staying safe while walking dog

I'm just curious what other people do..... I love taking Sonny on walks and his walks are obviously very important for him to get enough exercise. However I have had several times where dogs off leash have run up towards me without an owner in sight. Each of the situations have been different, one the owner came chasing after him a couple of minutes later, one we found the owner and he didn't realize his dog had gotten out, but a couple have been completely off leash (some with collars and some not). Coincidentally all of these dogs have been big dogs and each time I have gotten frightened and lifted Sonny up quickly. This past time I saw a dog running around in the distance and when it saw me it started running towards me, I could tell that it was a pitbull and I admit I got nervous (even though I have been around several very friendly pitbulls). I was close to my house, so I ran in and threw Sonny inside and then tried to see if the dog had tags but it had run away. I guess my point of rambling is, I get nervous that one of these dogs might attack Sonny some day. Does anyone take any precautions, like carrying mace??? or does anyone have any suggestions??? I sometimes imagine what I would do if a dog tried to attack us, so I have found myself trying to find high places to put Sonny out of danger. I know that I am being paranoid and all of the dogs that I have met up with have been friendly this far, but I just want to be prepared if we ever did run into an aggressive dog on a walk....

I'd be very cautious in future a few times ive been in the same situation and i dont know whether its just my dog or cavs in general but some unleashed bigger dogs have snapped and went for fudge ,ending up with fudge up round my neck and me having to kick off the bigger dog whilst their owners apologise saying "wow thats never happened before ...

We live in an area with a high number of dangerous dog breeds and large breed dogs.
Have you tried carrying a walking cane type stick, or even a wooden garden stake?
It seems to deter other animals from charging at you when they are off leash and can be used to warn off a vicious dog
if it should come to that. If your married or have a defacto, perhaps ask him to come along too. It will give you more
confidence and you'll be able to both enjoy walkies.

Your not paranoid, your just cautious and I think that it is all something we think about with small dogs, so it's a good question. My friends dog down the street got her small dog grabbed by a big dog off lead and it took the poor think and shook it like mad! Her husband was there though and seriously put himself in harms way and got the dog forcefully back...but they were all so scared. It is a hard one, I dont know what you do...and to be honest, I feel like the people who let these dogs off lead are the ones who know their dogs are a bit aggressive but they don't care. I don't get it. There are two jack russels on my street that never use a leash and they always growl and try to attack Brooky and everything that moves and the owner just stands there (he actually reminds me a lot of the dogs, ha!). He is so arrogant and what are you supposed to do? Like you can't just respectfully cross the street is a dog is running at you without a leash.
I like the idea of carrying a walking stick! I am going to do that from now on because I am really small and petite and that would be great.

What else do people do? This is such a good question...

I carry a small can of hairspray in my doggy bag. The cheap and nasty ones are the strongest and nastiest smelling. I would spray the attacker into the eyes. While their eyes are burning like fire they aren't likely to hold on to your dog.

I too seem to atract big dogs that "get loose". With walking 2 dogs there is no way that I can pick them up. I use to carry Halt Dog spray, but when I found that it was not very effective (the dog stopped and just looked at us I spryed untill it was empty, then it walked away) Now I never leave home with out bear spray http://www.amazon.com/Frontiersman-Bear-Attack-Deterrent-Holster/dp/B002E6VAHK

hi
im the same as you i live next the the open fields louie and i never go because there are to many dogs let of the leader and im frightened a nasty dog gets hold of him. so i walk along the main roads a bit safe but always looking to see if any dogs are on there own. i would love to see louie running in the fields he is 3.5 yrs old and never being of the leader. my friend carries a spray can that makes a high pitch sound and a walking stick because her dog has being attacked a few times she got the spray can of the internet

I think carrying a walking stick is a good idea. Leo was actually attacked about 2 years ago by a labrador. It was terrifying, luckily Leo was ok in the end but my neck was screatched to bits as I picked him up when the dog went for him.
Like everyone else Im nervous when dogs off lead approach us.
I know there are products on the market such a sprays and "dog tazors".