Oh, how scary for you! Why oh why do people insist on walking their dogs around without leashes? I went for a walk with my dogs yesterday and only half the dogs were on leashes. At least one couple put the leash on when they saw me coming. Seriously people. I know I feel better that I could attempt to control my dogs if a ruckus were to occur. My family and I lost our beloved Collie when I was a kid. We were renting the upstairs of our big Victorian home and there was a separate back entrance staircase for them. For better airflow, we had our kitchen door open, which looked out on their staircase. They had a HUGE short-haired St. Bernard and as they walked him up the stairs, he charged into our kitchen. My mom said that our Collie was rallying to protect my two younger siblings and their friend, so he growled at the St. Bernard. The St. Bernard grabbed him by the throat and that was all they wrote. I got home from school to a trail of blood all the way through the house and the news that not only didn't he make it, but the vet wouldn't release his body back to us because he bit the vet before he passed. I'll never forget it.