Dog chasing EUC riders small advice how to handle situation like this 🐕

[Cerbera]

56 minutes ago, earthtwin said:

Dogs are extremely sensitive to human emotion, mine and the owner (even though the dog actually thinks he is the owner). The biggest factor for me on if a dog reacts aggressively to me or not is if I smile at the dog and the owner and say hello pleasantly. Most dogs have a vocabulary of at least 300 words. Especially pit bulls are responsive to duration and type of eye contact.

I have been conducting experiments in this field, in a variety of actual fields, and the cycle paths around town where there are dogs aplenty, on leads or otherwise !

For a while now I have been convinced that my helmet is a big factor in making dogs view me as something threatening, or at least something they want to chase.

Of course when the visor is down a dog can't see what your face is doing, or even that you have one ! Nor can it likely hear anything you say through it, which would sort of gel with what you were saying above.

But having a modular helmet I have been trying to approach dogs with helmet down, and if they strain at leashes and get aggressive I lift the front of the helmet and attempt to smile / talk nicely at the dog as I draw closer to see if that makes any difference. My conclusions so far are mixed. Sometimes that has helped, at other times it hasn't made any difference. Once I tried to explain that strategy to an owner who was having to use his full strength to stop his dog lunging at me, before realising it was far better to just go as soon as possible so the man could stop holding on for dear life !

Edited June 17, 2023 by Cerbera

[on one]

lol, @Cerbera , you could carry some beef jerky or some bacon in your pocket so the dog has a reason to maybe be friends.

[on one]

Or, if the dog doesn't care about food (which would be rare) there's always a high frequency repeller like this: https://www.amazon.com/2023release-Professional-Deterrent-Ultrasonic-Rechargeable/dp/B0BMBC1FJX/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1GTIZ46PQ3EFS&keywords=high+frequency+dog+bark+control&qid=1687033176&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=dog+freq%2Cpets%2C149&sr=1-5

[Cerbera]

41 minutes ago, earthtwin said:

lol, @Cerbera , you could carry some beef jerky or some bacon in your pocket so the dog has a reason to maybe be friends.

I think there's a good chance that could work, but in some ways it's like chumming for White sharks - helpful in the short term so we can attract them where we can see them, but ultimately risks teaching the animals that this is where to come for food, and in the case of EUCs it might encourage them to chase others in the future if they think we all drop food when they do ! :/

Edited June 17, 2023 by Cerbera

[Funky]

54 minutes ago, earthtwin said:

lol, @Cerbera , you could carry some beef jerky or some bacon in your pocket so the dog has a reason to maybe be friends.

You sir are despicable! Great plan to get poor @Cerbera chased even more.. Not even talking about that great smell of beef jerky. Dogs will want to bite and eat @Cerbera even more. Who doesn't like fast food on wheels..

Muhahaha - i like your way of thinking.  

Spoiler

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Funky

[UPONIT]

Buy the illegal pepper spray if agro dog encounters are a regular thing.

1) Why is it illegal? It's a spice you can spray...

2) I'd rather escape the possibility of dog bites and broken bones and take the tiny risk of ever paying any penalty for having used pepper spray on an attacking dog.

Who is going to press charges, take to trial, convict, etc. or even cite you for pepper spray use if you are being chased by dogs?

I'd take that risk over a dog yanking me off a wheel any day. 

[on one]

Also use common dog commands to all owners (he might not listen to you but you can try the common commands) especiall "off" https://www.gallant.com/blog/dog-commands or you can learn the German ones and see if he looks at you funny. https://www.mndogtraining.com/dogcommands-german/

[UPONIT]

On 6/17/2023 at 3:39 PM, earthtwin said:

Also use common dog commands to all owners (he might not listen to you but you can try the common commands) especiall "off" https://www.gallant.com/blog/dog-commands or you can learn the German ones and see if he looks at you funny. https://www.mndogtraining.com/dogcommands-german/

All of that while riding on your EUC? 

[Uras]

On 12/8/2020 at 11:20 AM, GothamMike said:

Get off yur EUC.

Take out your Cell Phone

Take Photos

Threaten Dog Owner with police calls if you see the dog without a leash on public property again.

Police take dog reports seriously.

I ride my wheel with my dog off lead. We come across other dogs all the time - some have shown some interest in the "combination of me on the wheel". I thought this would be obvious, but I am familiar with dogs to a degree. They see wheels, scooters, rollerblades, bikes - all those mobility things as different, like an animal. Just step off the wheel . I've only ever done this myself for dogs that have displayed fear on tight single track; I've stepped off the wheel till the dog has calmed enough to walk past me (going in the other direction). My own dog was quite excited when we first started riding wheels, and before that when he first saw me on an mtb. He's used to it now and is indifferent to bike riders etc.

Of course I'm not addressing truly aggressive dogs, but usually those are on lead. There's a reason why aggressive dogs are usually on lead - it's rare to come across an aggressive dog off lead (unless you're on his property). The person at the other end of the lead is usually to blame. They (the person) see another dog (on or off lead) approaching and they begin to tense with some anxiety. Their dog picks up on this and looks around to see where the cause of that anxiety is coming from, and they see the other dog. 

The above scenario was discovered decades ago by a famous dog trainer - Barbara Woodhouse. She endeavored to find out why the combination of dogs being judged at show who were owned by women bit or snapped at the male judges. It was the women tensing up when the male judges came around to them. So most angry dogs have picked up on the fears of their owners - whatever the owner is fearful of, that's where the dog will show aggression. I see and experience it all the time. My dog is social and happy and just wanders past, dog on lead is going berserk.

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Uras

[Glock43x]

I swear, every dog I ride pass wants to jump at me or chase me. IS it the electric buzzing sound from the unicycles that attract dogs? I almost smashed into a dog the other day. Was riding and a couple was walking their medium size dog. As soon as I got near them, the dog jumped at me, but I was able to avoid it.

I swear, if a dog jumped at me and made me crashed, I'm gonna hurt the dog bad.. Might even shoot it too.

[Glock43x]

and it doesn't matter what size the dogs are. big or small. They all want to jump at me, but they don't do that to the 100's of bicyclists.  Forgot to add, I dropped my unicycle once. I was doing 5mph and suddenly a dog ran at me and the leash caught my unicycle and I dropped it.  I just told the owners to watch out next time and kept riding..

if i crashed at 20+ mph, i won't be too happy....

Edited August 31, 2023 by Glock43x

[Cerbera]

Yes I have noticed this. It is not all dogs, but a certain percentage of them, and the reason they go nuts seems to be a combination of helmet / armour (so they can't see what you are) and the way you move (which is a fast glide, like typical prey items). There are lots of things you can do to mitigate this - raise helmet visor (if possible) and smile / talk to the dog as you approach, don't surprise them, so ring a bell well in advance, and don't go past them at maxi speed - all these things have helped me avoid aggression in the past. However, there is a certain small percentage of dogs who are absolutely enraged by our mere presence, and for those the only thing you can do it high tail it out of there as fast as possible, or rely on their owners to restrain them adequately.

But please don't hurt a dog under any circumstances (unless perhaps its teeth are at your throat) - it's the owners' who are usually at fault in these encounters - leads not short enough or tightly held enough, or no lead at all. And in some cases it is hard to blame the owners either if they didn't hear you coming with enough time to tighten their grip on any lead they carry. Bollock the owners by all means, if they are in the wrong, but don't hurt the poor dog ! Considering shooting one for making you crash is borderline psychopathy in my book - completely unjustified under any circumstances I can think of.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Cerbera

[techyiam]

3 minutes ago, Glock43x said:

I swear, every dog I ride pass wants to jump at me or chase me. IS it the electric buzzing sound from the unicycles that attract dogs? I almost smashed into a dog the other day. Was riding and a couple was walking their medium size dog. As soon as I got near them, the dog jumped at me, but I was able to avoid it.

I swear, if a dog jumped at me and made me crashed, I'm gonna hurt the dog bad.. Might even shoot it too.

Interestingly enough, now that I ride an Abrams, I noticed most dogs don't get all excited and bark at me. In fact, just the other day, on two occasions, the dogs were not on a leash. The dogs did not bark nor reacted to me.

For the dogs that do bark and get all excited, the owners have them on a leash, and under control.

 

[eezo]

Why are you riding close enough to a dog for them to lunge at you? You're on an EUC that gives you a lot of mobility options, you can go around.

[Glock43x]

3 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

Yes I have noticed this. It is not all dogs, but a certain percentage of them, and the reason they go nuts seems to be a combination of helmet / armour (so they can't see what you are) and the way you move (which is a fast glide, like typical prey items). There are lots of things you can do to mitigate this - raise helmet visor (if possible) and smile / talk to the dog as you approach, don't surprise them, so ring a bell well in advance, and don't go past them at maxi speed - all these things have helped me avoid aggression in the past. However, there is a certain small percentage of dogs who are absolutely enraged by our mere presence, and for those the only thing you can do it high tail it out of there as fast as possible, or rely on their owners to restrain them adequately.

But please don't hurt a dog under any circumstances (unless perhaps its teeth are at your throat) - it's the owners' who are usually at fault in these encounters - leads not short enough or tightly held enough, or no lead at all. Bollock the owners by all means, if they are in the wrong, but don't hurt the poor dog !

i never ride with a full face helmet. I wear a regular bicycle helmet. If I am coming behind the dog walkers, I always slow down and beep so they know.  I'm like, "oh cool. The owners know I am behind them and passing through. ..." BAM, their dogs tried jumping at me as soon as I got next to them.

Now, I am super paranoid when I come across dog walkers and always ready to fight or flight. I don't want to hurt any dogs, but if a bigger size dog latched onto any part of me (clothes and shoes included) or my unicycle, it's not gonna end well for the dog.  I would consider that an attack and most likely either stab it with my 5" pocket knife or pop it with my glock.

need to get a helmet cam just in case something bad happens and i have proofs

[Glock43x]

3 minutes ago, eezo said:

Why are you riding close enough to a dog for them to lunge at you? You're on an EUC that gives you a lot of mobility options, you can go around.

path is only 6ft wide max and there are a lot of bicyclists and joggers on the trail too. majority of the time, the leash on the dogs are longer than 6ft.  smart dog owners I've ran across would make their dogs sit on the side of the trail and wait till I passed.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Glock43x

[Cerbera]

I do understand where you are coming from - I have actually been bitten by 2 dogs in my 8 years of riding ! Neither of them were trying to kill me however - they were doing merely what dogs are gonna do when either surprised or find themselves unrestrained and overtaken by the need to chase and tag a moving thing that seems to be running away !

Other dog aggressiveness I have halted in its tracks by stopping and turning to face the dog - they are not expecting that, and they usually cease chasing at that point, and merely bark, holding their distance.

In the States the lack of specific legality of EUCs doesn't seem much of a consideration to the people there I have noticed, when dealing with troublesome public interaction situations, but over here in the UK, where if we are riding one in a public place we have not a single legal leg to stand on, then I find it's not even worth complaining to owners about dogs not on leads, because they can play the 'illegality card' so easily, and be correct to do so ! However, in those very rare instances where a free-running dog has made me do something dangerous to myself and others to avoid it, then I find it very hard to resist shouting something in the general direction of the owner before I disappear over the horizon !

Edited August 31, 2023 by Cerbera

[Glock43x]

1 minute ago, Cerbera said:

I do understand where you are coming from - I have actually been bitten by 2 dogs in my 8 years of riding ! Neither of them were trying to kill me however - they were doing merely what dogs are gonna do when either surprised or find themselves unrestrained and overtaken by the need to chase and tag whichever bit of you they can hold of !

Other dog aggressiveness I have halted in its tracks by stopping and turning to face the dog - they are not expecting that, and they usually cease chasing at that point, and merely bark, holding their distance.

majority of dogs aren't a threat to me even if they may try to bite me. It's those several big dogs like rot weilers, pitbulls, and other big dogs I don't know about that could potentially do serious damage to me besides making me crash.  It's almost always a surprise when it happens. Most dogs I encountered weren't aggressive until I got within a few ft of them and suddenly, BAM! like WTF? damn.

stupid little dog got loose and chased me for like 30 ft.

[Cerbera]

I do find it almost comic when the smallest, terrier type ones insist on chasing you over long distances - I mean; what do they think they are gonna do if they catch you ?! They must know you can just punt them into the river with one lazy kick ! They remind me of Scrappy Do, that tiny, yet inexplicably massively overconfident dog in the the Scooby Do cartoons from the 80s...

I am lucky that where I live there are only 2 'problem dogs' I meet 'regularly' on the cycle path into town, and both their owners are decent people, and know that when they hear my bell coming, they need to step off the path, and apply maximum pressure to the dog lead to prevent it going after me, and both owners do it like a well-practiced dance every time we meet, despite the fact that it must annoy them to have to do it. I am always thanking them for the effort, and apologising as I go past, which seems to foster good relations between us, and there is an unspoken understanding that has emerged over time that they need to hold on to that dog with all their strength, and I need to get past them and out of sight as quickly as possible !

Edited August 31, 2023 by Cerbera

[bpong]

glock43x (interesting handle...)

i agree with you that its the hum of the wheels motor that gets the dog's attention.  the dog's reaction is always a 50-50 bet;  either they ignore you or they turn into some guided missle.  in toronto, they have a mandatory leash law.  i dont know if your city has one as well.  good thing is if the dog does injure you,  sue the owner till they are completely bankrupt.  then you will have some money to purchase some new wheels...  joking aside,  if you do get injured by the dog,  then its courtroom time indeed.  i find dog owners who walk their animals unleashed have an unrealistic trust in their 'animal'.  the good thing is,  animal control usually put dogs down that are considered dangerous.  i love dogs - its the owners that are mostly to blame for either lack of control or the animals behavior.  i have been bitten by my neighbors dog when i was young, a couple of times.  not fun at all... these days i still get the odd dog which (and its leashed) wants to bark and growl at me as i ride by.  i can only shake my head continue with my ride...

i sincerely hope you are joking about shooting a dog that causes you to crash and possibly injure yourself.  as i mentioned before, you are better off recording the details of the animal attack,  take pictures of the owner,  pictures of the dog,  pictures of your injuries, and then contact police and animal control.  animal control is the most important cause depending on the severity of your injuries,  it could determine if the dog will be put down.  as for your injuries,  get the hospital bill and sue the animal owner.  this seems like the only way to make an animal owner realize they made a bad choice in not controlling their animal...

personally,  i carry a small telescopic baton just for emergencies with uncontrolled animals. S&W 21"...

Edited August 31, 2023 by bpong

[anutheroneup]

Is it possible that sometimes it is because dogs can sense fear (or if you're nervous) and will bark or react to it?  Maybe it is not what you are wearing or riding, but just the energy/vibe they are picking up from you and if they make you nervous or jumpy they can sense that.  I ride trails all the time and on the paved paths I see tons of dogs on and off leash all the time, and about 99% of them don't react to me or seem to care at all.  I always slow way down for any dogs, people with kids or babies, or really anyone on trails - and pass a little faster than their speed because once I pass them I'm back to my own riding speed.  I also wear a Monster Boomerang neck speaker playing my tunes so people hear me coming and aren't startled, or I announce that I'm passing if they don't seem to notice, because if the owner is startled a dog may react to that.   The few dogs who do chase or bark are always quickly wrangled by their owners, even off leash, in my experience.  I ride an S22 fully geared up with full face helmet and goggles so they can't see my expression, but I'm not bothered by dogs and I pay more attention to slowing down and making an obvious gesture to ride away from them to show I am not gonna run them over or threatening them in any way..  Plus I wave at everyone to be friendly.  Really dogs bark if they feel threatened or are protecting their owner from what I know, and then every once in awhile there are dogs that just bark at everything (and I just keep riding by).

Edited September 1, 2023 by anutheroneup

[alcatraz]

This may be the stupidest thing I've ever written but how about whistling as you're coming up on them, or ringing a bell. That way the dog or owner isn't startled.

[Cerbera]

Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't carry small bag of dog treats with me, to throw at the problem dogs in an effort to change their minds about me over time ! But I don't want to give them the impression / training that I am a moving target that dispenses treats if chased !

[anutheroneup]

Yeah, if you start throwing treats at dogs you are certainly training them to chase you.  Ideally you don't want them to notice or pay attention to you at all.   I ride many of the same trails and part of why I wave at everyone I pass is because you start seeing the same people and they become accustomed to you and even friendly.  I used to have cyclists who would frown at me who now smile and wave because I give them a "yes I see you and everything's cool" wave.  With dogs you may want to focus mostly on owners and give a wave and/or a visible turn to show "I'm not heading at you or your dog", and eventually they know you are respectful and aware of them and their precious pet(s).  It's like "you're cool, I'm cool.. we're cool" - and then you just pass like it's no big deal.  If you're relaxed and cool and the owner is relaxed an cool, the dog usually will be too. *disclaimer - some dogs are just bananas

Edited September 1, 2023 by anutheroneup

[on one]

Carry bacon and an ultrasound deterrent device.