I’ve been cycling a lot this season, but off-leash dogs are the rule here rather than the exception. They like to chase me on the bike, and even the ones that don’t seem likely to directly harm me are liable to cause an accident.

To combat this, I use pepper spray. To keep the pepper spray handy, I use this simple device I found on Amazon.com. I was skeptical when I first saw it that it would be stable enough, but actually it has worked quite well. I use Fox OC spray with it, and it has never failed to stop an aggressive dog.

The spray is a bit pricey, but if you ride the same route or routes regularly the dogs eventually start to learn and you don’t need it that much.

I have a dog and I don’t like pepper spraying dogs, but irresponsible owners have created dangerous conditions for me and other cyclists and pedestrians, so it has come to this.

Ride safely.