My little dogs stay in my double fenced yard due to a pit bull named Lily. Lily's owner says she is sweet but when Lily is loose all the kids run inside & I don't trust Lily nor her owner. I hope she has plenty of insurance.
I tried to mace a dog once, it was a large mutt & the mace did nothing. Thankfully there was a tree & I could climb. I've always loved dogs & never really feared any. I now have a totally different outlook. I avoid dogs I don't know. We had 2 pits get in our horse paddock. My friend was able to get them to come to her. I am glad I wasn't there because I wouldn't have been understanding to the owners. If one of my horses had been hurt I would have gone wild & ended up in jail.