When an unleashed dog charges at your leashed dog

I have an American bulldog and need some advice. He is my best friend never been aggressive to anyone and we go out walking a lot. He is always on a secure harness with short lead and incredibly well behaved.

I have a question due to the discrimination of the breed. He is NOT a banned breed but the reason he’s always got a harness on is because he is a big dog and it’s not fair to people who may be fearful of him. He could knock a child over accidentally or an elderly person and the responsibility is on me as his owner to make sure that never happens.

What would be my rights and my Dogs rights if a dog with no lead comes barking and bounding up to me? Even though I can take all the precautions in the world to prevent this, some owners are a little careless. I’ve changed where I walk my dog because of this. Not that my dog would or has bitten another dog. He has lots of friends who he’s happy to interact with. But doesn’t like it when big dogs have charged toward us and I think he’s being protective of me. The occasion I’m referring to led to one owner with two big dogs who literally bounded up to us and I had moved as much as I could when I couldn’t move away any further. I shouted at the owner (who was so far away he had no chance of getting his dogs) to get his dogs and I ended up having to shout at the unleashed dogs to try and make them move away. Luckily it worked and the dogs moved away far enough so I could retreat further. I just worry about the implications of what could have happened and what I should do if faced with this situation again.

These dogs were not at fault, the owner was. He was very irresponsible. A few months later and these two dogs are now left in the FRONT garden all day long (we live close by) and bark at everyone who walks on the footpath. Now they’re fully grown he obviously can’t control or take care of them properly. I feel bad for the dogs.

I would appreciate any help or advice looking forward if I ever experience this again. I worry that if I’m attacked or more importantly my dog is attacked, should he bite back it wouldn’t be a good outcome. I’d hate for this to happen. Especially in the face of such discrimination even with some police officers. Id hate for my dog to ever be hurt or hurt another dog trying to protect himself. Certain people would take one look and may have tunnel vision because of his breed. Regardless of another being morally responsible.