and just as I was writing this, sitting on the back patio watching Pax chew his evening treat, a big, foul-smelling mis-breed of a dog came tearing through he bushes from the house kitty corner behind us, smashed Pax off his feet, and began ripping at him. With a log and a lot of screaming we broke the fight. Pax is hurting, but not bleeding, and nothing is broken.

Turns out it was a pet-sitter, but we are now contacting the owners. This dog should not be in this neighborhood.