Fair enough.

But some dog problems are avoidable -- from what I can tell, most of the collisions with them fall into this category. It's one thing if they suddenly charge out of the underbrush and you have no time to react. But anyone who continues riding normally or picks up the pace when *any* animal has the potential to get to the bike is asking for a crash. Even though they don't chase cyclists, squirrels seem particularly prone to suddenly darting in front and can be a serious threat.

Failure to adjust to an obvious threat is a boneheaded rider rather than a dog problem. It is every bit as dumb as blaming conditions after taking a wet corner too fast and wiping out.

There are other aspects of dealing with dogs that are less straightforward. It is fair to say that there is some skill involved in managing interactions and that this skill can be developed. That's why a dog trainer often achieves more success with an animal in minutes than the actual owner who's had years to figure things out.