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(cue FB drama)
After my dad teasing me on FB for staying in tonight and not walking the dog, and me stating it's dark and not safe...my cousin felt a need to butt in and state "well there are street lights it's not actually pitch dark", "well why would you choose to live in a not crazy safe area?" (it's not the sketchiest area, but it's no prime neighborhood), "stuff happens just as much in the daytime as nighttime".
I don't care what she says, I would never feel safe walking my dog (the sweetest thing ever who wouldn't know how to protect me) at night, especially by myself. I would probably do it in my hometime (less than 7000 living there), but that's it!
What about you? Am I just watching too many crime dramas?
I dunno... the only time I've ever walked my dog was if we went out somehwere, which was rare... we luckily have always had a yard, and we just let the dogs out to run around for a bit several times a day.
It depends on the type of dog. I used to live in a sketchy area....very sketchy.....but I was fostering Penny - a german shepherd mutt-mix - a medium (60-lb) dog. While I knew she was super sweet and would never hurt a fly, the dudes on my street did not know that. I often walked her after dark.....and every time I passed by a bunch of dudes just hanging on the corner drinking beers...you could see they were about to start cat-calling me and then were like "Woah....big dog" and gave me plenty of space. Man, I miss Penny!
(FI with Penny - sorry, I just came across this photo a few hours ago and could not resist posting!)
We live in a safe family-friendly middle-income neighborhood. That said, I would not feel safe walking around in the dark alone. I love walking around our neighborhood, and frequently go for walks in the morning before work.
Walking in the dark, I would not only worry about someone harming me, but I would worry about a careless driver hitting me or otherwise getting injured (Tripping and falling maybe?) and no one seeing me.
So no, I don't think you're alone. I wouldn't walk after dark.
I would around my block and by the school near by but thats it. Granted I don't have my puppy yet.
I do every night. It's frequently too hot to walk before 9 pm. It helps that my dogs would kill someone walking across the street and a mile away, but in truth, I don't worry too much. I stay in well-lit areas near the street and stay out of wooded areas. Worse thing I have seen is a possum. Ugly things.
Nope. I would never walk alone in the dark. And as far as I'm concerned, most dogs don't count as someone else- I still consider myself alone. The city I grew up in was known for being pretty safe and I still never would have, never will. It's just risky- stuff does NOT happen just as much in the daytime. I live on a college campus and we hear about women getting mugged all the time, always at night when they're alone. Thankfully I haven't heard of a rape or murder in my time here, but that's happened before too.
Nope, I would not and do not. Even though the area I live in is "considered' a good area, I'd rather not risk it.
I live in a relatively safe, well-lit urban area, but I still never walk my dogs at night. It just makes me nervous. I'd probably be fine, but I would be worried and jumpy the whole time and it's just not worth it. Even if I lived in a really safe, rural area I probably still wouldn't because I'm basically just afraid of the dark. : )
@galloway111 - not trying to be mean or anything, but have you ever owned a dog? I mean, they are totally pack animals (at least in my experience - maybe yours is different??) And if trained properly, or even somewhat properly, the dog knows that you are part of its pack and will protect you if you are in trouble. Now, granted, a tiny dog would not be much protection, and I would never walk 'by myself" (sans dog) in a sketchy area after dark, but when I am with a dog...my dog...part of my pack....I have never felt like I was by myself. Again, totally not trying to be mean or anything, it just intrigues me that you feel this way.
BTW - now, if we are talking about cats - forget it! My cats would totally push me under a bus to get themselves out of harms way!
I live in a really safe area, but its pitch black out there on my street! No street light till a mile down the road. So nope... I'm not going out there.
I would walk my dog at night in my complex, don't think I ever have though. The streets here are well lit and it's a private community plus on top of that my dog is 100+ pound German Shepard. I wouldn't leave my complex though and I never run errands alone at night.
@Orion: Ugh I miss our yard! We moved from a giant yard to no yard. *sob*
@Rock Hugger: Awe what a sweety! Yes, my dog is a 40lb lab and just looks sweet (to everyone except the Asians here. They're terrified of her for some reason)
If DH came, I would still be jumpy but not as much. But...I agree, it just isn't worth it! Less people around+more places to hide=more dangerous!
@Rock Hugger: Yes, I have a dog, but he's a shih tzu so not very big. I did say most dogs, not all, because I know some dogs would bite or attack if they sensed trouble, I've known dogs like that. But I've also known large dogs that lick and sniff everyone and would probably just bark and be curious if someone approached. Besides, maybe I watch too many crime shows too, but it's not all that hard to silence a dog if someone wanted to attack me.
If you own a super protective german shepherd... you may feel differently, haha.
I have a toy poodle, and I walk him alone at night in the dark. I would feel bad for making him hold it until 7am when I get up for work if the last walk I took him on was when it was still light! I just give my SO a call so I'm on the phone, and if anything happens, he will know immediately and call 911. I just take him on a short walk up and down the street though, and I know all my neighbors. I wouldn't feel comfortable going around the block in the dark.
@Boston Bee: When I'm lazy I just open the door and let the dog go out. He stops right by the bush by the front door, pees, walks back in like "Thanks mom!"
@Boston Bee: We thankfully have a green strip right outside our door so I'll take her to run on that so she can pee before bed, but even out there I've seen some people sketchily standing in the parking lot! LOL. I'm probably just a scaredy cat.
@Rock Hugger: My cats would totally push me under a bus to get themselves out of harms way!
Oh, cats...
@soon2bhis: Awww.... yeah, having a yard has always been pretty important to me. I'm going to be in an apartment or something along those lines soon though, and am not really looking forward to it. But then again I won't have my dogs, just my cat, and she's an indoor cat.
Depends on the area. If I didnt feel safe I would make arrangements to walk the dog earlier (or make sure he/she has enough exercise). Its part of the responsibility of a dog owner.
I'm of the opinion that a female walk alone shouldn't put herself in a situation walking alone in the dark unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Bad things happen in good neighborhoods too.
A few years ago, when we lived in an apartment, I was out walking my dog after dark. About half an hour later (we had just gone to bed) there was a knock at the door. It was a police officer, he had arrested a guy that was lurking behind the apartments, and he identified our apartment as one he was looking into and watching us. After we talked to the police officer (we didn't really have much to say, we hadn't seen anything) all I could think about was that I was just outside with that guy staring at me and how UNthreatening my little foo-foo dog (papillon) was. And that was in a "safe area".
Now we have a house, so I don't walk the dogs at night, they just go in the yard. But if I did walk them, I would consider exercising my right/permit to CCW.
@galloway111 - ahh....that makes more sense to me. I guess with tiny dogs its a bit different!
@abbyful: i assume you mean concealed carry?
anyway, gratuitous puppy picture!
I don't have a dog, but I frequently walk alone 'after dark'. After dark can be quite early. As long as there's people out and about I'm not too concerned.
I have two chihuahuas, and I actually just brought them in from a walk. It's almost 9pm here, so plenty dark. But even though they're small dogs, they are still protectors. Like @Rock Hugger: said, they know that you are a part of their pact.
I will add that FH and I live in a very good neighborhood, so that may have something to do with it. If we lived in a sketchy part of town, you wouldn't find me outside after dark unless FH was outside with me or there was a fire in the building!
DH would not want me out on the BearTrail (2 something mi trail two blocks from the apartmnet) at night but I've taken ILs dog out to the green spaces around the apartment at 11 something at night when she's here for football game weekends. The city itself isnt that safe, and our area is known for having the rich college kids.
"And if trained properly, or even somewhat properly, the dog knows that you are part of its pack and will protect you if you are in trouble."
This really isn't accurate. It's hit-or-miss, often "miss".
I know a man that trains protection dogs, he says more often than not, a dog not specifically trained for protection with either be friendly with the bad-guy or be shy/run-away.
If you ever watched the TV show "It Takes a Theif", there were multiple episodes where the homeowners said their dogs would bark / protection the house / etc. I don't think a single one did, a couple were friendly, most just went and hid under the bed or elsewhere in the house.
For me, my dogs are a great alarm system, but I wouldn't rely on them for protection. And it's not just because I have smal dogs, I've had big dogs too and wouldn't rely on them: german shepherd, lab, english setter, german shorthair pointer, etc. I've found that, with my family owning around 30 dogs in my lifetime of various breeds (mostly cockers, my parents used to breed/show cockers; but there were other breeds we had 1-4 dogs of), that my big dogs have tended to be wussier than my small dogs! The fiestiest dog I've ever owned was a mini dachshund. The wussiest was a german shepherd.
I'm really getting curious, what do you mean by 'after dark'?
I had to check, sunset (at the very earliest) will eventually be at 4:14pm here. You guys wouldn't feel comfortable walking alone at 5:30?
I usually walk a mile with my dog at night time. Actually I've been doing it for 2 years. It's his favorite time to walk. We live in a city and hes really well trained that he doesn't have to be on the leash so he gets to roam around. I go with my FI of course.
I won't walk my dogs alone at night, but I will with my husband. I used to walk my first dog alone at night all the time. Thinking back, it wasn't very smart. My 7 pound dog isn't exactly going to scare anyone away!
I have no problem walking my dogs at night, (we luckily live in an extremely safe neighborhood) however, since the Mississippi river rose a few months ago, the coyotes in my neighborhood are rampant and they are constantly being spotted right after dusk.
@abbyful: That's the reason why I wouldn't walk at night. You just never know, and it is harder for others in the area to spot someone following you or watching you if it is dark out.
I think it depends on where you live and what kind of dog you are walking. I walk after dark all the time, both my family dogs are large, although our pitbull mix thinks EVERYONE is her best friend, the rottie mix (she looks like a hound) will be wary of strangers and bark at men who she doesnt know, but then she will run and hide. However, people avoid me when I am walking them, I have walked multiple dogs before when pet-sitting and the scary young men in the neigborhood would cross the street to avoid me. I guess its just too much of a risk.
I walk dogs professionally and go out any time of day.
When I had my own dog (Rottweiler)we walked from 9pm to 11pm each night in all areas of town and never had an issue for 11 years. It was actually a nice way to meet people. It's how I met the guy from my last relationship.
I live in an average neighbourhood and I walk my dog at 6am every morning Monday-Friday and it can be completely dark depending on the time of year. I generally see the same people and vehicles out each morning and so far I haven't felt unsafe while out walking.
I also walk the dog in the evenings but in winter I try to go out as soon as I get home from work so I at least catch some daylight.
I figure that enough people see me out walking on a regular basis and my dog is on the large side (35kg / 75lbs), he's a staffy - boxer cross with a ferocious bark so he's quite an effective deterrent!
ETA - @SandyDollHair I actually found my wedding photographer through dog walking - I met her Dad walking their dog round our neighbourhood!
Here's my gorgeous boy...
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