Dogs going silent is the bit that would spook me most honestly. Mine used to bark at absolutely everything - a leaf, a fox, the neighbour sneezing - so if they suddenly went quiet I'd know something was properly wrong. Animals don't do that for nothing.
What did it sound like, like an animal or more like actual footsteps? Theres a big difference between something with four legs scrambling about and something walking with weight behind it. Had a weird experience years ago where I heard something on the roof of my old house and the cat just sat frozen staring upward, didn't make a sound. Never did find out what it was.
Also whereabouts are you roughly? Not asking for your address obviously but urban or rural makes a difference to what people might suggest.