I work in an outdoors store where we sell bear spray and yes, it does work on black bears. It is concentrated pepper spray that will work on anything that breathes air basically. In fact, because black bears are generally smaller than grizzlies it works better on them.
As far as brand, I'm not really sure. The stuff we sell is 1% capsaicin so look for that. As for using a dog, the stats I've seen at work suggest that a dog is just as likely to see a bear, make it mad, then run back to you for protection with bear in tow.
One other thing to note is that the mace that would be used on humans is NOT the same thing as bear spray. Mace is (I think) .25% capsaicin and the cans hold much much less than bear spray. Bear spray is under so much pressure that the recoil when fired is similar to a handgun. It's enough to drop a charging grizzly to it's knees so it can't get back up. Bear spray is strong enough that it can actually be lethal to anyone with a respiratory issue like asthma.
Generally there are two sizes you can get. I really recommend the bigger size. We don't even sell the smaller size because if you don't get a good clean shot we don't feel the small can will be effective.
Don't use bear bells. Again, the stats are iffy but there's no real evidence that they deter bears but there is some speculation that they attract cougars. The bells are also too quiet to be heard. I've walked up to people before and didn't even realize they had a bear bell until I had already seen them anyway. It's much safer to yell out "hey bear bear" regularly. Human voices are the only distinctly human sound we make and it's the only real way to let a bear know who you are.
You don't seem to have much bear experience or bear spray experience. You seem know what you've read. Yes pepper spray Which is typicall 2% Capsaicin, rather than 1% that is actually made for bears. Will it work on black bears, yes it will but it's that effective. May cause black bears to rub their face in the grass, or take off but be assured if they showed an interest in someone it's because they are predatory and will be back. If you know that, you are wise to leave the area, Typically the spray you are using isn't very effective on dogs. Not sure where you got the deal about the recoil of the spray is under so much pressure it's recoil is similar to firing a handgun. You might consider trying it yourself, as that's not the case.
Be careful about talking to hear yourself because there are people on here who know what they are talking about. Yes bears hearing human voices can let bears know there are people in the area, but it can also help them get a focus on where you are if they decide to come for you. I've seen it happen both ways. Bears that don't know you are there, are less likely to get focused on you.
