Originally Posted by
veloGeezer
ladies and gentlemen, I give People's Exhibit A ....this is exactly what I am talking about
you don't care about what the dog is thinking, and all you care about is that YOU don't have your irrational fears realized
...yet the first step to keeping yourself safe is to understand the situation you find yourself in
do you see the problem in your thinking yet, or do I need to badger you a little more?
There are a few differences, Geezer; the first one is the local law, ALMOST EVERYWHERE, that says dogs must be contained (fence, leash, chain). Doesn't exist in the country, it's a lot more casual out there (lot fewer people per square mile). The laws are in place specifically because: when you get more people closer together, the better the chances are of some of them being abominably STUPID.
With loose-running dogs in the city, there are considerations like this:
1. Stray? Or owned?
2. Trained at all? Trained for aggression? (A LOT of people work out personal inadequacy issues by having large, fight-trained dogs.)
Lack of understanding on the rider's part isn't the issue, nor are there 'irrational fears'. Lack of responsibility on the part of dog owners in the city contribute to problems about 5x what misunderstanding riders do.
My city's PD has a standing policy, that aggressive dogs of certain breeds may readily be handled by deadly force. Happened when someone's Rott came into my yard a couple years ago, threatening the whole extended family. The cop splattered the dog's skull, and arranged for the removal of the remains.
Oh -- BTW -- dogs don't think, they are incapable of reasoning....
It's less about dogs just CHASING, than it is about being approached with AGGRESSION. Happens a lot more in the city/suburbs....