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So I got attacked by a massive angry and out of control dog last night cycling home from work. Was on a very popular bridleway just off the SDW. Not going to bore you with details but I managed to get away without being bitten but it was touch and go and I really thought I might get seriously damaged. Luckily it wasn't my first rodeo and I did enough to calm the dog down so the owner could get to it but quite frankly it could have gone either way.
Now I'm not here for a discussion with dog apologists - This situation with dogs is clearly getting out of hand - I mean I wake up to yet another fatal attack in the news today. I've been cycling for over 40 years and this last few years the amount of times I'm threatened by dogs has risen exponentially - I mean almost every ride there will be an episode of some kind where a dog will jump up even if it just wants to play - This rarely used to happen, perhaps once in a dozen rides. I simply don't want to deal with this.
In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault. My question is what do you do? I asked for her name and address but she obviously declined and walked off with a very angry dog she could barely control. Going after her is impossible for two reasons, one she has a massive dog which is itching to take a chunk out of me and two, it could be construed that I am presenting a danger to her by following her and she was just protecting herself with her hound.
Do I call the police? But then what....she's gone, I'm shaking (with anger mainly as well as adrenaline) but undamaged.....this is how these arseholes get away with it. There must be a way to get these people surely? Any ideas greatfullr recived as long as they are not along the lines of stop cycling if you can't deal with it! It shouldn't be my problem.
Like this:
Oh here we go again
Biscuits?! 🙈
@marksnook yes, here we go again - perhaps there might be a reason for that do you think?
Anyway, if you've nothing to add, off you pop.
Report it.
Dog walkers are creatures of habit and often use the same spot.
If enough folk report it, the police will take it more seriously.
Take picture of dog, maybe owner if can and then engage with the police sounds like the best option IMO
Good advice from oikeith, then try and forget about it until next time
when I was bitten by a dog that pulled itself out of the hands of the girl walking it to run across the road to try take a chunk out of my kidneys I took a photo of the dog and 'owner' (or owners' daughter as I found out) and contacted both plod to report it and living in a village a local dog owner I know who I was confident would know who the owners were.
The owners were soon in touch and deal struck between us both and plod was that their dog would not be walked by anyone not able to hang onto the lead, they were to take it (and themselves) to an agreed trainer and that it must be muzzled whenever out in public. AFAIK this was all and continues to be done.
I've never reported any of the countless "he's just being friendly" / "he's scared of bikes" / "you shouldn't have moved" nonsense I've had further from home where I'd have no hope of tracking down the owner
I'll be honest, I've noticed a lot more badly behaved 'owners' out there who haven't trained the dogs. I had blood taken from my calf a few months ago after a dog went for me (on a lead), and recently more dogs going for me as I cycle past on the road. What if I'd have been a child !
Bugger all you can do other than the local village 'idiots' page on facebook if you get a photo. Report it, but what's going to happen, nothing.
OP, ignore all the "bad owner" and "you need to learn how to behave near dogs" apologists who will be along shortly. I agree with you 100%, things are indeed getting out of hand.
As above, photo of dog and owner, and report to the old bill. The owner has committed an offence Under section 3(1) of the 1991 Act (as amended by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Richards Bicycle Book has some advice: use the bike as a shield and a squirt from the water bottle have both served me well.
BUT, this shouldn't be necessary, the bloody animals should be under control in the first place.
Alex
@winston sorry it was a joke as this thread comes up pretty often. If I made you feel triggered by the standard joke that gets used everytime this subject comes up I apologise.
As a dog owner I guess I’m biased. Small dog is a **** so stays on a short lead with warnings over his harness and lead. Labrador loves everyone, which actually creates a problem in a different way because not everyone wants to meet a happy dog. So she largely stays on lead
As for my opinion of what to do in your situation, photos? Film the dog/owner? Actually report it to the police like you would any other crime?
This thread is likely to turn into one side hating on dogs the other side liking dogs. Some dogs are triggered by noises/ movements. Some aren’t. It is the owners responsibility to deal with this accordingly.
If you didn’t actually get bitten I think assault with an offensive weapon is a stretch but the law does state dogs should be under control
Yeh photo, location and time to the local authority dog wardens might be worth a shot of you can get one. From speaking to ours in the past (work related) the police usually just pass that sort of stuff into them, unless I assume, there was serious attack.
Report it to the police via 111. They wont do anything other than record it, but if this dog does happen to bite someone or worse in future then at leas you have given the details to build the picture.
I have 2 dogs and they can be boisterous and loud and intimidating if you don't know me or them. For that reason I keep them on leads when there are other people or dogs about or there is a chance of encountering someone. Not because I think they will do anything but more to allow others to go about their business without having to deal with them.
I also have experience of being bitten by a dog (Akita) resulting in a DVT and 3 months on anticoagulants, so I can see this from both sides of the fence. However if your dog is off the lead and you cannot get it back reasonably then you are not in control of it.
Those cute little puppies bought in the early days of Covid are now full sized adult dogs. If the owners are crap and didn't train them well then anyone near them is going to be an interesting distractions or a potential toy for the dog.
I love dogs but dog owners are often less intelligent than the dogs
Take picture of dog, maybe owner if can and then engage with the police sounds like the best option IMO
^ this. I was having problems with an aggressive dog going for me several times, but owner never in the vicinity. Was happening in woodland and owner was good at hiding. Eventually it went for me while owner was close by. Did it's best to bite me (only managed to nip my ankle), words exchanged, photos taken despite threats from owner to me, reported to police. Tracked down owner via Facebook, I supplied details to police who had a word.
What if I’d have been a child !
And that's the reason I report them. Above incident was on designated bike trails in an area popular with young families, so it could just as easily have happened to a kid as it did to me.
In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault.
Might want to adjust your perspective, that flight of fantasy is only going to leave you disappointed.
Take Richard's advice?
"If the dog attacks: one defense is aerosol pepper sprays made for this purpose. They have a range of about ten feet and are light enough to clip to your handlebars. A water pistol loaded with a water-amonia solution will also work but is a good deal less convenient. If you have neither of these and can't or won't climb a tree get a stick or a large rock. No? The bicycle pump. Try to ram it down his throat. In any event, don't cower or cover up, because the dog will only chew you to ribbons. Attack. Any small dog can simply be hoisted up by the legs and his brains dashed out. With a big dog you are fighting for your life. If you are weaponless try to tangle him up in your bike and then strangle him. Kicks to the genitals and which break ribs are effective. If you have got a pump or a stick hold it at both ends and offer it up to the dog horizontally. Often the dog will bit the stick/pump and hang on. Immediately lift the dog up and deliver a very solid kick to the gemitals. Follow up with breaking the dogs ribs or crushing its head with a rock. If worst comes to worst ram your entire arm down its throat. He will choke and die. Better your arm than your throat."
In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault.
I'm really not a dog fan but IMO you're wrong, the owner is (potentially) guilty of negligence and failure to control their dangerous dog but not "Assault" you've jumped a couple of steps ahead of the law and escalated the crime beyond what you could credibly provide evidence/testimony for.
Do I call the police?
Yes, but there are limits, be prepared for no useful action to be taken. All you can really say is that on a given date/time there was an out of control dog on a Bridleway. You can't give details of the owner as they refused to provide that information (as is their right TBF) and you were absolutely right not to challenge escalate under those circumstances you could easily get "Karrened" into an arrest yourself, getting a bit insistent with a stranger in a remote location. The value of reporting it to the police is to get the incident logged and ensure that the police can't claim a lack of awareness when that same dog rips off a toddler's face in the same location...
You will not achieve any sort of resolution/satisfaction for your incident I'm afraid. But out of control dogs do need reporting with whatever limited information is available. Establishing patterns of behaviour, flagging incidents by date/time/location and generally documenting the impunity dangerous dog owners operate with is important.
@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.
The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.
Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.
Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body
Common assault is when a person inflicts violence on someone else or makes them think they are going to be attacked.
No actual contact is required for an assault to have been committed.
Dogs are a blight on society in so many ways, but it doesn't look like they'll be going away any time soon. It would be nice if existing laws could be enforced, but with the deliberate enfeeblement of the courts and the police by this government, that isn't going to happen. Nor are dog owners likely to be suddenly overcome with concern for those who they harm. So I think we're just going to have to put up with it.
Ah I see, you came here spoiling for a fight. I guess acting all bolshy on the tinterwebs might help with your bruised ego. You have yourself a good day chap.
No idea who you are or why you would post that but anyway..............thanks, I'll try and all the best to you and yours as well.
Glad you're OK op
You have 2 options, ignore it, or If it was as bad as you make out report it to the police. Struggling to see what other options you thought you were going to get by posting asking for advice on here?
Dogs are a blight on society in so many ways
They really aren’t. There are a tiny minority of bad owners and out of control dogs. In 10 years of cycling in groups, not one person I have been with has ever been attacked. Not saying attacks don’t happen, and I’m not downplaying their significance, but let’s not over egg the issue
@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.
Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.
Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body
Not sure I like being refered to as a "Dog Apologist" but whatever.
If you want to die on the hill of legal interpretation, that's your business. But I think a degree of realism is necessary, what do you honestly believe the police/CPS would pursue from a charging perspective?
Surely the priority should be getting a dangerous animal dealt with in the first instance, rather than pursuing elevated charges that have less chance of sticking because you are feeling (justifiably) aggrieved and want Maximum Justice! (sounds like a Steven Segal film).
Either way this is all academic, you're not getting charges pressed, there's not enough for it to go forward, reporting still has value as I said before criminal behaviour needs reporting when observed.
assaulted me with an offensive weapon
Unless the owner picked up the dog and physical beat you with it I can't see how it would classified as this. Even if the owner had trained the dog to attack and you could prove the owner commanded it to attack you I think the police would deal with it via dangerous dog legislation.
Report to police via non emergency number.
More info here;
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public
It could be malicious wounding if owner deliberately set the dog on you. The incident you described is a long long way from that.
I broadly agree with pretty much all you wrote. However I do think maybe dog attacks (both those where damage is sustained and more importantly those where it isn't, but could well be next time) should be classed as assault - perhaps owners might take their responsibility more seriously if the potential charge and its repercussions was something more recognizeable to them.
As far as last nights episode, I won't report it now because I can't remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless. As someone said above, owners are creatures of habit so I'll probably come across her again.
I guess the take home from all this is to report immediately whilst its fresh in your mind and as many have suggested take photo's, at least of the dog.
Its a ludicrous situation though and I know 100% that I will get bitten sooner or later
Jeez, as if the mad drivers wern't enough!
I love that paragraph of Richards cycling book, it's just so ridiculously over the top.
On balance, I'd still take my chances with a hound than most of the ****s driving audis and BMWs on the road.
(I can reason with most dogs. Golf playing ****ers in panzerwagons, however...)
What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray and ii) using it on a dog. Could you open yourself up to some form of counter claim where it is your word against theirs the dog didn’t attack you because you sprayed it.
Maybe British cycling or cycling U.K. have a view given they get involved in personal injury sort of things.
Do I call the police?
Yes. There's usually a local dog warden at the council, I'd report it there also.
I did when I was bitten (blood etc) by a dog a while back. Took photo of owner, got note from Drs when I went for a tetanus booster and went to police and dog warden with it. I thought it best left at that. Same as a dangerous driver really, get it on record and move on.
However I do think maybe dog attacks (both those where damage is sustained and more importantly those where it isn’t, but could well be next time) should be classed as assault
It really isn't assault in cases like this. First time a dog does damage might suprise the owner as much as us. If it's reported it first time can be acted on if they're irresponsible enough for it to happen again. If they really DGAS they'll be banned from owning dogs.
I won’t report it now because I can’t remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless.
If it actually was going for you, do report the time and place and anything you do remember about them to police and the local dog warden service. Won't take long.
As far as last nights episode, I won’t report it now because I can’t remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless.
No, do report it. Limited details are less of a concern than getting the incident on record even if it's just:
"I encountered an out of control aggressive dog at NN:NNhrs on DD/MM/YYY at this location, the owner failed to prevent the dog from attacking me all I can recall is the Dog was Brown and the owner a woman in her 40s with brown hair. I want this incident recording"
It gets the location and the presence of a dangerous dog on their radar.
Ok point taken - I will do that. I remember the colour and size of the dog as well as the fact it was wearing one of those restraint harnesses. Time and place is also easy.
What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray
A brief Google search suggests that actual pepper spray is illegal to own/ carry/ use in the UK.
Batter the hound to death with a well thumbed copy of Richards Bicycling Book
Ah..@jonba got there first.. as you were
@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.
Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.
Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body
Pretty sure that there was no intent by the owner. As others have said. Report it. That's as much as you can do now I'm afraid.
I would go by the reaction of the owner.
If the owner is apologetic and tells the dog off etc then I would be more understanding. Its the owners that are the issues, not the dog.
Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?
I would go by the reaction of the owner.
If the owner is apologetic and tells the dog off etc then I would be more understanding. Its the owners that are the issues, not the dog.
Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?
What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray and ii) using it on a dog.
Potentially 6 months in prison for just being in possession of it and 10 years for actually using it. It comes under firearms legislation.
"Pretty sure that there was no intent by the owner"
There absolutely wasn't any intent by the owner - she was in a right panic. However I suspect in the back of her mind she was thinking, shit if that idiot gets bitten then I might have to say goodnight to fido. I doubt she had any real concern for my well being.
Thats not good enough.
The 'intent' is therefore owning a dog unmuzzled and off a lead in a public place where you have a reasonable expectation that it will behave in a threatening manner. Its pretty simple really.
I guess what i'm looking for is for this to become socially unacceptable, like smoking. I also realise this is not going to be something that happens anytime soon.
"Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?"
Always......when I see the dog first.
In this case there is a footpath slightly above the bridleway seperated by a small hedge with gaps in it. The dog came through the hedge straight at me before I had a chance to see it or the owner. the owner started shouting at me to stop, I slowed down to give the dog a chance to back off and see me as no threat but it just went for me repeatedly so I slowed almost to a stop, spoke to it directly soothingly whilst calling for the owner to control their dog. The dog was having none of it so i jumped off and put the bike between me and the dog backed up to a fence whilst doing my best calming its ok voice to the dog. The dog then left me to go back to the owner so I jumped on my bike and pedaled off which was the wrong thing to do as the dog shot back after me but got bored luckily after a few snarls and a lunge or two and ran back. I kept riding!
Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?
That ideal world where everyone is lovely to each other and we stop to tip our hats and remark on the changeable weather. 😀
Or the busy cycle path where commuters are riding to work and some div has decided to let their mutt take a dump in the middle of the path before it chases down the track after somebody. 🙁
I don't know how effective this is as I've never had to use it - yet.
https://www.police-supplies.co.uk/k917-dog-deterrent-spray
Deffo report it to the police, make sure that you get an incident number.
Out of interest, there must be other incidents of out control dogs attacking other dogs and livestock. I'd imagine that if they are also reporting these incidents then the police will be forced into action. Only a matter of time I guess.
Report it to 101.
If they start to get a lot of them or a pattern is visible then they might start doing something about it. If no one tells the Police then they won’t know about it.
Dog attacks are on the rise in Bristol, and I assume other places as well.
I am of the opinion that you should only be allowed a dog that you can physically restrain yourself. So Duane Johnson can have what he wants, but a small or feeble person can have a chihuahua. That way there should be less children and adults attacked by dogs.
I like dogs and don’t like the idea of animals being hurt (or destroyed because they are deemed dangerous) but if a dog attacked my kids (or anyone’s) then I would be hurting the dog if I needed to.
There absolutely wasn’t any intent by the owner – she was in a right panic. However I suspect in the back of her mind she was thinking, shit if that idiot gets bitten then I might have to say goodnight to fido. I doubt she had any real concern for my well being.
Thats not good enough.
I completely agree but the law you were quoting mentions intent. There was no real intent to injure you, just a clueless owner who should know better.
Report it to the police but as some people have said. Be prepared to to be disappointed. All they will do is make a note. You have no name, picture or pretty much anything else to identify the culprits. Yes it's not good enough but with resources pretty much cut to the bone, I doubt they are going to give it much priority.
So you think it could be assault but you won’t report it?
Then you’re as much a part of the problem as the dog owner.
Just ring 101 (not 111 unless you want an ambulance) and report where it was and when and a vague description of the dog (big/small, white/brown/green/etc) and the owner (man/woman/child).
You might be the 20th person to report it and something happens or the parent of the 4 year old child with life altering scars and PTSD might be the 20th.
It’s like any crime, if the police don’t know about it then they cannot do anything about it.
Otherwise you’re just a whinger on an internet forum looking for sympathy/a fight.
It's not assault but it's a breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act - it's a dog out of control in a public place.
Report to Police. They may not be able to do much about this incident now, but they do react to repeated reports/patterns.
Lots of press coverage around dog attacks recently, another child killed in the news this morning.
Alternatively, get a sheep and a shotgun, you can deal with it yourself if it's worrying your livestock.
From our councils dog warden website pages...
Report an out of control dog
If a dog has not been kept under control, and is causing alarm and apprehensiveness to you or someone else, report the incident to our dog warden.Report a dangerous dog
If a dog has bitten or injured a person, or seriously injured another animal, you should report it to Police Scotland by calling 101.
So bitten/injured call 101. Causing alarm and not under control the Dog Warden. Every LA should have one.
Worth saying one more time - I think it's the 3RD TIME.
It is NOT an assault.
See DANGEROUS DOGS ACT S3. It is, potentially, a dog dangerously out of control & the maximum sentence if someone dies due to injuries suffered in a dog attack is 14 YEARS.
Your dog is considered out of control if:
"Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:
it attacks someone’s animal
the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal"
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/section/3
If it is Adur /Worthing or Brighton , inform the dog warden.
As a dog owner, all owners need to control their dogs at all times. And as a cyclist, I realise what a Buch of ****wits many of them are
Alternatively, get a sheep and a shotgun, you can deal with it yourself if it’s worrying your livestock.
This could be the basis for a fun Mint Sauce strip 🙂
I brought a special forces camelbak. Can be easily converted into an armoured sleeve and, if you get the right attachments, also as a rocket launcher.
Highly recommended.
More seriously. Report it. Unlikely to help immediately but if there is a pattern than it might add up and would undermine any defence of "its never done that before" when it attacks someone else.
Right, partly for those interested but especially for those who don't actually read posts but answer anyway.
I KNOW dog attacks are not classed as assault, either those that result in injury or those that may well have done had it not been for the actions of the innocent party - But I think they SHOULD be.
I have reported the incident using 999 (ONLY KIDDING), but the incident has been reported and logged. Thank you to those who posted this was worthwhile - it was.
I DO NOT own a tactical support camelbak but have an EDC Osprey but it WASN'T half price but it DID come with a bladder.
Right, thats cleared everything up and I hope this thread dies a death and I never have to talk about dogs again
So that will never happen.....
Where on the SDW was this. A few other downs riders on here, good to know so can keep an eye and report if happens to us too.
Have to say as a bike rider, bmw driver and dog owner, there are lots of different behaviours folks on this thread are ascribing to those stereotypes, but it's probably a minority behaving badly.
I brought a special forces camelbak
Where did you bring it to? Never bring a Camelbak to a dog fight.
Another balanced STW thread...
Not downplaying the OP's fear/hatred of dogs, but we're really not far here from 'All cyclists jump red lights, ride on pavements and are a constant threat to other road users'.
I love that paragraph of Richards cycling book, it’s just so ridiculously over the top.
So much more challenging now we carry co2 cartridges but still doable. Steady hand and a good aim needed.
Glad you’re okay Winston. I love dogs but agree that there should be stricter rules on ownership and training. Quite a few breeds are bred for specific purposes and people don’t look at this, they just like the look of the dog. That is a recipe for disaster.
Genuinely saddens me to see absolute ****wits in charge of breeds that take a lot of management. Getting dragged down the street by a powerful dog on a ****ing extender lead.
It happened on the bridleway that leads from just past the Old Forge pub in South Heighton (near Newhaven) up past Pages New Barn to the SDW. The stretch near the beginning runs parallel to a permissive path which then loops off the teh right - this loop is a favourite for dogwalkers and in fact the other bridleway that comes back into Denton from Snap Hill is nicknamed dogshit alley for obvious reasons (another little bonus the dog owners give the rest of us). This is a very popular track for all sorts of users wanting to access the downs from Newhaven, Denton etc and often has families walking on it - not the place for a dangerous dog off a lead.
Cheers @winston. Don't know that bridleway, but have been down the one a bit east from there that comes down from Bo Peep and Gardener's Hill to Denton. As you say busy w families and dogwalkers. Not one of my regular loops.
Unlucky to come across such an unpleasant beast. I haven't had that misfortune up on the Firle or Ditchling ridge.
tonyf1
So much more challenging now we carry co2 cartridges but still doable. Steady hand and a good aim needed.
is nicknamed dogshit alley for obvious reasons (another little bonus the dog owners give the rest of us)
*SOME of the dog owners.
As a dog owner myself seeing dog turds on pavements, parks, footpaths and bridleways makes me legitimately angry.
Fed up of dogs too. In the USA I kept bearspray on me at all times and the closest I came to deploying it was into a dog's face (given the amount of bears, wolves, moose, the only animals which attacked/chased me were dogs). Was sad to give it up when I came back to Europe.
When I lived in the North West, the trend was there was have mutant XL "bullies" which are effectively furry shotguns over which the owner would have virtually no control if it went off. In the USA, I understand these dogs can take several shots from a 9mm before they are calmed.
I carry a knife these days as a last means of defense as I live in a place where huge mountain dogs can attack you and with no one around, at least I can hurt it back if it comes down to it. I really would love some bear-grade pepper spray but as far as I know you can't get it around here. I did think about buying a hatchet as I think you could do a lot of damage quickly even against larger dogs (the type I encounter are highly aggressive 60kg Spanish mattifs and getting chased by two is tramuatic).
Once in Iceland, I crossed a farm (public right of way) and was attacked by a huge black lab which tried to tear chunks out of my legs while the owner casually watched until he called it after a few mins). I had to use the bike to stop it from biting me. If I'd been hiking it would have probably resulted in life-threatening injuries. Dog owners can be the worst and I'd much rather they got pepper sprayed than the dog.
It's awful to have to plan for these situations but as someone pointed out, dog and dog attacks are becoming more and more common. As a runner/cyclsit I've been chased, harrasssed and once bitten by a dog. I can testify that having another animal attack you voilently and bite into your flesh is extremely unpleasant and activates very strong violent impluses to defend yourself and counter attack, which is also unpleasant and could result in you getting arrested for assault.
I completely relate with the OP and glad they managed to stay calm and safe.
I think it was fossy who said "What if I’d have been a child !"
Well 52 years ago I was that child, walking with my great uncle on a canal footpath a large dog (bulldog sort of thing I'm told) shot out of the undergrowth and knocked me down and pinned me by the throat to the ground!
Now my great uncle wasn't that confident around dogs either but had been a good enough football player in the army and had a good kick that probably badly injured the dog enough that it let go. I still have a 3" scar + puncture wounds very visible on the left of my neck, I had many nightmares as a result of that attack, when your 5 bad things that happen to leave a lasting memory to this day.
As a result even as a 6'3" lump of a bloke I am still not comfortable around bigger dogs, so on the odd occasion where an owner will say "oh they are just being friendly" It might seem over the top when I say get them out of my ****ing space but unless you are me don't judge.
Due to many friends having dogs I'm getting slightly more confident but I still have a very wary streak.
*SOME of the dog owners.
As a dog owner myself seeing dog turds on pavements, parks, footpaths and bridleways makes me legitimately angry.
Me too. Lost count of the heated discussions with other dog owners to pick up their dogs shit. Shouldn't be like that but some people are just turds