Defending the Innocent...

Something inside me told me to make sure Shasta was wearing a flower today. She doesn't wear it too often, but today I really felt she should. Maybe I'm getting paranoid the closer the date comes to having to muzzle her. She's such a sweetheart.
She's never hurt anyone or anything in her life. She's even likes the squirrels, rabbits and other wild animals we've come across. The most she's done is chase birds as a game when they tease her.
Her worst fault is she licks too much, if you can call loving a fault. She loves children and knows they are more fragile than adults. She still wants to sit on my lap, not realizing her 55 pound weight is a tad bit heavy for a lap dog. She's like a child always wanting to please.
I got out the leash and halti and got her ready to take to the store with me today, but I really wanted her to wear the flower by her ear. Funny, but today, she kept shaking it off. Perhaps she wants to make people laugh by her own nature and not by something I've added to her. So after 2 attempts I decided to let her have her way. No big deal!
We were having a nice walk together and just as we got to the store for me to tie her leash to a pole, an elderly couple were walking by. The man was out and out RUDE! He made a snarky comment that, 'if a dog has to be muzzled, it shouldn't be out on the streets!'
I felt the hair at the back of my neck just bristle up. He was talking about MY BABY! MY FRIEND! MY COMPANION! MY LIFE! I remained calm, when in fact, inside I felt like clobbering the guy and saying HOW DARE YOU! But, I wasn't about to come down to his level and I've never clobbered anyone in my life neither.
I did answer him back though and this is what I said. "She is NOT wearing a muzzle. It's a halti. A head leading device and unfortunately for YOU, you will never meet a sweeter dog than THIS ONE!" I think he was about to reply, but his wife nudged him to be quiet.
This is the first of many, I suspect, of insults we will receive. Obviously, the insult was to me regarding Shasta or he wouldn't have said it out loud. It's so unfair that ill informed people can openly insult you, all because you have a love for your dog. I have the right to defend that, that I love, as she would have probably licked the man had he come closer. I'm glad she doesn't know that she was being judged.
People can say what they want. It's their right. But being rude is ignorance and I will defend Shasta the same as I would my grandchildren or anyone else that can't defend themselves.
It just makes me so frustrated because I know there will come more rude remarks especially when the muzzling goes into effect. I hope it doesn't change my personality into an angry person, as that just isn't me. I think rude people should have to have their mouths taped when in public. Why should I have to listen to their BS!
I'm going to make up some matching t-shirts for Shasta and I when we go walking. They'll have little sayings on them and the only ones that will be insulted by them will only be the rude people. I guess this is my way of saying, don't knock what you don't know...and they certainly don't know me and Shasta.