I believe it's the owner not the animal, so how to deal with the owners is my question?
You're dang right it's the owner, solely and completely. But the solution is pretty simple. If a dog is doing something that's unacceptable (pooping with no cleanup, peeing on ropes, acting aggressively, incessant barking, taking food out of your pack -- I've seen all this and more), tell the owner to either keep their pooch at home or learn how to keep it under control. This is not a debatable topic.