Expert: Jill Connor, Ph.D. - 1/9/2008

Question
I was attacked by a dog as a kid and have a fear that I have not been able to overcome well into adulthood. I think dogs pick up on it and may make me a target. I am a cyclist and am concerned. What can I do. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you
Nafi

Answer
I'm so sorry that you had this dreadful experience as a child.  Most dogs do NOT bite or Canis Familiaris would NOT co-exist with us as companions!  All Canines depend heavily on observation.  They are watching us ALL the time for signals on how they should behave, react, etc. so, yes, dogs are reading your body signals and you are showing "fear".  When a Human shows fear, the dog responds with fear, not being able to cognitively process the exchange.  So, a dog might put up his/her hackles, back away or come forward, depending on the dog's personality and you, of course, respond to what you're seeing..it's a vicious cycle.

If you really want to overcome your fear, I strongly suggest you find a therapist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy.  You CAN do this.  In the mean time, you need to KNOW: that most dogs DO NOT BITE; most dogs WILL NOT BITE; most dogs respond to FOOD reward; and SMELL is a huge factor in fear observation.

Let's set you up for an exercise: ask a friend who has a dog that s/he knows is totally non-violent and friendly to meet you some place.  You will carry some juicy treats; you will also carry Tic-Tacs or some other strong mint.  As the dog approaches, pop the Tic-Tac in your mouth (thereby masking the scent of your adrenaline which the dog CAN smell on your breath from MANY feet away); think of yourself as IN CONTROL of this situation, smile, consciously relax your body, toss the dog a juicy treat, then sit on the ground and allow the dog to come over and sniff you.  You'll be protected by many things, one being that the dog is a friend's companion and has never bitten, the other being your own superior intelligence as a Human entity!

As for bicycling, it's quite true that some dogs love to chase moving objects and I know that bicyclists often become the unhappy attraction to a dog that should be better protected by its owner and not allowed to run at large!  MOST of these dogs are NOT aggressive and are not interested in YOU as a target, they are chasing your BIKE.  You can arm yourself with pepper spray and it's certainly acceptable for you to use it if any dog appears to threaten you in any way.  I'd prefer you use the pepper spray on the dog's OWNER, but whaddyagonnado..we don't live in a perfect world.  :o)