Beware of Dogs (not Bull Dogs)

I have the urge to travel-northeast to be exact. This time of year the view from the top of Little River Canyon is quite simply breathtaking. I have been wanting to hike down to the canyon, but have been waiting for cooler weather so I don't encounter any rattlers. Last spring it wasn't a rattler I encountered, but dogs that had me headed for the trees. There we were: me, my mother, and my three children in the middle of the forest. We could hear the dogs approaching (barking wildly). They were on the other side of a creek so we never saw them but could tell by the number of barks that it was a pack. I was concerned and shared my opinions with my mom and oldest son, "Bama". We started to head back down the trail, in the direction we had come. It was a good way to the parking area where our vehicle was. As we walked, I scoped out trees, ones that would be good for climbing. It was then that I saw the dogs in the distance, 4 shepard looking dogs-large dogs-coming up the trail in front of us. I knew better than to run, but I told everyone, "To the tree, quick". We changed direction again, "There", I pointed to a very large pine that had broken off midway. It was high enough to be out of reach. I shoved my children, them screaming, up on the trunk. My mom and I followed. We turned back to see the weirdest site, the dogs (4 Shepard looking dogs) that had barked to wildly were walking very slowly towards some rocks. They didn't even make eye contact with us. Then they disappeared. We sat in the tree for about 10 minutes,to be on the safe side. Then we shimmed down and began back down the trail, as we passed the rocks we looked cautiously-nothing. To this day I still cannot figure where the dogs went without any of us seeing them. It was quite a few nervous moments that my kids laugh about today...getting "treed" by the "wild dogs". But it is something that you don't think being cautious of when you are in the woods. Next time, I will bring that can of mace I purchased last week. Mace just in case.