cavalier just got attacked on our walk :(

[jetzombie]

really cross, just need to vent a bit... sorry...
We were doing our normal local dog walk when on quite a wide path we met two women with 4 dogs. 2 jack russel types and two slender looking (could be collie x) black dogs. My collie was on a lead as she is unfriendly to other dogs so we tried to pass on by as quickly as we could, but one of the black dogs jumped on my little cavalier and was rolling him over and over whilst snapping at him. Poor cav was yelping and trying to get away. I was quicker than the 2 women to react and ran towards the 'fight' and shouted at the top of my voice (something a bit incoherent, can't quite remember what!) at which the black dog sprang away. A bit too late one of the women had got out some kind of spray can and sprayed it in my and the dogs direction. Not sure what that was, hope it wasn't anything that will do me or the dogs any damage? The woman did apologise "I'm sorry, is he ok?" and there seems to be no physical harm to my cav.
Did I say anything? Well no, I am not good at confrontation and just got away as quickly as I could. Of course I can think of LOTS of things I'd like to say in hindsight, like "Are you going to put your dog on a lead now then?" which she didn't seem to be doing, or "Are you going to even tell your dog off?" which she also didn't seem to be doing (she just said "well you have disgraced yourself" in a normal tone of voice) and also "Has this happened with your dog before?"
There is nothing much I can do now though, just be more prepared another time
This has never happened to me before and I have had these dogs for 10 years and would consider myself a reasonable dog owner. Cavalier in question has never hurt a fly (although he did try to bite a wasp once!) and I have only heard him growl less than 10 times in his whole life!
Sorry again, hope I have got it off my chest now!

[needtogetalife]

oh your poor dog, I would be so upset if this happened to my cavi. I hope you are both ok, you must have been so shook up.

[toddlerama]

What on earth do you think she was spraying you with

[misdee]

was it compressed air?

hope you and your dogs are ok.

[jetzombie]

getting over it now thanks, he barked at a cat on the way home so he can't have been too badly affected by it

I hope the spray was just air or water, can't say i smelled anything tbh - anyone got any ideas?? the fact that she had such a thing seems to indicate that this might have happened to her before... some kind of dog repellant???

(sorry for posting delay, MN wouldn't work and then I had to go to work!)