Ha ! Another uni-dog adventure in Montreal this weekend : I was trying to
hop up my way in a steep section of the trail when two big,friendly “saint
bernard” dog (the ones with small whisky barrels in the mountains) came
down and started playing around my wheel - I had to stand still on the
incline with the dogs sniffing the wheel and generally trying to lick my
legs while the owner was delighted by such a view.
No dog was hurt in the process.
Oli-
-----Original Message----- From: Staffan Palm
[mailto:staffanpalm@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 3:02 PM To:
unicycling@winternet.com Subject: Re: unicycles & dogs ?
(Original post by Oli below) Hello I've had many
different dog-encounters. I know (sometimes after
talking to the owners, who knows the dog and its
reactions, dogs do have very different peronality!)
dogs that have been afraid, happy, confused or
angry.... Just like those humans we all meet.
(Isn't it amazing so many look like they don't like
the fact that we ride on one wheel)
It’s easy to say the unicycle should look like a regular bike to a dog,
with a wheel and your pedaling motion. I, personally, think the dogs
actually see that there is something unusual, something “wrong”. Humans
often respond to this by looking incredibly stupid, but dogs often react
to “surprises” like there is something that could be threatening them. (Or
am I wrong? I’m no dog expert).
Small dogs seems to be more eager to pursue us than bigger ones. Of course
we might seem bigger to these dogs, thus making them more upset, but
shouldn’t they think twice before attacking something bigger than
themselves? A simple answer could be the small dogs are stupid, in my
opinion they often are 
From my experience, unicycling produce a stronger reaction from the dog if
you go a bit wobbly and with your arms out from your body (like most of us
probably do on gravel and dirtroads) . If you, on the other hand, ride
smooth and with folded arms, an agressive reaction seems to be less
likely. Maybe we simply look scary, towering above the poor little dog
with waving arms (?) and quick movements.
At last; it is well known dogs can react with hostility on people bending
over them with their teeth shown (the people’s teeth, that is). Therefore,
a hostile reaction reaction might not be so strange, caused by that big
smile constantly on our faces produced by the very joy of unicycling!
Think positive: This dog agression affair might at least be a good reason
for us offroad unicyclists to get proper leg armour. Happy unicycling!
Staffan Palm Stockholm, Sweden
> I do know unicycles attracts little kids, but why on earth do almost
> every dog who pass by gets crazy, barks and try to pursue me ?!?
>
> It happened again yesterday : while I was trying to hop up a pile of
> rocks, a poodle (correct orthograph ?) dog escaped his master on the
> main road, ran to me, climbed the rocks and tried to bite my leg And
> it’s not the first time it happens.
>
> I’m really wondering if dogs dont like my face, or unicycles for some
> reason make them angry ?
>
> Oli-