I'm with the OP.
Like dogs, do not like strange ones barking at me as the owner stands and watches. Have also noticed the worrying tendency for owners to use me as some sort of training aid, trying to see if they persuade the mutt to "sit" as it stares me down. Most of the time they fail.
Also some of you need to appreciate we all have our own fears, what might seem inane to one person can scare another , and these things can be set from a young age.
chewbacca wrote:
How many of you want to sneak up behind the pansy who runs with a gun... and growl?! xD
You seem to have some maturity issues. Grow up first, then we can have a rational discussion on the subject of personal protection.
You seem to have some persecution and paranoia issues, but they're funny.
Seriously though, you might contact your local Brownies troop and find out if some ten-year-old girl working on a Community Service merit badge can accompany you for protection from doggies on your runs.
Running on Empathy wrote:
You seem to have some maturity issues. Grow up first, then we can have a rational discussion on the subject of personal protection.
lol you must run in some very dangerous areas if you require a gun for personal protection. the furthest i've gone is to carry a small knife while running at night outside of town (only one time). if you're so stressed out about being attacked during your run that you need a gun then you should stick to the treadmill.
they are a nuisance. to deal with the loose ones you usually have to stop and scare them off and sometimes you get bitten, which can undo months of marathon prep (as happened to a 2:3x marathoner in Savannah). In fact, I actually lost out on about five seconds of an unofficial pr (5M tempo) because I had to slow down enough to ward off a big dog even though I saw the dog well in advance and was yelling at the owners to grab it. Twice this week alone, I've had to stop to either scare a dog off in one case or wait behind the closed part of a fence that is not closed at one end for the owner to grab two big dogs that were running at me and which have both attacked me in the past. and then there are always the owners with dogs on a leash that don't keep it short enough to stop them from jumping at you when you run by. they are dogs: it is their instinct to chase or attack anything running, yet dog owners do not seem to grasp this basic truth. Enough dog owners are completely irresponsible to make running a pain sometimes.
I'm not afraid of dogs biting me. I'm afraid of the gangly puppy who sneaks up behind me and gets tangled up in my legs because it wants to play.
the little tiny ones will run in front of you, tripping you up on the leash. a pit bull owner said to me last week while walking his two pits, "they're killers," but he was joking. However, pits account for half of the dog attack deaths in this country, nice pits notwithstanding. Do not ever let your small children play with them.
"Don't worry, he won't bite."
"Don't worry, he's friendly."
Others...?
I had a full grown poodle chase me in the park last week. Oh, he was on a 20 foot leash. The dog is only as well controlled as the owner keeps him.
I carry dog mace & I'm not afraid to use it. Most owners see it & get their dogs under control.
I agree with the above though...never mess with pitbulls. I had one try to chase me last month...
Many years ago I used to have a regular 5 miler and would always be going for the 'course record'
Near the finish was a big hill, Right near the top from behind a garden wall this little dog would always jump up and bark right next to me. I would always be knackered by that time and it took me by suprise nearly every time
Went back and did the run a while back, a lot slower than I used to but no bark to spur me on at the top. Missed him really
I like dogs, if the owner is an idiot the dog goes the same way. As long as they bark and don't bite. The only time I was scared was coming away from a farm (going away from their territory you are usually ok. It was like a pit bull crossed with a werewolf and got is teeth about a fraction of an inch from by leg. kept running exactly the same speed and it didn't bite.
A lot of breeds back off if you have a go back but certain types like doberman or pit bulls are just killers. It makes me laugh when you see some tough guy walking around with a pit bull. That's the very definition of a coward. You get the same with kids on scooters in this country they think they are hard and when you look at them they are usually about 5'4 and weigh about 9st. One tried it on when I was driving the other wk. We hit a queue so he swerved in front of me giving the finger. When I leapt out of the car and he realised I was twice his size he wizzed off on his crappy scooter . At least one advantage from piling on 401b since I was a runner! I've gone well off subject but the point is its the owner not the dod.
A lot of dogs just get in your way when running, but a dog is always on the look out for food. Put your hand out a bit a you run and they usually drift towards the 'food hand' and you can steer them away.
Most dogs yapping or chasing after you are just playing or warning you off their owner and are not a problem and don't bother me. You need to go in with attitude of liking animals as well that way you have a lot less problems
off the leash wrote:
Yuck, there is nothing in this world less attractive than a full-grown man afraid of furry smiling drooling dogs.
--------------------------
You're probably one of the many folks who need the company of dogs for emotional reasons? I did not say I was afraid of dogs...I said that they are annoying. Flies are annoying too.
I have been bitten by flies and a dog...I don't like that. I don't care if the dog is smiling and just having fun. I don't want to be bothered!
Running on Empathy wrote:
chewbacca wrote:Anyone so scared of dogs s/he runs with a gun should quit running, buy an xbox, and never ever leave the house again.
Anyone so oblivious to potential situational dangers that she/it doesn't protect her/itself or othewise take proper precautions should quit running, take up quilting, and never leave the house again.
......................................................
From the CDC:
Man and woman's best friend bites more than 4.7 million people a year, and key experts believe that public education can help prevent these bites. The third full week of May is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the United States Postal Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are each working to educate Americans about dog bite prevention.
Each year, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites; half of these are children. Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and about 16 die.
----
Is it possible for the dog owners to switch to cats? Cats at least don't bite as many many people? Cats can provide some emotional value...can't they? Oh, wait, many folks are alergic to cats...
Why don't you quit being a vage? Dogs on leashes rarely bite people and rarely have rabies so why are you so worried. Think about it how many times have run by a dog and gotten bit. I have run by 1000's of dogs and I have only been nipped a couple of times. And when I was nipped I never even felt any pain as a result let alone had an injury. Many of my good friends in life are avid runners and I cant even think of one of them that has been injured by a dog bitting them. Long story short get over bro you have a far greater chance of being hit by a car and killed than getting bit and seriously injured by a dog.
I really don't care if I will rarely get bit. If a dog is within a couple feet barking and being aggressive it's getting pepper sprayed. Sure I probably won't get bit but I'm not interested in taking that risk for no reason.
I love dogs that are well behaved.
I have a running friend who is a small Japanese lady who was bitten by her neighbor's dog. Instead of hating on dogs or the neighbor, she offered to take the dog on walks (to get the dog used to being friendly with her) and she brings the dog treats.....as of now, she's not had further problems with the dog.
A couple of month ago I had a bad episode with two dogs. As I ran by the two ran out and surrounded me. I faced one but the other came up behind me and ripped into the back of my thigh. I ripped it off of me and kicked/chased them back into their yard. The owner comes out yelling at me, telling me I was overreacting and their just puppies. I wanted to tear his head off, but I remained calm and jogged back home. Ended up with 10 stitches. I have no problem with dogs; I have 3 myself, but if you let them out you have a responsibility to watch them.
Mrs. M wrote:
I have a running friend who is a small Japanese lady who was bitten by her neighbor's dog. Instead of hating on dogs or the neighbor, she offered to take the dog on walks (to get the dog used to being friendly with her) and she brings the dog treats.....as of now, she's not had further problems with the dog.
................................
WHAT!? Like I said they are annoying. Why should one have to do anything to a dog to get it to mine it's business?? Wolves, coyotes & foxes are doing fine in the forest. I've never been annoyed by these canines.
E = mc^2 + G =m1 m2/r^2 wrote:
Dogless wrote:While running on trails, parks or roads, to often you've got to wonder about what a dog might do as you run by. Will they do the loud barking thing, will they try to chase you or will they get lose and actually take a bit out of you?
Why can't we just enjoy a run without thinking about what a dog and their owner might do??
Listen dipsheet! Just run. Stop complaining!
You need dogs for emotional comfort don't you? Not that that's bad, but it can be annoying to some folks when they are out for a run. And dogs do bite people occasionally.
Dogless wrote:
You mean even the time a dog on a leash bit me on the butt?
Perhaps you have a cute butt.
wakey wakey wrote:
"Don't worry, he won't bite."
"Don't worry, he's friendly."
Others...?
I'm pretty much okay with dogs. Having grown up around them, I'm used to relating to them.
But I never like when owners say things like this. (1) They can't be 100 percent certain that their dog won't bite. No owner can be, no matter how well-behaved the dog. (2) Even a friendly dog, meaning no harm can do damage if (just in play) s/he jumps on a person and knocks the person down--instead, train the dog to temper its friendliness, especially a large dog. (3) Finally, even if your dog is a total angel who would never bite a soul, the advice my parents used to give and I thought made sense was that for personal safety, let passers-by think the dog could be dangerous. It could keep some human "wildlife" away.
My other pet peeve is that extend leash--I've almost tripped over those things. Why do people need them?