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Also, anyone who takes a dog on a bike ride is a dick.
I've nearly killed two peoples trail dogs now, by close calls when riding.
cockerpoo
It has two moods, asleep or berserk. Very sweet mind you.
Our in-laws cavapoo is exactly this.
OP - sounds like your trying to decide a dog breed around the need for a Saturday trail runner - but want it to be small and asleep the rest of the week...
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Do you think there’s a link?
Dogs are for walking with not biking with imo.
Not particularly. 60% of dogs over 8 years of age have arthritis and it was absolutely her favourite thing in the world to do so I'm glad she got to experience it for the majority of her life.
we've a working cocker-poodle cross as well; fabulous dog.
A real binary dog - extremely clever but equally daft as a brush; she can run and run but right now she's flat on her back next to me with legs up in the air. And so greedy - she won't take food (if you drop something the leave command is totally obeyed) but give her something and it won't touch the sides. It made her so easy to train, as long as she gets a reward, or nowadays thinks she might get a reward then she'll give total attention.
I was also against designer crosses, but we needed a fleece coat / non-drop because of allergy issues, and she's changed my mind totally, after having had a Springer and a rescue previously.
Best advice the breeder (hobby) gave us was that if the working cocker came through..... they like to be busy and if you don't keep them sufficiently occupied they'll go self-employed. And you might not like the jobs they find for themselves. She chewed the edge off a wall as a puppy, and if you stand and chat for too long when walking then she'll try and dig up stones to eat - so be warned if that comes through!!
I have also looked after rescue dogs in the past, before kids, and know that I’m not looking to train out bad habits or put my kids at risk as the dog has some mental issues.
You won't be given one of these. You may not qualify for whatever the rescue organisation has on the books at the time. It's not in their or the dog's interest to give you something unsuitable.
No help to you OP, but definitely don’t get a Newfoundland. That was my last dog and she was brilliant. Utter crap at walking mind and running was a word she didn’t understand. Excellent with the kids and so sweet natured though.
Also, anyone who takes a dog on a bike ride is a dick.
I agree, you also cannot be focussed enough on the dog to make sure its not shitting on the trail or causing other problems.
it was absolutely her favourite thing in the world
Doesnt mean it was good for her.
Yeah, seems there's lots to consider. The hike and bike is that I do both so a dog that can do both would be ideal. But might not exist with the other things that have to tick the boxes for the lady.
Probably going to go do a bit of dog walking with a local rescue place, but yeah, need to make the decision with the mind not the heart. As the last thing I want to do is have to put the poor thing back in one again. Apparently I'm not allowed to do it with the kids 😉
I guess if the dog does a bit of biking with me. Love the idea of a good ride with the dog bringing up the rear, but as it's not the main thing it has to be an extra.
Cheers
Re running the hound with bikes. I'm not against this, but with caveats.
- not at a trail centre where you know you'll encounter a lot of other bikes; even if you know she's good then it'll affect others' 'flow' because they'll assume she'll get in the way
- not too far; particularly with young'uns, you can do untold damage while joints are developing, and even when fully developed most dogs suitable for running don't have a battery warning light, they will just run themselves into damage or distress. They are that daft.
- I've run ours with my kids on bikes as well which limits speed and distance naturally, and means we got lots of stops for poking at log piles with sticks to see what bugs we could find and the like. Singlespeed also surprisingly good, because it limits (my) range, stops me going too fast, and ensures frequent lie on the ground while dog licks your face back to life moments. Likewise, how will you water them while they're out (fortunately for > 9 months of the year in the UK there are ample puddles)
- if you do take them biking, teach them a get out of the way command (Run On! for mine) - a bit like training other things when they do something you want them to do (eg: the night time poo and wee thread earlier this week). Give them the command as they do it and then a treat and gradually they get the order reversed and it becomes command-activity-reward. In this case the first few times as you nearly run them over shout Run On! (not 'get out the way you idiot ****ing mutt!') and they get the reward of not having a fat man ride into them
- clear up your dog's shit. Even if it is off trail, kids like poking around and hiding in the undergrowth, soldiers on military areas crawl around in it; while stick and flick is sometimes OK in some environments, bagging and disposing (properly!!) is never wrong. And a good tip is get them a collar with a bell on, then if they run behind you you can hear they're still on the move. When the bell stops, so have they, so investigate.
Doesnt mean it was good for her
Life would be very dull if we just applied a set of rules about what is good for us and our children/pets and rigidly stuck to that. Is beer good for you? Are sweets good for your children? I love my dog with all my heart and I decided that she could come on some bike rides with me which she loved. Those rides were tailored to her not my usual riding. As she aged I made the decision that she could no longer do those so please get off your high horse. Same to the usual preachers telling us dogs can't be controlled or safe whilst riding. May be true of some trail dogs or owners but as with anything there are irresponsible people in every sector and you may have met them doesn't mean you ban all because of the few. My dog was actually most well behaved whilst cycling as she loved it so much and was so focused on the trail that she would ignore everything else but me and the bike.
Originally bred from the Fox Terrier…….designed to be long legged and have stamina to follow horses….. could be about bang on what you want.
My last 3. They do tend to last well.
Oldest (lived to be just under 20)
https://flic.kr/p/Rh5mAZ
Middle one (Offspring of above- put down at 17 due to bone cancer)
https://flic.kr/p/R7aEGQ
Youngest (Offspring of middle one. Died last year aged 17)
https://flic.kr/p/R4xQYv
if you go to the rescue you get to take them out for a walk so you can decide If you like them (at Manchester you can at least)
I used to work with a lady who had Pharoh hounds and did crufts etc. they are all a weird bunch and the breeders are unscrupulous. She paid thousands for a dog who now can't go to shows because it grew just a couple of cm too high
Cockerpoo's are ace - we've had ours two years now and can't imagine life without him.
Be sensible where you get yours from (ours was from a breeder who had their own farm and we met the dogs parents and siblings which made the decision much easier) and you can't go wrong.
Bud will happily be out for hours (will switch from running about investigating everything to just chilling by your side as you stroll along) and seems just as happy sitting at home getting a couple of 20 min walks to the local park to have a run about with his doggy-mates.
This thread needs more pics
Oh - be prepared to wash the thing if you get a cockerpoo - ours looks great if he's allowed to get mucky!
We've a 3yo cockerpoo and sounds a lot like the one Painey talks about. Infinite energy if you're out, but the hair isn't the most practical for an outdoor dog as even if cut short it's quite thick and fluffy. He doesn't go for many rides because he gets so many sticks stuck in his hair...
is him chasing me down a descent in my local woods. Note how at the end he decided to stop jogging and went into a run!
Personally I'd go for a springer.
We rescued what we think is a Springer Spaniel (paperwork referred to both springer and sprocker...) called Kiera from the Dogs trust in September. She's 9 but to meet her you'd think she is 9 months - she's as mad as a box of frogs, but brilliant with it.
I work from home so she spends the day sleeping by my side and we have a 45 min walk at lunch time, and a couple of shorter walks as well. She'll quite happily come out for an hours run of an evening or climb mountains, and in the summer hopefully come sailing & canoeing too. She settles down nicely in our campervan and barks just enough when someone comes to the door to give a feel for extra security.
We've now came to know that she can be left for up to 6 hours at a time, i.e. we went out for dinner / theatre at the weekend and she was fine. However most of the time she is by my side.
Dogs are ace. Would post pictures but don't know how on here. I can't think I'll ever be without one now.
Our Springers got dirtier , more matted and were more injury prone simply due to their higher propensity to diving into bushes to flush things out. It's what they enjoyed. If you weren't actively working them or constantly engaging and controlling them, they would find their own entertainment.
The cockapoo just sticks right next to us without needing us to be on top of her all the time, on a walk, so despite the fur she's less maintenance.
The Springers, bar one total softy, were all more wolf like as well - more independent, less family/human and more other dog oriented.
Did someone say GoldenDoodle? 😉
She's awesome.
She's gained about 2.5kg since that photo was taken...she'll be 25-30kg by the time she's done growing!
Campsite up the road has a cockerpoo and a cocker. I have a real soft spot for both of them and I thought the cockerpoo was a bit lively until the cocker arrived. He is bonkers person/dogified
Our springer doesnt know what's hit her when she goes up there. She is very different. Has bonkers moments but is happy just to chill. These days (over 10 now) she's doing a lot more chilling and is fast asleep next to me after we had a good walk at the beach this morning.
My current lot
Crazy springer being mental and unsettled
German Pointer.
Will go all day in the woods, biking / hiking, or happily spend all day sleeping indoors.
Not sure whether this will work in the UK but if not, there's probably something similar over there: Petfinder
I'm in the process of trying to adopt a rescue dog. Each separate society requires an application form to be completed, a home visit and reference checks!
I'm in Vancouver and most rescue dogs are sourced from "high kill" states in the US (primarily Texas, surprisingly!), Korea, Tiawan, India or the Middle East.
I'm not looking for a specific breed/breed combo but Tiawanese Formosa mountain dogs look like a good combination of traits for me.
Over here, plenty of people takes their dogs mountain biking and as long as the dogs get out of the way of other riders, are pretty much accepted as part of the scenery. (They're also a useful bear alert!)
Elvis is our 2 yr old Cockerpoo.
He will happily do 5-10 miles, pace dependant, following me on the bike.
Had him out this afternoon, rollerblading. He’s brilliant, perfect temperament, doesn’t lose hair, & isn’t too big. He’s about perfect for a young family.
Had him out this afternoon, rollerblading
Crikey! I thought we’d done well teaching him “shake hands”.
I have a Vizsla/Pointer cross and a working Pointer. Both have really high energy levels and need 2-3 hours exercise a day. My Vizsla/Pointer will run all day at the side of my bike, though I limit him to 15-20 miles. I never take him to Trail Centers as he won't run on singletrack it has to be fire roads as he will only ever run at the side of the bike not infront or behind.
Like it's been said in previous posts high energy dogs are great fun but they do need the exercise day in day out no matter how you feel, weather etc.
Consider a lab/collie cross. We thought about this for six months before committing.
He can run much farther and faster than you can ride or walk, in fact when he comes on the bike he just explores everything else nearby whilst we huff and puff to catch up.
Also if you are patient you can get some crossed with "Merle" collie and the markings and colours are amazing. Ours is super smart, learns tricks for fun and never once has it been a chore to own him.
As a trail dog hes awesome, shows you new lines and really enjoys himself. Careful to let him cool down and hes good to go again within ten minutes.
Downsides, he can be protective/barky in the street and at home, and the chase instinct takes a couple years to tame properly.
Google "borador" and mine is on the first page of pics in his urban camo suit:)
The Lab Collie cross my parents once had.... ate teaspoons.....
Whatever you go with, as well as its well trained, will give you hours of enjoyment and a bond that's hard to beat
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In the STW of recommending what you have - get yourself a Bert!
A supposed Malamute/Collie cross rescue that turned out to be a 100% Kalerian Bear Dog when we had his DNA checked. Awesome dog.
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"Bike ride you say? No thanks I'm busy"
We have a pointer, a rescue, and a better natured dog you couldn't wish for. Superb with kids, great for exercising and a very loyal member of the family. However, he is fairly large, a bit clumsy at times and can be quite needy and clingy.
Ours is a Braque Francais, very similar to a German short hair pointer (he wasn't a trendy purchase, it's what they have in these parts) He would run all day if you let him but equally he'll suffer a day off, especially in winter.
If you got a puppy you might be able to curb the hunting instincts.... Ours would initially pick up a scent and just go. And go. And go. No amount of calling would get him back until he came to his senses and realised where he was. He's getting better now and can go off lead, but we have to keep an eye on him and call him back.
Another shout for a rescue, they have puppies too and not all are there because they are a problem. Ours was in for 5 of his 7 years, largely because the centre was near a city and he needs room to move. He was there because he's a failed hunter..... Daft, soft sod more like. Love him to bits.
Good luck with whatever you get and do yourself a favour and get it trained up early.
he will only ever run at the side of the bike not infront or behind.
Our Viszla will only ever run behind the bike (about 3" off my back wheel according to people we've ridden with) but the one my mate has will only run in front. Not sure what that says about their relative alpha maleness though 🙂
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OP:
A colleague breeds Spaniels as working dogs. She attached a GPS to one on a shoot - 45 miles in a day it did!
I also agree ont he exercise thing - 2-3 hours a day our dog gets rain or shine. If you were planning on having other hobbies I wouldn;t.
He's a lovely looking dog!
If mine is running infront he's constantly looking back to make sure i'm following which is dangerous and when he's behind he tries to get infront! I found the happy medium on fire roads and farm tracks where he'll run all day.
Border Terrier obvs!
Our BT was biking until he was 12. He bloody loved it, Especially chucking his body into berms and clearing table tops. He would sit on the cross bar with his pwas on the handle bars for road sections and fast firetrack. In his youth he happily did 30k.
He was PTS two weeks ago. He was ace. Sleep well Hamish
Please take a step back before buying a popular 'brand' like a cockapoo; they really are a minefield and spending money on one risks supporting the criminals who profit from supplying apparently legit dogs to the grey intermediaries. Plus as mentioned above, there is a higher risk of shallow gene-pool and early heartbreak for your family.
Again as above- get a scruffy rescue dog, which is likely to be a better trail dog anyway.
We have a Patterdale terrier and she's a great wee dog. They're bred for ratting and bolting foxes so have a lot of energy. Been on a few 10 mile rides with her so far and she's be great, she can outrun just about any other dog, even some collies have a tough time keeping up! Definitely need to be on top of the training though as they're quite stubborn, independent wee dogs. We have a wee baby as well and she's great with him.
It's our first dog and would totally recommend the breed.
We got a Schnoodle 13 maths ago. Absolutely love him to bits. I had 2 kids who were extremely nervous around dogs and tbh after a few bad experiences with the animal refuge (you can’t have this if you have kids or if you work more than 1hr per week) we decided to buy our dog.
He doesn’t shed at all. He is part schnauzer so is a brilliant guard dog and very terrier like. Can easily keep up with slightly bigger cockers (he loves to chase and wrestle). He has been everything we wanted for our family and more. So much so that we pick up his new little brother next week. We have gone for a Schnauzer pedigree this time. For no other reason than we didn’t want another dog having to be measured up against our current dog.
"Please take a step back before buying a popular ‘brand’ like a cockapoo; they really are a minefield and spending money on one risks supporting the criminals who profit from supplying apparently legit dogs to the grey intermediaries. Plus as mentioned above, there is a higher risk of shallow gene-pool and early heartbreak for your family"
As with all dogs, visiting the breeder, seeing the dog's parents and getting a feel that the breeder is legit by asking pertinent questions about the breed and their background, helps.
Our almost 3 yo Cockerpoo is bombproof, and we've had no problems with her health at all.
She will walk as long as we are out. Furthest I've taken her so far is around 6 miles. I've run with her once or twice too, but as mentioned above, they like to stop and sniff, and mine is particularly keen on foraging around the woods. Don't think I would ever ride with her though.
Oh, and the right dog can run all day without drama. I know a border terrier who ran the West Highland Way Race in one go a few years back, without any grief. She was a bit tired after but fine; owner had built her up to it carefully. I remember seeing her happily mooching around under bar tables looking for treats right after running a 55 mile race.
And the 'wrong' dog (step up, Labradors) can run themselves to death in as little as 30 miles, so it's highly irresponsible to take them far. So we banned all dogs from competition, but not from training events.
"Patterdale terrier and she’s a great wee dog. ......on top of the training though as they’re quite stubborn, independent wee dog."
We have a Patterdale (aka the Patterdevil) and I wouldn't recommend them as a first dog. He makes training our previous and current Border terriers look like training Golden labs with a handful of food in your hand at all times... Amazingly fit though
highlandman
Please take a step back before buying a popular ‘brand’ like a cockapoo; they really are a minefield and spending money on one risks supporting the criminals who profit from supplying apparently legit dogs to the grey intermediaries. Plus as mentioned above, there is a higher risk of shallow gene-pool and early heartbreak for your family.
Again as above- get a scruffy rescue dog, which is likely to be a better trail dog anyway.
^This.
Rescue dogs rock, especially Staffy cross breeds.
Next door have a Cockapoo. It's a stupid, stupid dog and they are despairing of it. All it does is bark, at nothing, non stop. It's harmless enough and it does not really bother us, but I know it drives them mad because they've tried everything to stop it yapping. I thought it was just this one, by last night, Mrs Digga was talking about a work colleague with exactly the same problem with a Cockapoo, only it barks in the middle of the night too...
Popularity leads breeders to intensive and irresponsible breeding.
Now that SWMBO has given up working and we'll therefore have someone at home we're also thinking about getting a dog. We've tried the rehoming places but dogs that they're willing to place with inexperienced owners are few and far between. Starting looking at puppies to be told what a minefield that can be as well - some folks seem to think you need to have a degree in dog ownership backed by decades of experience before being allowed in the same room as a dog!
I'd initially thought we'd be a decent choice - detached house, decent sized secure garden with a high fence, no kids at home, one of us at home all day, easy access to great walking as we live on the edge of the Pentland hills. Apparently not though.
You sound ideal. How odd.
You sound ideal. How odd.
For the rehoming folks it just comes down to a lack of experience as the majority of the dogs they have available have issues, and many have been rehomed unsuccessfully several times.