This kind of disturbed me...

[jen74145]

Last weekend DH and I took two of our dogs to the lake. We had found a secluded spot and were relaxing, and no fewer than three couples/families managed to silently come down the trail and startle us and our dogs. One of them is hyper-alert, so if they'd made noise, he would have heard it.
See, I have always been taught, if you are walking through a forest (and ESPECIALLY if you can't see what's around the next turn, as these people could not) you make noise to alert any animals that might be minding their own business... snakes, feral pigs, bear and such.

What really scared me was the three year old who came out of some thick trees and brush just blundered into our dogs, his dad a few minutes behind... the child startled our boys, and they barked, but then just wanted to be petted, but what if it hadn't been a friendly lab and lab-pitt, but a wild animal?

Do people just have no common sense any more?

[Jan Doling]

If you have dogs on a public hiking trail, it is your responsibility to protect young children that may also be using the trail. I don't think you were secluded enough.

[tinknal]

Way too many troubles in the world today too let something as petty as this get to you.

[jen74145]

It hasn't got to me... just concerns me. Goodness you people are cheerful today!

[Country Lady]

I would never, ever let a little child go first on a wooded trail! Where are parent's minds? I've seen too many snakes stretched out on trails. Growing up in the south, my earliest memories of things taught to me, was watch where I was walking when outside. Small children aren't old enough to be totally responsible for this.

[jen74145]

Originally Posted by Jan Doling

If you have dogs on a public hiking trail, it is your responsibility to protect young children that may also be using the trail. I don't think you were secluded enough.

Three miles in, with my dogs leashed and kept right beside me is pretty dran safe... oddly enough, my boys were harrassed by countless dogs let off the leash or on retractables to the point I was about to make a soccer ball out of the next one. Had a little scottie/yorkie mix looking thing rush them until her lead snapped her back, and my (unreliable, scary, evil, what other breed definitions come to mind) pitt mix just wagged his tail and looked at her like she was nuts.

I absolutely never let my dogs off theiir leads or away from my side, and can't stand people coming up to them... the way people are today, I worry one of them would step on someone's sandaled foot and scratch them, and we'd be sued for everything we have.

[sancraft]

I was always taught the same thing, make noise when in the woods unless you're hunting. When my GSD was alive, I took her in the woods with me whenever I went so in case an animal snuch up on me, she'd be there to protect me. I don't want to even think what would have happened if some people came out of no where. I would most certainly have been disasterous.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by sancraft

I was always taught the same thing, make noise when in the woods unless you're hunting. When my GSD was alive, I took her in the woods with me whenever I went so in case an animal snuch up on me, she'd be there to protect me. I don't want to even think what would have happened if some people came out of no where. I would most certainly have been disasterous.

So you were walking on public land with a dog you knew would attack a stranger?????

I remember a time when my DH and I were out in a secluded spot and well, being young lovers.....let's just say that if that were us there the little boy would have gotten a biology lesson...and the parents would of had a lot of questions to answer!

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by Tonya

I remember a time when my DH and I were out in a secluded spot and well, being young lovers.....let's just say that if that were us there the little boy would have gotten a biology lesson...and the parents would of had a lot of questions to answer!

Well my that's awful inconsiderate.

[Hears The Water]

Well, I have tought my kids to make noise when in un-familar territory, but that being said we do sometimes just sit quietly to enjoy the flora and fauna. I think you are right that the people should have been making noise, but you should just probably count on people not knowing what to do and be ready for anything. Sounds like you were.
God bless you and yours
Deb

[tooltime]

Originally Posted by Tonya

I remember a time when my DH and I were out in a secluded spot and well, being young lovers.....let's just say that if that were us there the little boy would have gotten a biology lesson...and the parents would of had a lot of questions to answer!

When I was a sophomore in high school, my friend Brian and I were squirrel hunting one Saturday afternoon and we came upon one of our teachers having a picnic with her boyfriend. We kept on going through the woods, but on the way back home, we circled around to where they were, I don't know why. We got an eyeful, as they were going at it pretty hot-and-heavy.

They didn't see us at the time, but Brian said something to her in the hallway about "animals mating in the woods" or some such, and for the rest of high school, that woman never missed an opportunity to make our lives miserable. She is still teaching at the school, and when my wife was teaching there, she'd give me the "evil eye" every time I saw her. I don't know why, but whenever I see her, I think of that day darn near 30 years ago when she was buck-nekkid in the woods going at it with her boyfriend.

[sancraft]

Tinknal, I was on my land. But I have had people trespass before. No I would never have my dog off leash on public land. In fact, she was never off leash on our land either. But I have stopped and taken a nap with her under a tree. I kept her lead on, but I'm sure my grip wasn't as tight while I was asleep.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by sancraft

Tinknal, I was on my land. But I have had people trespass before. No I would never have my dog off leash on public land. In fact, she was never off leash on our land either. But I have stopped and taken a nap with her under a tree. I kept her lead on, but I'm sure my grip wasn't as tight while I was asleep.

Sorry sancraft, since the op was about public land I ass-u-me-ed you were speaking of the same thing. In that case I agree with you 100%.

[Cabin Fever]

Jen, you sound to be a responsible pet owner and I congratulate you on that. But this making noise while you are in the forest stuff....well, maybe in grizzly country. I have spent much of my life hiking, hunting, and packbacking and never do I make noise on purpose. In fact, I try to be as quiet as possible (except for the time I was backpacking in Glacier National Park). I go to the forest to find solitude...not to become a noisy interloper.

[Trixie]

Maybe I am too old - but I have never heard of making noise in the woods, on purpose.

No, you don't let kids go first -

[seedspreader]

I want to get a set of these quiet kids they are talking about. My kids are usually screaming about something or at each other in the woods...

[patnewmex]

I see your dog was on a leash. Good for you. Nothing irritates me more than being on a trail and having someone's dog come up to me and try and run me off the tiny mountain trails or sniff my you-know-what. Yikes! I have a dog and he is leashed if we go somewhere. Period. Just because you are out a "the lake" (unless you OWN the property) your dogs should be leashed.

I can't speak for the child's father, as I have no children of my own. If I had kids, guaranteed they would not be allowed to go first on the trail.

And why would you want to make noise in the forest? Isn't that WHY people go there?

Pat

[Farmerwilly2]

I got to agree with CF. When I'm in the woods I try to blend, be as quiet as I can. You try not to leave a trace you've been. It's been this way since growing up in woods. Noisy means I scare away game, and announce myself to all in the vicinity. Quiet means I see before being seen. I guess it's just a different mindset. I suppose if I lived in an area where bear was a concern I would make sure I went heavy.

[Laura]

I am one of those people who move silently through the woods, it is so much more enjoyable that way. The most important thing I taught my children was to not make cat food noises while outside. They were allowed to walk ahead only if they had the best dog with them.