Dogs … yup I’ve got one. Would I like to take him out for a ride with me? Sure. Would I do it? Nope.

I’ve taken him a few times riding down canal towpath, and he loves it. He stays in front of the bike, quite a way in front of it. But I wouldn’t want the responsibility of him on a ride.

A trailcentre is a dedicated MTB route, where people do not expect to see dogs. Hitting one causes distress to the rider, the dog and the dog owener. At Llandegla, there are notices not to take dogs onto the trail. That said, I’ve seen a couple of people there, on a weekend with a well behaved dog following very close behind. I haven’t had an issue with it.

I’ve also taken the dog for a walk around Llandegla, where I let him off the lead. Before approaching any crossings between the walking routes and bike routes, I’d make sure he was close at hand.

Out on a bridleway, then if someone wants to take their dog, I have no issue. If I were riding, I’d have to be cautious of horses, other bikes, pedestrians, kids, sheep, cows, missing OAPs on invalid scooters, etc. Bridleways are shared usage. Although some of the stories I’ve heard about dog owners going OTB after hitting their own dog … I’d rather not take that risk!

Now, regarding this comment:

How do you feel about young kids on the trails, could you stop for one?

Excellent point. For those who expect the trails to themselves, don’t ride at a trail centre, where it’s open for all users. Everyone was a beginner once, and you will encounter people with kids, or just slower riders. My son is 4, and I feel he’s outgrown some of the green routes. He’s a little slower in some sections, but capable of getting down a blue route safely. I spoke to one of the intructors who works at a local trailcentre and explained that I was concerned about taking him onto one of the blue runs, and upsetting some of the more competent riders who may come steaming up behind us. His reply was “The trail centre is for everyone, and people need to be aware of that. If someone is trying to get their personal best time … then the weekend is not the time to do it.”

So slow-improvers; kids; or even people who have just had an accident may be encountered enroute. If you don’t like it, don’t ride at a trail centre during peak hours!

Sorry for slight thread divert!

Don’t ever ride on the same trail as me for your dog’s sake.

Errrr, why?

How about just leaving the mut at home…

Because he, and I, love going out for a blast with the bike. It’s very rare that we’ll do a trail centre and unheard of to do one that’s busy but I would have no doubts about doing it if it was my only practical option. And I would really really love an 80kg wikid awsum radskillzdewd to come tell me how wrong I was.

Thread title should definitely be

“Rant: People who ride trail CENTRES with dogs”

Unless the OP is one of those people who think trail centres are the only trails of course 😉

Excellent point. For those who expect the trails to themselves, don’t ride at a trail centre, where it’s open for all users.

No it’s not, as has been said, it’s the unpredictability of dogs that is the issue. A small child is unlikely to be running across my path, or towards me at 25mph+.

I can’t take my dog on rides because she just ends up trying to bite the front wheel, causes a bit of a distraction tbh.

I have to say that I’m happy with well trained dogs on the trails with their owners, have only seen it once and it didn’t cause me an issue at all.

Mine isn’t well trained, so will be staying at home whilst I enjoy trying to stay upright.

Is Trail Centre the big ones including a bike shop, two cafes, you pay for parking etc… as opposed to just a trail, in a forest? If so, then I might tend to agree unless on a quiet winter midweek day, I don’t tend to go to trails like that very often, I find their just so full of …. ‘people’. 😛

No it’s not, as has been said, it’s the unpredictability of dogs that is the issue. A small child is unlikely to be running across my path, or towards me at 25mph+.

Go back and re-read my post. I’d finished on the dogs issue and was talking about children.

How do you feel about young kids on the trails, could you stop for one?

On a green/blue or any family route yes! I’d positively expect to see them and ride with this in mind.

But a dog…NO – Even a well-trained one is prone to distraction and therefore unpredictable behaviour at the mere scent of another mut’s sh**e.

FWIW – it’s worth i owned a dog, he lived 18 years. Did I ever take him on a trail… No sir.

Did he enjoy his share of walks elsewhere…til he dropped some days.

Never took him riding trails with me even though it did cross my mind from time to time.

I suppose some people are just more considerate/responsible/less selfish than others.

Go back and re-read my post. I’d finished on the dogs issue and was talking about children.

Yes, but the inference from the dog owner (which you said was an excellent point) is that if you can’t stop for a dog, how do you stop for a child.

My point is that it’s not an excellent point, they behave entirely differently.

One thing dogs don’t ever do on the trails is stop for a group chat right in the middle of the trail and then not move out of everyone elses way until you’ve had to virtually stop and wait for them to move.

These are probably the same morons who stop with their shopping trolleys diagonally across the whole aisle and the entire store is gridlocked whilst Mr Selfish-and-Oblivious decides which beans to buy.

My point is that it’s not an excellent point, they behave entirely differently.

Not got kids yet have you Nick… 😉

I watched a man and his dog doing Berm Baby Berm at GT on Saturday. The guy reached the hairpin and the dog got confused trying to shortcut a good section of the trail. The rider carried on down the trail and the confused dog launched at full speed up the trail. Long shouts then followed from down the trail before the guy then pedals back up the trail in the wrong direction.

I love dogs and can see why people want to include them as it must be a ball for the dog but I think common sense has to be applied and a busy trail centre on a weekend at peak time is not the best idea. You can be lucky and have no issue or you can be unlucky and maybe a dog or rider could be injured as a result.

or you can be unlucky and maybe a dog or rider could be injured as a result.

Good point – has anyone ever been injured by a dog on a trailcentre trail? Or is it just mild annoyance?

Not got kids yet have you Nick…

Fair point! But as the early comments referred to dogs being faster than any riders I’ll stand by my comment that a dog ‘doing it’s thing’ is more of a risk than a child, who at worst will probably panic, stop and fall over. I’ve had that happen when I came face to face with one on a piece of singletrack. After checking she was ok I had to chuckle.

Good point – has anyone ever been injured by a dog on a trailcentre trail? Or is it just mild annoyance?

Ive rode into my dog 3 times, each time I went OTB like hitting a dalmation sized concrete wall, he was fine.

devs – Member

How about just leaving the mut at home…

Because he, and I, love going out for a blast with the bike. It’s very rare that we’ll do a trail centre and unheard of to do one that’s busy but I would have no doubts about doing it if it was my only practical option. And I would really really love an 80kg wikid awsum radskillzdewd to come tell me how wrong I was.

Chances are the awesome dude kids whizzers you mention would hit a jump double back-flip, forward flip then land on you…

Not sure where the “80kg” reference comes in to it.

bad dog owners are the same a bad parents, totally unaware that they are being inconsiderate to others (or don’t give a toss). either way it comes back to get em. The dog will eventually cost them for it’s trouble and their (trained to be) inconsiderate kids will shove em in a home for their house value as soon as they are old. 🙂

Classic. haven’t read a thread like this on STW for ages 🙂

FWIW I totally agree with the OP in that taking a dog to a trail centre, especially on a weekend is selfish and irresponsible. But taking one out on quieter trails is in my eyes, fine. The ironic thing is that these segregated mtb trails were designed around reducing user conflict, seems that they’ve just created another 🙄

In the very unlikely event that you were to see him out with me and you did have a problem with it I’d love you to come tell me. No really I would.

You understand that being overweight and a dog owner doesn’t make you a) scary or b) ‘ard don’t you?

Ive rode into my dog 3 times

That don’t count… Running over your own dog is your own stupid fault (or your dog’s!)

fervouredimage – Member

In the very unlikely event that you were to see him out with me and you did have a problem with it I’d love you to come tell me. No really I would.

You understand that being overweight and a dog owner doesn’t make you a) scary or b) ‘ard don’t you?

😆

I blame the magazines that publish long artfully photographed articles on such activities

I was thinking that… although that article did detail how to properly train your dog. Ooooh, I found a new can, worm anybody?

Worms on trails – now that I don’t mind…

As long as they’re trained properly.

“Orange crush I think that you may be letting prejudice taint your comprehension of what you are reading. That para of the land reform act does not make it illegal to have a dog on a trail centre at all and a dog under control can go anywhere.”

I did not say it was illegal to have a dog “on a trail centre”, please read what I said more carefully.

I have no prejudice – merely stating the rules as I read them. Dog must be under proper control, generally held to be close control – normally meaning on a lead.

Access rights are not exercisable on land “set out for a particular recreational purpose” which sounds like a pretty good description of a trail centre route to me. This would also apply to the happy hikers who insist on walking on the Glentress bike trails instead of on the dedicated walking trails there (which the rule equally prevents people using whilst cycling).

The overarching principle is responsible use and, in the context of the above, I would suggest that if a dog caused injury on a dedicated bike route there would prima facae be failure to achieve the required level of responsible use.

Isn’t one of the official trails at Cannock named Follow the Dog? Is Cannock a trail centre? Should this trail be renamed during busy periods? What are the dogs’ opinions about all this?

Right. I’m off to the local swimming baths where I plan to train my dog to swim behind me.

Where exactly are all these dogs at trail centres? Is it a common problem? Is it really that dangerous? Has anyone actually ever been injured by such a collision? Or is it just a case of people having an online moan?

I’ve seen about 3 hounds in the last year at GT. None were causing any issue to other trail users. There is one particularly mad spaniel who takes the berms better than I ever could, as well as getting better air over the tabletops.

Awesome hound, although I do have an issue with him not wearing a helmet….

I soon gave up reading this thread but….

My woman is American and she says that over there you NEVER let your dog off the lead except in your back yard or maybe in some areas of some parks. Which is a lot more responsible.

LOL – and you can’t go mountain biking anywhere, in fact in the ‘land of the free’ you can do pretty well fork all!

If I ever ride a UK trail centre again, I’ll make sure I bring a hippo with me. It’ll fit right in 😉

scruff – Member

Ive rode into my dog 3 times, each time I went OTB like hitting a dalmation sized concrete wall, he was fine.

I got the spaniel the other day too – on a road section between bridleways. She was getting a bit tired and decided to run into my wheel – 29ers really do go over anything(oops!)

I don’t have a problem with a good rider taking a VERY well trained dog to a trail centre if done at a quiet time. I wouldn’t take mine for a couple of reasons, mainly because I want to concentrate on my riding and not on the dog, but I have seen dogs that are safer on the trails than a lot of dick heads that you get riding their bikes. But 99% of dogs should not be anywhere near a trail centre.

When I take my dog on my local trails we pull over for any other users – bikes, horses, walkers and I always warn people that there is a dog with me if they cannot see her.

Just to clarify the full face/body armour numpty thing. All the ones I came across that day really were.

anyone else got the bike hound ad on the right? lol

thats a lovely looking dog walleater

mrvear – Member
Just to clarify the full face/body armour numpty thing. All the ones I came across that day really were.

You took the time to get to know them ALL?

How things have changed on here in 3 years

New to this trolling thing but its far to easy 😉 Of course I don’t think or know they are all numptys, that would be stupid.

Singlespeed_Shep – Member
How things have changed on here in 3 years

They haven’t changed – start a new thread with that title – I bet it goes well.
I could post my video
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKoAaOhMaiA[/video]

mrvear – Member
New to this trolling thing but its far to easy Of course I don’t think or know they are all numptys, that would be stupid.

Just what I was thinking.

As a dog owner I think its wrong that dogs are at trail centres. They are purpose built trails for bikes, nothing else.

Once came across a dog with owner going down Hully Gully. I had to brake because of the dog, and the owner didn’t look best pleased that I didn’t stop!

Normal countryside not a problem.

Singlespeed_Shep – Member
How things have changed on here in 3 years

Good thread 😀