Aggressive dog in Wrights Hill Reserve (Karori) - how to protect against dog attack

I wanted to warn Karori people of a man walking an aggressive dog in Wrights Hill Reserve. Around 8pm tonight I encountered them.

The man was middle aged (maybe in his 50s) and average height with grey hair, with 2 dogs off a leash, one of them was a black dog chased me off the path and into the bush and was growling, barking and bearing its teeth. This was a path in the bush near Paparata street/Burrows Ave and it was a dead end path.

It looked like a black poodle or a dog with that kind of curly fur. The man was maybe 15 seconds behind and I yelled at him to come get his dogs and told him how threatening his dog was.

I also heard the same dogs behave the same way and bark like mad when a jogger ran past.

I've been walking in the reserve most days for a couple of years and this is the first time I've encountered this individual and his dogs. I also wish I had had the mental clarity to tell this person at the time that his aggressive dog should be on a leash but I doubt it would have made any difference.

Does anyone have any ideas how to deal with aggressive dogs in this country. I've just bought some hiking poles and dog repellant spray for hiking in that area in future. I have a South American friend who works in a rural area in New Zealand and always carries a knife with him but it looks like that's not legal? (I'm not from here)

The experience left me feeling shaken up because I thought I would get bitten.