I always considered pepper spray products such as Halt! to be the ultimate weapon in the battle against bicycle-chasing dogs.
The former mayor of Seven Mile, Ohio, trumps that with a .357 Magnum handgun.
The man was bicycling through the small southwestern Ohio town with his wife when a 10-pound mixed terrier named “Precious” chased down the couple, knocked the mayor from his bicycle and attacked him.
He told police that he feared for his life and shot at the dog five times before killing it.
Permit
The Oxford Press reports that the former mayor said he is a former police officer and permitted to carry an unconcealed weapon.
For those of us who either don't want to carry a heavy handgun on our bicycle rides or don't have a permit to be armed, there are lesser alternatives to warding off dog attacks.
The best I've heard is the use of Halt!, a pepper spray that the US Postal Service has been using for 30-some years.
In “Dealing with Dogs”, Neil Gunton at Crazy Guy on a Bike also says pepper spray is the best. It makes the dog stop, but the effects are not lasting. And, most importantly, it teaches the dog that chasing a cyclist can be painful. It may help prevent a bite or an injury to the next bicyclist coming down the road.
Just be sure to keep it someplace you can get to it easily, like your handlebars or bento box.
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