This was in response to a post a local blooger made on his site. You can read the debate in full here: http://www.thenhbushman.com/2009/03/26/bicycle-riding-and-stray-dogs/
Here’s the advice I gave:
[quote]Hi there.
My name’s Sean McCormack, and I’m the founder of Animals Taiwan, and am now in the process of starting up the Taiwan SPCA. In my spare time, I also help to rehabilitate dogs, including those who are aggressive, fearful, nervous, obsessive, or in other ways in need of calm, assertive leadership. Craig asked me to join in this discussion, as he felt he couldn’t provide the answers to some of your excellent questions and opinions about the stray dog problem.
When I go and train someone with a ‘problem’ dog, what I’m actually looking for is how the person is contributing to, supporting, rewarding the unwanted behaviour – and I always find it. For dogs who I’m told are aggressive toward people or other dogs, I find that the dog is actually following the human’s lead. When the owner changes the picture in his or her head about what the dog is thinking or how the dog is expected to react, we have an instantaneous and seemingly miraculous change in that dog’s behaviour.
A couple of the more notable rehabilitations of late: a dog who was stuck on a rooftop for eight years because of a developed fear of the stairs (he came down and after about 20 minutes and enjoyed a neighbourhood stroll; he now goes up and down with the owner every day, no problem). Another was a dog who was, according to the owner, fearful and aggressive towards other dogs and wanted to attack cats (we had him ignoring cats within five minutes and accepting other dogs within the hour; the next week I had him living with me for a few days, in a room with 11 other dogs, with no problem at all). I also demonstrate that aggressive dogs are usually nothing more than unsure of your intentions, and I have demonstrated this by entering ‘aggressive’ dogs’ cages and sitting calmly with them, allowing chained ‘aggressive’ dogs’ to smell me before letting me walk them; and I’m currently caring for a feral dog with skin disease, who, despite fearful aggressiveness, comes for walks on leash and lets me give her a bath.
How did we achieve that so quickly? We stopped projecting anything but calm assertiveness to the dog. When the owners demonstrated calm assertiveness and were able to keep their own fears and fixations in check, the dogs became calm submissive and followed their owner’s lead. It really is as simple as not projecting your own fears and obsessions onto the dog.
When I read your posts, I could instantly see where the problem lies. As is so often the case, the aggression was unwittingly started by a fearful or aggressive human. Here is how you enter these dogs’ perceived territory, MJ; this is your perception of how things will go (and is what you’re projecting onto these dogs, who can read your body language and smells very well):
“Undisciplined, wild and unpredictable, this dog is more than likely going to chase and attempt to bite, cyclists.”
“The low height is excellent for aerodynamics but it also makes a trike rider more vulnerable to dog attacks.”
“When I ride my trike, I basically ride in fear of dog attack and I am constantly on the lookout for strays (or even owned dogs) that roam the streets. Often, it’s very difficult to just relax and enjoy the ride.”
“Although it’s much higher than the trike, one’s legs and feet are always vulnerable to dog attacks.”
“On the very second day that I rode my new trike, 4 stray dogs came after me in a pack and I had to beat them off using that whip.”
“If I see a dog coming at me, I can have the whip in my hand in about one second.”
“This is what I hate the most – multiple street dogs hanging in a pack.”
“Naruwan, i feel that edgy sensation too. as i said sometimes it’s hard to just relax because i feel like there is a war going on.”
“a couple of days ago i was riding my bike when returning to my home, and one of those strays actually sized me up to take a bite out of my foot as i passed by.”
Can you see what’s happening? You are taking the fear/aggression to these dogs. As any other animal would (including humans) they are responding to your fear and readiness to commit an aggressive act with a clear warning. If you walk into a bar with a weapon and a strong readiness to use it, you will make yourself, by your attitude and body language, a target. If you can control your own fears, MJ, your riding experience will be much more enjoyable. You need to stop seeing these dogs as out to get you. They are giving you clear signals because it’s in their nature to do so, and they will attack if you respond the wrong way (according to their natural protocol, not yours). I can help with that.
[b]“What advice would you give cyclists on this subject?”
Firstly, I am on the side of the cyclist. You should not be attacked or frightened by stray dogs, and they should not be free to act the way they sometimes do. The dogs are doing what they do naturally, defending what they feel is theirs, and the cyclist needs to know how to show the dog, naturally, that he or she has no intent of either harming or being harmed.
Dogs will chase cars and cyclists (and runners) not because they are stupid, but because, like people, they respond to reward. When those cars, scooters, runners, and cyclists race away, they are showing the dog that they are fearful and potential prey. This can send a dominant dog (and his pack) into chase mode, as he will believe that he has the upper hand and the ‘target’ is weak and fleeing. If the target indeed flees, the dog’s behaviour will have been rewarded, and he will do it again.
So how can you stop the chase and potential nip at the heel (a warning; if the dog meant business, he would do far more than this)? This isn’t easy for a fearful or aggressive person to accept, but you need to do nothing. That’s right. Nothing. Stand your ground. Put the bike between yourself and the dog, stand confidently but calmly, and don’t look the dogs in the eyes. Look at the horizon, and tell yourself that you mean no harm but you are claiming this space around you as your own. Project calm assertiveness, and dogs will instantly understand that you are neither threat nor prey. Some may come to sniff you, and this is OK if you can handle it (but don’t let any go behind you). Once they have lost interest, you can slowly and calmly go on your way. If they become interested again, simply stop the bike. Try it in a car first if you want to see the effect not running has.
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As you have a low bike, MJ, and it’s difficult to get in and out, I would suggest carrying a stick, but only using it to present as a barrier in front of the calm, assertive, non-confrontational you. If you keep the level of aggression down, you will be doing yourself and the next cyclist a big favour.
I believe that carrying a air horn is a great idea, but make sure the sound is deep and you make any soundings brief (in nature, the deeper, shorter sound is that of the dominant animal – long, high-pitched sounds show weakness and submission).
When dogs are approached slowly and calmly (and assertively) they have no reason to attack. The following comment of yours reinforces this:
“i’ve never been attacked while walking by street dogs but i’ve been growled at by quite a few.”
I was interested to read this:
“When I was eight years old, I was attacked by a dog that hid under a car in our neighbor’s driveway. The neighborhood kids were in a big game of “Hide and Seek” and that car was the “base.” I successfully eluded the person who was “it” and searching for us. I made it back to base and a few seconds after touching the car, I felt the dog clamp down on my right leg – totally without warning. Needless to say, it scared the hell out of me. I went home and my mother called the police. The dog bite had drawn blood and the police took the dog away and had it destroyed.
To this day I want all dangerously aggressive dogs to meet the same fate.
Please note that a dog being aggressive in the defense of it’s home and family against a bad guy is a different situation.”
Now I can see where your fear comes from, and your disliking dogs. If I explained to you that the dog was probably frightened and giving you a warning nip, I don’t know if that would help you to see the situation differently. A real dog attack is very different (there are different levels of dog bites, and a nip is one of the lowest, though still scary and painful, and you have my sympathy). She was probably trying to scare you away as she was scared herself. Ironically, you now have the same fear that she had, and have been dealing with it in a very similar fashion. Luckily, no one is calling for your extermination because of it.
I hope this information helps, and I am very happy to answer any questions and even demonstrate these techniques for you. This is the best advice I can give you, as there will always be dogs out there, so you may as well learn how to deal with them.
Best regards,
Sean McCormack[/quote]
I now suggest carrying an umbrella instead of a stick, thanks to this great demonstration which you should find interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXvWNpCpvHc
See for yourself the difference in the dog’s reaction depending on what the person ‘being attacked’ does. Note that when the guy throws up a knee, the dog bites. When he stays calm, the dog is less aggressive. When he runs, the dog chases and nips. And when he stands confidently with a barrier between him and the dog, the dog does nothing and walks away.
Hopefully you will see that running/cycling away or getting aggressive will make the dogs more aggressive. If you want to take control of the situation, take control of yourself first.
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