i completely agree with northboundtrain. peper spray should be the very last option. these encounteres are usually out on country roads where people have a lot of property and dont neccecarily have to have fences to keep there animals in or people out.. thats part of the reason people move out there and i could imagine how someone would get upset in this situation if a cyclist maced there pet.. i think getting off of your bike and standing your ground should be the first option for a dog that is just barking at you and getting around your wheels. if a dog is going to attack you there will not be much warning and it will get right down to buisness. you should be able to tell the difference between the two pretty easily.