Keeping your puppy "safe" is something that I can't get right

After we picked the dogs up from Natalie's we wanted to get them out for some exercise. We were originally headed for one of the beaches but it turns out that they were all closed due to the oil spill in the bay. I saw a trail on our way out of her neighborhood so we decided to take a hike in the Montara open space. It was beautiful and clearly used a lot based on the countless piles of dog poo and numerous horse hoof prints. We were alone for probably 20 minutes and wandered up the trail chatting and enjoying the walk. Dolce was off leash mostly and Winnie was on a harness and flexi. Up the hill ahead of us an Ibizan hound saw us, barked and bounded up the hill sounding an alarm. We kept going. I heard a voice and thought the dog's person was up ahead. As we rounded the corner the IH was staring through a tree at us.... we kept going as I could see bodies moving and I was trying not to be a paranoid freak. As we rounded the corner the IH charged us - Winnie started barking up and growling as she was very scared. I was walking towards her to keepp the leash look and trying to jolly her along. Then not a moment behind the IH were at least 5 other dogs....it was like something out of lord of the Rings. Winnie was screaming one of the dogs charged in and picked her up (off of the ground!) by the tail and others moved in to help. I started charging at each of the dogs trying to be as big as possible and screaming "OFF" and "BACK OFF" as loudly and meanly as I could. It felt like a scene from a movie 0- the tourist family surrounded on all sides by wolves of whatever. There was the IH, a Mal, 2 Chowx, a Pit and a Golden that I can remember. The pit wasn't involved at all - I think it was the Golden/Chow and the Mal. I thought that they were going to try and quarter Winnie. The dog walker eventually came around the corner and gathered her dogs. She of course apologized and asked if we were okay. Winnie was slobbered all over her tail, her lower back and her right flank. I was very shaky at the end but tried to "walk it off" and pretend like everything was cool - for Winnie's sake NOT the dogwalkers. I told the dogwalker what I saw as she wasn't there when they actually picked Winnie up. I hate to think what would have happend if Winnie has been off leash.....perhaps it would have been better or perhaps she would have tried to flee. *shudder*

Strangely they didn't go after Dolce.... I don't know what I would have done then.

I am *still* very angry.