LesleyPumpshaft wrote:
What is it about spiders? Everyone seems to be a little bit phobic about them.
This is pretty embarrassing, but I'm really frightened of dogs to the extent that I have recurring nightmares about them. Little Yorkies and Jack Russles not so much. Once I get to know a dog I'm alright, but I could never be on my own with it. I used to go trail running, but there are too many people walking around with big dogs off the lead.

Dogs running loose love to chase bicycle's and they sometimes get very aggressive,I have only actually been attacked once,and the result was minor just a bite or two but I have developed a little bit of a phobia as to watching for them and being cautious.
The thing about large aggressive breeds is that a particular dog can be yours and it loves you,but when you throw another dog into the mix they will become more apprehensive,I like to call it more smell oriented. Food battles, mood of the other dog or dogs,personality of the other dogs,your actions,then everything seems to get intensified, meaning their pack mentality comes to the surface more,and even the dog most close to you is not quite the same,if you watch closely you will notice this.
Caution and knowing how your dog will react around other dogs is a must,especially if you go somewhere that allows them to run free with other dogs.
A dog will turn on it's owner but in my experience it has been the result of the actions of another dog that has triggered it, and as I said something in the nature of the larger breeds and their pack mentality overcomes their normal sense and reactions to you in mostly rare cases.
And my health and mobility to answer the main OP question is my biggest phobia and wanting it to stay well