Dog walking and personal security

Moobli said:
I live on a sparsely populated shooting estate, surrounded by other sparsely populated shooting estates, and so don't worry at all about wandering around in the night (or day time) and the only person I have ever met on my nightly wanders was one of the gamekeepers. Having GSDs definitely helps though and even when I have lived in towns I have walked alone in the dark with my dogs in winter and never been overly concerned.
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I may have posted this on here at the time but there were a few dog thefts in the nearest town last year. A man then tried to steal a GSD that was being walked on a lead by the river, he won't try that again! The dog proper went for him. On the negative sde, many years ago a friend of my Mum's was mugged while out walking her collies and they defended her but were never trustworthy around strangers again, it really scarred them.
 
Never crosses my mind to feel the slightest bit concerned when walking my dogs - 100kg+ combined weight of dogs is apparently quite a deterrent 😛
 
Clodagh said:
I may have posted this on here at the time but there were a few dog thefts in the nearest town last year. A man then tried to steal a GSD that was being walked on a lead by the river, he won't try that again! The dog proper went for him. On the negative sde, many years ago a friend of my Mum's was mugged while out walking her collies and they defended her but were never trustworthy around strangers again, it really scarred them.
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So glad the GSD gave that toerag exactly what they deserved! Dog theft is more of a worry with the working sheepdogs, although they may bypass us for all the gamekeepers gundogs dotted around the place as gundogs do seem to be stolen on a scarily regular basis.
 
I don’t tend to walk the dogs on my own late at night, OH is usually with me. Although Bo is really easygoing and absolutely 100% when we’re in the woods, over the fields etc, he is quite aggressive when walking the roads on lead which we do early morning/late evening, and I would feel quite safe with him by my side.
 
mule said:
A friend of mine feels the same about the cold and the rain. She used to live in an estate with a gun crime problem. She used to use rain as an opportunity to go for a walk. In her words the rain 'washes the scum off the streets'
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My OH says PC Rain helped tonight. He says criminals tend to stay at home on rainy nights

I never worried about lonely walks til my mil commented that it was dodgy when I took her on a very remote walk. Now we tend to stick to parks as we can’t trust puss cat, but he’s the one I’d want to defend me, Bear is way too friendly.

The only time I was bothered was looking for the escapees one dark night in vast woods. It’s quite noisy, what with all the willdlife! Luckily I was joined by friends who came to help search after a couple of hours.

I used to carry a very small knife when I lived in Framce. The island the campus was on was heaving with unsavoury types.
 
Cinnamontoast said:
My OH says PC Rain helped tonight. He says criminals tend to stay at home on rainy nights

I never worried about lonely walks til my mil commented that it was dodgy when I took her on a very remote walk. Now we tend to stick to parks as we can’t trust puss cat, but he’s the one I’d want to defend me, Bear is way too friendly.

The only time I was bothered was looking for the escapees one dark night in vast woods. It’s quite noisy, what with all the willdlife! Luckily I was joined by friends who came to help search after a couple of hours.

I used to carry a very small knife when I lived in Framce. The island the campus was on was heaving with unsavoury types.
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Criminals are bloody lazy, aren't they :p
 
Ive got 4 dogs. 2 of which the boys, guard me so i dont feel unsafe, the girls raise the alarm very loudly so should some undesirable get to close i tbink id be okay.
 
Clodagh said:
On the negative sde, many years ago a friend of my Mum's was mugged while out walking her collies and they defended her but were never trustworthy around strangers again, it really scarred them.
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I meant to comment on this first time around. What a shame that it scarred the dogs :( Were they injured too or was it just the whole experience? Collies are very sensitive and I could imagine the trauma of such an incident affecting some of ours, whereas some we have are very guardy and would probably defend as well as a GSD!
 
BBP said:
I do Israeli Krav Maga (a no holes barred self defence system), feel pretty confident that I could do some damage if I needed to. I’ll also often hold a key between my fingers knuckle duster style if I feel a bit uncomfortable.
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I've heard of Israeli Krav Maga!!! There is a class fairly local to me, but being an oldie (nearer 60 than 50!!) I've never actually plucked up the courage to go along; tho' I did a bit of Martial Arts (Judo & Aikido) a long long time ago, and reckon that hopefully some of that might kick in if needed.

I do carry a mobile phone with me; but that's all. I am accompanied by a Terrorist (sorry Terrier) who I have every confidence would give more than a good account of himself if someone went for me; other dog would be all soppy and jump up and lick them to death......... useless dog!
 
Moobli said:
I meant to comment on this first time around. What a shame that it scarred the dogs :( Were they injured too or was it just the whole experience? Collies are very sensitive and I could imagine the trauma of such an incident affecting some of ours, whereas some we have are very guardy and would probably defend as well as a GSD!
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I was only a child, I think they did defend her - it was a violent attack - but one had to be PTS some time ofterwards as he never got over it and became very aggressive. The other two were not quite so bad.
 
Clodagh said:
I was only a child, I think they did defend her - it was a violent attack - but one had to be PTS some time ofterwards as he never got over it and became very aggressive. The other two were not quite so bad.
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That is really tragic :( Was your mum's friend ok? I bet she has never got over it either.
 
I walk mine for miles through woodland and farmland each day and don't usually bother to bring my phone. I feel safer in the countryside than I do visiting a city, where I'd never walk alone in the dark.
 
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