Dogs on Moreland

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J L

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Feb 14, 2022, 1:54:05 PM2/14/22
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FYI, on Sunday my gf and I were riding Moreland up to Skyline and approximately halfway between Dorland and Skyline a couple aggressive dogs charged down a steep driveway at us. It being Valentine's Day weekend and all, I placed myself between her and them and one of the dogs collided with my rear wheel.  They did not pursue nor did they seem interested in biting, but they are a hazard nonetheless.

OBRA-land, what is the best course of action to prevent these dogs from harassing other riders?  Call the county?

Respectfully,
Jeff Leonard

"There are 10 types of people in this world.  Those who count in binary and those who don't.."

John Wilger

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Feb 14, 2022, 3:13:23 PM2/14/22
to J L, OBRA Chat
If you know the address, call county animal services to report. If it happens to you (or anyone else) again, photo/video evidence is helpful if you can safely manage it. 

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Brendan Quinlan

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Feb 14, 2022, 7:54:07 PM2/14/22
to John Wilger, J L, OBRA Chat
Hi JL, 
I recall someone else having an issue up in that area awhile back and they were told that since it's considered an agricultural area, dogs can free roam??? 
Please let us know what Animal Controls says as there are numerous times I've been "accosted" by aggressive dogs off leash in rural areas.   
I love me farms and dogs and the great outdoors but I do NOT like hospital bills and broken bones. 
BQ 


· Michael Medina

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Feb 15, 2022, 11:16:21 AM2/15/22
to Brendan Quinlan, J L, John Wilger, OBRA Chat
In Marion County there are signs saying that dogs chasing livestock can be shot. Dogs lose in the right of way I believe are considered an issue too. I would just carry a chicken and a gun and you can always say it was chasing your livestock. 

Marek Litinsky

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Feb 15, 2022, 11:47:17 AM2/15/22
to · Michael Medina, Brendan Quinlan, J L, John Wilger, OBRA Chat
Used to get into hard sprint intervals trying to get away from this large dog on Otto Miller years ago. He’d just bark at you when you were going downhill at that section as most of the folks do but boy did he like to chase and nip at people going uphill. I was raised in fear of dogs that aren’t yours. 

Luckily I was painting a house at the time owned by an experienced dog trainer. She suggested that instead of moving and trying to get away triggering the dogs chase and protect instinct I should instead of it stop and yell strongly “no!” and that would stop the dog. Sounds very simple, right? Super counterintuitive to what I was and wanted to do. I did go and tried it on this dog with proven penchant for chasing and biting cyclists and you know what? It did work. Now the funnier version of the story would be to get my ass eaten by this pooch but the truth is it did work and I have used this party trick many times ever since with 100% success. 

Much easier than calling animal control or carrying guns on bike rides. Turns out folks usually don’t let rabid dogs running around their properties and if you’d just adjust your behavior they’d more than gladly leave you alone. 

On Feb 15, 2022, at 8:16 AM, · Michael Medina <802re...@gmail.com> wrote:



Brendan Quinlan

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Feb 15, 2022, 5:31:37 PM2/15/22
to Marek Litinsky, · Michael Medina, J L, John Wilger, OBRA Chat
I concur with Marek. I too use that method, STOP. FACE DOG. LOUD COMMAND OF "STOP!" Or  "NO!" Tends to work. Don't raise your arms or kick out your leg, that's also puts the dog in attack mode. It also helps that my "shout" can shatter windows too. 
As for the law on unleashed dogs in rural areas, I haven't looked that up for that area yet. 
BQ 

Will Hahn

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Feb 15, 2022, 5:31:37 PM2/15/22
to Marek Litinsky, · Michael Medina, Brendan Quinlan, J L, John Wilger, OBRA Chat
My recommendation is to avoid biking in South America if this sort of dog activity unnerves you, every town has its own band of roving street dogs that you will have to confront and defeat in order to enter town by bicycle. 

For those of you headed to Peru this month, follow Marek’s recommendation. If you can stop a bear by yelling and “being big” you should def be able to scare off a dog. Also, I’m a firm believer that if a dog is aggressive and close enough to you to bite you, they’re also close enough to deal them an uncoordinated kick from on top of a bicycle. You probably won’t deal a death blow and most dogs really reconsider their strategy after being booted in the snoot. This is the type of thing I used to be squeamish over until I had to defeat a band of street dogs every 15 km. If they haven’t turned around after being yelled at and have come within range of your foot, they can learn a lesson. 

On Feb 15, 2022, at 8:47 AM, Marek Litinsky <marek.l...@gmail.com> wrote:



John Wilger

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Feb 15, 2022, 5:34:09 PM2/15/22
to Brendan Quinlan, J L, Marek Litinsky, OBRA Chat, · Michael Medina
I think that’s Washington County; if so, I do not believe there is a “rural dog” exception here. AFAICT, alls dogs are required to be restrained to the owner’s property if not under direct supervision and control of a handler. (Not a lot of sheep herds grazing on BLM land out here, and I imagine loggers don’t generally appreciate dogs coming at them, either.)

J L

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Feb 15, 2022, 6:00:29 PM2/15/22
to John Wilger, Brendan Quinlan, Marek Litinsky, OBRA Chat, · Michael Medina
Gosh, a lot of helpful advice here.  I personally consider being chased by dogs as an opportunity to practice bike handling/sprinting, as Marek mentioned.  However that's a pretty heavily cycled road, so calling the county seems to be a good way to reduce hazards for other cyclists who haven't yet learned the "that's my purse, I don't know you!" trick.

I'll let you know what the county says.  The address is pretty close to the Wash/Mult county line but I don't recall which side.  Maybe I'll bring a chicken, a bop gun, some choice words, and a GoPro on my next ride in that area and see which is most effective.


Respectfully,
Jeff Leonard

"There are 10 types of people in this world.  Those who count in binary and those who don't.."


John Forbes

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Feb 15, 2022, 6:02:46 PM2/15/22
to J L, John Wilger, Brendan Quinlan, Marek Litinsky, OBRA Chat, · Michael Medina

I’ve sprayed them in the eyes with my water bottle

 

John Forbes | Customer Service

Yakima Products, Inc. | 4101 Kruse Way, Lake Oswego, OR 97035

desk 971 233 8204 |cell 503 422 1239

John....@yakima.com

fax 888 9254622

 

 

From: J L <jeff.w....@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2022 2:50 PM
To: John Wilger <jo...@johnwilger.com>
Cc: Brendan Quinlan <ridem...@gmail.com>; Marek Litinsky <marek.l...@gmail.com>; OBRA Chat <obra...@obra.org>; · Michael Medina <802re...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Dogs on Moreland

 

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Danny Houghton

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Feb 16, 2022, 10:57:54 AM2/16/22
to Brendan Quinlan, Marek Litinsky, · Michael Medina, J L, John Wilger, OBRA Chat
I found a squirt from waterbottle works just as well as pepper spray and
one less thing to carry. Shooting dogs is mean and carrying a chicken is
just impractical although I would love to see someone throw a chicken to
a chasing dog just to see what happens.
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christ...@gmail.com

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Feb 16, 2022, 11:53:09 AM2/16/22
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I've used the stopped and shout technique multiple times with 100% success too. For added level of comfort, I dismount and position the bike between the dog and I.
"Stop!", "No!", "Go Home!" and "Leave me the $#&% Alone!" are commands that most dogs understand. I have not tried "who's a good boy?".

Christophe

Martin Baker

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Feb 16, 2022, 4:32:31 PM2/16/22
to J L, OBRA Chat
Also on Sunday, I met a couple on a tandem who had encountered a dog (a doodle of some sort I believe - same one?) on Moreland, and the wife/SO on the back of the bike had been badly bitten with a deep puncture wound at the top of her calf and others in her buttock. They said the the dog came at them so fast that they were unable to get off the bike and put it between them and the dog. My riding buddy and I descended Moreland but didn't come across the dog. Anyway, this seems to be a very aggressive dog so be careful if you're out that way.

mb

On Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 10:54 AM J L <jeff.w....@gmail.com> wrote:
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· Michael Medina

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Feb 16, 2022, 4:32:31 PM2/16/22
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Just curious if anyone has ever considered trying or tried a tennis ball with problem dogs?

J L

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Feb 16, 2022, 4:56:00 PM2/16/22
to Martin Baker, OBRA Chat
I believe this is the same dog; I recall it looking like a doodle (floppy ears, curly hair).  It lives at the top of an inclined driveway, so as a cyclist is climbing Moreland the dog launches and accelerates down the driveway. 

As I mentioned previously, it actually collided with and knocked my rear wheel a few inches sideways.  And I agree, it was all over so quickly that there was little-to-no opportunity to jump off the bike.

Respectfully,
Jeff Leonard

"There are 10 types of people in this world.  Those who count in binary and those who don't.."


Danny Houghton

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Feb 16, 2022, 5:48:06 PM2/16/22
to J L, Martin Baker, OBRA Chat
There used to be a "sprint training" dog just after Women's Forum and
before the turn off to go up Larch Mountain. This sneaky, mean dog would
hide behind the Armco guard rail until you got close then launch his
attack. I learned to "gas it" though there. I guess he really was
training me.
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J L

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Feb 17, 2022, 11:11:20 AM2/17/22
to · Michael Medina, christ...@gmail.com, OBRA Chat
Or a bag of deworming pills?

Respectfully,
Jeff Leonard

"There are 10 types of people in this world.  Those who count in binary and those who don't.."


Dave Petermeier

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Feb 17, 2022, 7:53:49 PM2/17/22
to J L, · Michael Medina, christ...@gmail.com, OBRA Chat
Also agree with stop and shout, even worked on a pit bull that charged me and my dog on a walk. As for kicking, shooting, spraying, pilling, etc, please reserve those actions for the owner not the dog.



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Jonathan Maus

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Feb 24, 2022, 12:33:33 PM2/24/22
to OBRA Chat, dpete...@gmail.com, 802re...@gmail.com, christ...@gmail.com, OBRA Chat, jeff.w....@gmail.com
Just FYI I published a story on BikePortland Wednesday about these dogs and am updating it now with a link to this thread https://bikeportland.org/2022/02/23/couple-attacked-by-dog-on-rural-multnomah-county-road-are-just-latest-victims-348929 
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