Does anybody understand the mentality of dogs when they see an MTB ?
Their default behaviour seems to be dither and then stop right in my path…
Other noted behaviours are
1) Chasing and yapping at heals (usualy jack russels)
2) Sitting down, not giving a sh1t (collies sometimes)
3) Half noticeing me, but somehow it does not register so the threat of running into my path is implicit in this behaviour. (most of them, most of the time)
Roughly agree with TJ apart from to add if you aren’t riding in control (ie: cannot stop) then you are causing more of a nuisance than any dog could.
Also to add that TJ broadcasts in every thread about dogs his ignorance about them, as no dog is 100% in control as they aren’t machines and have free will and impulses.
richc: I doubt whether dogs have any conception of footpath, bridlepath, rupp boats or whatever. I am talking about bridlepaths or even bike tracks anyhow.
Anybody an expert on dog behaviour like Barbara Woodhouse?
I don’t recall getting dog trouble when out running cross countr…
Dogs should be under control at all times. Its badly trained dogs and stupid owners that cause issues.
2 out of the 4 things the OP mentions aren’t exactly a dog out of control! And the first one (dithering and then stopping in his path) ain’t exactly a problem either when you’ve slowed to walking pace.
I was joking, they seem to dither just incase you are going to do something interesting (like drop food).
Mine isn’t interested in Bikes, however he is interested in hunting squirrels, so he might/will ignore you, which could mean that you have to go around him, however that’s what your handlebars are for.
You wouldn’t ram a walker/runner/tree/car just because its in your path, so I am not sure why some people think its OK to ram a dog.
i find the biggest problem when riding is dogs trying to bite my face off, its worse if i’m racing through a kids school or playgroup… a)the kids are pretty slow to get out my way and b)if the kids have been eating lunch there’s a big chance one might have jam on its face, thus attracting the dog to rip a kids face off.
the second biggest problem is dogs are never as impressed with my awesome skidding skills as the girls down the estate are (terriers seem pretty interested in wheelies though).
the op is asking what is going on in the mind of a dog when a MTB approaches.
I imagine alot of the ones who just sit in the path are trying to play chicken with you, if you bale out they when and they walk off barking and wuffing and generally beging very pleased with themselves.
In future just make sure they dont win, they you can ride off happy in the knowledge your the big beast and they might think twice about playing chicken again.
Well no matter how much you love your dog ramming a child is far more likely to have legal implications.
Besides, children are usually kept under control, and their parents understand that not everybody thinks that they are wonderful 🙂
PS also how can a dog not understand the concept of a path. If they were clever enough to think sood running around after deer all day Im just going stand about and wait till that human geezer feeds me, their clever enough to understand paths no excuses.
That is a good point, however I would like add the following facts:
Dogs can apply a bite pressure of 320lb enough to penetrate sheet steel)
Dogs run at speeds from 16 to 31 miles per hour.
Dogs reflexes are typically three times faster than a humans.
Might be worth considering before you attack a dog.
They’re probably thinking ‘i wonder if he has a spare sausage in his pocket’
Or ‘MEMEMEMEWANNAPLAYWANNAPLAYWANNAPLAY’
Or ‘GRRRR!!!COMEONTHEN!!!GRRRR!!!’
Or ‘this bum smells nice’ ‘mmmmmmmm’
Who knows, but the place would be poorer without em,
I was chased for about 200 metres by a dog on a cycle track. When it caught up I would accelerate off again.
When it caught up I would accelerate off again.
When it caught up I would accelerate off again.
When it caught up I would accelerate off again.
Dog was looking pretty knackered by this time… then the cycle path merged into a main road …..
I can still remember it’s owner belatedly yelling ‘barny ! barny ! barniiieeee!!’
Funny as ****.
scu98rkr – Member
PS also how can a dog not understand the concept of a path.
One of my dogs understands the concept of a path as ‘a place to have a poo but only if there are enough people watching to make this berk really embarassed’. I just love picking poo up with an audience…..
And as far as standing in front of bikes, they just do it to be annoying.
If you intentionally hurt or lure a dog into danger you run the risk of getting into an physical altercation with the owner.
Dogs are part of peoples families…some would react in the same way if you hurt their child.
I’m not saying that not having your dog under control is ok…but if you hurt or endanger the dog and you end up on the floor counting your teeth then maybe you should have cycled away faster!
Strange you definitely had your own teeth when I saw you out out riding a few weeks ago, that is if you are the same Simon Burgess who lives in Bristol.
Before I trained our Dog to recognise bikes; she just wouldn’t see them. Dogs been out for a walk with a friend, I’ve seen them and headed for them on my bike.
Shouting the dogs name as I’m riding, the daft dog circles the bike looking for where my voice is…. It was almost like Ed was right, Dogs can’t look up. Since then I’ve trained her to recognise bikes. 😕
I would have let it chase me onto the main road…if my pet croc hadn’t eaten it all up first!
Well dogs are so intelligent they know about paths and things eh.