[talkSAFT]

Dog walkers, walking uncontrollable dogs off leads.
My son is petrified of dogs after being attacked at the age of 2 in the street.
No matter how many times you tell the owner that he's scared - they seem to think the answer "he's harmless" stands up.
As the son who is now 9 (type 1 diabetic) is trying to climb anything to get out the way blood pouring from his nails (honest) then panicing so much he has a Hypo!
and thay still have the nerve to stand there going on about over reacting.
I have ridden bikes for 34 years now and it works both ways - from both parties - dog owners and cyclists!
Also the stick through the spokes  -  does that work the same as a pump aimed at the barking jumping dog or the owner.

You'll have to gradually reintroduce your lad to some nice dogs who will lick him to death, Spen!
Dogs aren't going to disappear in his lifetime, so the sooner you get him used to dogs again the better. 99% of dogs are fine which is a bigger % than humans! If he'd been attacked by yobs you wouldn't be protecting him from humans all his life.
I'm not being heartless, unsympathetic, or condescending - but a) I love dogs b) I'd rather be mauled by a dog than a raving football fan.
(Dog bites human: front page news.
Yob starts fight in pub......100 times a night in England, I should think.)