I live in the Metrowest Boston 'burbs and carry bear spray- I think Leerburg sells it, and you could pick it up at REI. It's a fairly large cannister, and I mainly carry it for predators of the two-legged variety. If questioned, just say you never know where a bear might show up. There are occasional bear sightings in Northeast Massachusetts. This is an immediate step you can take to protect you and your dog, while pursuing the other options people have suggested.
Keep in mind, however, that it is a very powerful mace, and you don't want to hit yourself or your own dog with any downwind spray. Like a gun, it's best used in emergencies only. A smaller mace would be better for a warning shot. This stuff has the strong potential of blinding the dog/human who is sprayed. Also, I've found a strong-dominant presence, upright posture, and a sharp 'no' works well to fend off even highly aggressive dogs, as long as you can engage them before they're fully upon you and your dogs. So far, this is all I've needed.
Portland, ME is fairly inexpensive and a decent place to find a job if you were looking to move only two hours north.

Lauren, I feel your pain. There's a Waimarana named Murphy around the corner from me that I do not trust that is always off leash. She does not attend to the children at all when they call her back. She's very protective of her turf and comes running and barking at us, and she means it. Problem is, I have been friends with this family for years. The other problem is, their house abuts the school yard that I'm heading toward to take MY dog off leash for a run around. So how to I report that dog when I'm doing the same thing? Murphy will never come into the school field, however. I carry my pepper spray all the time, and I will shoot that sucker if I have to.

$240K in Lexington, MA where I am won't buy a garage. We would never be in the house we're in (modest by the current McMansion standards here) if we hadn't bought it in 1983! As soon as our 10th grader, and youngest child, is off to college we are looking to get out of this state, certainly this town. CO is a maybe...

Yep, Leerburg does indeed sell it, here's the link to the Bear Spray sold :
http://leerburg.com/1212.htm


Just as an after thought, I think that a demo video of Ed getting sprayed with this stuff to highlight its effectiveness would be a great sales tool.
I'm just saying.....

 Quote: Will Rambeau

Yep, Leerburg does indeed sell it, here's the link to the Bear Spray sold :
http://leerburg.com/1212.htm


Just as an after thought, I think that a demo video of Ed getting sprayed with this stuff to highlight its effectiveness would be a great sales tool.
I'm just saying.....

I might consider that. There is actually a good reason to carry bear spray around here now. This winter there have been many reports of coyote at our local park. I saw one moving in the bushes the other day. The dog either didn't notice it or decided that she didn't care about it. Usually she would get her hackles up and start growling real low if there was a coyote around.

What made his sighting creepy was that it was mid day!

Walk tall and carry a big stick.

Lauren,

A week ago today, on the street right behind me was a huge coyote walking as brazen as can be right down the middle of the road--at 2 in the afternoon! Cali and I were walking right at him! I was SO scared. We were able to make a turn, and he went into the woods. Cali, being a puppy, started bouncing all around to play when she saw it. Oy.

 Quote: linda patch

Lauren,

A week ago today, on the street right behind me was a huge coyote walking as brazen as can be right down the middle of the road--at 2 in the afternoon! Cali and I were walking right at him! I was SO scared. We were able to make a turn, and he went into the woods. Cali, being a puppy, started bouncing all around to play when she saw it. Oy.

That's creepy. It's never good to see them in such public areas during the day.

The first time we ran into one Tasha was 5 months old. We were on a trail at the fells. The coyote never even came out of the brush. She turned into a little wolf! She froze in he middle of he trail and got all low, ears forward, hackles up, and her tail straight up in the air!

It was the first time I ever heard her low, scary growl followed by a big "awwhoowhoowhoo" bark that went on for a solid minute.

For such a little puppy she did a good job. She was very effective in putting across the message that she was not going to be eaten by anybody.

Coyotes are nothing to be afraid of because they have a natural fear of humans and will run away from you. Just don't let your small dog or puppy run around without you there in an area where they are.

Learning how to control your fear is extremely important with any kind of self defense. A good self defense class will do a great deal towards that end. A coyote will run away just from your presence but, a truly aggressive dog will sense your fear and capitalize on it.

Scott is right, when I first started walking Maggie in the neighborhood, a dog came out of its yard in a menacing way. I was totally surprised and not totally in control of my dog. It was icy on the sidewalk and I was afraid and both dogs knew it. So Maggie was barking and pulling. The other dog was following with its hackles up. Thank goodness it didn't attack... I was not in control of my fear and it could have been worse.

Where is the doggie sheriff when you need him???

 Quote: Scott Garrett

Coyotes are nothing to be afraid of because they have a natural fear of humans and will run away from you.

Not entirely true. Some urban populations have lost their fear of humans and will attack small dogs.