Dogs scare me while on the bike. Always have, always will. But it won't stop me from riding. I used to carry Halt........... used it a couple of times with little result. Tried plain water spraying. Tried yelling "No!" Nothing seemed very effective. I now call out, firmly, "STAY -- STAY......." and that seems to work the best. Why? I don't know, maybe it's a command that the dog is accustomed to hearing. I also try to keep myself in a calm, unafraid state. _Most_ of the time it works. When it doesn't, I end up screaming and cursing, at dog and owners, and sprinting my life out to get away.
I don't know that there is any one solution. I suspect not. I will definitely avoid certain routes if I know there is an agressive dog. Dogs have been a problem for cyclists since they've both co-existed, it seems. I wish there a good answer for the problem.
annie
Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived." Captain Jean Luc Picard