Riding with Dogs

idiotdogbrain

Just because you don't think your dog would enjoy going out with the bike, doesn't mean that's true of all dogs.. Mine goes nuts with excitement if I get the bike and his harness out. He's been going out alongside bikes since he was 5months old, so knows perfectly well to keep out of the way of wheels.

In fairness though, I wouldn't take him to a trail centre or anywhere heavily populated with other bikers, and the ratio of bike:foot outings is about 1:10.

diy

its not great quality and the sound is poor due to a nearly flat battery (which causes the buzzing). But you can see they are just left to run along the trail (bottom section of Barry knows best at holmbury). I didn't realise I left my cam on, so captured some other dogs who also ran in front of me on the same day. I have less of an issue with the second lot, because it was a fire road, but clearly the owners were not in control or watching their dogs. I did actually hit the dog with my front wheel, had I been going any faster I could have injured it. I saw them coming and deliberately slotted behind the other rider to give them as much room as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv8eG0R7kTU

matt@theforce

As an ex-dog owner I would never take my dog out for a walk to a trail centre, However I did used to take him out into the woods/trails for walks, he was a very well behaved dog, I used to have some bad comments/language from cyclists as they had to slow down to pass us.
I didn't have an issue with taking him out with me whilst riding or walking as it would often be a gently ride with plenty of stops along the way. What bugs me are the guys/gals on bikes who think that the woods/trails belong to them and refuse to slow down often spraying us in mud as they fly past out of control.

SWMBO rides a horse and we ride together (SWMBO on horse, Me on MTB & when we had a dog he would come along too), again the speed that cyclists enter on and of fire roads in woods can be dangerous as it can spook the horse (as 1 cyclist found out as they clearly weren't in control of the bike and hit the horse as they couldn't stop in time as they came around the corner, 1 large vets bill later and the cylist was still trying to get us to pay for the damage to his bike after the horse trampled on it)

It swings both ways, nobody is perfect

DaveBickers

diy I agree entirely that dogs should not be running off the lead on dedicated trails like in the first section of footage. Although they did seem to be well behaved and just following their owners.

But I really can't see a problem with how the dogs and owners are behaving on the firetrack. Those dogs were pottering along, yes turned into your path at the last minute but at the speeds you and the dog were going no harm done or could be done, why not just laugh it off!!

As for comment about keeping dog on lead why should they, people have probably walking dogs around there a longer than people have been riding bikes!!

bluechair84

Squarepants wrote:

(Rover stay on your paws!)

Like what you did there

I used to ride with my dog (not mine anymore). He had a healthy fear of the bike so never came within a meter unless we were stopped. He also had the right level of shyness and didn't interact with other riders. I took it slow on ups and flats, and he absolutely loved racing me downhill; taking the berms and doubles. He was at his most happiest when we were wearing each other out on the trails and had a face of terror if I loaded the car and didn't take him along.

I stuck a loud bell on his collar so he could always be heard. All up for dogs, I just expect that everyone be kind and courteous from owners to other trail users.

diy

DaveBickers wrote:

As for comment about keeping dog on lead why should they, people have probably walking dogs around there a longer than people have been riding bikes!!

You're right it was an unnecessary comment, but what you cannot see in the vid is that the 2nd dog first set of dogs had been running next to me before overtaking, I had to slow right down, so by this 2nd incident I was getting peed off with dogs. Also I've been bitten by dogs twice now while out riding and the owners always either make a run for it or deny their dog bit. So I'm overly cautious about dogs.

I have no problem with people walking their dogs off a lead, in the woods, but when your dogs are obviously getting in people's way it wont kill you to call them back or distract them. The two ladies were not paying any attention to what their dogs were doing.

MountainMonster

diy wrote:

DaveBickers wrote:

As for comment about keeping dog on lead why should they, people have probably walking dogs around there a longer than people have been riding bikes!!

You're right it was an unnecessary comment, but what you cannot see in the vid is that the 2nd dog first set of dogs had been running next to me before overtaking, I had to slow right down, so by this 2nd incident I was getting peed off with dogs. Also I've been bitten by dogs twice now while out riding and the owners always either make a run for it or deny their dog bit. So I'm overly cautious about dogs.

I have no problem with people walking their dogs off a lead, in the woods, but when your dogs are obviously getting in people's way it wont kill you to call them back or distract them. The two ladies were not paying any attention to what their dogs were doing.

I think there is a huge difference between having to slow down a bit, and the dogs actually having done something wrong. They were minding their own business, and didn't do anything wrong, even on the track. I understand there was an inconvenience, but would you say the same if a rider minding his own business was going slower than you and you had to slow down. Does that mean they shouldn't be riding on the trails either? The dogs didn't do something wrong, not in the slightest, a slight inconvenience at the most, but that doesn't mean anything.

diy

My issue is that the owners were not in control. Another example, not on film, riding on sunday, came up behind two horses on a climb, walkers with a dog coming the other way, so I pull up and wait, as it would have been tight to go through. Instead of calling his dog back and holding him by the collar while the horses pass, the owner pays no regard as his dog walk right up to the horse for a sniff, horse starts getting funny and walking sideways and the dog loses interest. Could have been very different.

On another section, I'm coming down hill, spot walker with her dog coming the other way, so I slow right down. She calls her dog back, gives him a little treat and holds him by the collar until I pass, expressing my gratitude all the way. How hard was that?

bluechair84

So we should ban idiots from trail centres I'd certainly have a eugenic society. Bad dogs are down to bad owners as you've shown, and it would be a shame for a blanket ban on dogs as I've loved riding with them in the past.

cooldad

Pets delicious

Cash-strapped households increasingly finding their dogs taste like chicken

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news-in-p ... 111114531/

DaveBickers

diy When dogs and horses come across one another, in my experience the dog is best left off the lead, most horses have dogs around them a lot of the time, the abnormal scenario would be for a horse to see a restrained dog. That dog then may become anxious or think it's embroiled in some sort of game, therefore more likely to spook horse.

A horse walking sideways isn't a problem except if it was close to a cliff.

Do you work in health and safety?

diy

No I don't like dogs who bite - a lot of dogs think cyclists are something to chase. I've always assumed dogs to be harmless friendly animals. I learned from experience that I can't tell a friendly dog who is having fun running next to me from one who is not friendly and looking for an ankle.

Plod take it really seriously as well, I was shocked by how much effort they put in to tracking down and prosecuting the owner.

I appreciate from the feedback, that I am probably a little paranoid around dogs. Never used to be, but never expected to be attacked by one.

Kiwi John

Dogs are only as good as their owners, I go out regularly on the quiet side of Wharncliffe woods with my dog but am fully aware that there are still MTB users around so keep him close and under control when riders are coming so they are not worried about him. He stays right behind me for anything up to 6-7 miles at whatever speed. He is a 10 stone Rhodesian Ridgeback so if you hit him you'd know about it.
50% of dog owners are as thick as mince, thats the problem!

cooldad

50% of missing dogs are probably in 'mince' pies.

bjj.andy.w

A 140lb ridgie ! What's he been on, steroids :shock:

cycle monster

So, the OP was about irresponsible dog owners letting their out of control dogs off their leads on mtb trails and it has turned into how far my dog can run behind me on said trails! Was it really the purpose of the OP to see whose dog could cause the most trouble?

I could start a rant about why horse owners are not obliged to collect their animals' droppings, in the same way that dog owners are supposed to. Or that dog owners can take their best friends along the vast majority if not all, public paths, whilst we have to wade through horse poo but then the thread would turn into The horse of the year show meets Crufts.

Are there any mountain bikers on here and are we ready to mobilise and take over all of this fair land's golf courses?

Stu Coops

Now don't get me wrong there is no bigger softie than me when it comes to dogs, I have a Staffie cross and she is fantastic when we are out as soon as she see's a rider either MTB or Horse she just moves to the side of me but I have a gripe about riding with dogs and don't get me wrong I take mine if I'm going across Dartmoor or Brecon moorland where the going is real slow and generally she is waiting for me and there are no other riders but last Friday morning I did a lap of the Twrch Trail at Cwmcarn just about 3/4 the way around a blind bend going at a fair speed to come almost head on in to two Labs which some C**K had stopped with to take a P*SS "MTB'r by the way"

He did apologise but c'mon what are some people thinking I nearly ended up going over the side of the hill to avoid his dogs and I did say to him what are you doing bringing ya dogs on here to which he just looked at me as if to say "whats wrong with it" neither dog went for me and I don't blame the dog anywhere if they go for me on a bike I will always have a go at the owner as there is no such thing as bad dogs just bad owners.

Squarepants

bluechair84 wrote:

Squarepants wrote:

(Rover stay on your paws!)

Like what you did there

8)

bails87

I'd disagree with jonnygooner too. If a dog is well behaved it won't go running up to strangers, or it'll stop as soon as the owner calls it. If it's running up and jumping up at you and the owner can't stop it then it's not a well behaved dog, so it shouldn't be off the lead.

There's a dog that I often see around here that the owner doesn't tie to a post when he goes into shops. He just puts the lead in the dog's mouth and the dog freezes until the owner comes back out, it's pretty impressive! If a dog is that well trained then him running along just behind/next to the owner on a bike is fine. If the dog is just running off wherever it wants, with the owner praying it'll come back, then there's a problem.

diy

Apologies, I'm not a dog person so can't spot a well trained one from a biter or a sniffer. I don't mind being sniffed, though I'd prefer to be left alone, the last dog that bit me casually walked round me and then nipped my ankle. It was a small bite, but with sharp teeth and saliver it bled significantly and still meant a course of antibiotic due to the depth of the bite and the risk on infection.

The problem is some dog owners can trust their dog not to bite, while others have no idea if they will or wont. Some dogs think bikes are to be hunted or herded.

bails87

diy: Right, so that is a badly behaved dog, and a poor owner for not just keeping it away from you in the first place. I don't have dogs, and was bitten by a dog when I was doing my paper round once (many years ago!). I rode past the dog and it's owner and the dog snapped at me. The owner just said "he doesn't like bikes" and carried on. So I'm not a 'dog person'. But if it's well behaved, heels when it's told to and is paired with a vaguely sensible owner then there won't be a problem.

S-M

We have a lot of old wagonways that have been converted into cycle routes, and they are full of dog walkers to be honest, 3 times yesterday i had one run in front of me, WHY DO THEY DO THIS?!?!?!

One of them barked and started running towards my leg, ready to sink its teeth in, to be honest i was getting sick so i stopped ready to get off the bike and toe punt the scruffy fecking thing into the undergrowth, its owner ran up and grabbed it, lucky escape for the canine.

Another time i saw 2 girls up ahead, and a dog quite far away, the girls are on one side of the route, the dog is on the other side up ahead sniffing the grass, ok fine i will simply ride between them, as i aproached from the rear, the girls started to freak out .

"arrrrghhhhh" etc etc

I thought this was a bit strange, it all seams a bit much for a middle aged bloke trying to shift some wieght on a MTB the dog seamed happy enough to sniff the grass, it never even turned its head.

It turned out the dog was actually on a long extendable lead, but it was some kind of freaky invisible one that you could not even see :?: maybe something home made like clear fishing wire on a reel? and i was just about to ride between then, probably killing the dog and pulling some girls arm off

I was about a metre away from it before i worked out what was wrong and nigh on went over the bars.

Not sure who was at fault with this one, so i apologised, explained that i had looked and could not even see the lead, so i had planned to ride down the middle of the route leaving loads of space, the 2 lasses were not paying attention, i was but could not see anything dangerous so i backed off a little, covered the brake and went to ride through, it is marked a cycle route after all (the same bloody one that's always full of dog walkers) :roll:

S-M

Actually, here is a question, you ride down a route towards a dog, has anybody just thought "fuck it" and kept a straight path? will the dog get out of the way the majority of the time?

I wondered this yesterday, its got to be better than the brake grabbing swerve i end up doing each time.

diy

As you can see in my video the dog just ignored me and kept going directly in front of my path. Had I not stopped the owner would have had two smaller, less functional "dogs" so to speak.

Kiwi John

I was simply trying to make the point that my dog is well trained and under control "running behind me"

MountainMonster

diy wrote:

Apologies, I'm not a dog person so can't spot a well trained one from a biter or a sniffer. I don't mind being sniffed, though I'd prefer to be left alone, the last dog that bit me casually walked round me and then nipped my ankle. It was a small bite, but with sharp teeth and saliver it bled significantly and still meant a course of antibiotic due to the depth of the bite and the risk on infection.

The problem is some dog owners can trust their dog not to bite, while others have no idea if they will or wont. Some dogs think bikes are to be hunted or herded.

My mother was attacked by wild dogs at 8 years old in the phillipines, and put in the hospital for 3 weeks, and even she is not as much a pussy as you.

Get a grip man, their dogs, not velociraptors or something

Anonymous

Dogs, only lead to trouble

http://youtu.be/3GRSbr0EYYU

big_p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bim01gFu ... r_embedded

Kaise

Kiwi John wrote:

I could start a rant about why horse owners are not obliged to collect their animals' droppings,

horse sh*t = mushed up grass - non toxic
dog sh*t = mushed up, decaying meat and other dog's sh*t = toxic

Mojo_666

My Dog is useless, I wouldn't let him near a tail centre, he would get someone killed through panic and stupidity, having said that my dog would not want to go near a trail and would probably just sit down until i picked him up and carried him.