1. Dogs should always and without exception be under control whilst in a public place of any description. This means that if the owner cannot guarantee that the dog will come to heel immediately on being ordered to do so then it must be on a lead, no excuses.
2. Owners walking dogs on any sort of shared use facility, be it bridleway, RB, BOAT, cycle track, shared use path should keep their dog at all times on a short lead, not one of those 30 foot long extendable ones. After all, would you let your dog walk untethered alongside the A1? No?, then don't do so on any other right of way.
3. A dog, any dog is unpredictable. My OH has been attacked and bitten twice, I have been attacked and bitten also. I do not therefore appreciate uncontrolled dogs being allowed to run up to me and act as though they might decide to go for me, or jump up at me. I'm nervous of them to start with. This applies whether I'm walking or on a bike.
4. I do not at all appreciate being sniffed at or licked by any dog.
5. No, it's not "... ok, he won't hurt you"! You don't know that, I don't know that, my children don't know that. See point 1 above. Any dog that looks like it might possibly be aggressive around me or mine is liable to receive a swift and hard kick. I know it's not the dog's fault but it is the dog that's threatening me.