Zorro saved me again

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Zorro is my big black 85 lb Giant Schnoodle rescue. I have been training him as a wheelchair and balance dog to place with a veteran amputee. . I’m just beginning to walk with my healing broken foot. At 28 inches, he makes a great balance dog as I learn to walk all over again. I also use him as a crutch. I say “help me”. Zorro moves into “advance’ position (which is just ahead of “heel position”. I lean on his shoulders. NO matter how much weight I gain, no matter how much weight I put on him as a lean on him, he just holds me right up. Xena can also do this job but I have to put a balance harness on her because she isn’t as tall. This morning, I was in a hurry. Zorro was quick. I didn’t have to bother with a balance harness.
8:00 AM was early morning for me. I had to go to the ATM to withdraw $500 to beat out everyone for something I wanted from Craigslist. I went to the ATM which was very close to where I parked the car. I left Zorro in the car while I limped over to the ATM. There was a guy who seem to be making a deposit at the next ATM. He was writing on envelopes and fiddling around. The energy felt all wrong. I started fiddling while waiting for him to leave. He wasn’t leaving. He was writing and eyeing me. I became uncomfortable. I limped back to the car and brought Zorro out. He looked at Zorro. His eyes got very big. He looked at me. He looked at Zorro again. Then he made tracks for his car. He couldn’t jump into it fast enough. He squeeled out of the parking lot peeling rubber. This isn’t the first time Zorro has saved me. I’m lucky to have rescued Zorro. PUppy love from Joy & furry folk

[Richard Crowe]

That is a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it with us.

I am sure when the guy took a look at your big dog, any criminal thoughts were out of his mind quickly.

[Leslie and Halas]

Great story! Zorro is a good boy! I'll bet Zorro had his eye on that guy the whole time.

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Yes, he sure did! Watched him every minute.

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

I don't know how I will ever let him go. He's saved me twice now

[Leslie and Halas]

Zorro has saved you before? Is that story here on DK somewhere?

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Yes, Zorro & Xena saved my life Feb 6/08 Here's the story

I was Attacked. My Giant Schnoodles Saved Me
I am shaking. I was attacked by a man with a huge Iron bar while I was walking my dogs. I took 2 walks this morning, deciding to only walk 2 dogs at a time instead of having 4 dogs pulling on my arms & torn rotator cuffs. On the second walk I did not take my usual route which keeps me within the circle of streets within my neighborhood. On my second walk I walked up to the street that is the inlet street to my little maze of streets that I call my neighborhood. I was 1 house away from the main street. I was leaning over picking up Xena’s poop. I saw a man come out of the corner house driveway. I was staring at me then walked away. He quickly returned carrying a long iron bar. He raised the pole and started swinging it over his head. Zorro barked at him./ Then Xena started barking at him. I was too stunned to realize he was attacking. It seemed like everything was happening in slow motion. He looked like an actor doing martial arts with a long pole. I faced him head on & yelled in his face “what are you doing? What are you doing?” I looked into his eyes but it was like there was no one home behind the dark eyes. The dogs barked and lunged at him. They chased him into the street. It still hadn’t dawned on me that this was a bad guy. It all happened so fast. An AT&T truck was turning the corner. The guy walked right up to it. I thought they were friends. It looked like he was going to get into the truck. But he swung the pole & hit the truck. Then he ran around the other side & hit the driver’s window. I could hear the glass shattering. I saw AT&T driver jump out of the truck & start chasing him. He yelled, “call the police!” I finally realized this was a bad guy who had almost attacked us, was attacking someone else. It finally hit me that me and the dogs were in danger. I tried to get in the gate of the nearest house. It was locked. I turned with the dogs and ran down the street. I didn’t have my phone. There were several Hispanic workers. at a house with the door open. I ran toward them yelling “call the police”. I ran to the house & got behind the workers. One of the workers handed me his phone. I called 911 & called 911. More glass shattered. I wasn’t noticing, but a lady in a big fancy expensive looking blue car had pulled into the intersection. I heard more glass shattering. He had smashed her window too. Total I think I heard 2 hits on metal & 3 hits on glass.
By this time, people were starting to come out. I returned to the scene with Zorro & Xena. I said since he came out of the driveway, he may have burglarized that house. One neighbor checked the house which was locked. The lady who’s car he had hit was hysterical. She had a baby in the car. I held her in my arms. The full impact of what had happened hadn’t hit me yet. I waited awhile but when the police didn’t show up, I left. The AT&T guy asked if we would press charges. I said “yes! Anyone who attacks my dogs doesn’t need to worry about dog bites, they need to worry about my bite. That will be in court!” The AT&T guy asked for my my number. I gave it to him. I came home. Now I’m left with thinking “what would have happened if I didn’t have the dogs?” The guy would have attacked & possibly killed or maimed me. Maybe there was someone else walking without dogs. Who else did he kill this morning? I have to go thank Zorro & Xena. I’m going to hug them right now. I’m just starting to cry right now. I guess its beginning to hit me. I’m also wondering why it took me so long, why so many things happened before I sensed danger? What’s wrong with me?
Description: Asian man 20 -30. High black hair. Crazed look. Fairly tall & muscular. Other neighbors said he was wearing a Hawian shirt & had a scar on his cheek but I didn’t notice that. I only noticed his high hair & his face. He kind of looked like he was doing Martial arts with the pole by his posture. His face was angular & quite handsome. He looked like a movie star. I didn’t notice a scar. He looked kind of like a martial arts movie star. I’m trying to write down anything I can remember so I don’t forget it. I am writing this one hour after the event.

Since I’ve been home there has been a helicopter circling and saying something on its speakers but I don’t know what. I have to go to work then school this PM. Taking computer classes. Let’s all hug our schnoodles very tight! Very very tight!
Puppy love from Joy & furry folk

joules & charlie
OT - JOY I'm so glad you're ok!! I saw the news last night
Tue Feb 5, 2008 4:31PM
70.164.103.130

and they caught the guy!! How scary!!!!!

I saw them intervew the AT&T driver too. And they showed the cars he damaged. I think they also said he tried to use his car to run down some people. Luckily it seems like no one was hurt. What a psycho!!!

I'm glad your doggies were there to protect you.


Thx He tried to run down my neighbors an older couple

I talked to them this AM. Hi Julie, Evidently when he left us he tried to run them down as they were walking home from the store. As near as I can piece it together, it seems after he attacked me then the AT&T driver, then the lady in the blue car, then on the way down the Tecolote canyon, tried to run down the older couple, then he ran to the bottom of the canyon, injuring about 10 people & hitting several cars before a couple of guys tackled him & held him for police. He did attack & injured several women. I don't know if he used the pipe to do it but it seems he got the pipe from the neighbor near where he attempted to attack me. so he didn't have it before, but did have it afterward. That makes me feel better because it means hopefully that he didn't kill someone with it before he got to me. That has been heavy on my mind. Thx for your support Julie. Puppy love from Joy & furry folk

More on the story called by the media, the Tecolote Canyon Rampage
I spoke to the staff at Henry’s Market, which is up the hill on the other side of the canyon. They said that a couple of young guys were putting groceries in their car when the perp came at them with the metal bar from behind. One guy kicked him in the stomach with a martial arts move. Then the two of them got him and roughed him up real good. They got him on the ground but he kept getting up. Probably on PCP. The helicopter was telling them to grab him by his clothing and keep him there for the police. Henry’s was already open. They don’t open til 10:00 . I called the police at 9:40 . I don’t know where they were. The helicopter was on the job right away. I don’t know why at that hour of the morning the ground units took so long. So these poor guys were responsible for holding down this guy on PCP. Well they did it. Then the police came sailing in with sirens blaring. Evidently they roughed him up pretty good too. They said they took him out on a stretcher. The Henry’s staff member, a very young guy looked at me and said “I’d hate if something happened to my grandmother” Well that made my day. I thought I looked like Britney Spears with my clipped hair which has pink blotches right now. That’s another story LOL. I’m glad someone roughed him up. I’d hate for him to have a cushy car ride to a cushy cell. Better he has a good pushy in the tushy. Oh dear I feel a song coming on. Puppy love from Joy & furry folk

[Leslie and Halas]

Wow! It is very lucky that you had Zorro and Xena with you!