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Bitten / chased by dogs
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Dogs chasing me or running up to me or just getting in my way whilst running really piss me off.
Now I am a dog owner and my puppy loves to chase runners. Bless.
Yeah, your dog would piss me off, 15W, because it's small. I worry about treading on those ones and have to slow down. I don't mind if a normal-sized dog wants to come for a run with me.
Don't have much problems with dogs when out running, and most of my runs are through a country park. Lot's of dogs out, I just slow down when approaching them, offer my hand down at snout level with palm facing and all seems well. Sometimes it might cause me to stop, but that's no real problem. Mind you, when I am out walking my dog I generally move off to the side and stop until the runner or cyclist has passed (mainly becuase if I let my dog off anywherenear the river then regardless of my pleas, she is determined to jump in !)
The problem with my dog is it puts runners off their stride as they are overcome with how lovely and cute he is and cannot resist the urge to stroke him or give him a big hug. Then he bites them.
It is possible to love animals and nature while disliking the idea of having pets. I kinda get why you would keep a cat because they do their own thing and are independent. However a dog gives me nothing that friends, family and hobbies already fill my life with.
Talking cruel streaks people who keep animals that need to be locked in cages are cruel. People who keep birds are especially cruel.
Unconditional love. When I come home from work the dog is the only creature in the house who is pleased to see me...and the only one who enjoys licking my feet after a long and sweaty run.
When I used to train in Portugal (on a bike) you would ride up hills with a succession of sleeping dogs by the side of the road. Of course as soon as you rode past they would wake up and chase you up the hill
Great hill training but if they are too close together it gets a bit too close for comfort!
Thankfully I never did find out what happens if you get caught!
+1 for me
Although my daughter is also usually pleased to see me 
(but does not lick my feet)
If you're not sure about a dog, i find its best to stop and walk past them, they may see someone running as either a threat, or a submissive action, and/or could just trigger the chase instinct. Also some of them may just want to play, but if you watch 2 dogs playing, you will see its usually quite physical, with a lot of barging and nipping, which would feel like being attacked!
If in doubt walk past, it usually works. and speaking friendly to the dogs and their owners helps too.
Sounds like my teenage daughter !
Yeah, you probably don't get it because you've never had one. Own a dog for 6 months and then try and tell us you're not attached. If you still aren't, i'd have you down as something of an emotionally stunted human being.
Dog's are great fun, brilliant company and good companionship for my lady when i'm working away.
They do stink though.
Mine doesn't. Well, his farts do but he's a non-shedder and for whatever reason, they don't stink like shedders.
Not read the thread but cyclists use a high pitched beeper to keep dogs at bay.
Mine stinks like a bugger when he guffs. But that pales into I significance when my missus does one
Dogs on long extendable leads then.
Do their owners really think they have them (dogs) under control?
🙂
Wow! Thanks for all the responses.
A lot of folk don`t seem bothered / imply some blame on my part / excuse the dogs and their owners. To clarify - I DID STOP! Normally I don`t like stopping. Should I really have to if I`m trying to blast a 400m rep, etc? However, it was a recovery plod the day after a 26.2 so I didn't mind pausing. BUT the dog still BIT me. I was stood STILL. The owner did NOTHING. If I stopped to play with every dog I encountered in said park, a 20 minute recovery plod would take the best part of an hour so that is a ludicrous suggestion. Owners too often are ignorant, inconsiderate and negligent.
I don`t usually SHOUT so often on the tinterweb. Sorry RW.
That is an interesting summary?
I think a better summary would be, "We do not have a solution...."
Other than run with a dog that is bigger and more aggressive than the potential canine offender.
The Police seem to go selectively deaf when it comes to stuff like this;
or suggest that, "maybe you accidentally bit yourself without realising?"
I don't know what to say Egyption Toe - that is not good and I'm not surprised you are upset. I have been bitten a few times too...but nothing too bad. It is annoying, and owners should be more responsible, but the problem is not going to go away. You could have reported the incident, but like Sideburn says probably nothing would have happened.... I run a lot in areas where people walk their dogs and sometimes they chase me etc, but usually I just ignore them and most owners keep them away from me, or the dogs just ignore me back.
Twenty years back a club mate of mine was bitten by a dog. The next time he went that way he took a garden fork with him.
🙂
Thanks all.
It is tricky. I think I`ll try the stick foot out option although I fear that might result in me becoming The Egyptian (Minus a) Toe! Someone also suggested stamping.
Egyptian Toe. If I didn't make MYself clear. It's not your fault. I blame the ownners and you did nothing wrong.
Out of control dogs are a nuisance to more than just runners, If you own a dog and have not trained it to come to heel from when it was young then you are simply asking for trouble.
Thanks sussex, roger and 15 west. I must admit that it did cross my mind about what the said dogs would have done whilst playing with my two young (2 and 4) daughters.
I had my first bad running encounter with a dog this week. I've no argument with the dog (although it was the dog I stopped and faced-off), but the owner was a complete dick giving the "he's just being friendly" line. Yup, I'll chase you growling, barking, and showing teeth and we'll agree that I'm just being friendly.
Have you thought about changing her diet?
If there are two or more runners, one can say "f - off you dickhead I'm going to kill you" to the owner and the other runner can say " it's okay he/she's just being friendly"
Run from here in Camden up to Hampstead and back regularly. Love the way there are no staffies or pitbulls up there, just smaller dogs, labs, etc..and then you come back to Camden / Kentish town way and they stop and the staffies take over again.
Is that the rule that if you live in a rougher area, you must have a staffie? Also, do you get a free pair of grey sweats too to go with it?
@ Essex lion
I probably was not clear. It was implied that because I do not like the idea of keeping pets it makes me or people like me a cruel person. I was merely making the point that not wanting a pet does not make me cruel and in fact there are SOME types of pet keeing that are cruel (caged birds just make me feel sad for example). Keeping dogs is certainly not cruel.