Taking it to the streets

Tried a new route this morning that involved more pavement and less ice. It felt good to wear running shoes and feel the ground under my feet. But before we reached plowed territory, we had an unfortunate encounter with a neighborhood Doberman that brings out the worst in Zorro. He and his owner came up behind us fast and I didn't have anywhere to redirect Zorro, who began to growl and lunge. The Doberman responded in kind. I ended up plowing us both into a snowbank and losing a shoe. The owner was weirdly serene about the whole thing: he said, "They're really interested in each other, aren't they? You never know how a dog is going to react to another dog!" All the while, I was shoeless and holding on to Zorro for dear life and desperately wishing they'd just keep moving.
Actually, that owner had the right idea: I'm told that dogs can sense anxiety. Some of the posters on the border collie message board recommend humming a tune. Good luck with that when your dog is charging a hound that looks like he had a role in "The Boys from Brazil."