Bicycle Rider wants dog safety tips
By Nan Arthur, CDBC, CPDT-KSA, KPACPT Author of Chill Out Fido! How to Calm your Dog
www.wholedogtraining.com
A great site to visit and browse through
www.wholedogtraining.com
A great site to visit and browse through

Dear Trainer, I’m a bike rider and have had some close encounters with loose dogs and was wondering how to handle these scary surprises? Luckily, the owners of the dogs have been around and were able to get their dogs before the dogs got me, but I’m afraid that might not be the case in the future. Do you have any ideas or suggestions about what to do if I come across dogs that want to chase me? I would rather not do anything that provokes or injures a dog since it seems to me that might things worse. Signed, Wheeling for Ideas
Dear Wheeling, Thank you for the great question and I’m so happy that you are looking for ways to solve this problem without violence. You are correct that confronting a dog might make matters worse, since a dog that is chasing something is a pretty aroused animal and capable of much more damage to a human in that heightened state.
What you can do Always carry a cell phone with your local Animal Control’s number stored. A cell phone is also important if you need emergency help. Loose dogs, no matter what the intention of people allowing their dogs to roam, are illegal unless the dog is in a designated offleash area. It’s important to report loose dogs, since dogs on the run are not only a danger to the likes of people, but are also in danger of being hit by cars, teased by kids, or attacked by coyotes in those areas where wild canines thrive. Try to get a photo or video if you have time (of course be safe) so you have a record of the dog in case Animal Control is unable to get to the area right away.
Next try to avoid any loose dog, whether you think he/she is friendly or not. Change directions, take a wide birth, and don’t make eye contact. Try not to move too quickly as this can cause the dog to chase and build up more adrenaline.
Carry protection, but do so with caution. Using products such as “Direct Stop” can buy you a short time to get away from a roaming dog, but you will need to be within the range of about 10-feet to spay the product at the dog’s face. If the dog is not in a completely aroused state of mind, these products can work well, but they can also backfire if the dog is not “thinking” clearly and can often make matters worse.
A can of club soda also can work. Shake it and throw it as a way to startle the dog. When you shake the can, the carbonation should get the contents flowing hard enough to spay out, thereby causing the dog to take his/her attention from you and allowing you to move away. This won’t buy you a lot of time, but sometimes just a little can be helpful.
There is another product called Pet Corrector that “hisses” and shoots out a strong spray of compressed air. In their advertising, they show a person on a bicycle using the spray on a chasing dog. This product is sold at many outlets. Please note however, that we don’t recommend this product for many of the suggested things like aggression, place avoidance or barking.
Another idea is to carry a collapsible umbrella with you. Most Southern California dogs are not used to seeing open umbrellas, so if a dog approaches you, you can pop open the umbrella in the direction of the dog. Not only can this startle the dog, but also gives you something to use to protect yourself if needed. It’s far better to have a stray dog take the umbrella in his/her mouth rather than your body parts. One trainer I know painted a really scary face on her open umbrella, so if she has to pop it open, there are big eyes, and a full set of teeth showing, which might be enough to cause the dog to hesitate.
Carry food treats with you. You can always throw food at the on-coming dog to get his/her attention, but you will need to throw a lot to keep the dog searching rather than following you as a good food resource. I have tossed my treat bag full of treats toward a dog that was moving too fast for my comfort. I lost a treat bag, but the dog forgot about me when he got a whiff of the cut up turkey in my bag. The downfall is that you might reinforce the dog for chasing people on bikes, but if you report the dog and then avoid the area, your local Animal Control should take action if you are able to identify the dog and the dog isn’t likely to put two and two together—people on bikes throw treats when I chase them.
Finally, your bicycle can be a form or protection if a dog gets really close to you—get off of your bike and use it to block the dog from getting to you.
Overall, loose dogs are a problem and not only are bike riders at risk, but children, and others that might be accosted by them. Most dogs are friendly, but that should never be assumed, and aside from the above suggestions, reporting the offenders is the best way to avoid what might result in a tragedy for you or others.
Good luck and happy riding!
Nan Arthur, CDBC, CPDT-KSA, KPACTP/Faculty for the Karen Pryor Academy Author of Chill Out Fido! How to Calm your Dog www.wholedogtraining.com
Dear Wheeling, Thank you for the great question and I’m so happy that you are looking for ways to solve this problem without violence. You are correct that confronting a dog might make matters worse, since a dog that is chasing something is a pretty aroused animal and capable of much more damage to a human in that heightened state.
What you can do Always carry a cell phone with your local Animal Control’s number stored. A cell phone is also important if you need emergency help. Loose dogs, no matter what the intention of people allowing their dogs to roam, are illegal unless the dog is in a designated offleash area. It’s important to report loose dogs, since dogs on the run are not only a danger to the likes of people, but are also in danger of being hit by cars, teased by kids, or attacked by coyotes in those areas where wild canines thrive. Try to get a photo or video if you have time (of course be safe) so you have a record of the dog in case Animal Control is unable to get to the area right away.
Next try to avoid any loose dog, whether you think he/she is friendly or not. Change directions, take a wide birth, and don’t make eye contact. Try not to move too quickly as this can cause the dog to chase and build up more adrenaline.
Carry protection, but do so with caution. Using products such as “Direct Stop” can buy you a short time to get away from a roaming dog, but you will need to be within the range of about 10-feet to spay the product at the dog’s face. If the dog is not in a completely aroused state of mind, these products can work well, but they can also backfire if the dog is not “thinking” clearly and can often make matters worse.
A can of club soda also can work. Shake it and throw it as a way to startle the dog. When you shake the can, the carbonation should get the contents flowing hard enough to spay out, thereby causing the dog to take his/her attention from you and allowing you to move away. This won’t buy you a lot of time, but sometimes just a little can be helpful.
There is another product called Pet Corrector that “hisses” and shoots out a strong spray of compressed air. In their advertising, they show a person on a bicycle using the spray on a chasing dog. This product is sold at many outlets. Please note however, that we don’t recommend this product for many of the suggested things like aggression, place avoidance or barking.
Another idea is to carry a collapsible umbrella with you. Most Southern California dogs are not used to seeing open umbrellas, so if a dog approaches you, you can pop open the umbrella in the direction of the dog. Not only can this startle the dog, but also gives you something to use to protect yourself if needed. It’s far better to have a stray dog take the umbrella in his/her mouth rather than your body parts. One trainer I know painted a really scary face on her open umbrella, so if she has to pop it open, there are big eyes, and a full set of teeth showing, which might be enough to cause the dog to hesitate.
Carry food treats with you. You can always throw food at the on-coming dog to get his/her attention, but you will need to throw a lot to keep the dog searching rather than following you as a good food resource. I have tossed my treat bag full of treats toward a dog that was moving too fast for my comfort. I lost a treat bag, but the dog forgot about me when he got a whiff of the cut up turkey in my bag. The downfall is that you might reinforce the dog for chasing people on bikes, but if you report the dog and then avoid the area, your local Animal Control should take action if you are able to identify the dog and the dog isn’t likely to put two and two together—people on bikes throw treats when I chase them.
Finally, your bicycle can be a form or protection if a dog gets really close to you—get off of your bike and use it to block the dog from getting to you.
Overall, loose dogs are a problem and not only are bike riders at risk, but children, and others that might be accosted by them. Most dogs are friendly, but that should never be assumed, and aside from the above suggestions, reporting the offenders is the best way to avoid what might result in a tragedy for you or others.
Good luck and happy riding!
Nan Arthur, CDBC, CPDT-KSA, KPACTP/Faculty for the Karen Pryor Academy Author of Chill Out Fido! How to Calm your Dog www.wholedogtraining.com
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