koolerb

I used to ride with my Australian cattle Dog mutt when she was younger. I was always afraid she was going to blow herself up but she loved it. We used to fight for the same piece of trail every once in a wile and came close to running her over a few times.

kq2dc7

I can't post pictures yet but my 2 year old GSD loves running with the bike.

MikeOK

Well Jessy came to live with us a couple weeks ago and he’s 8 weeks old now. Lots for both of us to learn.

mojojojo

Another vote for the Australian Cattle Dog. My dog can keep up with me biking on trail and is smart enough to get out of the way and not get run over. Plus she sheds dirt quickly.

Mountain Mitch

Much as I like dogs I am not a fan of dogs on the trails. I train dogs and I hunt with them but I don’t like them chasing the wildlife nor do I like the strain on the dogs. I admit that I’m in the minority locally. I have known dogs to become exhausted and dis-oriented. I have seen injuries including impalement, eye damage and amputation of tail or other limbs. I know of at least one that died on the trail - whether from heat alone or a heart attack is hard to say. It is easy for someone to get hurt by trying to avoid hitting the dog in a tough situation - especially the owner.

If you do want a dog and you’re responsible enough to know when not to run it (anything over 70F/20C) then a leaner short haired breed is usually best. Goldens are too bulky and their coats are too heavy. Whippets are known to be thin skinned and will rip themselves up pretty good. Dalmations were bred as carriage dogs and should be ideal - but most of them are aggressive and a trifle crazy. My hunting dogs (Setter and German Shorthair) would soon ignore the bikes and head off hunting.

turtledove

Personally, I don't like trail dogs for mountain bikers. Get a dog if you really love dogs and want that companionship, but if you're just trying to get a "trail dog" just because you think it's cool to have a dog chase on bike trial rides, I'd say don't. It's pretty dangerous and somewhat irresponsible in a lot of cases. Leaving your dog unleashed on a trail where people are riding is just plain dangerous and I would not recommend.

eshew

German short hair's are tough to beat. Fast, agile & have radiators for ears.

kq2dc7

Karddet

I have a border collie/golden retriever cross that is a blast to ride with, but with his thick coat he gets hot easily. I like to keep him shaved but it's still hard on him sometimes. Invest in a collapsible water dish and bring a few extra bottles.

Racing Dan

Was about to comment something along those lines. A dog is not a toy. If you want a dog, by all means, get one that fits your lifestyle and be prepared for the long haul, but getting one because of cool YT videos, seem short sighted and somewhat ego ... Adopt if possible.

PGHNeil

I’m not a dog person but even I know that Golden retrievers make for crappy trail dogs. They’re bred to swim in cold water and grab things without crushing them. If you’re going to run them without at least getting their undercoat trimmed figure that you’re going to need to at least double your water.

While they may have a fun and somewhat long puppy stage (where they can be incredibly reckless if not trained properly) at about age 5 they slow down significantly. They are prone to hip problems, especially if they gain weight from lack of exercise. Several in our extended circle of family and friends have lost them to spleen cancer. Rarely have I seen one live past 9 years.

BTW I’m also in the camp that unless it’s a St Bernard with a first aid kit and a whiskey keg dangling under its dribbling chin and it’s towing a gurney there is absolutely no purpose to having a dog on a trail.

TXBDan

I love dogs and have mountain biked with my old dog (an aussie), but it really is tough on them. Dogs really can't hang with a fast mountain biker over 8-10 miles, although they'll certainly risk death trying. I think they'd be happier if you were on foot and just hiking with them off leash.

Also, its pretty inconsiderate of other riders. I've gotten tangled up in happy/friendly dogs chasing me a number of times. Could get the dog or someone hurt.

Kapusta

Don't even think of getting a dog unless you will be fine with it never riding with you, because no matter the breed, in some cases it just won't work out, and you had better be totally OK with that. And at some point ANY dog will be too old to do it.

That said, I did have a dog once that was a great trail companion, and that was a real joy. I am also fine with people bringing dogs along on rides and with dogs I encounter out on the trail.

Dogs really don't ask for much, I am fine sharing the trails with them.

Marinos

What about Italian gray hounds? they should be able to keep up, no?

optimusprime8

This is the best thread on the whole forum.

Mountain Mitch

Another reason not to take you dog on a mountain bike trail - bears!
See story BC Castanet News
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story--3-.htm

PGHNeil

^ ouch. The poor thing.

We were recently on vacation at Lake Tahoe and got stuck in a traffic back up on the west side of the lake - which is mostly forest. The reason for the backup was that a bunch of tourists were gawking at a large brown bear about 50 yards back from the road. Some fools were actually pulling part way off the road to take selfies, risking their lives and blocking traffic. There was a police officer there too - but he wasn't getting out of the car.

To make it on-topic, there is a paved MUP (which is the roughest I could ride with the family in tow) that runs across the street and there were lots of people riding that day. I'm so glad we didn't ride that day. I'm sure that bears can run faster than my wife and kids can ride.

Dog owners confound me - but as I am a cat person I understand that there's some inherent competition. I will concede that taking a cat for a walk on a leash can be a real drag!

Meanerspice

My friends got a Weimaraner and he LOVES to go out on the trails. They don't seem too big to where they'd get in your way, but aren't so small that you'll run over them. They've got a lot of endurance, but aren't as fast as something like a whippet or a greyhound.

Kapusta

That was a black bear, not a brown bear. There are no brown bears (Grizzlies) in that region. Walking up and doing a selfie with it sounds pretty stupid, but unless you get between it and a cub they are not aggressive.

Of course if a dog goes after it, it might not end well for the dog if the bear does not run.

Mountain Mitch

There are, of course, multiple coloured specimens of the species Black Bear, including brown. Close to half our local Black Bears are cinnamon coloured.

Black Bears can certainly be aggressive and even predatory. For some information that might just save your life check out https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/arti...ks/2011/05/11/ . They are not to be feared, but don’t assume they are harmless.

Kapusta

Yes, but a brown-colored black bear is not the same as a “brown bear” in the context the poster I was responding to was using it.

Yes, the black bears around Tahoe are brown-colored and some are very large. And people not from around there sometimes think they are seeing a “brown bear” (i.e., grizzly). This is why I made the correction I did.

Black bear fatalities are really pretty rare considering how common human contact with them is. 33 since 1990. That is just over once per year.

In terms of what i was commenting on, standing and watching a black bear from 50 yards away is really not something to worry about unless the bear seems really interested in you or is agitated.

But since this is a thread about dogs, that is a whole different ballgame.

velojym

I haven't ridden with any dogs, but at times when I've hiked and done some backcountry running, the two that stand out the most are: Spock, a Border Collie... and Lucy, a German Shorthaired Pointer.
They both had their own styles, but were both almost entirely worry free, as they centered all their activity around me even when they needed to stretch their legs beyond what this mere human could do.

PGHNeil

Yes. My wife Googled it and we knew it wasn't a grizzly. It was definitely bigger than the bears back east.

Bandrada

Flagstaff?

I agree that Aussies are a great breed as a traildog companion. Eager to learn and please...and, they are often found in rescue/animal shelters.

This is Rez. As some have stated, it will take time to teach and train them unless you get them as a puppy. They naturally like to chase anything that moves, like any other dog, and sometimes their instinct to herd overrides their ability to focus on anything else. Also, up to 2 years of age their joints are still developing, so they can damage easy from overuse. Be careful to pay close attention to him/her until you get used to a pace that is comfortable for both of you. This dog is so smart, I'm still learning myself just how smart he is. Sometimes I just have to talk to him and he seems to know exactly what I'm saying and what I requesting him to do. The only issue is that he's so in tune with everything that he is extremely sensitive to a lot of things.

One last thing is that these dogs tend to have a thick undercoat (which actually keeps them cooler than without it), and they can overheat pretty quickly. I usually can't run him during the summer, so he's a little out of shape in this picture. As others have stated - too, they are good for pretty long rides if the conditions are right. I usually like to ride in places where there is a stream or water as well. Helps with not having to carry water. Rez will actually just eat snow during the winter so I don't even have to take water if there are still drifts about.

MikeOK

Great post Bandrada, my little Jessy is almost 7 months old now and I agree with what you said. He is definitely gonna be a winter dog, he overheats very easily. And that herding thing is hilarious, he is immediately on anything that moves. Lots if long walks and short bike trips close around the house. A year from now, maybe a bit more and he’ll be ready to start some adventures.