Confronting a random loose dog?

[funshine]

The sad thing is that I'm really careful where and at what times I walk. People are just so irresponsible with containing their animals...

Sad but true
I'm actually also walking only around certain blocks that I thought were the safest. That's why we sometimes walk laps just to avoid going to even worse streets here with several loose dogs.

[pitbullmamaliz]

I have a reactive dog so off-leash dogs are the bane of my existence! I usually put Inara in a sit behind me and then stomp a couple steps toward the dog, hollering at it to go home. If it persists, it will get kicked. I'll make that a last resort, but I own a pit bull, so even if she bites out of self-defense, newspaper headlines would blame her. I will do whatever it takes to keep her from getting involved in a tussle, even if it means I get bitten. Haven't yet though - apparently loose dogs think I look pretty scary when I'm snarling at them and trying to kick them. *wink*

As a side note, I carry pepper spray for my job (high octane pepper spray) and they always tell us not to use it on dogs because it won't work. It won't stop a determined dog, and you and your dog are going to end up getting hit with it, too, unless the wind is perfectly blowing at your backs.