a creepy hike

[lorihd@comcast.net]

hello everyone, im new to this forum ive been surfing for a while, lots of great advice my lexie is 6 months old now and last week we went to the park. i parked my car and did my usual scan of my surroundings when i noticed a guy walking out of his car, something about him gave me the creeps. i was going to leave when he walked off in the opposite direction that i hike with my dog. so off we go hiking down our usual trail (very isolated) when i got a gut feeling not to go any farther. i turned around and i saw this guy walking towards us (my heart was racing) so i put lexie in the sit position, she looked at me and i told her lexie pay attention! i whipped my cell phone out so he could see and off we went walking in his direction. Now usually lexie loves everyone to death, tail waggin, jumping, ugh but this time her hackles were up, she was barking like crazy and she was lunging for him. he jumped to the other side of the trail to get away from her and kept walking, when i went a little ways down i turned around and he was just watching us. my hair was standing up on the back of my neck. anyway i was sooooo thankful i didnt have my minidoxie at the end of my leash (sabrett rip 1995-2011). so ive taken lexie to many walks in different parks since then, still loves everyone. we went to the same park today, (lots of people) and she did not want to go down that same trail, she put her brakes on, but i pick where we go, not the other way around. im very thankful she was with me, she could sense my uneasiness, what a good doggie have a happy and safe newyear

[qbchottu]

Phew! That must have been nerve racking! So glad that your girl was there for you

[KentuckyGSDLover]

Honestly, I never got the creeps walking with my dogs because I figured a person with a German Shepherd made a poor victim target. I bet she picked up on your uneasiness. It's nice to know if you needed her, she was there for you, isn't it?

[RocketDog]

Always Always listen to that gut feeling. I tell my kids that over and over. Mine has never been wrong, and the few times I've ignored it I've been lucky it was minor.

Just imagine how awesome it wil be when she's a full grown adult!!

Glad you're ok and safe! You were smart to do what you did.

[caninecrazy]

I have always trusted my dogs when they are uneasy about a person especially because they are so people friendly. My smaller ones will not let someone touch them that they feel uneasy about and they stand to my side. My shep mix will stand in front of me and let them approach her first and just look like she is guarding me. And oddly enough Ellie at just 10 weeks has stood in front of me and barked at certain men and it is the same men that I don't feel comfortable around by my job, her acting that way as a pup only showed me my instincts were right. I am glad this creepy man left you alone, I'm sure he was searching for a victim of some sort from the sound of it.

[Lucy Dog]

Wait... what? You got nervous because someone was walking down the same trail as you? I'm confused...

And your dog probably reacted like that because she picked up on your nervousness.

[ShenzisMom]

Paul you never got a gut feeling about someone? Ever meet someone you took an immediate dislike to?

OP, I'm glad your girl had your back!

[Lucy Dog]

I guess, but it's a hiking trail. People walk by - it's a public place... it's going to happen.

He was probably P.O.'d when the dog lunged at him for walking by and never received an apology or anything. I'm assuming she didn't apologize from her description of what happened and that's why he was just staring and looking at her. If that was me, I would not be happy at all with how she handled that situation... look at it from both sides. The guy was probably completely harmless and just out for a walk or jog and some random dogs lunging at him. Is there a history of crime at this park or something?

If she's going to be that nervous at people walking by, maybe she should start carrying around some pepper spray than expecting her puppy to pay attention and lunge at strangers.

[Scarlettsmom]

Humans have a 6th sense that we ignore because it is drowned out by other noise. If you can sense it, listen to it.

No joke! My life was saved because I listened to that voice not once but twice. When I did ignore it, I nearly died. Seriously, don't think you are being judgemental or paranoid. You are reading the signs that millions of years of evolution can't replace.

If you don't listen, and stuff happens to you, don't blame the dog. Being in an uncomfortable situation puts you and your dog on edge, but the dog senses more than you do. People can't detect bombs, drugs or cancer, but dogs can.

You cannot ever go wrong by following your intuition when it comes to your safety. Think of those who didn't...

I would never question someone who listened to that "little voice". They are still here to tell the tale.

[Kittilicious]

But he walked in the opposite direction of the trail she was going to... then she gets on the ISOLATED trail and he's suddenly behind her? She had EVERY right to be freaked out by this guy.