They could post a sign as big as a barn door at that park but the offenders still wouldn't abide by it. Of course these people think their dogs are the greatest and wouldn't hurt anyone but you can't trust that. The walking stick is a great idea or you could order one of those collaspible batons. They are sold on the internet.

When I was working at the post office we saw a training film. Some breeds like rotts and pits have a higher tolerance to pain and the pepper spray will just make them angrier. A man I met on the dog beach with a yorkie carried a golf club. Good for burying poop and defense if needed.

This is what I did!
 

I have people who live around the corner with two big dogs... when you walk by you have to scoop your baby up because these two dogs not only charge you growling and barking but follow you half way home. Chewy was really afraid of going past and I was mad because I can't even walk my dog! Sometimes these people are not even home and they leave these two dogs out!
So i got MAD! And I happen to see the dog whisperer and he said don't ever back down on a dog that is threatening to bite or show his teeth... So one day I scooped Chewy up and as these two dogs came flying at us I charged them back... and yelled for them to go home and get out of here! They stopped dead in their tracks and then turned went to their yard and sat looking at me and Chewy... They were shocked! I even went to the edge of their yard and stared them down!... they have not bothered me since! They didn't even bark tonight when I went by!

Not the only one w/these problems?
 

Wow......after reading all of these replies/posts, I don't feel as bad/guilty, I thought I was just being paranoid! I thought I was the only one with this problem? Most of the time I manage to intimidate the other Larger Dogs with my voice, of course I try to commuinicate with the so called owner of the other Dog, but most of the time they are part of the problem too! They are usually in "Denial" about their Dog @ Fault! As if my Dogs are the problem, I know my Yorkie's are Terriers and will not back down, so I do keep an eye on them since most of the time the are mis-matched......I do not take any chances around the obvious Dangerous Breeds; Pitbulls, Akita, Dobermans, German Sheperds, Rottweiler, Great Danes, Greyhounds, even some Labrador Retrievers can be rough! Beleive it or not, usually after an attack the owner usually says their Dog has never done that before? Or they have a friend with a small dog and they always play with them fine?:confused:

I carry a small bat that my husband drilled
 

a hole in and attached a leather strap for me. I didn't think about taking my pepper spray but I'm going to start carrying that also. My first yorkie was killed by a black lab last January and now I am scared to death of big dogs attacking the little ones. With 3 dogs I am not able to pick them all up.

A chow recently came after us and I screamed no, really mean and extended the bat towards him. He stopped in his tracks and just circled us until his owner came out to get him. My babies were all screaming bloody murder and 4 other neighbors also came out to see what was happening. I would throw myself in front of a big dog now to save my babies.

I still feel so guilty for not protecting my Kramer. I tried to pick him up but the lab got him midair.

We have a similar problem in our neighborhood. a lady recently moved in with a french bulldog (about 30lbs) I guess where they used to live her's was the only dog & they let it out to go potty unleashed & it came right back. Well we live in a condo community where probably 1/4 of the people have some dogs & when she would let her dog out unleashed it would take off after other dogs & attach them. We never leave logan out unattended (some people tie their dogs out since their are no fenses), but we are always with him. I told my hubby if he sees her dog loose to pick up logan & then walk her dog home. It has attacked 2 of the dogs in the neighborhood numerous times & they've called the cops on her many times. She claims it slips out of the house when she opens the door. The last time it got out we saw it & I walked it home while carring Logan when we got close to her, her dog began jumping up on me & trying to bite Logan. She didn't even apologize she just tried to explain how it was abused as a puppy mill dog before she got it. It's creating a big problem because the condo board doesn't wanna tell her she can't have it since everyone else has dogs too.