To walk dogs alone in the woods?

[Mouseorchestra7]

I walk my parents’ dogs (two small-ish cockers) in the woodland and countryside around the busy-ish seaside town my parents live in. I absolutely love our walks, and find them so good for my mental health. I’ve never had any scary experiences (touch wood) in the year or so I have been regularly walking them (discovered the joys of it during the pandemic), but I do sometimes wonder whether I should be going out on my own for long walks as a solo women (late 30s). Part of me wonders whether I should even be asking this, as I know I’ll have to continue whatever people say, as I love the walks so much, as do the dogs!

I was just reading up about the Julia James murder, and it got me thinking (and worrying). I don’t have an OH, or friends in the area that can come with me unfortunately. If you walk on your own, are there any precautions you take? Hate that women have to worry about these things!

I used to every day for hours with my lurcher both my daughter and I have had number of encounters it’s no longer worth the fear or anxiety both of us feel going alone, although we’ll happily go together

I had a lovely border collie years ago and I was walking pregnant in a very secluded woodland area. This man came out of some bushes frantically running towards me and my dog charged him nipping his arm and he ran away. I often wonder if he was going to attack me or if I startled him and he was innocently loitering in the bushes.

Whatinthelord

I think it might put some people off, if they hear you talking to the Police. It may help catch them, if nothing else, so justice would have been served?

I was attacked (sexually assaulted) in my mid 20s while walking my dog. I wasn’t in the woods, it was in a city centre residential area and it was by a complete stranger (never had someone I know attack me). I fully expected my dog to protect me and bark or jump up at any attacker but he wandered off for a pee and left me on my own.

I wouldn’t ever walk alone in woods which is a shame as I love walking in woods & my current dogs love it too. To be honest I rarely leave the house on my own now.

I get so sad and so angry that I and other women have to think like this and love like this.

I live near a big park have no issues walking the dog there in daylight but wouldn't go near it in the dark. I run without the dog in the evenings on fairly busy streets. Since the Aisling Murphy murder I've been wary and stopped running outdoors after dark for a bit. On my first run outdoors last week a man on a bike cycled right up behind me on the footpath. Said something to me (I had earphones in so didn't hear) then cycled super slow in front of me I had to cross the road to avoid passing him gave me the creeps. Next day I was in the park meeting a friend and a different man sat right beside me on a bench (loads of other free benches around) and was sorta shaking/ hands in trouser pockets. I hopped up to walk away and he said he just felt unwell got up himself and darted off. Really weird creepy incidents perhaps innocent but my feeling not. It's definitely shit to have to think of these things and I resent living with fear but it's seems there's some weird arseholes out there.

I must admit I wouldn't walk along a canal I always feel too vulnerable as it is hard to escape. Woodlands seem a bit easier if you know them well.

@Whatinthelord The Russell case is in part what got me thinking about this (and therefore posting). Saw something in the news about it today. It happened in an idyllic Kentish village on a remote rural lane. Freaks me out, as those are the sort of places I walk. They naturally shouldn’t have had any concerns about their safety. They were just on a nice country walk. So terrible. It was that and the Julia James murder (much more recent).

@Skinnydog that must have been so scary!

I literally only saw what I assume was glass etc the dog noticed him and being a lurcher I assumed bunny etc but he clocked him and acted odd which was completely out of character

I think it’s amazing you walk with doggies in woods. It’s not fair to feel threatened. But that’s what women are feeling after s9 many awful news . Can you perhaps carry a tape alarm or other deterrent? We can’t lock ourselves away in fear!

@curlymom yes, I’m about to order one of those, as well as pepper spray!

@Alpenguin that’s terrible. So sorry you had to go through that. It is awful that we have to live in fear.

YANBU you shouldn’t have to live your life in fear

I walk our Labrador-mix alone often, she looks like a lab pup despite being 4 years old. I feel on edge and carry a personal alarm with me, even though the woods we walk in are fairly well used. It’s so sad that we have to feel this way - we should be able to go for a walk alone with or without a dog! I know she has a loud bark and would protect me, but it’s still sad to have to take precautions such as carrying an alarm. I also always feel I have to tell my husband when we go out, where we are walking, and when we get home.

I don’t have much to add to this thread except that you cannot legally carry pepper spray in the UK, however you can buy a UV dye spray which you can spray on an attacker and the dye will mark them for days.

I've walked the dog alone for years, only day time though. Now I have baby in carrier or pram too. Not felt unsafe, I found it odd when my neighbour said they would never walk alone where I walk the dog.

I walk my dog for miles on my own, over fields etc, and rarely see anyone. However if I feel anxious if there is someone I'm not too sure about, I walk in the opposite direction quickly.

Years ago I had a huge rottie/black lab cross, she looked like the Hound of the Baskervilles, I could walk anywhere at night and not feel scared (if only people knew she was frightened of dusters, the dustpan and brush and other silly things) 😂

My border collie however, would probably create all kinds of hell if someone approached me at night, he's so protective over me.

I used to go walking anywhere I fancied when my dog was alive. And I was a lot younger and more attractive then . My reasoning was, that any predatory weirdos would likely be put off by the fact you have a dog. Even if it’s not a fierce dog, it’s still a complication they don’t need so they’d be more likely to wait for an ‘easier’ target.

Secondly, the risk of randomly being attacked is tiny. Of course it does happen but statistically the risk is minuscule. I know it’s slightly different but I remember reading that a child would have to sit on a wall alone for 10,000 years before they got abducted by a stranger, when it’s worked out how statistically likely that is to happen. I’d imagine it’s a similar statistic for women being randomly attacked.

I do - I feel much less safe in big cities, known lots of people get pulled into an alley and mugged - I know noone who got attacked in the middle of nowhere.

There are lots of lovely wooded walks near where I live and during the pandemic it was great because there were always people around even though it wasn't busy. Now I have reverted to only going on some walks and only during the time other dog walkers are likely to be walking unless I'm with a friend or with my boyfriend.

My boyfriend always walks his dog in a place that I'd never walk on my own though we occasionally see lone dog walkers, some of them are women.

I have been followed and had my path blocked several times in the last but not whilst walking my dog. Near where I live a female jogger was raped in the evening.

A few months ago, it got dark quicker than i realised and the last 10 mins of my walk i ran back and i was scared the whole time.

It is shit we have to feel this way.

I walk the dog in the dark and in secluded areas daily, he’s big and he gives me confidence to walk places I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking without him, I love walking late at night seeing the stars or at dawn watching the sun come up- I wouldn’t do those things without the reassurance of a big dog - and that’s sad. Having a dog (previous dog also a large breed) didn’t stop me getting followed and flashed at though - i hate hate hate that women have to be hyper aware and risk assessing and not just enjoying our surroundings- having a dog redresses that’s for me I can relax in the hope that my big daft hound makes me less of a target.

Sadly this is something women have to think about. For years my mum drilled it into us not to walk alone, be aware at all times who is around, do not listen to music listen for footsteps, only use well lit streets, cross the road if you think you are being followed. I am still hyper aware when I walk alone. There is a lovely riverside walk near me which is popular with dog walkers. I like a morning walk before work. One section is shielded by trees and very poor lighting. My DH made me promise not to walk that side of the river. So I stick to the more popular side with street lighting. The dog walkers and joggers recognise one another and keep an eye out for each other. I will often stop and chat and the dogs recognise me too. So never really feel alone walking there. But I feel sad it is something we even have to think about. In a perfect world we would walk wherever we wanted but it is not a perfect world so we must take care and stay aware of the dangers.

Walk my dog all over the place alone. Only round the streets in the dark .

All places you meet other walkers a few times though.

TBH I’m more worried about breaking my leg and not being able to get help than anything else !

@User48751490 I very rarely take the same route and vary it to make it more interesting for my dog - I also sometimes pop to somewhere further afield in my car too.

I'll happily walk alone without my dog in woods etc. But last year two men followed me and tried to take my dog, so now I'll never walk anywhere isolated with my dog because I think my dog is more at risk than I am.

I feel mildly threatened when cycling on roads, dog walking in isolated places is hugely safer. I'm certainly not going to stop cycling.

The statistics convince me -- violent crimes against isolated walkers are extremely rare and often linked to another risk factor I may be able to avoid. I don't mind some risk in my life, anyway.

Generally I don’t really worry too much about leaving the farm to walk the dogs, they run alongside the quad etc and just altogether have a busy little life but when I do go ‘off site’ to walk them, I don’t worry about where we go. I don’t tend to worry too much anyway but if the thought goes cross my mind that actually this may not be safe, while I’ve a little cockapoo who is glued to me at all times and would be no help, we’ve also got two NZ huntaways who lope along beside me off lead, massive great dogs with a booming bark and a fiercely protective side. Good luck to any would be attacker, that’s all I can say.

I do. We have a forest very nearby and the dogs love it. I also walk with them in these areas in the pitch black. I sometimes worry, as I never feel fear in these scenarios and it's not good really. I do carry an aerosol or a rape alarm and a spray dye with me Both my dogs are real good girls, but protective of me when out.
Ooh, I did stop taking them a few years back when that killer clown spoofs became popular, as that WOULD have terrified me, I kept picturing IT floating out amongst the trees, not nice!!