@Freya Thanks for the heads-up. I hope I can bring the info back to mind if I ever find myself in such a situation.
I walk my dogs in a park that is virtually private, only from the standpoint that there's hardly ever anyone there. It's on a busy thoroughfare, and we can be seen easily from the street, so I never feel in danger.
There's a lovely gazebo with displays in the center and benches all around. The displays can prevent someone from being seen, and the ligustrum encircling the gazebo add another measure of partial privacy to it. Daily visitors like my dogs and I will generally walk past the gazebo and continue along the walkways, enjoying all the beauty of the park while the dogs check out and answer their pee-mail.
One day as my dogs and I were rounding the walkway and approaching the gazebo, something caught my eye. There was a lady on one of the benches further to the rear. She was reading a book and had a very large dog with her. The dog instantly became aware of my girls (combined weight of 15 lbs.) and began to move quickly in our direction. I had to think fast since I really didn't know what the big dog would do. Somehow I managed to scoop up one on the left (closest to the gazebo) and then the other (several feet away checking out smells on the opposite side). Once I had them in my arms, I rolled my arms in and encased them in a protective hug. Then I turned my back on the big dog fully expecting that I was about to get attacked but relieved that my dogs were out of his direct line of fire. At some point, the woman became aware of the situation and began hollering at her dog to get back to her side. It finally obeyed, but, really, I thought I was in for some serious injury that day. Whew! (BTW, he wouldn't have had a decent meal because I'm dinky like my dogs!)
Sometimes things happen so fast, you just instinctively do what you think is your best chance of surviving. The only thing on my mind was was that I had to protect my babies. I always told them I'd do anything necessary to protect them. I secretly wondered if I truly meant that and if I'd really come through for them. Turns out it was true!
