Dogs are the one thing that ruin my runs. Either having to plan alternative routes or having to stop and walk til I am past the offending mutt. Dogs who dont stray tend to be left around the outside of the houses with the gates open. Owners dont seem to care if they come chasing after you barking and snarling. " ah they wont touch you" doest wash with me. I find it hard to stick to my pace and the stopping and starting has often almost given me problems.
I need to practice loops for a race that is coming up. There are two 3 mile circuits near me but both have a dog . I am tempted to get bangers ( like at halloween) to try and scare them off , or would I be better bringing dogbiscuits so that I can throw them and they will eventually stop running after me? My postmas has a tazer4 that he smuggled in from the USA> Would not like to have to resort to that but am not adverse to inflicting pain or fear on them
Anyone got any successful tips to share?
Comments
He is a rural postman and carries it ( in his van) in case of attack. Hasnt had to use it but I know two people who have ended up savagely attacked by dogs who have never previously been agressive towards anyone. Skin, muscle and nerve grafts were required and one lady has a huge hole in her leg where chunks were torn off her. Near me( 4 miles away) the postmen have refused to deliver until the local dogs are under control. So I would not critisize my postman friend for having one.
So any useful ideas for the rest of us not ending up as dogfood?
By the way - who would shoot him?
Someone said to me that if you get the dogs attention, they will come to you.
So the best is don't look at the dog, just look elsewhere. Dogs won't want to know you.
They are smart creatures even if they see in black and white.
Dogs are territorial - the best advice I could give you is freeze, don't look directly at them, don't turn your back but move slowly away and if all else fails and it definitely is attacking you kick it as hard as you can under the chin and climb on a gatepost- you still might get bitten... some dogs don't appear to understand 'dog language'
Re the taser - to the untrained eye they look like lethal firearms and the Old Bill take a dim view of people scaring the shit out of the general public waving around potentially lethal weapons - if your mate is confronted by an Armed Response Team and he didn't ditch it quickly; he might be on the sharp end of a bunch of 9mm persuaders.
He'd certainly be facing a term in prison if he used it - even against an aggressive dog, if there were people about.
I've found that some dogs bark and snarl while you're "on their patch", then once they've seen you off they stop.
There are particular dogs like this on some routes I run, and I just keep running and ignore them.
They think they've defended their territory and go away happy.
Reminds me of the dyslexic agnostic insomniac who stayed awake all night wondering whether there was a dog.
I'm here all week...
I agree with the above posters, its a dumb idea and likely to carry a similar sentence to carrying an unlicensed firearm.
I also wouldn't advise the use of bangers or anything that may be considered cruelty. If the RSPCA get wind of this, they will take a very dim view.
I work for a large local authority, and receive a lot of reports re dangerous/aggressive dogs. If you note the address, your local authorities dog warden will have a legal responsibility to approach the offending dogs owner/ take enforcement action.
If the dog is not secured and is able to leave the property to chase you, this is classed as a dog nuisance, which is considered to be Anti Social behaviour, and will be actioned as such.
I hope this has given you another angle to pursue.
Dogs are terrified of compressed air, they don't understand it.
(But don't come looking for me if you lose an arm...)
yes my catholic upbringing really comes through in my earlier post. My dog used to bark at the tv any time there was thunder or fireworks on it...but would hiide under the table whenever there was real thunder or fireworks...he obviously thought he could take the tv...
Unfortunately, there's no fail-safe method that I know for keeping the little ****ers away from you. Unless your surname is 'Bolt' I doubt you'll outrun a dog. I get hassled by them all the time. I believe that councils are reluctant to enforce Control Orders as it risks their popularity. The only suggestions I have are:
Leg it - think of it as Fartlek training, and the dog's doing you a favour. Most of the time it'll back off once it's chased you for a while
Get a mini camera and photograph the owner. Inform the owner (I find nice people have nice dogs - it's the thugs that have aggressive ones) that you're emailing it to the council and complaining their dog's a nuisance. You might be better off with a phone camera.
Don't let the anti-social b*****ds spoil your run. There's no such thing as a bad dog, just scummy owners.
This is what happens if you taser a bull, i imagine a dog may respond in the same and rip you a new arsehole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGgbzBvwGNc
As a dog lover I agree about the scummy owners. Unfortnately pointing a camera phone at certain people would result in what's called a 'serious face wastin'
As for the Tazer you might just run the risk of having that shoved somewhere interesting.
There should be stricter controls on who can own a dog, and every dog owner should have to have some sort of public liability insurance.
[quote]Unfortnately pointing a camera phone at certain people would result in what's called a 'serious face wastin'[/quote]
Not if you've already sent their photo to the local constable and tell them this... Unless they're truly psychotic, in which case they will give you a larruping - but at least you'll have the consolation of knowing that photo will land them with a stay in Her Majesty's Holiday Camp.
Anyway... I've never taken a camera out with me - it's just a suggestion. How about a can of hairspray and a lighter? I'll get me coat...
I meant to say could, not would, and yes there are certain people out there I wouldn't challenge, or probably even look sideways at. Let alone let it be known that I took their photo. Have just read an article in the Dogs Today magazine about a stolen dog that ended up with some seriously not nice people. The guy threatened to slice the dogs proper owner up and the police didn't want to know.
Think I'll bow gracefully out now. I am not sure wether I have been taken the wrong way.