Since we left Jaibalito, we've only had good experiences with dogs, so we retired the Basher™. It was definitely more a tool to build Nash's confidence than an actual weapon, and I am relieved he never had to swing it at a dog - they've already been through so much!

I would probably use a fruit in a sock as a deterrent again (something soft that moved and looked scary seemed to do the trick), unless you have ideas for a gentler defense.