I have been meaning to ask fellow bikers about these issues for a while and this seems like as good a forum as any I could get. What is this about dogs and bikes?

For someone who took to four wheels first and two wheels later I need some gyaan from fellow bikers. Let me throw a bunch of questions and let you react to those.

Why do dogs bark when you drive past but do not when you stop and invite them to either bark or bite?

Do they like any specific color bikes? Is black more popular with dogs as compared to a bright red or a bright blue?

What about rider preference? Do they fancy women drivers more than men? Middle aged men over young ones?

There has to be something about the make and size of bikes they like to bark at. I think their sweet spot seems to be somewhere between the 100cc and 250cc bikes. Scared of bigger bikes and don’t feel it is worth their time for smaller ones?

I have informally asked around for best practices around barking dogs when you are on a bike. I have heard bizarre responses that I think fellow bikers can take note of:

Never let them know you are afraid. They can smell fear!

If you drive past them too fast their anger is higher and so is the loud-ness of the bark. If you are too slow you are asking for trouble as well.

Night barks are friendly but early morning ones are the ones that show real intent to hurt.

Gadgets that emit ultrasound (?) have been recommended to me.

Certain color of clothes/shoes seem to attract less bark

I fully intend to be born as a street dog in my next life to figure out the answers to some of these questions. I can then come back and give you the answers I find in the life after the next life, when I will be born as a human again. So hold your breath, there will be answers. Unless you have some already. Please share.