How do you keep dogs running behind your bike away?
After trying all possible tricks, I found that the most effective was also the easiest.
During my first pedal strokes, I accelerated every time a mutt started running behind me. There's nothing like sharp fangs to make you pedal faster. I was getting tired and the dogs kept following me.
I tried dragging sticks, shouting, stopping. Without result: the dogs were still following me, barking. Some cyclists sometimes talk about trailing cayenne pepper. I've never tried it but, apart from the difficulty of obtaining supplies, the risk of spraying myself seems far too great.
After months of pedaling, I found the best solution, and the simplest of all: pretend to throw a rock.
Well-behaved dogs (like the Chilean ones in the photos) figured out that they'd get more cuddles and food from showing off. Those who bark and rage have often been raised to be aggressive and are, sadly, used to being thrown rocks. They quickly recognize the consequence of an arm rising and stop dead in their tracks.
In short, you don't even have to drag real rocks around. The next time a canine pretends to approach your bike, close the point, raise your arm, and bring it down quickly as if throwing a rock at the face of the chasing dog. It works 98% of the time.
P.S. The other 2% only happens in the few countries where the dogs are particularly fiery. In these rare cases, a real rock may be thrown in front of the dog.
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It always gives me pleasure to answer the questions that you send me in anticipation of your own adventures or even for your simple curiosity. If you have any other questions about the bike trip, do not hesitate write to me !
After trying all possible tricks, I found that the most effective was also the easiest.