Because I used to run the program at a couple Air Force bases:

Authorities quarantine the dog for 10 days after the bite. They examine it in the beginning and at the end of quarantine. The quarantine is simply a period of keeping the dog where it can't bite anybody else.
If the dog lives for the 10 days, it was not capable of transmitting rabies at the time of the bite.
If the dog is dead or killed before the quarantine is over, their brain has to be tested for rabies.
If the dog can't be located to quarantine, the rabies control authorities, along with you and your doctor, will determine if you should get the rabies vaccination and rabies immune globulin. They aren't pleasant, but I don't think they're the horror show they once were. Some of the factors they take into consideration was if the dog were acting unusual (for a dog), if the bite was provoked or not. Yours was provoked--you startled the dog who was defending its territory (dogs aren't big on property law). This isn't saying it's what should have happened, it's just saying the dog was just acting like a dog. If they're stray, and they run across a street to bite you while you're sitting on your porch, it's unprovoked.)

They will quarantine the dog for 10 days and THEN put it down, if that's what they decide to do. A 10 day holding period is a LOT less expensive and potentially dangerous (worst-case scenario, meaning "unlikely") than the rabies test. Got to watch a film of one once. I could go into detail, but it's probably gross enough for some of you just to imagine it.

Mrrzy: very smart all the way. I hope you heal quickly and uneventfully.