Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Val asked:

> [...] In going along this short stretch of busy back road there is one
house with a nice white picket fence and 2 very aggressive yappy little
dogs...one is a cocker spaniel and don't know about the other...but the
owners in that house tell the dogs to "sic" us when they know we're coming
and then laugh at us when we have trouble with the horses.

I have a number of suggestions - take your pick. Friendliest way to deal
with it is to go talk to them. Putting a face and a person to a problem will
often change the way people deal with things. I wouldn't chew them out, but
let them know this isn't a joke and someone could get really hurt. If
they're not complete jerks, this could work.

A somewhat less friendly way to deal with it is to get a cop to go have the
same discussion with them. Let them know that if someone does get hurt over
something they intentionally did, they'll be having an even less friendly
discussion. If you know a lawyer who will do you a favor, a nice short
letter telling them that they're putting people at risk, and if someone does
get hurt, to expect further civil and possible criminal action.

An even less friendly way to deal with it is to get some anti-bear pepper
spray and hose down the obnoxious yap dogs, but this would probably make
matters worse and could end up with you talking to the cops - last one to do
the wrong thing is always in trouble.

I'd try the first approach - they probably have no idea how dangerous it is,
especially since the dogs are small and they don't think they can directly
hurt anyone.

If all else fails, get off and walk past them. Carry a crop, and whack them
if they get very close. I once bonked a neighborhood dog over the head with
a long walking stick (owners weren't a problem - the dog was) when I was a
teenager, and it wouldn't come within 30 feet of me after that. At least
this way, you're a lot safer.



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