.
Options:
Walking/Hiking Stick as a Weapon. Pepper Spray. A hard Boot Kick where you 'think through' the Target. That is, you don't stop at the Animal. You focus on your Kick Arc being beyond the Target. This means you'll continue full force at contact. This is done in Martial Arts.
Commit whatever you're going to do to 'Muscle Memory'. Do some practice runs. Then, you'll do what you have to without thinking about it.