they run up onto our decks
@craftywoman : Back in '02 I got my left leg chomped by 2 pit bulls roaming our neighborhood. Yep, they had collars and tags. They wouldn't let go until I yelled at the top of my lungs for the neighbor across the street, whose house I was walking towards.
Ever since then, when I see a dog off leash coming towards me, I yell loud and chase it away. I don't care how big, small, or what the owner says. Outside of designated areas, THERE ARE LEASH LAWS.