What is it with people who walk their dogs off leash??? I have never understood it - from the perspective of the dog's safety (getting hit by a car). But this afternoon, my (on leash, very well trained) dog and I were attacked TWICE by two separate dogs!!!

The first willowy twit walking the gigantic Rhodesian Ridgeback didn't even seem to understand what the problem was. "Oh he's sweet" she said as the dog came running up to my LEASHED sitting lab. As he proceeded to charge and attack Russo, I screamed at him, threw my water bottle at him, fell to the ground, skinned my knee all the while screaming "Get away you piece of sh!t!!! Where's your leash?????" When I finally hit the thing with my water bottle and he trotted away, I again asked her "Where's the leash? He is obviously NOT friendly!" Her response? GET THIS: "He's not my dog." I kid you not. She didn't even try to imitate Inspector Clouseau.

Sorry bimbo, but your dog or not, if you walk him, you're responsible. Get a freaking leash. I pulled my (still healing) shoulder and it still hurts.

The second dog (seriously - within the space of a half hour!) was a big Chow. He came running down at us - we were on the side of the road that drops off 20 - 30 feet down a steep canyon. Trying to pull my dog away from the Chow I FELL off the road down the CANYON!!! At least owner number two came running down, pulled his dog away, tied him to a mailbox and then helped me out of the canyon. (I fell about 5 feet down the side of the canyon, on lots of soft redwood detritus, so I was really just shaken up.) He actually gave me his NAME and ADDRESS not that I am going to follow up and do anything because he was clearly just as shaken as I was and quite chagrined.

Ok. Rant off. I need a glass of wine. And a band aid. Maybe a valium.

Oh - also after attack # 2, literally around the corner was the fattest oldest Basset Hound I have ever seen, just wandering in the street doing that big Bassett baying woof thing. His stomach was literally dragging on the ground. By that point, Russo and I were hugging the other side of the street, shaking. If anyone had seen us cowering from Joe Bassett it would have been embarrassing.