I'm So Mad! *Hiking Mis-Adventure*
Hiya guys!
So today bf and I went for a hike. We took Joxer and Buford. We tried to find the one trial I had picked out, but it looked like they're not maintaining it anymore. So we find an alternate trail that I had in mind.
The first thing you see upon entering the trailhead is a big sign that says it's a dangerous area for off-leash dogs. Plus there's the sign with all the rules on it. #3 Rule being "All dogs must be leashed". Ok, no problem. I always keep my dogs on leash anyway. Buford isn't very good with strange dogs so I like to keep him close, plus I don't really want them harassing wildlife etc. And this trail happens to be on private land so I feel even more obligated to obey all the rules. Otherwise the owners might revoke the publics privilidges.
We get towards the end of the trail and down the embankment I notice a woman with her little boy and two off-leash dogs in a nice beach area on the river. The strange dogs (lab and sheltie) start barking aggressively and running toward us and I yell down to the woman and ask if her dogs will stay down there. She says yes and then I let her know that Buford isn't good with strange dogs and we will turn around and go down river.
So we head down to another part of the river and let Buford swim for a while (on a 20 foot long line). We're just packing up when the ladies black lab rushes towards bf and Buford very aggressively. So she and Buford get into it and bf is trying to break it up for a good while. It takes about 45 seconds for the lady and her little boy to even reach us (that's how far ahead she let her off-leash dogs run) and by this time bf is wrestling with Buford and I'm on the ground trying to grab the stupid lab. Now, remember we're down by the river and all of this is happening on big, hard river rocks!
Her little boy sees us first and I yell at him to stay away because I certainly didn't want him to get hurt. Now Joxer and the little sheltie are starting to act up so I give each of them a rap on the nose and tell them to leave it, which they both do. We finally seperated the two big dogs and her dog runs back to her. By this time, I'm on the ground, panting and shaking, both knees scraped up and bleeding and my face is bleeding slightly. Later on, I figure out my right thumb is sprained.
I reprimanded the lady very sharply about her having her dogs off-leash and totally no control over them. I inform her that in the National Forrests, your dogs must be leashed at all times. I also reminded her that this was private land and her reckless actions might ruin it for all dog owners.
She huffs off and heads down the trail and I yell out, "Were you even going to ask if we were ok?"
She turns around and snottily asks, "Well, are you ok?" and turns around and walks off.
Some people!
I mean, first of all the rules are for everyone, right? Am I being anal? I would never let my dogs run off leash on a trail like that. I wouldn't want other hikers scared. I mean, not everyone likes dogs after all. And if her dogs are running that far ahead of her, you know she's not cleaning up after them. And I was rather irritated that she was letting her dogs run on the nice little beach. I try to be really couretous and move off the trail for other hikers without dogs but she was just letting her dogs tear up the nice little beach area. Grrrrrrrr.
And I even warned her earlier about Buford. I don't even think she had leashes on her. This really chaps my a$$ because it's exactly people like this that ruin it for all the responsible dog owners.
However, there was one good part. We saw another couple with two pit bulls, also and they were brindle too! And on-leash and well-behaved I might add.
So here I sit, with two banged up knees, one banged up arm, a scratch on my face and a sprained thumb. :(
How would you guys feel about this?
