Thanks everyone! I'll try getting between the dogs next time and get mine to sit. I'll also try hooking the dogs up to a coupler so I can have one hand free and carry a water bottle or maybe bitter apple. A couple of the owners have been very apologetic about it and very careful to keep an eye out. One women who has 2 labs (one aggressive) who attacked Bear makes sure her dogs are locked in their run on the days when I walk. I've been trying to be nice about this, since some of the loose dogs are from houses that's fences are down because the homes are being rebuilt after the fires over a year ago. A lot of the owners are living in RV's on their property while the homes are being constructed and with construction going on I understand its hard, especially when you have pets your used to just letting out into the yard. I'm hoping once that's done some of the dogs will not be a problem any longer. There are a few though that will always be a problem and the owners truly don't seem to care, which is what really annoys me. I'm not really the confrontational type, but I got so mad at one owner I lost it one day and basically just yelled at her (I'd already talked to her more than once). It went in one ear and out the other, since her dogs still run loose. She's the one I mentioned ealier whose lab jumped into the construction truck and wouldn't let the truck owner in. Sorry this is so long but I had to vent a little after I went through it again yesterday. Thanks again for the advice!
Bear