It was almost a guarantee, if we gave it much thought beforehand, that since the morning dawned cool, dry and clear with full sun replacing the grouchy sky of yesterday, there would be plenty of other people and their companion dogs out on the forest trails today. Others were few and far between yesterday morning. We had a quiet, serene walk through all the trails, with no perceived challenges for Jackie and Jillie to move them to a barking chorus.

We dressed Jillie in her lighter harness, replacing the one that firmly restrains her when she struggles to run ahead to confront dogs she isn't familiar with. The lighter harness doesn't slip off Jackie, but it does Jillie. So today because the sun was full out, and the trees weren't dripping as they had been yesterday, we did come across others, those we know and those we don't. And Jillie wriggled and strained out of her harness.

A small black schnauzer, their size, decided that our two rascals would make perfect playmates. We've come across this little fellow before. He's young, still a puppy, and eager to play, running about happily everywhere. Innocently adorable, a perfect picture of immature joyfulness. Nothing fazes that little guy, who simply ignored our two and their bad manners, forgiving them instantly, generously offering them the opportunity to play with him.

Their playfulness, unfortunately fails to go beyond the tussles and games they share between themselves. Because each fulfills the needs of the other, they've never been receptive to invitations tendered by other dogs. What they do in becoming accustomed to the presence of others is simply relax around them, accepting that they're there, but unwilling to chase and tease. And when other dogs in their presence do indulge in playfulness, they seem to interpret it as threatening, as though the other dogs are in danger from one another, and someone should intervene to stop them before someone gets hurt.

They're most comfortable around the presence of dogs they know that are mature enough that they're not interested in physical interactions. Like Rex, the Rottweiler, who's getting on in years, and though curious about everything around him, no longer feels the need to indulge in vigorous games with other dogs. He just feels better lounging around. Older dogs do that to perfection.

When we were about halfway through our morning ramble, my husband suddenly suggested that we take our puppies off leash and 'see what happens'. Well, we know what happens, they have the freedom to rush ahead yapping fiercely when we begin to come abreast of someone else on the trail -- not people, other dogs -- and our concern is that they'll do that if they ever encounter a coyote, forcing the coyote to turn on them.

But we went ahead anyway and took them off leash. They hardly seemed to notice. But they did begin to distance themselves, trotting easily ahead of us, necessitating that we call them back to remain within sight and closer at hand. Truth is, it was extremely relaxing not having to manipulate a leash continually. Just to amble along, watching them, appreciating the landscape, chatting together.

And we ran into no difficulties. When we stopped now and again to chat briefly with people we know, they stop right beside us and wait patiently until we part company with our friends and continue our hike. Whether we'll revert to having them off leash as we did for so many years, only time and related experience will tell us. The constant coyote sightings narrated to us by others caused us to leash them to begin with, but those sightings have receded dramatically.

Our vigilance cannot be entirely set aside, but perhaps we can agree between us that as long as they now respond to our repeated reminders to them not to stray, to remain in sight and close by, we may work things out to everyone's satisfaction. It is imperative that they remain in close sight; we see many dogs left to wander unrestricted where they will, well out of sight of their human companions. That has never worked for us and it's hugely unlikely it ever might.