A dog was having a good day until he was hit on the snout out of nowhere by a passing bicycle.

When he showed his teeth as a sign of defence, the cyclist reprimanded the owner for not being able to "control [her] dog".

Disgruntled, the pet owner gave an account of the incident on Facebook, questioning: "To what extent is [it] a cyclist's right of way on a pedestrian walkway?"

Bike hit dog

According to the owner, she had been walking her dog along a sheltered path by the road.

The location appears to be in Hougang.

The path was narrow due to construction works in the area.

All of a sudden, the pet owner said, a bicycle zoomed past her from behind, hitting her dog's snout with its front wheel.

Startled, her dog "turned his head around and showed his teeth, not knowing what hit him".

The owner called the animal's reaction its "way of self protection".

But not all shared her view.

"The cyclist was furious, he got off his bike, scolding me and accusing me of [being unable] to control my dog," the pet owner said.

"I tried reasoning with him that his bike was way too close and too fast. But he [claimed] that he had equal rights on the walkway and that my dog attempted to bite him."

Dog side right side?

When a dog bares its teeth in certain contexts, it is often a sign that the canine feels scared or threatened.

They might show their teeth in times of perceived threats as a defensive response.

"My dog is precious, he could have been seriously injured," the pet owner said.

Many users in the comments echoed her sentiments.

One former dog owner shared that she would always stop and use her body to shield her dog whenever they were on narrow paths with incoming bikes.

Other commenters called for cyclists to be more careful and give way to pedestrians.

Cycling rules and code of conduct

According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) website, guidelines for bicycles and other active mobility devices include:

• Always give way to pedestrians
• Watch your speed and go slow around others
• Slow down when approaching bus stops and/or intersections of public paths
• Walk your device in crowded areas
• Gently alert others before overtaking
• Keep left on paths unless overtaking
• Ride on cycling paths and bicycle crossings when available
• Keep a safe distance from other path users, especially when overtaking to avoid a collision

Cyclists or pedestrians looking to stay safe can consider the full code of conduct.

And maybe just be nicer to one another along the way.

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Top image via Suzy Tay/Facebook