Please don't advocate breaking the law on this forum.

I carry a pistol wherever it's legal for me to do so. I also train with pistol, both for marksmanship and for dynamic situations. If you carry a handgun, get a permit, get trained, and keep training. Shooting once a year (or even once a week) on a static range without drawing from the holster, reloading, shooting from cover, or moving while shooting could leave you at a significant disadvantage. Accuracy, and accuracy under stress in particular, is far more important than the round you carry.

As far as dogs are concerned, I was at a campground with my family and taking my youngest to the toilet when a large dog got loose and charged us. I'm pleased to say that I was paying attention, saw the threat, and moved between her and the dog while beginning to establish my grip. The dog sheared off to go find something else to do. Nobody saw me reaching for my pistol. To the owner's credit, he recaptured the dog right away and chewed on his son for letting the dog loose.

In retrospect, I don't think the dog intended to harm me or my daughter, but in the second I had to react I feel like I did right. I was ready to do what I had to do but stopped when the threat failed to materialize.