Bookfield, Pair of Dobermans

Eventually I learned relatively foolproof methods for protecting myself from dogs. I took to carrying small rocks in my pockets. I got pretty good at throwing them and could repel a dog without getting off my bike, or slowing down. My first success at this was with a mixed breed black Labrador retriever that chased me. I hit him right in the head with a walnut sized rock at 20 feet while I was riding my bike. My ability to do this my first time surprised even myself. It was enough of a deterrent for him. I also noticed that if dogs were approaching me and I stooped down to pick up rocks, some would keep their distance. Apparently, they already had experience with rocks. Most mean dogs will respond that way at least for a while, but time enough to get away if one is on a bike.

The other technique I used was holding my bike by the down tubes with the tires towards the dog(s). This keeps the animals far enough away that they cannot attack. It also helps to keep your back to a tree to cover the rear approach. I used this method to repel two Dobermans in the same neighborhood as Max, the German Shepherd Dog. Their owner let them out when he saw me coming up the road. I got off the bike, and held it out in front of me. The dogs were very aggressive but could not reach me over the bike. Fortunately they both attacked from the front, because I was in the middle of the road. I had heard about another unlucky Parchment fellow who had been attacked from both sides by two dogs and needed stitches in his calf. I moved away from the side of the road their house was on in the hope that I would be far enough away from their territory that they would desist in their attack. They didn’t. Their owner called out from his front door, “Did they get you yet?”

“Nope!” I yelled. I was angry and losing my patience for this when the neighbors came out and pried the dogs away from me. They were astounded that I was not bitten. I guess these animals had a record. But my method worked.