me being bitten whilst rehabilitating....walking alongside the river Dee on crutches...woman said the dog didnt like stick
That is one of the worst things I've read this week! No wonder so many people are scared of dogs and/or their possible actions, when so many irresponsible owners fail to make their dog comfortable with everything. The first few weeks with a new puppy should be spent going to the train station, busy streets, meeting livestock, other dogs, kids, walkers, cyclists etc.
"Oh sorry, he/she doesn't like sticks/bikes/cars/hovercraft"!