Well, the last time I had a scare with a dog at high speed, I got a lecture from sister members on the moto forum. So I'll pay it forward.

It's tempting to outride your brakes and your attention. It's very tempting, it's thrilling, and I succumb too. But don't. It's not necessarily a dog at the bottom of that steep fast hill - it could be a deer, a dweeb on an ATV, a pool of oil that someone dropped earlier that day. Part of it is what I call "seeing with your whole eyes," making sure you're aware of everything in your peripheral vision that might become a problem, any slight movement, any hedge or truck or building that might hide something that could dart out in front of you. Part of it is being able to recognize the limits of the combination of your attention, your braking and handling skills, and your potential escape routes. And part of it is slowing down when you know you're at or approaching those limits.



As far as commands to the dog, I don't have a very authoritative voice either, but it helps me focus my voice if the content of what I say doesn't convey any fear or anger to myself. When I yell at a stray dog, it's usually "Get a job!"