i have to deal with so many off leash dogs in the area i live and it drives me mad. i have four dogs who i believe to be angels on earth but unfortunately they don’t act that way when we’re out on walks and come upon off leash dogs. for a long time i just didn’t walk them in our neighborhood because the amount of off leash dogs i saw on every walk just made me waytoofuckingtense and that ultimately made the walks unenjoyable for me and for my dogs too. now i carry direct stop and a lil air horn in my fanny pack and it makes me feel so much more comfortable knowing i have it in case shit hits the fan. neither the direct stop nor the air horn will cause any harm to a dog (we used to use both to break up scuffles when i worked at a doggy daycare). it’s gonna sound kinda cruel saying it, but my recommendation is, next time you’re out walking your dog and this dog runs up close on y’all, use the direct stop or air horn. maybe the other dog’s parents will say something to you, but a) you’re not the one breaking the law and 2) it’s not gonna hurt their dog and d) you already told them something could happen between your dog and theirs if they don’t take precautions. you might become know as the asshole who sprayed their dog with citronella spray, but you also might be the asshole who prevents them from having to deal with a dog fight or their dog getting hit by a car.