Wildlife and me

Hoopoe

When you travel the lanes on a scooter you meet all sorts of animals. Buzzards are common, so too are grass snakes in the summer, some flat as they sunned themselves too long on the tarmac. I have seen praying mantises, frogs, stoats, herons, green woodpeckers, jays, and hoopoes to name a few. Most of these animals are viewed from behind as they flee from the scooter. This includes cats but not dogs!
The French have 2 sorts of dogs. There are hunting dogs. These are kept outside, often in small enclosures about  12 x 6 feet (is this because fence wire comes in snugly fitting 10m lengths?) with a concrete base. The others are pets. These are also kept outside but tend to have the run of the garden. Almost all of them bark wildly at scooters.
Barking does not hurt. Ok, one terrier made me jump as it snuck up to the gate unseen before it leapt at me. But in the main, I know who they are and what their trick is, so I am prepared! Usually they are behind gates and fences, and if they are out, they defend their territory up to the edge of the property. Not so the farms! You have to go into the farm to get to the box, so you are right in the dog's territory. One sheepdog spent the whole delivery period snapping at my heals. This can be unnerving as you try to concentrate on driving and depositing leaflets. I try to work on the theory that if the owner leaves the gate open, the dog is probably ok, however noisy.
But one dog is silent and completely free. No gate. No fence. And the box is just inside the edge of the property. This dog became more and more confident as it sniffed me out. Then one day I felt his teeth against my leg. No damage this time, but ever since the publicity has been rolled up and thrown into the drive as I pass. I wonder what the owners think?