Doggone it! There\’s that mutt again!

Oh, that hair-raising moment while cycling when we realize that a dog is chasing us! I find it very unsettling, especially when the dog in question is not only running after me, but growling.

There\’s one street where a particular dog would chase me if I rode past; and to make it more worrisome, that mutt seemed to be going right for my front wheel, as if it knew that that was a sure way to bring me down! I\’d like to know why that dog\’s owner didn\’t do more to keep it in the yard.

I took to avoiding that street if possible. But what if you can\’t avoid a certain route if you\’re to ride, and there\’s always Dog Trouble along the way?

If possible, sprint to get well ahead of the dog. Shout things such as NO! BACK! STAY! BAD DOG!!! It\’s true that you do need to be able to ride fast. One time I was up to 15 mph, and that nuisance dog was still keeping up with me.

Squirting the dog with water, or spraying it with pepper, are possibilities; but you need to be very sure of your bike-handling skills before trying these things. You don\’t want to lose your balance and fall, or swerve into the path of a car, because you\’re trying to fend off a canine attacker.

If a dog is a persistent problem, report it to the authorities. Doggone it, no dog should be running loose in the first place. It\’s dangerous to the dog and to us.