It was a instant reaction, I couldn't stop it and now I feel awful, awful
We were out in the woods for the first time today, me, DH and Maggie. To date we have taken her to the park where she has met another dog, I have also taken her on a walk where she has met other dogs by confirming with owner she can and then they have introduced themselves.
We were wandering along, Maggie on lead I was on one side of the path, husband on the other but the path was quite narrow and my husband just said my name fairly urgently, I turned to see a huge bouncy bear like dog (actually his name was bear) right at my ankles in pounce mode ready to jump on Maggie, Maggie hadn't seen him either and I just pulled the lead up and pulled her off the floor 
and up into my arms, the dog was jumping up at me in an excited frenzy trying to get to Maggie and the owner did say oh he is friendly so I put Maggie on the floor, they said hello, bounced around the path a bit wanting to play but then we decided it was time to part company as the other dog was huge compared to Maggie and getting really boisterous, it was only a year old. However we couldn't actually go because woman was on a horse, the dog had no lead and wasn't listening to a word she said - she told me to tell him off but I was just trying to concentrate on Maggie. Everytime I picked Maggie up the dog would be jumping up at me which frightens me, let alone Maggie. I am not good with dogs hurling themselves at me at all and if I had been with my daughter she would have been terrified. Eventually my husband took Maggie and I had to drag the dog away from him and walk it behind the horse until it eventually realised the game was up and it had to follow it's owner. Thank god my husband was there as I don't think she would have got it to leave us alone otherwise.
Thankfully Maggie is fine by her "hanging" as my husband is now referring to it. She didn't yelp or make a choking noise (which she manages to do to herself by pulling on the lead) she is fine in herself and had a lovely walk after that event. I just went into protective mode and didn't think at all..
I was quite annoyed but husband says oh well she probably just expects that if she is riding on a public bridleway she can behave as she likes.
I ride and I have never ever taken this attitude, I allways warn people I am coming because a small child, or a dog suddenly startled by a horse is not good and I don't want my horse to get a fright if a dog suddenly starts yapping or a child screams. She gave no warning, my husband only just saw her she was right up close when he turned and then said my name. She must have seen us in the distance and could easily have done what I do on a horse and stop my horse, get the person's attention and everyone walks calmly by! Our puppy was on a lead, she is very obviously a puppy and a small breed anyway, I would have thought that it was only common courtesy to give some warning that a great big horse and a big bouncy woolly dog 10 times the size of your puppy were heading your way - or maybe not? Am I in the wrong, should I not be out in those places with Maggie?