Even a park is no guarantee of safety, though it's usually better than a neighborhood. More than ten years ago, I was walking my Scotties in our local park after work one evening, and a loose Lab/Rottweiler cross who had already mauled many dogs and put them in the hospital came up on us from behind. I had a very elderly foster dog who was toddling along at the back of the pack, and the big dog went after him. I had a young Scottie at that time who was one fierce little 17 pound package of defense, and she loved her elderly buddie, and she got in between the big dog and the rest of us. I was yelling and throwing rocks at the big dog, but he kept advancing, and his owner was nowhere in sight. He grabbed Peggy by the middle of her back and shook her, and I kicked him in the head until he dropped her. She turned right around and grabbed one of his front legs, and bit down. I heard a crunch, she must have broken the fibula. He backed off and ran away. I checked Peggy with my flashlight, and the big dog had not even broken the skin. She was a little stiff and sore for a few days, but otherwise unharmed. Ten years later, we were at the same park one weekend, and Peg was the elderly one by then, with her three daughters and I walking with her. Just as we were getting into the mini-van, that same big dog came around a corner and saw the girls. He was limping on the same front leg Peg had bitten so long ago, but he came hobbling towards us as fast as he could. Peggy was already in her crate, but got back out of it and stood at the top of the ramp, with her daughters standing on the ground. That big black monster saw Peg standing there, and I swear, he stopped dead, turned, and hobbled the other way. Peggy saw him heading away, turned and got back in her crate. After that, I never saw him again, thankfully. I did buy a flashlight that was also a stunning device that fall, though, so I would be carrying it at night anyway, and kept it charged up so it was always ready, just in case. I know I would have to move in to arm's length to use it, but to protect my dog, I would do so. Now that I'm retired, we walk during the daytime, but if I were walking in a less safe area, I'd carry that flashlight anyway. If you can find such a device, Souperkrys, I'd suggest carrying it, or a stun stick of some sort, it's much easier to poke something with a stick than to aim a spray, and if you nail a big dog with a good solid zap, they aren't going to get angry and come back for more, they'll either be flat on the ground or running away as fast as they can. I agree with the suggestion that you call the cops every time that aggressive dog is running loose, eventually the owner will have the dog confiscated, and you might save someone else's dog's or a child's life by getting that aggressive dog off the street.
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