This morning my beautiful dog, Balthazar, a very fit Golden Retriever, was attacked by a German Shepherd who has been out to get him for years. I’ve often joked that Balthazar is my spiritual teacher, and this morning was a great example. We were out in a field near the village in France, and the shepherd, who is known to be violent and supposed to be always kept on a leash, was free, and came running towards B., barking madly. Balthazar, knowing exactly who it was, sensibly ran away. No point getting into a fight unless you can’t find a way out of it. The dog gave chase, and after a hundred yards or so it was obvious B wasn’t going to outrun him, so he turned to face his attacker, and put up the most spirited defence you can imagine. The owner of the other dog got to them first, and pulled his dog off, at which point B turned and ran hell for leather to find me. He’s been quiet since, but seems okay, and doesn’t appear to have a scratch on him. His thick coat protected him, and his completely uninhibited self-defence kept the other dog at bay until help came.