Best trail dog breed?
 

If you are FAST, whippet.

Border Collie or Australian Shepard or a mix of the two. Born to "go" and very smart. I do 8-10 mile hikes with friends that have one of each. Both are nearly as fresh at the end of the hike as at the beginning..and they run..non-stop the entire time. While I have a Golden..a smaller, more compact dog will have more stamina. Both dogs mentioned are fast on their feet..sort of like a cattle-cutting horse..hopefully they could stay out of your way on a bike.

High energy dogs can drive you nuts if you don't give them regular & sufficient exercise day after day after day.... It's a real life-style commitment..you can likely find one as a rescue as people give up on them. Both of the hiking dogs above were rescued. The shepherd mix(black-white) was found abandoned in the north woods..as best as anyone can figure(from sightings), he was left to fend for himself in the winter for nearly a month..he's about 11 months old. He's doing fine now..has a few rough edges than need tuning up, but he hangs close off leash. Good dog.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...655107821b.jpg

Whippets are definitely fast, but I think they are more of a sprinting dog, like a greyhound, and not so much long term stamina..though I could be wrong.

Serious dog in the video..nice pup!

If you do it..be careful. Running over a dog could do some real damage.

One more thought..as I come in from blowing snow..a mtn bike pace could easily over-heat a dog too. That could be deadly. The video is beautifully done, but lots of clips were edited together to create the 4 minutes of action. Lots of clips = lots of time for the dog to rest and cool off. Biking around water or babbling brooks would be a plus. When we hike, the dogs can choose to trot or stop to rest when they need to...or jump in a river. If you're biking, the dog will be inclined to stick with you rather than slow down and cool off. Biking is easy compared to what the dog is doing.

This is Tui the whippet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z2us5_CSM0\

Maggie is the local famous trail dog in the Alifia, Balm Boyette area of florida. Not sure what breed, but she is fantastic.

Hungarian Viszla such as this one:

Aussie's love to run and should be great on the trail if trained and the particular dog has the right temperament. Fortunately they are quick learners.

My daughter bought the one on the left and talked my wife in to getting one from the same breeder. I never knew anything about them but will probably get another in a couple years.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1ccddb0a5e.jpg

My favorite trail dog vid to date (she even clears gaps):

Just get the right breed of dog that can keep up. Running/cycling with the wrong kind of dog is cruel, and illegal is some locations.

They don't make a dog slow enough for me.

Maybe get a dog because you're willing to care for a living thing for 15-18 years and not because it's an accessory.

We got an Australian Shepard a few years ago. Great dog. Needs exercise as others have mentioned. I've had golden retrievers in the past. Also great dogs, but probably not as good if you are looking for a dog to go mt biking with.

I am a big fan of Australian cattle dogs (blue or queensland heelers are the non-AKC version of the same dog). They are extremely smart and love to have a job. If you are into running, hiking or mountain biking, etc., that becomes their job. We regularly ride with ours on 12 - 16 milers and he never slows down or knows the word quit. While he mostly leads he will always run back to the last rider in our group every few minutes to make sure everyone is together. While chasing rabbits and squirrels is his second favorite activity when hiking or walking, when he is leading a ride he has no interest in other riders, runners or prey-he completely focused on the job of leading a ride. I get a ton of complements from other riders who have watched him on our rides.


These dogs are one of the smartest breeds and are high energy. This means you need to keep them active and mentally stimulated or they will have behavior problems. That being said there are many rescue dogs of this breed as many owners who are initially impressed with their agility, frisbee/tennis ball catching ability, etc. but can't provide them the daily activity they require. Those that can are rewarded with one of the best dog owning experiences there is.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5fdd5eb9ad.jpg

This can't be said enough. Ninety percent of dog owners don't have a clue. See Bull Dogs. There's a dog for every personality and every occasion.

My Border Collie crushes the trail.https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...08867c5116.jpg

I've got two currently, and two previously. They are a wonderful breed, especially around children and others that require a dog you can trust, but I don't think they would make good trail dogs. Mine at least would not.

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