A close encounter

My legs and my dogs were all telling me that we needed to walk today. I took Maya, Trooper, and Kaiser. Maya and Trooper went because, well, because they are Maya and Trooper and they wanted and needed to go. Kaiser went because I wanted to try out this new rope harness that I bought the other day.

I don't know if it was the harness or the influence of the other two dogs, but Kaiser really didn't pull, or at least he didn't pull enough to hurt my back. It's easy to put on and it does seem to restrain the pulling with minimal effort on my part.

We were just getting started on the hike, probably in the first 100 yards, when an off-leash dog came charging down the hill running straight for us. It was a long-haired shepherd and I looked up the hill and saw the owner with another such dog, also off-leash, but that one stayed with her. The three dogs I had are pretty good with unexpected meetings. The dog ran right up to us, stopped 5 feet away and then bared his teeth in a snarl. I was very glad I wasn't walking the two Danes, just because they would have been much harder to handle and wouldn't have responded nearly as well. I yelled, "CALL YOUR DOG", and then "CALL YOUR DAMN DOG" in an even more threatening manner. When Maya saw the interloper's aggressive look she jumped in front, ready to take it on. The woman did call the dog off, but I think it was my yelling that stopped his advance more than anything. It really fucking pissed me off.

When we meet people on the trail, walkers, dog walkers, bikers, or horses, I get my dogs well off the trail, 15-20 feet off the trail, and let them pass. I have enough control over them that I can do so. I expect the same goddamn consideration from other people. Have your dogs under control. That does NOT mean letting them run free 100 feet in front of you threatening other dogs. It really pissed me off. I was thinking I should carry some of that spray deterrent for such occasions, but it wasn't the dog I was wanting to spray with it, it was the goddamn woman who owned the dog.

Yes, we were in the woods, but we were not the only people out there. It's a rare occasion when I don't see or encounter other people on walks. It's the same kind of person and the same attitude as someone who pushes their cart down the center of a grocery store aisle, stops and leaves it there while looking at something on the shelves. You're not the only person in the fucking store, stop acting like it. It's just rude and inconsiderate.

That was one of the scariest encounters I've had with dogs while hiking. It gave me a rush of angry adrenaline that took a while to clear my system, but I know it bothered me more than the dogs. I sure hope it bothered that woman who owned that dog, but I doubt it. She was probably in a grocery store later pissing off other people.