It seems counter-intuitive, but the reality is that we are in far less danger of getting bitten on a rural route where all the dogs run loose than we are on a city route where the dogs are confined. Its the dogs that are supposed to be confined but aren't that pose the greatest risk to us; the typical UPS dog bite scenario involves a gate that accidentally gets left open or a small child that opens the door and lets the protective family dog out with no warning. If the dogs are already loose, we can observe them and evaluate their behavior with a fair degree of accuracy while we are still safe in the package car. And there is also a Darwinian process at work in rural areas when it comes to dogs; aggressive/dangerous dogs that are loose and wander onto the neighbors property usually get shot immediately, especially if they chase livestock.
