Hi Gypsy...

I truly sympathise. I've had the same problem, live in a rural CA area with lots of dogs, many of them unfenced. They don't bother me when I walk but I've had to stop walking my corgis. They are a little too big to pick up, even if I just walk one at a time, and trying to break up even a 2-dog fight is difficult. Back before the neighborhood filled up with uncontrolled dogs I used to walk all 3 of my dogs at once on a 3-way leash...it was great fun for us all. But after some very traumatic run-ins I never walk the dogs. Luckily, I've got 5 (very well fenced) acres for them to romp around on, and I spend 2 or 3 long ball throwing sessions with them every day to make sure they get lots of exercise. I agree with Jen-Ellen. The sonic things do work for getting my dogs to quit barking...but they are useless against a charging dog.

At first I tried talking to the neighbors, was stonewalled, and finally when the dog right across the street starting attacking me as well as the dogs, called the county. And got embroiled in a neighbor war that ended very badly. It's been my experience that the county officials just don't have the manpower to deal with this sort of thing so basically just ignore it. The law says the dogs have to be restrained to their own property, but there is virtually no enforcement.

I hope you can work something out. I know I really miss walking my dogs...and I know they miss it too.