I’ve recently become the master/provider for a golden retriever. He’s about 2 and a half years old, and while we’ve taken him through some basic training, including a bit of off lead walking, I was wondering if any one has been through the experience of training their dog to follow them around on a bike? Any tips/pitfalls/advice would be much appreciated?

Get the basics down first. Walking to heel off lead is a must, as you’ll want him to run next to the bike. Recall is another thing you’ll need.

The better trained the dog/owner is, the easier it will be.

Apart from generally having a dog that pays attention and comes when you call it – it’s almost essential to get them to trot alongside and match speed. Nose level with front axle is ideal, so you can see them in your peripheral vision. Then when you get going fast on singletrack having them behind is better – in front hey tend to stop or run across your line unpredictably.

I found it easier to take my dog on natural trail as there are too many folk (distractions) at trail centres. Other than that glen’s advice is spot on.

Get mine whistle trained from a young age which helped enormously. Build up the distances slowly and make sure you take plenty of rest stops for him/her. (ok,there for me really but I don’t tell him that)If you see any steams when your out always give him an opportunity to drink.Getting the dog to keep out of your way when riding is one to work on. Accidentally ran over my dog the first time I took him out on the trails with me. Turn out to be a good thing because he now keeps well out of my way when going downhill.

And take lots of little plastic bags so you can pick up the poo and leave it hanging from a tree

Lots of praising when they do the right thing.

My dog is fast, so is in front most of the time. Personally, I find this easier than behind cos I can see when she stops, gets distracted etc.
Very early on she may have got in the way, but soon learnt with a tyre scraping her behind.

A thread encouraging dogs on trails? 😮

*enters nuclear bunker*

whistle training is very useful, plus teaching them ’round’ a good idea for sections where they need to be on the lead and you are cycling (on busy roads etc) and lamp posts etc get in the way, also teaching them to take water from a camelback (squirting it at them) is very useful for hot dry days

also obviously teaching them not to pull is pretty essential.

As for where to get them to run when you are riding, personally I wouldn’t worry about that as they can usually outpace you on singletrack or technical terrain, and on fireroads you need to watch your speed to prevent hip/shoulder damage and as long as they recall when you whistle/call it really doesn’t matter where they are.

and as other said you need to watch them, and give them breaks and water when they need it, as they will kill themselves trying to keep up and having an injured dog isn’t a lot of fun, especially if its your fault.

Picture of mutt.

I took an 18 month old labrador from Hartsop over High Street and back to Howtown and then over Bordale Hause. She was fine until the last mile or so of tarmac when her paws wore out. Had to wait a bit on the downhill bits but then she had to wait a bit on the uphills. She is used to quite long walks though.

i’d love a trail dog!

there’s some ace vids out there. can anyone find the one where the dog tries a gap jump after the fella on the bike and properly cases it?

i’m on work computer so can’t search videos 🙁

I don’t have a dog, but followed on down a trail at cwmcarn! Great fun, and I’ve never seen a dog run so fast!

Get him conditioned for livestock. Once sheep and cows are “boring” to him life will be much easier.

If you do have the dog running in front, left and right (nearside /off side) any two distinguishable words for direction.

Pick a word like halt/stop/down/dead or something like that and when the dog hears it, have them stop and lay down whatever they’re doing.

Loved taking mine out with the bikes when he was up to it.

Found this

just out of interest how did you condition yours around sheep, mine is fine around cows, horses etc.

But isn’t great around sheep, he still recalls however I would prefer him to be disinterested, so I don’t need to call him back

Interested in the advise given for this as I want to train mine too when she’s fully grown.

There’s some footage of someone off of her taking their Border Terrier around the trails. Might be Brian or Archie.

The wife found a dog trainer down south who had some stunt sheep. They didn’t fight or run, they just ignored the dog. Therefore, they were of no interest to him.

When ours was a puppy we asked a local farmer if we could put him in a pen with a tup. After a couple of head butts from the sheep. The dog won’t go anywhere near sheep now. Not saying this is the best way but it worked for us. Can now walk through a field full of sheep off lead and he won’t leave my side.

LOL @ bjj.andy.w

You probably were lucky not to end up with a dog / sheep hybrid

Sheep, cats, squirrels.. my dog would love to chase them, but she’s trained to “LEAVE IT!”

Pigs however, they just don’t give toss!

No idea how you train a dog once it’s got a taste for chasing sheep. I was just lucky.

All good advice.

I accidentally on purpose ran into the back of both my dogs with my front wheel and neither of them run in front of the bike now – ever.

Being able to make them stop at any point is handy and decent recall is a must. Sometimes we meet other people on the trail with dogs, call ours to come and end up trailing their dogs along too.

IT was handy having the (super intelligent) sheepdog first because she picked up how to be a perfect trail dog really quickly and now the (super thick) Labrador is learning by copying her.

I saw a border collie at Laggan that was clearly having a great time – railing the berms and getting big air 🙂

I saw a border collie at Laggan that was clearly having a great time – railing the berms and getting big air

Yes but was it wearing a helmet TJ?

+1 for “LEAVE IT” “WAIT” and either left or right. Mine always runs along side on the left so that on the road shes on the verge, so never bothered to teach “right” as she just follows, left was more crucial as she gets a bit of nose rub with the spokes if she doesnt turn left quick enough. If sounds a bit cruel but the first time she got a front wheel up her backside was also the last, she now runs behind, or well in front so thats that sorted.

Yup, a bit of rubber up the arse works wonders!
Build the mutt up slowly. My Fell terrier was capable of 2 hours+ a year ago, but due to my health problems he’s out of shape. 45 mins max, now, and he’s shagged…
Don’t forget the dog’s paws. Round here it’s mainly sand, so rocks and suchlike would cut his feet to ribbons in no time. Shandy lad!

defintely agree that you want him beside you sometimes and then behind you on singletrack. Used to have a Husky who on our first ride together nearly wiped me out on the Fife coastal path. Was coming to a steep section past Dysart with plenty of steps and we met another dog at the top of these steps and he stopped dead in front of my wheel.not good, really not good for him or for me 😆