[kjc]

Love the 'could have been avoided if'. Hehe. I will offer some advice though, having been in similar situations a few times. I also regularly visualize what I would do if we are ever attacked again, so hopefully my mind has a plan that will kick in if needed.

I'm always looking for places to hide. I look at peoples yards and I look at the gates and how they work, so if I need to dash in, I'm not caught fumbling trying to work the catch. The umbrella works, I have trouble carrying it while walking and holding the leashes.

I look at shrubery, as I used a large bush to hide my dogs behind one time, while I stood out to confront the oncoming dog. That turned out well, as out of sight, out of mind (even if it's only a second or two, it will buy you time. I hid my 3, the GSD, a maltese and a Yorkie before they even knew what was happening, so they remained calm throughout.

Is that deep snow soft enough to pop a hole into? One that you could hide Eddie and Jillie in? That would at least free up your hands to fend off an attacker. It also would get them out of sight, which places doubt in the attacker's mind, and disrupts their focus a bit, and could even stop the approach. They slow down and start to look around thinking their prey made an escape.

The pole idea is good, but many times, loose dogs will get together and travel/hunt in packs of 2 or more. I need to plan for this scenario.

If you see the dog coming, you are lucky. Dogs that are focused on an attack can move with stealth-like quiet and speed, and can be on you or your dog before you even realize a dog is there.

How to get a dog to stop an attack after contact has been made? (I've given this a lot of thought). I've read stories in the news of men beating a fully engaged PB with 2x4s and the dog still would not let go. It was attacking an ACO. Tazers are illegal here in Maryland, and it's close to impossible to get a gun permit. So I am evaluating the use of pocket chemicals, like trial size hair spray, pepper spray, bee spray(shoots 20 feet, but wind could be a problem), or an air-horn, and currently looking into carrying a knife. Poking at the eyes or cutting off the air supply should have the effect of making the dog let go, I haven't had the opportunity to test this yet, but it is part of my visualizations. The knife would be the last resort.

The important thing to do is to make a plan, and then 2-3 backup plans, and go over them in your mind often so it will become 2nd nature and you won't have to think when you're in that situation again. And practice hiding the dogs in the snow, so they know what to expect and don't get freaked out if you have to do it for real.

I hope some of these ideas will help... and I'll be looking for any that you come up with to add to my arsenal...

Oh and dropping the leash doesn't always work. On a walk with the neighbors, one has to have her Rottie off lead (duh, not well trained). Of course, the Rottie comes over to sniff at Tink, and me, remembering the on/off leash problem, I dropped Tink's leash, turned my back and stepped away, only to fly back to her when the growling and showing of mean teeth started.