It is preferable to deter a dog attack instead of have to defend yourself from one. Proper deterrents from bear and mountain lion attacks (at least in places that have bears and mountain lions) are mostly common knowledge: back yourself look big, back away slowly (generally, in most cases). However, most people don’t think about dog attacks.
BODY LANGUAGE
If you see a large dog approaching you, the first thing you should do is stand up straight and pay attention to the dogs body language. If the dogs ears are perked up, it’s head is high, and it’s tail is pointing straight up, it’s likely the dog is being dominant and might be aggressive. If the dogs quickly wagging its tail in a twitch-like motion, it might not be happy, but instead be anxious, and potentially dangerous. If the dog is growling and has raised fur, it’s clearly being aggressive and could be very dangerous. Dog body language is very important to determine how you should react to an approaching dog. I will leave links below so you can read more about dog body language.
DETERRING AN ATTACK
If you’ve deemed the dog approaching you to be potentially dangerous (but not an immediate threat) you need to either present yourself in a way to the dog that makes you appear to be less of a threat, or present yourself in a way where you appear to be enough of a threat that it does not attack you (which one you choose should depend on how the dog is acting). Regardless, stand up tall; do not run; avoid eye contact. It’s best if you can put something between you and the dog, e.g. a walking stick, umbrella, piece of mail, etc. It’s better for the dog to bite whatever you’re holding instead of it bite you. DO NOT TRY TO PET THE DOG. Sudden or unexpected movements may startle it and it could bite you.
DEFENSE FROM AN ATTACK
I’d rather dogs not get hurt, but if a dog is actively attacking you, your well being is more important than the dogs. If the dog is large enough, a dog attack could potentially be deadly. So, you should protect your life by any means you can. That includes pepper spraying the dogs eyes, kicking the dog, striking its neck with your hand, or throwing things at it.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
One time a small woman was walking a large mastiff. The mastiff got away from her and was being dominant and aggressive. It charged at me. Thankfully, I had a walking stick that allowed me to put distance between me and the dog. I took a step forward, and pointed the stick at the dog. The dog ran around me and I pivoted to keep the stick pointed at it. It ran off after I redirected it, and the owner eventually got ahold of the dog again.
Another time, I was walking my medium-large dog (he has a very calm personality and is well trained) and a large dog approached us (not aggressive). I got between my dog and the other dog, and stood up tall. I took a wide stance, and put my fist in front of the dogs face (do not do this at home). Much like the dog in the previous story, he circled around me for a moment and then went back on his way.
I am not an expert on dogs and have no professional training with dogs, so take my answer with a grain of salt.
Here are some links that you might find helpful:
Understanding Dog Body Language: Decipher Dogs' Signs & Signals
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