This just popped up on my youtube feed.  Has anyone used an air horn to repel dogs?

Looks like this works though it is a small sample size…

https://youtu.be/g2c41IyKbAc

Karen

That sounds like Jacinto's Air Zound. He liked it enough to buy a second one for his other bike. I tried a Dazer - which is supposed to be a high decibel whistle only dogs could here. It didn't seem to work at all. I threw it away. I also bought a Chinese something or other on Amazon that had good ratings. It was also ineffective and ended up in the trash.

 Air Zound link. It takes up a water bottle cage, but it works. It's also an attention getter for humans.

If longevity is any guide, the AirZound may be the thing.  They’ve been around since at least 1994.  They are certainly LOUD.

We tried an AirZound one time then threw it away. It went off when we were loading the bike in the car and about deafened us! Maybe it works on dogs.

Interesting.  Not sure they are worth carrying around?  Maybe it depends on what part of the world you are riding?  ....like Kentucky ;-)

Amazon tells me that I bought an airzound  back in 2009.  I haven't a clue what happened to it, but I don't think I used it for very long.  I, both before and after 2009, rode through Kentucky dozens of times.  Although some states are definitely worse than others in dog related bike problems, I suspect that the biggest factor in every state is the riders fear of, and reaction to,  dogs.  For me, the most effective dog deterrent has always been a big stick, not a big noise. I carry a 'big stick' that functions as  my tent pole, bike stand, and dog stick. I use it often in its other functions, but very rarely as a dog deterrent. 

This thread has jogged a couple of Air Zound related memories for me. I purchased one many, many years ago when I was living and cycle commuting in Sydney - the plan was to give a blast to those damn bus drivers who so often seemed to pull back into my path way too soon after passing. You know, the ones who squeeze you into the gutter and seem to be oblivious to the length of their vehicles. Anyway I think I may have used it once or twice in anger but found it had its drawbacks - I had to remember to pump it up using a bike pump to pressurise a reservoir bottle - no pressure, no noise - and in the heat of battle, sorry, 'commuting', all hands were needed on brake hoods, not fumbling for the horn button. Also, that thing was way too loud to be used on bike paths to let dawdlers know you were approaching.

Turns out leaving the big city was the cure for my commuting blues so the Air Zound was retired after only a few months use...

A decade later though, it found its niche. I had quit my job and was setting off on a 2000km kayak journey down Australia's Murray River (on a Hobie pedal kayak - so, hey, it counts in a bike touring context!). Just before leaving, and in that wonderful tradition of downsizing and throwing out all the useless stuff you've accumulated, I unearthed the Air Zound, long forgotten, at the bottom of a box. Turns out it's a really handy thing to have on a kayak when the river involved has around 10 locks to negotiate. No better way to summon a Lockmaster than to make your tiny boat sound like a tanker! Also, it's endlessly amusing to answer a houseboat or tourist paddlesteamer's friendly blast with one of your own - they never expect it.

And as for dogs, nah, doubt it would be any more effective than any other remedy - the shock or surprise value will give some of them pause for thought but if Rabid Lassie has it in for you, then she's got it in for you, noise or no noise.

Syd

I use my airhorn from my sailboat for vehicles. I had tried it several times on dogs with 50/50 results. Big German Shepards, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and other large dogs seemed to want to catch me even more by blowing the airhorn.

I now ride inside my velomobile and don't have to worry about dogs. 

We wouldn't have needed an air horn today, but my wife and I were "chased" by a large friendly Labrador retriever today as we kayaked around a small local lake.  Several times it came splashing into the water, but always reconsidered when it transitioned from wading to full swim mode.  Plus, the owners were on shore calling it back.

I am not sure what I'd have done if it came to repelling a would-be boarder...