mattbee hence my post above. The question isnt sheep for me its a question of risk and the unforeseeable. Is this an acceptable risk?
TBH I stopped riding with our dog (small black lab) and I decided it was too harsh for her. A mate of mine rode with his black lab all the time and by the age of 2, it's hips were shot to pieces. Bike speeds are too fast for a dog IMO - any dog.
I run with ours a lot and that's a great pace for her - quick enough to keep her going, slow enough to not cause issues.
As for dog control - ours is very very obedient but you still need to factor in unexpected stuff when they are off the lead - a rabbit appearing, another dog turning up, etc - always keep them fairly close.
The RSPCA may also question running of a dog for a number of miles. Many officers take a dim view as they consider it is not natural for a dog to run on the trails for significant distances
mmmmmm so, something like a border collie - a working dog - should not be running for 10/15 miles???? try telling a farmer that 😯
I agree about he whole acceptable risk thing, but also think you can take it too far.
As I see it, as long as my dog is running in front of me, or in between me and my wife within a few bike lengths, I can control him. As such I choose trails more on length, substrate and proximity to water when we take the dog. As a side effect of my preference for quiet trails we are also rerely out at 'peak' times.
As with anything in life though there are those who do not take the same attitude to responsibility. I would be more concerned though by non widers/walkers with dogs on 'biking' trails as their dogs are more likely to react badly to bikes. At least my dog knows what happens when he gets too close to one!
mmmmmm so, something like a border collie - a working dog - should not be running for 10/15 miles???? try telling a farmer that
Agree but collies are not run consistently over a distance though are they?
Dogs are eager to please their master. For instance my dog- Bingo (possibly the leanest and biggest Westie that I have seen) would run beyond his capability to please me. So I always run him ahead of my bike so that he sets the pace. You couldnt do this safely at a trail centre though as the rider needs to see whats ahead first IMO.
🙄
cant be arsed with this...........
I was jokingJust imagining what the dog lovers would have said.
lol, I'm just too slow
i think its ace seeing dogs out on the trail and i always giggle when following my mates lab round a berm and it proper RAILS it!!! When I get another dog I will defo take it out with me!
We took my mate Ben's dog Jake out round cwm carn and brechfa and he was very popular, faster then 90% of people and is fixated on my back wheel so doesnt really get in anyone else's way!
Bike speeds are too fast for a dog IMO - any dog.
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Hmmm, not for a whippet/greyhound. Haven't outrun her yet, and not for want of trying.
Our whippet would go daft if she didn't get a regular run with the bike. That being said I don't take her to trail centres, although I'm sure she would love it. I personally like seeing dogs out and about with MTBers, but would not want to impose ours on anyone who wouldn't share the same view.
I will never forget being up Minch moor on the Innerleithen red, in more than a foot of snow, in blizzard conditions, on the bike, suffering from the cold and seeing a wee Westy appear coming up the trail.
The snow was higher than the dog! Thought I was hallucinating!!
It was a couple of minutes before the owner appeared, on a Rocky Mountain Blizzard of all things!
Still one of the most surreal moments in my life to this day!
THV3 I would challenge that.
Whippets and Greyhounds are bred for short intensive bursts of activity and the last thing they enjoy (from what I have read/heard) is sustained exercise.
Of course they would outrun any cyclist but I suspect they would not be good over an extended period of even a few miles.
Of course you may know better.
its a judgement call, if its a weekend where its busy its a stupid idea, if its mid week and quiet its possible. Trail centres are designed to seperate user groups and avoid conflict, this is doing the opposite of that 🙄
Hi Surfer,
I am afraid what you have read or heard is not representative of the facts.
Racing whippets and greyhounds are indeed bred for short bursts of high speed. However, it is common practice for these dogs to do extended runs of 10 miles or more daily as part of their training regimes. Obviously these are not done at full speed.
I have been taking out our Whippet from when she was about 6 months, slowly increasing the distance in line with what she seems happy with. This started as a 2 mile cycle, and currently the longest loop she does is now about 14 miles at 18 months of age. She gets plenty treats, water and rest if she looks like she needs it.
The key as always is being sensible about it, and not doing to much for either the dog or the rider!
Thv3.
I see. I've never owned one so wasnt approaching it from personal experience however Daisy Duke has had a couple of rescue Greyhounds and a couple of Lurchers and is of this opinion.
I agree with you that training (as with people) is key to performance, although dogs have a head start in terms of breeding!
I ran with a friends fit looking Cocker Spaniel and it was exhausted after a couple of miles whilst my Lakeland will run for up to 10 miles easily!
Fantastic looking dog by the way!
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Agree but collies are not run consistently over a distance though are they?
Really? Our neighbour ran his behind the landrover when it was younger, so it would cover 3 miles at car speeds, do a mornings work, run back, run out gaain, do an afternoons work then run home. He was even known too take himself for big walks if he got bored.
although dogs have a head start in terms of breeding!
I can't work out what that means 🙁 Is it a call to eugenics ?
I can't work out what that means Is it a call to eugenics ?
No because Eugenics only referes to the selective breeding of humans!
I was comparing the performance of dogs who are selectively bred over a relatively short period to be particulalrly good at a certain thing, fighting, running etc or simply to be big or small.
This means that greyhounds have a tendancy to perform better than Daschunds at running at high speed, nothing to do with fitness or training but largely due to one breed possessing physical characteristics that the other doesnt, in this instance long legs.
But you knew all that you just wanted to use the word eugenics didnt you.
But you knew all that you just wanted to use the word eugenics didnt you.
well, the use of the word 'head start' in that context made me wonder if you thought the same benefits should be extended (compelled upon) people ? Dogs do have an advantage at running around and barking at things but these are not traits highly valued in humans...
well, the use of the word 'head start' in that context made me wonder if you thought the same benefits should be extended (compelled upon) people ?
Why on earth did you think that Simon? What convinced you to make that leap from trail dogs and the relatively uncontroversial practice of dog breeding, to the selective breeding of humans?
I'm at a loss to see the link.
Could it be that eugenics is a bit of hobby horse of yours?
To be honest, it's cruel to dogs to keep up their's idiot/muppet owners on the bikes and it's dangerous aswell causing an injury either on dog or bike riders when things goes wrong. 😡
These people who do this should never be allowed to own dogs! 🙄
Could it be that eugenics is a bit of hobby horse of yours?
not that I've ever noticed...
Don't mind dogs but if they cause me to smash my full susser and breaking it or they attack me then the owner should be prepared to pay out or I am going to cook the owner and dog.
Aaah, the welcome return of reasoned argument to the thread.
To Whoever this concerns. If I break your dog by my combined weight of me & Mr Orange (bout 200lbs) or if me or Mr Orange are broken by your negligence in controlling your mutt....I won't be happy & WILL hold you responsible.
Well it did last a reasonable length of time before we heard the sound of dragging knuckles!
My Border Collies come out with me fairly regularly, but I'm not sure I'd want to take them to a trail centre unless I was pretty certain it was going to be pretty quiet. Biking with the dogs is great fun and in all the years I've had farm bred collies i've not had a problem. If you want a dog for this kind of thing, you need to get one from appropriate stock - I've seen the parents of my youngest dog work their way over the side of a hill to bring in sheep with a speed and grace that is breathtaking. Took me about 30 mins to get her running at the rear left of my bike and she falls in there on command now for roads or oncoming cyclists. That's the huge advantage of collies - quick to learn and love to work.
Aaah, the welcome return of reasoned argument to the thread.
It would appear that reasoned arguments fail with dog lovers whose animals are always under control and would never cause inconvenience to others etc. oh and love to run at 20 mph over rough terrain for hours and have done since birth.
As they do with those who own the very trail they ride and woe betide any lesser mortal who should dare to impinge on their (I was going to say enjoyment but can shrivelled souls feel that?) useage of said trail.
I find that most dog owners, like most alcoholics, are unaware of the consequences of their actions and behaviour.
If a dog refuses to return to it's owner when called, it is out of control.
Why do dog owners find this so difficult to accept?
I love dogs, but if one displays threatening behaviour and refuses to back off, then it will get the strongest kick in the face I can manage.
I love seeing well behaved dogs out on the trails, but have experienced so many dodgy incidents (bitten twice, lost count of the number of encounters with aggressive out of control dogs/useless irresponsible owners) that I'm now very wary indeed and treat all unsecured dogs as a potential threat until proven otherwise.
Good for you - perhaps you should give Jeremy Vine a call.
find that most dog owners, like most alcoholics
I love it, what a comparison!
Good for you - perhaps you should give Jeremy Vine a call.
Why would I want to?
Which part of my post do you disagree with?
Not trying to be obtuse, just interested. 😐
I find that many dog owners display alcohilic levels of self delusion when it comes to the behaviour of their beloved pet.
There are exceptions, but then there always are 🙂
I think the comparison is valid.
trail centres are for bikes !
dog owners seem to take EVERY OTHER place they want over beaches, playing fields , pavements ,cycle routes,tracks everywhere
when was the last time you went a walk or cycle and didnt stand on dog poo or get it all over your tyres and clothes
personally dogs should be walked in designated areas provided by our local councils in all towns NOT anywhere an owner wants to take them
bikes and dogs dont mix and in these days of health and safety i am very surprised something hasnt been done to seperate the 2
I'm always amazed by the number if folks on here who's lives seem to lurch from one drama to another - i live in a wee village which is heaving with dog owners and very rarely see any I would consider 'out of control'. There are one or two particular dogs which come to mind (both springers) where the owners have made a choice of breed which isn't really suitable for them and as a consequence the dogs are a bit crazy as they're not getting enough mental and physical stimulation.
Taking dogs out with the bike is fine with a bit of thought put into it - i take mine for a 'pootle' rather than a 'blast', so in reality being on the bike lets me keep up with the dogs rather than them constantly waiting for me to catch up on foot. We got Border Collies that were going to be suitable for this kind of life and because we keep them physically and mentally stimulated, we don't have a problem with their behaviour. Underpinning this was our commitment to training and socialising them, so much so that I took time out of work when we got our latest pup to spend the first 6 months of her life training her and taking her into all sorts of situations to get her accustomed to them. As an aside, a Border Collie pup on a university campus is an absolute 100% chick magnet, something I could have done with knowing before i was happily married.
I'm fortunate that as a youth worker i work in a situation where my dig is part pet, part tool for work - we use the dogs to work with kids who are frightened of them, to let them see that, properly trained, dogs can be good fun. It's also useful to be able to educate them about how to train their own dogs, as it's surprising the number of people who don't know much about how to do this. It's surprise
Ng how effective
i live in a wee village which is heaving with dog owners and very rarely see any I would consider 'out of control'.
ditch_jockey, what would you consider to be 'out of control'?
As a dog owner, it might be very, very different to what a non dog owner would consider it to be.
As stated before, I love dogs, but I hate irresponsible dog owners who refuse to acknowledge that they cannot control their animal.
I take my dog to trail centres and don't see a problem with it. But then i know he comes on command and isn't a threat. If i was unsure of my dogs behaviour then I wouldn't take it.
I avoid busy times though, makes sense really, the amount of out of control weekend warriors on 29ers and Singlespeeds is a threat to mine and my dogs health. Plus my dog says they smell of vaseline.
when was the last time you went a walk or cycle and didnt stand on dog poo or get it all over your tyres and clothes
About three times every day - seriously, I walk our dogs/ cycle round our local trails multiple times during the day and i can only think of 1 occasion in the last year when I stood on shit - ironically in our own garden!
what would you consider to be out of control
in reality, probably much the same as you. I aim to have my dogs come at the first command, 2 is the absolute maximum and if I have to repeat myself again they go on the lead for a bit. I don't allow them to jump up on people, and beyond that, it's a matter of context - if no one's about, they get to roam about, if there are bikes/children/traffic/livestock about, they get called in close or put on the lead. We tend to work on voice and hand commands during a walk, so if they're working well, i might test them by keeping them in close - if they're being a bit flighty or distracted, then I'll save myself the hassle and stick them on the lead.
when was the last time you went a walk or cycle and didnt stand on dog poo or get it all over your tyres and clothes
Er, I've never actually managed to get dog poo on myself or my bike in three years of riding (on a trail named after a mtber's dog), and I think I last acidentally trod in dog poo about... I dunno, ten years ago?
Sheep poo, on the other hand...and foot, and tyres, and coat...
Horse poo is the real kicker round our way - there's a stable at the other side of the meadow from us, so we're constantly dodging big piles of horse apples - the big saving grace of horse poo is that it doesn't stick like dog/sheep crap.
The other big hassle round with us is broken glass - came back from our walk this lunchtime with a poo bag full of broken miller lite bottle. Last time one of my dogs stood on glass, she was bandaged for 3 weeks and it cost about £300 to get it stitched etc. I really don't understand the mentality that inspires someone to break glass in the middle of a beautiful open woodland where dogs/kids/wildlife are all vulnerable to injury.
trail centres are for bikes !
Maybe they should stop putting them in forest parks then?
The forest parks belong to everyone, although I do agree that the purpose made singletrack is no place for one man and his dog.
When I ride afan, the mrs sometimes comes with the dog and walks him on the forest roads (some of which are part of the trail). Are you suggesting that she should not do this?
In a nice way. I really don't feel the urge to take my Bingo to a trail centre.
Why do people do this? Is it a statement to other people about you and how good you can control your dog or is it part of your lifestyle statement?
Do you jump back in your car and touch one of your Apple products afterwards?
I really don't feel the urge to take my Bingo to a trail centre?
Why can I imagine that being said by Julian Clary...
No that would be:
I really don't feel the urge to take my Bingo up the trail centre?
Is it a statement to other people about you and how good you can control your dog or is it part of your lifestyle statement?
Seems an odd statement.
I think most people take their dogs places so that the dogs enjoy themselves. Mine absolutly loves running distance and so the reason i take him biking with me is so that he enjoys it, keeps fit, and will hopefully live a lot longer than the obese house dogs you see waddling around the place.
Dunno. If I'm honest I kinda got bored of this thread 3 pages back. I only revisited as I fancied revisiting the moshpit for one song.
A forest park which has been used by people to walk dogs for decades is now out of bounds because they've built a couple of trails there? 🙄
I don't know what a lifestyle statement is and don't own an apple product. Maybe if you don't enjoy the outdoors, the people and animals in it you should stay at home and touch yourself.
