Interesting responses everyone, but I guess the point is...the lady had 4 big dogs, not one or two. I run into dogs on the trail all the time, and, the lost ones seem to find my house.
There is one lady that hikes here every evening with two loose, little yappy black dogs, that always seem to find me and go strait for my shins...after whacking one with a trekking pole, they keep their distance. She still lets the dogs run loose, even after I asked her to leash them....nope, her babies come first and animal control officers don't work at night.
I have no idea how to hold off 4 dogs (yes, pit bulls can be stocky big dogs and they do kill people) and shouldn't have to. Asking my animal control officer to "enforce the leash laws" is like asking cops to stop speeders and drunks. This thread won't stop people from being selfish idiots with their animals. So, I protect my self the most effective way I know....the same way the animal control officers do.