Last night we almost lost our dear Bailey.  I had let them out for their usual evening business and had just stepped back inside for a moment.  Then, I went back outside to call them in.  Zander, our littlest one, immediately ran to the door.  I stepped out onto the deck because our back neighbor had just let his dogs out and ours often run to the fence to bark at them.  I called their names before they’d reached the fence to start barking and Riley came running toward me.  Bailey approached the fence and had just started barking, but when I yelled at him he turned and started walking back toward me.  That’s when our neighbor’s pit bull/bull dog jumped the fence and attacked Bailey.  He rolled Bailey a few times in the yard.  I ran toward them yelling and slinging my arms.  Luckily, Bailey got away and ran toward the porch.  I put myself between him and the larger dog, still yelling.  The dog charged me, but stayed a few feet away just standing there growling and snapping.  At that time, the neighbor jumped the fence and grabbed his dog.  Obscenities were yelled.  Blood pressure raised. Hearts beat faster.  J was upset. I was upset.  We called Animal Control because others have had problems with this dog.  But in the end, our Bailey was just roughed up a bit and dirty.  Luckily, he had no wounds, scratches, or broken bones.  Our dogs are our lives, our children, so if it had been any worse I don’t know how I’d cope.  Thankfully, I went back outside to call them in when I did or it could have been worse.  And thankfully a little angel was looking out for Bailey last night.