Actually, I think people panic too much with dogs. Even the biggest dog is likely to be smaller than the average male, and unless a trained attack dog (and they should be better controlled) will just bite whatever it sees first then hang on. Give it a stick or (in extremis) a forearm to commit the teeth and then bringing it down is just a matter of putting your weight on it. I've brought down a rottweiler using the stick and a sort of bodyslam/pin which held it until the owner arrived. I prefer to use the same principle I use for H2H fighting - wait until conflict is inevitable, then unleash hell. I'd argue it is the same with armed response to dogs as humans - once you feel physical assault is inevitable, attack hard and fast.

Like most conflict it is the attitude (sheer ferocity on the dogs part) that panics people, and from there they tend to get attacked (combination of showing fear, running and kicking, which tends to topple them with the dog on top).

Of course I have some advantages with my size and some martial arts training, but then I live in a country which won't let me carry a knife, gun or pepper spray, but does have a lot of dogs.