Originally Posted by Witterings

I don't know anything about the people that are posting saying there's a problem with dogs in their area and if they're dog lovers / owners or if they don't like ... and ... or .... are afraid of dogs.

It'd be really interesting to send these people for a ride with a video recorder on the routes they have problems and then send dog lovers / trainers on the exact same routes and see if they suffer the same "attention" or if they ride past without a problem.

Dogs ... I believe sense either positive or negative and the grey bit in between is totally lost to them. If you're scared of them (which I was as a kid) they see it as sending out negative / threatening vibes so give chase and bark near their territory to scare you off. .... It's like any animal bigging itself up so you don't attack it.

A dog lover cycling past 5 minutes later might get the exact same dog running out and take the welcoming ... "Oh hello gorgeous" attitude and stop to stroke it because they love them and he'll probably roll on his back and let you tickle his tummy ... especially if you happen to have a treat to hand.

Don't anybody take this the wrong way ... if you're scared of and not used to being round dogs it's not an instinct that kicks in naturally ... it's only since I've had dogs I realised the difference and it was only by owning a dog (from a tiny puppy ... non threatening) that it stops you being scared of them.

That in itself gives you the confidence that makes you pack leader and even with a strange dog that when you say NO they understand that if don't obey they could be in real trouble .... not you.

That said ..... Just because you cycle you shouldn't have to go get a dog to have that faith ... I also think it's totally unreasonable that any dog owner should allow their dog outside of their property unsupervised as they should be "under your control".
I believe the law in the UK is that if a dog attacks and bites someone without provocation they're likely to be put down ... it's one heck on an incentive for someone with a dog that may "turn" to at least muzzle them and keep them within their own property.

Lastly .. I wish I could pick up a magic wand and give people that aren't dog owners the confidence and understanding of dogs I didn't have 15 years ago but do now .... and with the same stroke of the wand make irresponsible dog owners wake up and smell the coffee (because I get tarred with the same brush and they're a pain in the ,,,, ) ... but hey ... welcome to the real world.