Originally Posted by
masonv45
If able to safely - I found a water bottle spray right up the muzzle will deter most dogs.
I don't think that deterring "most dogs" is sufficient, and hitting a running dog exactly in the face with a stream of water while pedaling is not a certainty, either.
I have found a canister of bear spray which sends a 2ft diameter fog of pepper spray to be absolutely effective.
Not every dog that chases is going to bite, but even a little Yap dog has caused me to crash as he ran under my front wheel (I was approaching a stop sign and going very slow). A crash of any kind can result in broken bones, so I don't play. Once sprayed, they remember.