Three days ago, I was walking our terrier-dachshund mix (Murray) past a house we have passed hundreds of times before, less than 500 feet from our house, when out of the blue Murray was attacked by the rottweiler that lives at that house! The dog snuck up on us silently from behind, and was on Murray before I even knew it was there (I always look at that house when I pass by, because the dog reacts badly whenever it has seen Murray before). Clearly, the dog was 'hunting'.
Murray was screaming, the rottweiler had him by the neck, but I pulled him off of Murray before he got a firm grip. I had a grip on his collar, but the collar was so loose that the rottweiler slipped out of it. Murray was in the road, running in circles around me, chased by the rottweiler, with me chasing both of them, and yelling at the top of my lungs that the rottweiler was trying to kill my dog!
After what seemed like an eternity (but was more likely 2 minutes or less), the owner came out to get her dog under control. Although she kept apologizing, I yelled at her anyway for having a vicious dog that was not under control and secured.
I feel fortunate, Murray came out of it seemingly unharmed. I was shaken, but carried Murray home, also apparently unharmed (remarkable considering I'm 64 and not exactly in my prime). I attribute part of our luck to the fact that the rottweiler is not walked much, might be in less-than-prime condition. Still, I said a small prayer of thanks that my little friend was safe! Even crazier, he wanted to continue our walk 15 minutes later! I obliged, with my son coming along, walking a different direction.
Believe me, I had a larger-than-normal Kentucky bourbon when we got back to the house.