'kin dog

Got bitten by a Labrador today.

As I cycled up to the owner, he called the dog and got it to sit next to him.

I cycled past and about 150 yards up the path the b*gger ran up and bit me! To be fair, I did stop once all the grrrring had started, then it just lunged at me and had my hand.

Any dog repellent advice out there. I’m thinking water pistol with lemon juice in it

a lab caught you when you had a 150 yard start, you need to learn to pedal!!

Stomp on its head. Or it’s owners. Accepting those as either impossible as you’re on your bike or unreasonable overkill for the situation, a foot long piece of solid wood to give it a wack as it gets close?

Stomp on its head.

err… I have thought of that, but there I am 1/2 way up a steep climb, straddling the bike with it’s nashers 6″ away from my leg. I though about dismounting and then shoving the bike at it, but I did not want to cock my leg in it’s face for obvious reasons.

Liking the fire extinguisher tho…

Dismounting would probably have worked.

Dogs hate CO2 extinguishers. Bit heavy though.

Doesn’t really help you but I remember when I used to have a paper round there was one dog who’s owner was happy for it to wander the street – I had to stop to deliver 1 paper (to their house) and then I used to frequently have to pedal for my life and then rapidly dismount and jump over the next persons wall to avoid being bitten by the bloody thing.

I love dogs, it really upsets/annoys me when owners let their dogs do things that like. One of ours is a bit nuts, and doesn’t always come back straight away when called if he gets distracted but I know he’s safe to be let of the lead because he doesn’t aggression and always runs away from things instead ‘cos he’s a wimp.

Our other dog is normally fine but has bitten my dad once (it was his own fault for trying to steal his food!), but we’re always a little bit more careful with him around people or other dogs when we’re out just in case.

As far as repelling dogs when you’re out on your bike – either pedal faster or dismount and hope for the best I think might be your best shot!

run at it, shouting aggressively, waving your arms and stamping your feet, it works, dogs are scared of people who don’t appear intimidated, and the best bit is you don’t get a kicking off the dog owner

Have had more trouble with dogs recently than usual, running rather than biking. Got bitten by a springer a couple of months ago, so now always run with one of those squeezy Jif lemons. I only have water in it, as a friend said the acetic acid could cause permanent eye damage, which is not really what I’m after, even though I feel like it at the time. I have had to use it once, and it worked well, dog completely backed away. Might be worth a go.

Up to now I’ve found that either a blast from a water bottle works or, more commonly nowadays a gobful of fluid from my Dakine bladder, but you have to really blast it out & make plenty of noise doing it!

Anna B – Member
Have had more trouble with dogs recently than usual, running rather than biking. Got bitten by a springer a couple of months ago, so now always run with one of those squeezy Jif lemons. I only have water in it, as a friend said the acetic acid could cause permanent eye damage, which is not really what I’m after, even though I feel like it at the time. I have had to use it once, and it worked well, dog completely backed away. Might be worth a go.

Lemon juice is citric acid.

Vinegar is acetic acid. 😉

Very surprised you were bitten by a springer though, quite worrying. Sure it wasn’t just play fighting? They get VERY excited by people running and can nip but biting is very strange as it’s not normally in their nature at all and would need to be triggered by bad treatment, pain or a serious need to protect an owner or pup.

A newspaper down on top of the muzzle will always sting – you could pretend it’s an Olympic relay baton when running 😀

I love dogs but if one attacks it gets a very sharp blow to stun it. Try not to show fear (easier said than done) but keep things like fingers well away from it’s mouth. Same goes with when you introduce yourself to a dog let them smell the back of your hand and keep your fingers well out of the way.

This?

Sure it wasn’t just play fighting?

That’s a good question as I much prefer having blood drawn when the dog is just playing, normally it’s just laughed of in a dogs just being dogs kind of way.

Oh now I feel like a right acid moron 😉

Don’t really get the difference between a “nip” and a “bite” truth be told. Either way teeth are involved and not impressed. Shame it’s the dog that gets (non acidic) revenge. Perhaps we should be carrying vinegar/lemon juice to use on the owner…?

last time I had a roaming farm dog run after me, I just barked very loudly at it. Scared the crap out of it and it scarpered.

have you reported it?

Dog owners are the biggest PITA ever

I’ve always had dogs when growing up. I haven’t got one now as I’m living alone so it’s just not practical

Whenever I was am out taking the dog for a walk, he would be on a lead or held by the collar if other people were walking, running or cycling past. I knew he was a good, non aggressive dog, but I know plenty of people just don’t like dogs, so I wouldn’t inflict him on anyone I didn’t know.

I was on the Sett Valley trail a few weeks ago, just having a pootle. I was cycling towards 2 blokes with their respective kids in tow and 3 dogs that were just running around causing havoc. As I was approaching there was a guy running past them and coming towards me. The black Lab that was with the 2 blokes just starts chasing this runner and jumping up and biting his hands. It was obvious to me he was playing and thought it was great fun. The runner didn’t look impressed but said nothing. The owners of the dog did and said absolutely nothing to stop the dog, which then started chasing me as I cycled past. Until I got off my bike and shouted at it. The owners still did nothing.

Complete arse hats

The owners still did nothing.

Sounds like they weren’t actually the owners. 😉

I got ‘bite/nip’ from a dog today, first one ever, got my unawares as i was just riding slowly along the road, car parked on the side and a dog comes bounding out in front of me. It had a go before the owner pulled it off but stupid guy let it go as i set off so the mutt went at me again, this time getting its jaw round my ankle. Thankfully had my sealskins on so no blood (obviously playing, trying to ‘nip’) but it bloody hurt, stupid mutt, stupid owner! He tried to apologise again saying ‘he dosnt bite’ er… yeah right. Should have took his registration really.

have you reported it?

No I have not. I would hate for the whole thing to get out of hand and the dog be put down. As miffed as I am, it is a family pet and having lost several over the years the trauma of having one put down because it bit me would be the last thing in the world I would want to do.

The dog was not playing, I know the difference.

It will not bite me again.

You must report it. It could be a childs face next time

dogs that bite should be put down – its totally unnaceptable

I did stop once all the grrrring had started, then it just lunged at me and had my hand.

according to the dog apologists on here thats the right thing to do – no dog will bite you if you do apaprantly so it must be a figment of yor imagination.

IMO a good hard boot will teach the dog not to bite cyclists. hard enough to really hurt it but not to do permanent damage.

🙄

IMO a good hard boot will teach the dog not to bite cyclists

Or give the impression to the dog that cyclists represent a danger therefore making their aggression worse next time they see one…

It’s interesting to read posts that suggest I give the mutt a good kicking.

Just how do you do that then? There I am, stuck half way up a climb, straddling the bike with both feet planted either side of the bike. Mutt 6 inches from my right calf, clearly wanting a chomp.

So how do you kick it? No seriously how would that actually work then?

Back kick? It would have had my foot for sure.

Swing my leg over the saddle and put the bike between it and me? No way, it would have had me bits.

On reflection, the only thing I could have done is take my pump off (under X-BAR) then back-lunge at it – would have probably pi**ed it off more and not worth the risk.

No, a quick blast with a fire extinguisher or a Jiff Lemon squeezer – that would have sorted it for sure.

The owner did eventually persuade it to go back down the track whereupon I shouted ‘..it bit me you know…’ He shouts back ‘..OK’ and walks off!

You’d really take a fire extinguisher out with you?!

Halt dog spray is what you need.

Its on the prescribed list of Trans America bike route riders. Dogs in Eastern Kentucky are notorious for attacking cyclists. Its a daily routine for them. We were chased by packs of dogs intent on blood.

We met these girls west of Emminence, Missouri, They had been drying their laundry on their bob trailers when a pack of dogs caught them going up hill, they ran off with their tops!

Won’t somebody think of the children?!

On a serious note, I’ve never had a problem with a dog when riding or otherwise. Or car drivers on the road either. Not sure how you guys manage to attract such things.

Not sure how you guys manage to attract such things.

I used to ride with a guy who would always, and I do mean always, attract attention from dogs. To make it worse he was scared of dogs, there were times where we’d have to ride in a group with him in the centre, protected by the rest of the group.
He was a butcher. 😐

Good to see the usual groundhog day replies when it comes to dog attack threads.

I can understand the “get it put down” attitude. However I appreciate the OP saying he does not want that on his hands. As he is the offended party its his decision and ability to make an intelligent decision as to the circumstances.

As a dog owner I have one thats a little “odd” with young girls so I am hyper aware, my other is just stupid and scares himself if he barks. That said my dog thats “odd” nipped one of the kids in the street who was taking the p!55 out of her. The mother called the police and the police took an inelligent attitude ie saw my dog was well cared for, not a danger and let it alone. If only more people could do this rather than the “kill it” attitude.

Personally there are many dogs that are a danger and if mine was one first I had not as a responsible owner done my job properly and two would have it detroyed.

Lastly I see many cyclists when I am out walking the dogs and have ridden with my dogs. Although I deem them not to be a danger I always ensure they are under my control either leads or a collar grab when I am aware of cyclists.

The mother called the police and the police took an inelligent attitude ie saw my dog was well cared for, not a danger and let it alone. If only more people could do this rather than the “kill it” attitude.

The Police are generally quite good with things like this, they are fully aware of the difference between someone completely over reacting and a real problem. Unfortunately they probably some obligations when it comes to reacting to complaints.

I wasn’t suggesting reporting it to have the dog destroyed

However, I think if its unpredictable enough to bite someone that had already gone past it and was moving away then it needs to be muzzled and kept on a lead

Jools I wasnt suggesting you were, I am all for dangerous dogs to be unfortunately destroyed. But a tempered approach is a must. Thats why I suggest that the OP initially has made that call, I hope he didnt inform the authotities as he felt the dog was not a danger rather than he didnt want to escalate. Its a fine line.

A dog that “attacks” somebody may not be a danger. It may be defending/protecting. Is it mouthing/nipping etc. The four named breeds on the dangerous dog act should not be singled out as some, though not many are kept by fantastic responsible owners. All dogs fall under the act and its owners that are responsible.

I witnessed a pit bull type dog attack a labrador last year and the owners didnt give a 5h!%. Now that was in an area with children. Should the dog be destroyed yes definitely. Is it the dogs fault, almost always no as far too many owners own dogs they have no undertsanding of, psychology, needs, breeding traits.

I will say its highly unusual for a labrador to bite someone, but all dogs can. Not suggesting it was the OPs fault but if it was my lab I would be concerned.

Double tap to the back of the head then phone the local Chinese restaurant to pick up the dog. Should do the trick if we keep it up. We will be dog free in a couple of years, plus lots of cheap sweet’n’sour, whats not to like!!!

Pingu – you think its acceptable your dog bit a child and you did not do anything about it – that is disgraceful.

Mouthing / nipping – get real – your dog bit a child – its never acceptable

Kid was taking the piss out of the dog, teasing it etc Not acceptable but it happened and yeah I tregret that some little scrote took the piss and got hurt dont need the grief. For the record I am a responsible dog, owner but if said kid is advised not to, asked to leave etc but insists.

If I was not aware of the full facts trust me my dog would have been put down. No matter how much I loved it as I do not want to be responsible for owning a dangerous dog. Which no matter how well a dog is raised they can turn nasty.

So in some respects I agree but as I said given the full facts no I dosagree.

Not acceptable – your dog bit a child. You should have made sure it did not happen. Your responsibility. You are not a responsible dog owner to allow your dog to bite a child.

I dont think you are in posession of the full facts therefore unable to comment so thanks for your time Jeremy, you stuck your colours to the mast stating

dogs that bite should be put down – its totally unnaceptable

However if you were in posession of all the facts as the police were when they were called by the mother no action was required. Rather than being alarmist take a more tempered view. What if a horse or cow bites some kid who is teasing it should that be destroyed.

From what you say you were there if you saw the kid tease the dog – why did you not remove the dog from the situation? Thats why I say you were irresponsible for allowing this to happen

I am sorry but yo show the classic dog owner attitude – that despite the dog biting a child the dog did no wrong and it was only a nip.

Its the only facts needed -your dog bit a child

I didnt say i was there and indeed i was not there. If I had been then correct the situation would not have arisen however sticking your fingers and sticks through a letter box and banging on a door with a dog inside is no way to go about things.

The child had been seen doing this on more than one occasion during the day and even advised by his own mother not to. For the record the child enetered our property which has signs that there are dogs there and was well aware of the dog as said child lives on the same street. The dogs were in the house but the “little chap” had spent most of the day teasing them at the windows etc.

Indeed a regretable incident but no not a classic dog owner.

Can I assume you do NOT own dogs in a similar vein that you assumed I was there when I was infact not.