What to do if i pet a dog that could potentially have rabies?

Petting a dog: Should not transmit rabies.

Stop petting it: You will be fine. Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html