Dog attacks on rides/runs

First off, I love dogs more than I do most people, particularly people who own dogs that chase me.

Does your county have an animal control officer? What are your local ordinances concerning nuisance dogs? Your first/second course of action (since you survived the first encounter) should be to report the situation to the proper authorities (assuming that they exist).

After that, you have the following options (in order of escalation)

1. avoid the area where the dogs are
2. out run them
3. shout at them "NO!" often works
4. spray them with water from your water bottle
5. mace the bastards
6. Katy bar the door (the old ultraviolence we must reserve as a last resort)

If you are encountering a solitary cur, and you can manage it, changing your course slightly or varying your speed will often cause the mangy mutt to miss you entirely. The surprise shout will alos cause the beast to pause long enough for you to get away. A pack of them is another matter entirely and is a genuine public safety issue.

edited to say:  that I have ridden and run rural roads for about 10-12 years now 2000-3500 miles a year, and have only had to mace two dogs,  I have hosed down dozens with the water bottle, thrown rocks at 2-3 while running, and I have yet to have to shoot one.

I haven't had bad dog encounters (chased, but never really approached more than a few feet), but I have had one hilarious one. I was pre-riding the course of a sprint tri earlier this year. It was at a state park and extremely rural. My friend and I were approaching a right hand turn, where there was this little convenience store. As we slowed to make the turn, a pack of (no kidding) 5 Jack Russell terriers appeared from behind the store and descended upon us at top speed (top speed for Jack Russells). I was laughing so hard I could barely control my bike, but managed to slow to about 5mph. Those dogs were absolutely fearless, yapping like little banshee dogs, running at our heels, darting in front of our wheels. We pedaled slowly until we were about 200 yards past the store, where the last of them finally peeled off.

And since it was an out and back course, the scene repeated itself on the way back.

And holy crap...suppose you crash and it discharges?

I got chased by a 3 legged dog too - man, it was fast!  In my city we have leash laws so I rarely ever encounter dogs.  My problem is squirrels and cats.  The squirrels are crazy around here.  They dash into the street and when the see me, they stop and can't decide to run back or keep going across.  I have to try to figure out which way to swerve.  And, I swear, they are dropping nuts on my head on purpose!  As for cats...no offense to cat lovers, but why do people have "pets" that they just let roam free outdoors?  They poop in my kids' sandbox, hide under my car and bug the heck out of my dogs who are in their own fenced in yard.  And the owners just hope the cats will eventually head home again?  I don't get it.

This reminded me of a Simpson's episode where Bart was being chased by a rabid dog and Homer says "I'll save you boy" and throws a raw steak towards the dog.  The dog just swallows the raw steak whole and never breaks stride.  Homer's response to this "Run faster boy, he has a taste for meat now!"

I also was chased one morning last week while running.  It was like a 5 pound yippy dog that just ran along behind me knipping my heels.  At first it was really funny but then it became really annoying because the damn thing would not relent.  I yelled at it, made aggresive moves toward it, kicked at it, etc and this thing just kept coming.  I weigh 180 lbs and this thing weighs maybe 5 lbs and just keeps coming after me.  He finally quit after I turned off HIS street.

I have the pepper spray that bear suggested, you can also get some good pepper spray at wal mart. I use it only if I think the dog is big enough to get me or wreck me (i.e. dont use it on little puppies running out in the road). I have to admit it cracks me up to see a big dog looking all mean coming out after me and when I spray them they do summer saults trying to get back across the road to rub their faces in the grass.

I did have one owner say something to me and I told him it was for the dogs protection, because if the dog came out on me and a car was coming the dog would get hit, he was a ass still so  I told him maybe I should spray him then kick his ass; he left me alone.

Get some pepper spray. it works and just make you feel safer, I even carry it on runs because it clips to my waistband.

Don't forget hockey sticks...