I have a serious warning for all dog walkers to be vigilant when out walking on their own.

This morning I was approach by a lady I know who told me that a lady who I always see when I walk my dogs at 5am in the morning was sexually assaulted on Friday morning whilst she was walking her dog.
She asked the woman to come and find me and warn me to be careful as I beknown to me she always follows the woman whith the 3 staffies (me) as she feels alot safer...... **sad**

But this woman was still attacked.

It could have only be the fact that I had 3 dogs that this b*stard didnt attack me, he must have driven passed and seen me and I feel so upset that I was unable to help this poor woman...Im trying to wrack my brains to see if I had heard or seen anyone.

I feel so upset and shaken I cant stop crying...I will no longer be walking my dogs in the morning. My thoughts and prays go to this poor woman and thank her for getting out the message to find me .

Please everyone be careful

What a terrible ordeal for this woman. You have to be so careful.

Before we moved, there were always loads of people walking so I was never concerned, but our new park seems so empty. I am sure that when Breeze is a little bigger, no one will come near us, but at the moment, she is a lovely friendly Rottie and I hope that we never have to see her aggressive potential when protecting us.

Before OH came along, and if it was dark, I always walked barnie on the road, never went through the park or woods. Now I do morning shift and OH does evening shift.

Don't be too hard on yourself, there is nothing you could have done to prevent this, there are a lot of sick people out there but life has to go on.

What a horrible thing to happen to that poor woman. It is sad that in this day and age women cannot feel safe when out walking. I have got a rape alarm that I always carry with me when out in quiet places.
Don't be too hard on yourself blondiflops, as Sarah Gorb says there is nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening.
Hope you are ok. {{hugs}}

thanks guys, I feel relieved, scared, guilty and so angry at the same time :(

Poor woman :( and it happened on a well lit street...

god, just saw your message thats so awful. like the others said u should't feel guilty at all.
it is really worrying, i dont really like walking cleo on the woods on my own, but i always take to the park on my own, it just shows that these days you have to be careful everywhere.
i reckon your lot (and cleo) would be very protective if they ever needed to be though.
chin up xx

Poor woman, how awful for her :( You shouldn't feel any guilt though, there is nothing you could have done to prevent it.

One of my friends was mugged a couple of years ago...in broad daylight, on a busy street and she had her dog with her at the time. Another friend was mugged as she opened her front door after getting out of a taxi. Bad things can happen anywhere and at any time. All we can do is take all sensible precautions to try to keep ourselves safe.

A couple of years ago I was out walking with my GSd on our local heath, which I did most afternoons.  I noticed a guy wandering around no dog or anything, and I must admit I got the shivers looking at him, at the time my dog was behind a bush but when she came out this guy just turned heel and walked away, I felt so unsettled I came straight home...but a couple of weeks later this Guys face was on the front page of our local paper he had been arrested for attacking women and he was also a paedophile who the police had been looking for for some time, I might add that when this happened it was the school holidays, so he was probably out looking for kids.....makes me shudder.  Needless to say that I no longer go up the heath on my own...although my dog looks fearsome, I am not 100% sure she would protect me, I dont want to take that chance.

It's  wicked world we're living in isn't it and it's shocking that so many of us have had experiences like this. There was a terrible case locally of a woman who was raped while out walking her cocker spaniel - the poor dog was terrified and ran off. I've had  two dodgy encounters and I live in a built up area. I'm fortunate that my dogs are vigilant, naturally suspicious and look the part as had they not I think I might have been in a lot of trouble.

Once was several years ago when I was out with my two shar-pei in broad daylight and yards from the road. I could see this man out of the corner of my eye. He couldn't see the dogs for the long grass and I could tell by his body language he was intent on mugging me - I'm presuming it was mugging as he was one of the local junkies. Anyway, he came up behind me (he thought I hadn't seen him) and he got to within about 12 feet of us and the dogs went berserk and charged at him. I just let the flexileads roll out a little before I stopped them and I think he might have needed clean underwear once he stopped running.

The second time was a few months ago when I taking my Tibetan Mastiff puppy for a late night potty trip before bed. I could see this man hanging about looking suspicious and pacing up and down. I didn't like the look of him at all. When I went up the sliproad to the local health centre, he began walking towards me in a very determined and fast manner. Once again, he couldn't see the dog as he was mooching in the grass out of the light. My puppy saw him when he was about 50 feet away and let out a huge, booming bark - the man turned right round and ran off.

Im so sorry to hear your news. However I would say that there was absolutly nothing that you could have done to stop it.

Also whilst I would advocate taking sensible precautions I would also say that I am dead against letting these horible people win by taking away our pleasures. Especially in the summer there is nothing nicer than feeling like the first and only person in the world.

I always try to take my mobile phone and have been known to take a camera with me (Im not advanced enough to have one that is combined). If you feel threatened you then have 2 options 1. Make a call 2. take photos of the things around you, including of course the person who is making you feel uncomfortable. If all else fails and you cannot easily get away in my experience a confident stare, making sure that you are taking in as much detail as possible is enough to put off most perverts and cowards as they fear identification more than anything. 

Remember personal power is yours to keep or give away as you choose.