BONSALL, Calif. -- Size didn't matter in a battle that pitted a wild animal against man's best friend in North County.

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Images: Canines Corner Mountain Lion In Tree
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A band of four dogs, which included Oso, the five-year-old German shepard, Paco, a two-year-old Weimaraner, and two rat terriers named Lena, 5 and Sandy, 14, cornered a mountain lion, Wednesday morning. It happened on the 1200 block of Little Gopher Canyon, south of Bonsall.

The couple who own the canine superheroes, Art Nelson, a 77-year-old retired teacher, and his wife, Liz, 68, were awakened at 4 a.m. by the barking dogs. The Nelson's said they figured it was just another racoon or possum stirring things up on their four-acre spread, but when the dogs wouldn't settle down, Art Nelson went to investigate.

That's when he said he found the estimated 125-pound lion in the tree, which was swatting at the dogs.

"He didn't give me an indication he would like to come out of the tree after me or anything. He was more concerned with the dogs that were pestering him," Art Nelson said.

Sheriff's deputies responded but did not remove the big cat because it did not pose a threat to the public, the report said.

The deputy's arrival sent the dogs running away from the lion, and that's when the Nelson's said the big cat made it's getaway. The mountain lion was apparently looking for a water source, officials said. The Nelson's have a creek that runs along their property.

Art Nelson said it's probable the big cat was after food too -- most likely the rat terriers.