One of the things I look forward to after a long day at work, is a nice, peaceful, relaxing walk with one or both of my dogs.

Of course, those walks are few and far between because I am always on high alert for potential situations which might cause stress on either me or the dogs.

Delilah has gotten fairly good about passing other dogs in the their yards.  Typically she looks to me for treats and we continue on our way with no issues.

Even during the times when she’s been approached by off-leash dogs I think she’s handled herself very well.  There might be a growl, snarl and a snap but for the most part she’s amazing.

I on the other hand go into full-on panic/meltdown mode and I know this only amps her up more.

The last time we were ‘stalked’ by two Dachshunds  I called Animal Control and was told if my dog was on leash and approached by an off-leash dog, any injuries that might happen to the off-leash dogs would be their owner’s responsibility and Delilah would not be at fault.

I know this and yet, when the inevitable happens, I still freak the fuck out.  How, please, someone, anyone tell me, how do you keep yourself from freaking out when accosted by dogs?

Here’s how it went down.

Delilah and I were walking past a house that has two little dogs, that ALWAYS bark at us.  Typically when this happens the owners shut the door and the dogs stop barking.

Tuesday as Delilah and I walk past this house I note there are two men carrying a refrigerator in through the front door.  I noted this because the men had some kind of strap that they had hooked to the fridge as well as their own arms and I have never seen anything like that.

Just after we pass the house I hear wild barking coming at us.  I turn and see the two little dogs flying down the yard and into the street at us.  I start to urge Delilah across the street but they keep coming.  I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my pepper blaster and scream, “I will shoot the dog.” (God help me, why I said that I have no idea.)

I feel my finger start to depress the safety mechanism but I see one of the owners running out of the house, so I put it back in my pocket. 

One of the little dogs runs up to Delilah, (for the life of me, I can’t remember how Delilah reacted,) while the other one circles around to stand about a foot and a half away from me and stares at me, barking.  I am now in full on freak-out, three-year-old throwing a tantrum, melt down mode in the middle of the street. 

I was screaming, “Go, Go, Go” and I was stamping my foot.

The woman grabs one dog (the one closest to Delilah) and comes closer to me and says, “He’s just barking.” And he was.

And I say, “She could kill him.”

WTF is wrong with me?  First I say, “I”ll shoot the dog” and then next thing I say is”My dog will kill him.”

My dog who by the way is standing calmly in the street watching this all transpire.

The woman looks at me and says, “I’m sorry.  We are remodeling our kitchen and I didn’t realize both doors were open.”

I have nothing to say, I’ve already made an ass of myself.  I turn and walk away.

What do you do?  How do you keep yourself from freaking out when approached by off-leash dogs?  Should I go and apologize to her for freaking out?

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