My general take is that the owner of the dog needs to be making the decisions, not the dog. If the owner doesn't have their dog in view and under physical or voice control, then they are doing it wrong.

When dogs do rude things, like come sniffing right up to me while I am sitting on the ground eating my lunch, so that I have to snatch up my food and protect it, I don't blame the dog. I blame the damn fool owner. It is entirely the owner's rudeness I am being subjected to; the dog is just doing what comes naturally.