Odd occurance

[odette]

I went out to a nature preserve to track my pup last night, been going there for years. Any way a truck pulls in and the man just sat and watched me lay the track, I was thinking wtf, he gets out and trys to talk to me,asks if I lost something, I grabbed the pup( all 80 #s} and said I'm tracking the dog ,I am not a nervous person, just struck as odd,scary odd. The guy then says as he's leaving I've beeen coming out for a few nights. The point is should I stay away from there, or am Igetting paranoid? Gotta track the pup as much as possible, or he won't title, what would any of you do? Hard to find good tracking grounds these days.

[pooh13]

Have someone join you for these night trackings and a can of pepper spray on hand wouldn't be a bad idea to have handy.

[KarlaSnyder]

I'd keep going. A big dog is a pretty good deterent, and taking a friend along might make you feel better too. The guy might have been on the up and up, but it's a scary world out there today.

[Petekids]

Either take somebody (preferably a guy) with you or find someplace else that might have more people around. Why take chances?

[puppy love]

That guy sounds a little creepy to me. Have you got a friend (preferably big & male) who can go with you to track your dog? I definately would not go alone at night... you dont know who is watching you or what they have on their sick twisted minds. There are some real bad people out there, you are smart to trust your gut and see the red flags.

[Full_Groom]

Bring a male friend.

[Maltese_mama]

Take a friend and also call the cops. If you see him again get his plates. If the cops drive by or better yet stop and have a chat w/ him, it will hopefully scare him off. I'd keep my eyes/ears open for a new spot too.

[4Sibes]

Wear a ballcap or windbreaker w/ your local Police Dept insignia on it.
You'll be avoided.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

Bring a male with you for protection, but, don't go back there again. If creepo was really stalking you he will wait until you come alone.

[SwissNChow]

Odds are he's just curious. Probably watches Animal Planet and thinks the police dog stuff is cool.

However, I do strongly recommend not tracking alone after dark in isolated areas. There are crazy people out there.

[D'tails]

Yea don't go back there alone.

My friend was a park ranger and I would get banned from this site if I posted the stories about things she saw and found in parks while on the job. Everything from x-rated caches to weirdo militia people laying homeade bombs and booby traps around public pavillions.

[Dog Daze]

Just my personal point of view but I don't trust anyone I haven't known for a long time (especially men that approach me in the middle of nowher) and ALWAYS question their motives, better safe than sorry.

[HOTW]

Follow your gut instinct. If you had the heebejeebes there's a reason.

I had a wierd one walk in my shop years ago and try to walk right into my grooming area. My dog who was in the corner immediately jumped up ran over put his feet on the top of the swing door(which was a nono) barking like mad. I mean viciously! The guy jumped back and accused my dog of attacking him. I told him that the sign said No Admittance. He wanted me to lock up Dodger who I am now restraining him because he wanted to go over the gate! Told the guy to leave he said Come out here I want you to show me where the Bakery is. I told him it was right across the street and I wasn't coming out there because my dog didnt liek him. HE woldn't leave til I grabbed my cordless and started dialing he asked who I was calling..I told him a client who was one of the village cops and that finally got him out of there fast. I locked my doors and told put a sign up for clients to knock at the grooming area window to let me know they were there for pickup. A few years later they arrested the BTK guy and he looked an awful lot like the creepo!

[kwpgrooming]

Take the class and get a concealed weapons permit.

[Kifaru]

Well, normally I'd suggest taking a big dog along with you...

Partner up with someone - lay track for each other. Brush up on your self defense method of choice, and work a really intimidating bark and hold (or as my friend calls it, sit-and-scream). This guy's probably harmless but one uncomfortable encounter is enough.

From another perspective, though... I've gone out to lay tracks for the local training group, and I've watched others do theirs. If someone happens to see you doing tracks, it's quite possible that he really did think you lost something - like your mind, especially if you sketch tracks in a notebook on the fly like we do.