Aibu to ignore my brother's safety concerns?

[seenna]

I walk my German Shepherd at 9/10 pm for his evening walk. I take him to a large meadow on the bank of the river. He will only poo along the very edges of the open field where the grass is longer/he has hedges to sniff along. I'm 25 years old and with my 70lb dog I feel pretty safe as he is very protective and wary of strangers in the dark (but well behaved). Anyway, my brother was home for Christmas and "forbade" me from taking this route (he is very risk-averse, perhaps overly so). This part of the park is completely dark but does back onto houses. AIBU to think he's being overly-protective and I should just ignore him? Tbh he's made me a bit paranoid now. My options are limited as I can't take my dog anywhere with a lot of wildlife (deer, rabbits etc) as he loves to chase them.

P.s my brother is not a controlling weirdo, just very caring.

Unless you live in a notably unsafe place, I wouldn’t worry! Random attacks by strangers in the dark are very rare.

I used to take my rottweiler out at bizarre times in the dark. Never ever concerned me!!
Suggest to him he can be the dog walker from now on.

My first thought would be...who the fuck do you think you are 'forbading' me to do anything. This kind of thing is not caring

He didn't use the word forbid- that's my interpretation. Just told me not to go. It's in the centre of town so you do get a variety of characters there (including those who have had one too many drinks).

He forbade you?

You have a big German Shepherd with you. I really doubt anyone is going to be foolish enough to do anything.

Random attacks by strangers could happen at any time, anywhere. You could get stabbed on a train in broad daylight like that man in Guildford.

Ultimately, the risk is staggeringly small so you shouldn’t let it stop you from doing anything.

I walk both my dogs early morning, so it's still dark. My mum is not happy with this. I have a grumpy Golden Retriever so feel very safe.
My brother moans at me for running with earphones in! As he thinks it's not safe.

Your brother us just worried for you, but I would ignore him too.

I walk my shepherd at about 10pm, pitch black in a load of fields by the river.Middle of no where, very hidden, no lights etc. My mum also worries about me but I take a torch, and keep my wits about me. I rely on my dog scaring anyone off (before they realise he is a complete softy)

I think it’s remarkably stupid to walk around in pitch dark whoever you are and whatever animal you have with you. You open yourself up to a number of risks (not just random attack). It’s fairly unlikely that you would come to any harm but why take the risk when you could walk your dog at a more reasonable hour/in a more frequented and well lit place when you are less like to roll your ankle/have some other similar accident due to rough terrain in the dark and where there will be passers by to aid you/act as a further deterant to random attack. A dog is a great deterant but dark parks/fields/woods are ideal places for such attack to occur. Also a very easy place to have an accident and end up lying in the dark and cold all night (far more dangerous imo).

I think - sadly - women are most at risk from people they know.

I do not think male attempts to control where women should go are in anyway helpful.

Smile and ignore. He'll feel better, you'll get on with it.

I walk my dog at all hours. She quite big but daft so hopefully nobody gets too close. My old dog was not so friendly so would scare anyone off. If you feel comfortable carry on. I take a torch with me and have a phone. Ultimately it's your choice. I'm happy with mine.

I think it's just luck, or bad luck, whether or not something happens when you're out walking in the dark. Agree with pp, you're more likely to sprain your ankle in a hole or something. Saying that a lady was attacked walking her dog near me (perfectly nice suburb) 2 days ago, they were trying to steal her dog (a large retriever!).

Racecardriver

if I walk him earlier he then needs to be taken out in the middle of the night for a poop.

I dont have a dog but if i run at night i choose to do so in built up areas, i would be hearing a creepy soundtrack in my head the whole time in a meadow next to the river and would not enjoy it. In safety terms i think going to the same place at the same time night after night is more risky than varying your route. But its not your brother's job to police you

Some years ago a friend was walking very early one morning when a man jumped out of the hedge and flashed her, made obscene comments and masturbated. She whistled and her two enormous Rottweilers came running out of the adjoining field... she said she has never seen such a rapid wilt followed by a run with a strangled scream.
The dogs weren't at all interested but their presence scared him off.

I reckon you are perfectly safe.. I used to walk Exmoor in the dark with my collie.

Murder by a random stranger is in the same category as an aeroplane falling out of the sky. It could happen to you. It is extremely unlikely. So infinitessimally small is its likelihood that to constrain your life in order to avoid such a risk would be absurd and irrational behaviour.

You have a large, protective dog with you.

Your brother has a skewed and irrational sense of risk. He is far more at risk of random attack on the street than you are. Most street violence is male on male. Does he always have a large dog with him? Does he keep himself safely at home during hours of darkness? Once he's consistently doing that, he can start advising you to do similarly (and you can still tell him no).

It's not something I would do without a scary dog but with a dog like yours I definitely would!

I think in these sorts of situations you need to make sure you are taking account of the risks and acting accordingly. It’s not a matter of don’t do it at all.

You ARE less safe in the dark in a relatively isolated area, for a number of reasons (stranger attacks being much further down the list that breaking your leg down a rabbit hole or slipping into the river for instance) and it’s easy so get complacent about being safe just because you have a big burly dog with you. Make sure you’re vigilant and have easy access to your phone.

Aside from the already mentioned facts about the rarity of random attacks and big hairy dogs being something of a deterrent, you are actually safer in the dark than in a better lit venue.

You're also an adult. You don't need your brother making decisions for you. His opinion is just that.

The likelihood of something happening to you is minuscule. Just make sure you have a torch and a charged phone and you'll be grand!

It's not like there's much choice in winter @Racecardriver - it's dark until 8am here and goes dark again by 4.30 - anyone who works will be walking their dog in the dark! I'm also pretty sure you're more likely to get hit by a car on a well-lit street than you are attacked in a random field with a large dog!

@cantfindname rapid wilt

I go off into the darkness with my rottie and my collie- I'm still alive!

As long as you have your phone with you in case of emergencies, that's the main thing. A friend of mine slipped over while out for a walk with her dog and broke her ankle. It was broad daylight and someone soon came across her, but if it had been late in the evening, she could have been lying there all night before she was found.

Thanks for the perspective. Although I know my brother is coming from a good place, I don't think the risk is significant enough for me to alter my actions.

It probably wasn't a good idea telling him about the times random men have approached me.