I adore dogs, I prefer most dogs to most adult people (I also adore children), not including my own family and friends of course.
I think that the neighbour was completely out of order, of course she shouldn't have let her dog even approach a child, and certainly not one in a wheelchair or pushchair.
My DH and I are too old to have another dog now, especially as neither of us are in great health, and we wouldn't want to die and leave the poor dog without us, or to have to rehome them, so that's that.
Walking our dog by a river, or across country, or in a park, nearly anywhere in fact, used to be a lovely part of sharing our lives with a dog. But if anyone walks a dog in popular and busy places, whether the place is busy with mainly just other people/families, or other dog walkers, they should keep their dogs on a very short lead.
Hence, if going somewhere that is often a very popular place, we used to go at the times we knew were the quietest, otherwise we went to different locations, ones that weren't so popular. They were maybe too far out of the way for most people to want to venture there, or not considered as pretty as a walk by a river?.
If someone keeps their dog's lead tight enough when being approached by strangers, the dog cannot do anything but walk to heel anyway.
My mouth almost dropped open when I read your last sentence above @Dottiedodah. I can't really form the right words to express how amazed I was to read:
"Not the best place to go as every other person has one [dog]!"
Really, are you that entitled/arrogant/oblivious or thoughtless, to think that if someone doesn't have a dog, or has the temerity to dislike, or to be scared of dogs, that they should not be allowed the pleasure of a stroll by a river?
It is up to the dog walker to ensure that their dog does not cause another person, or animal, to feel fear, or even discomfort, by having let their dog's nose within biting - or licking - distance of anyone else, even if they know that their dog is the most gentle dog in the whole country...