Viewing 31 posts - 41 through 71 (of 71 total)
  • Trail dogs
  • Lawmanmx
    Free Member

    Larry looks Ace too mate 🙂 Patterdales are great doggies

    Alpha1653
    Full Member

    I’m thinking of trying mine out this weekend on the bike. Meet Molly, a 1(?) year old springer/terrier mongrel:

    She has NO recall whatsoever so will be staying firmly on the lead. That said, when I take her running, nothing distracts her and she trots along nicely next to me. Never know, she might turn into an amazing trail hound!

    Alpha1653
    Full Member

    @jaffejoffer: Larry looks awesome!!

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    jaffejoffer
    Free Member

    Cheers, he is! So does Molly, but be warned – bikes and dog leads don’t mix very well!!!

    Alpha1653
    Full Member

    Running and leads don’t mix particularly well either if you’re not careful! It’ll be very slow and just to see how she reacts to a bike – we’ve only had her about 3 months and as a rescue dog she’s encountering a lot of new things recently!

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    Here’s Louis, my 8yr old Fell Terrier

    He comes with me singlespeeding, usually an hour/and a half, 2 or 3 times a week. He has time to rummage around in the bushes.
    No food and he drinks from the bottle. I just squirt it at him.

    mattbee
    Full Member

    Reilly the springer/lab cross absolutely loves bike rides, especially singletrack.
    We avoid busy times where possible and tend to do no more than 90 min, unless I’m properly bimbling. We take fairly frequent breaks especially in the summer when it’s hot. We almost have to force him to stop sometimes, he has that typical dog thing of no concept of the future, so he goes flat out wherever possible then all of a sudden gets knackered and wants to stop. Biggest ride we do with him is something like a couple of Swinley Blue laps, or maybe Blue and Red, although he has been to Afan, Cwm Carn, Coed y Brenin as well ac Cannock, along with lots of natural stuff.
    Mind you, he does a lot of hill walking too so he is pretty fit. Doesn’t stop him being knackered when we are done though!

    walleater
    Full Member

    I wouldn’t call her a ‘trail dog’, but Ashka comes biking with me:

    Scruff, I don’t see a dog in your photo….just a few black dots flicked up on the camera?

    scruff
    Free Member

    Late night Will?

    GolfChick
    Free Member

    Yep Ziva is coming upto 3 now. She does approx 3 rides a week 8 miles a go. The most she’s done is CYB and has a very relaxed day the next day. Shes clever with it and picks her own lines in the wyre where we ride regularly. Once in a while we do a trail centre, shes been degla a few times now and literally runs down the middle of all the switchbacks as she knows a turn is coming and just saves herself.

    Never feed her while running because of risk of bloat, most she gets is end nibble of a sandwich or biscuit if i happen to stop on longer routes. She drinks either from puddles/rivers or out of my bladder which has quite weak ribena.

    She only runs with a bell on at night because I cant see her then if I glance over my shoulder, always know where she is in day as can ehar her running.

    She loves it, wont get off her bed for anything other than the freehub sound as we carry the bike down the driveway.

    ontor
    Free Member

    1) Black lab – 3 1/2
    2) Far as I like really, 25 -30 miles seems pretty ok. Wouldn’t go much further
    3) Feed a few bics

    for more info see myti’s answer as it seems our dogs are clones

    mduncombe
    Free Member

    Louis our Cocker Spaniel used to love an early morning blast around Cwm Carn before its gets busy. Following him down the final part of the Twrch seeing him getting air and riding the berms always brought a smile to my face.

    When Coed Trallwm first came into existence we used to ride there with him as the owners were happy for dogs to be off the lead in their forest.

    He has also accompanied us on rides in the Cairngorms, longest of which was Nethy Bridge to Glenmore over Ryvoan pass and back, pretty much his limit in terms of distance at around 23 miles!

    I wouldn’t feed a dog during exercise, maybe a sandwich crust from our lunch but having water for the dog is essential along with one of those folding bowls.

    He is retired now, 10 years old and has a spinal problem that although doesn’t really bother him day to day, joining us on a ride is too risky. he still gets excited when the bikes come out of the shed though. he had to give up dog agility classes as well as a precaution 🙁

    porter_jamie
    Full Member

    oz – he absolutely loves coming with us. he can do 10 miles no dramas at all, especially when it is not hot. 20 miles on a hot day is not such a good idea.

    idiotdogbrain
    Free Member

    1) Yup – 3yr old Sproxer (spaniel X boxer)
    2) 16 miles/2 hours seems to be his current limit with plenty of water stops
    3) No food, just water
    4) Happily drinks from water bottles or Camelbak but there’s cattle troughs around the army ranges where we go


    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    we’ve got a 9mo cockapoo, who’s just learning to run with bikes. so far just when i take my daughters out so easy terrain and not too far / fast (so she spends as much time charging off into the undergrowth as she does on the trail), but I’m going to try her over christmas coming with me for a bit further and a bit more pace.

    Those of you that train your dogs to poo in the undergrowth / flick it in there. Not on military land please. It’s not very nice for a soldier to take cover on exercise only to find that someone hasn’t cleared up because it wasn’t directly on the path. If you can’t be bothered to bag and dispose of it, don’t have a dog on the army lands.

    For food. no, not proper food, they don’t need it and we don’t want to run the risk of bloating. But she’s still a puppy and needs rewards for recalling properly. initially we had super healthy dog biscuits and the like but the trainer we go to soon put us right – would you behave if all you get is a weeny dry biscuit each time? So then we went to small cubes of cheese and cut up frankfurters. then a friend (and working gundog owner) gave us his genius treat. So now we have a tube of primula cheese and ham spread – squeeze off a half inch and let her lick it out of the tube. It’s always ready, no need to prep treats and she recognises the bright tube from a distance. Just don’t mix up tubes and let the kids have it on sandwiches.

    As for water – nah. She’s a spaniel cross, so even in the height of summer managed to find water wherever we went, and promptly would get in it to at least belly deep. But of course if it was proper hot and we knew water was scarce, we’d carry it for her.

    Alpha1653
    Full Member

    +1 theotherjonv: taking cover during a fire & movement exercise only to appear covered in dog shit is revolting!

    MrNero50
    Free Member

    Obelix, great to see another Working Cocker with a tail.

    We’ve a 2 year old Working Cocker, that we run with the bikes. Only done a few 12 miles or so with him as it is and it’s maybe only every couple of months.

    We don’t feed him as such when we run him with the bikes, but he gets the odd treat and we carry a water bottle for him.

    He generally runs on my back wheel, with MrsNero50 behind keeping an eye on him. He’s a bell on his collar so I can hear roughly where he is. He knows to stay away from wheels.

    barnun
    Free Member

    Nice to see some working cockers on here – I’ve got a 9 month old who looks very similar to Crumpet, except ours hasn’t got much of a tail. His recall isn’t very good out of the house yet, so not sure if he’ll be out with the bike any time soon!

    steviegil
    Free Member

    Theotherjonv – that’s a brilliant idea regarding the primula! Ours is only a pup too, so really need to reward her for recall – I’m going to try this tomorrow night on our nightly walk in the woods 😀

    What are you guys using for recall with your spaniels? Mine is getting better with the whistle(comes back 90% of the time great!) but still loves going off chasing deer – nothing I do seems to be change this…hopefully she will grow out of it 😀

    MrNero50
    Free Member

    Steviegil, we use an Acme 210.5 whistle. 2 pips for recall, 1 for sit (not got sit at distance yet). Ours went off recall for a few months, between about a year and a year and half. Trick was cut his food a bit and use a really high value treat as reward for recall. We use Orijeen treats.

    As for chasing stuff as he’s got older he gives up quicker but still goes if you don’t notice the signs and get him close before he takes off.

    Though, sometimes the best recall is no recall.

    steviegil
    Free Member

    We use the same whistle mrnero50, she is getting better all the time but still a long way from perfect. We live in a rural area, so I’m happy for her to fanny about in the woods herself(not too far away) when we’re walking, as long as she comes straight away when I whistle, since we’re back using the whistle again, she has been good.
    Heading out on the bike with her on Saturday, this will test her new resolve! Haha

    MrNero50
    Free Member

    Steviegil, keep her busy chasing you and she’ll do good!

    simmy
    Free Member

    Any tips on initially atarting the dog out running with the bike ?

    I’ve a 2 ( ish ) year old Lab that loves running but I’m a bit worried about just letting him off the lead and hoping he will run alongside as he’s a rescue and is easily distracted.

    Tie the lead to the top tube and gently go along ? Could be interesting………

    MrNero50
    Free Member

    Simmy, how good is he off a lead? If he’s ok, and generally has ok recall I would say give him a go.

    If you are nervous try him round a park first. I wouldn’t have him on a lead attached to your bike.

    We’ve a Spaniel so pretty much anything distracts him. The key is keeping them occupied. We cannot take it easy with ours, we have to keep him interested in the chase by always moving. If we stop he gets distracted and starts to wander off, pay attention to the smells around him.

    Start with short distances to get him used to staying with you but out the way.

    Good luck.

    simmy
    Free Member

    Cheers for the advice.

    He’s very easily distracted and, to be honest, I’ve not tried him off the lead much as he just legs it. He does come back if called, but its a worry as there are loads of roads near me, and a motorway at the end of the fields.

    Think he’s giddy because he’s not had any puppy time. He was stuck in a house with some moron till he was rescued a year ago when he was between 12 – 18 months old. When I got him he was really nervous and can still be that way but he is improving.

    Think I may try some basic dog training.

    Lawmanmx
    Free Member

    Have a look at these short training videos here, we have had great results from them with our doggie
    http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/t/trainingvideos/#.Uqgr47cgGc0

    stevehipwell
    Free Member

    I’ve got a 3 1/2 year old black lab who loves joining me on a ride (or a run). She will happily do 16 km of mixed trail and road, especially if there is water to go into for a quick drink and cool down. She only gets treats when we are out, never food. When riding after dark she wears a LED collar, which has survived surprisingly well considering the cost and her love of water. She used to have a fluorescent jacket but after loosing two to brambles I’m stilling looking for a better version to try.

    gandalf_ukwizard
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t call her a ‘trail dog’, but Ashka comes biking with me

    what breed is Ashka mate?

    pitchpro2011
    Free Member

    I got my Rhodesian ridgeback to go hiking with originally then took up biking and tried him with that. Aweful trail dog, 10 miles in him on a good day. If it’s boiling your lucky to get 2 miles before finding him asleep under a tree. He’s 4-5years old and very lazy. Should have got a spaniel

    therag
    Free Member

    My springer is coming up to two yrs, from a working family but he’s a family pet. he always wants to lead but gets in the way, when I get infront, he constantly barks and freaks out until he’s able to overtake me. Any advice on how to change this would be welcome. He also won’t rest when I stop, just keeps running back and fore. I only take him on short rides, always under 10 miles for me but I’m sure he does at least double the mileage.

    modig
    Free Member

    Another black lab

    At almost ten years she is getting old so we rarely do more than 10 km nowadays and always at moderate pace (especially if it’s warm). Suits me rather fine 🙂

    Luckily she has always been a very well behaved trail dog without any special training. She likes staying in front. Especially when night riding she almost always stays in the light 🙂

    She loves going with me and she knows the sound of velcro (biking shoes).

    A really old clip from when we both were a bit fitter 🙂

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLIJsxeQr-E[/video]

    Cheers from Sweden
    /Johan

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