I always cheer for the underdog, so I just loved it when I heard that a poodle had gotten the best of a pit bull in Gothenburg, Sweden. The two met on the street and, as expected, the pit bull tried to intimidate the poodle. So the poodle took a mouthful of flesh out of the pit bull. But she didn't stop there: She then went after the pit bull's owner.

I am against violence of the two-legged and four-legged varieties. But there is no denying that there is a certain satisfaction when the meek do get their shot at inheriting the earth. It is no different at work. As you face down your own pit bull, review the options listed below. For more, check out "Lifescripts" What to say to get what you want in life's toughest situations. (John Wiley & Sons, 2002) by Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine.

• Does your nemesis stab you in public? Rather than just taking it or biting back, try an immediate, measured-but-firm response: "I can't understand why you would say that in public about me. Let's put an end to public performances and discuss this in private. But right now, let's get back to work." By taking the high road you can show that you won't be pushed around. Is this scary to do? Of course. But it is much scarier to let everyone else see you as the department's doormat.

• How do you handle the meeting after a public attack? Messrs. Pollan and Levin suggest you ask a simple question, "What did I do to deserve this treatment?" Don't be hostile. Be as genuine as you can in trying to establish a way to move past your current difficulty.

• Are the attacks made privately, behind your back? Unfortunately, unless you were attacked directly, you have to treat the attack as a rumor, not a fact. But that doesn't mean you can't respond. You just need to allude to the attack indirectly rather than accuse the person of committing it. Meet with your attacker privately and say, "I've heard that someone believes that I [fill in the blank]. What do you think I should do?" That will let the person know you have heard and give him a chance to speak to you directly. Regardless of how he responds, you can say, "This kind of attack (still not accusing him) is inappropriate."

• What if your reconciliation attempts don't help? You have a series of bad options. You can call in reinforcements: your boss, human resources, your union or someone you both know will be fair. Or you can put some distance between you and the backstabber, which may mean moving to another department or looking for a new job.

It is possible for the underdog to have his day. But to do that you have to be willing to bite back occasionally.

-- Mr. Rosner is the author of Working Wounded (Advice that Adds Insight to Injury), a Web site and internationally syndicated column. He's also the co-author of "The Boss's Survival Guide" (McGraw-Hill, 2001) with Allan Halcrow and Alan S. Levins.

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