Originally Posted by Hypno Toad

For me, we love our 3 rescue dogs - I'm as passionate about dogs as I am about bikes.

Our 10 month old cattle dog mix has been interesting, she has a strong instinct to chase fast things, and we live on busy rail-trail. As a good dog owner, when I see a person on bike (checking behind me often), I stop to get my puppy on a short leash and keep her calm while the person bikes past. We're making progress.

I've had very few bad interactions with dogs. Over the summer, I was riding a gravel road in farmlands, two dogs were in the ditch near a farmstead, they took interest in me. I held my line and talked to the dogs in a calm voice, they watched me pass without issue.

The worst close call I've had (and I do tons of miles on gravel every year), was a retractable leash in the suburbs & 1/2 mile from my house.