REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Why hikers should leash their dogs on the trail

3508 Views 57 Replies 33 Participants Last post by RTM, Dec 22, 2005

Lost81

Discussion Starter · Dec 13, 2005

4

From Craig's List:

Our dog disappeared in Briones (concord / pleasant hill / martinez)

Reply to: [email protected]
Date: 2005-12-12, 6:57PM PST

Hello- If anyone in the area of Briones (martinez, pleasant hill, lafayette) has seen a 6 month old dachshund mix please email me. She was last seen in Briones on Saturday December 10, when she went tearing off after some mountain bikers. If you are one of those mountain bikers please let me know if you have any information, our family misses her very much. Here are some pictures of her, the one on the upper left is the most recent but since it just shows her head I included some others. Thanks everyone she is a great dog!

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pimpbot

· #2 · Dec 13, 2005

Wups!

Sad to hear. I'm up there all the time, and see folks running dogs leashless all the time.

Speaking of which, Tuesday night ride tomorrow! Everybody keep an eye out.

Rumpfy

· #3 · Dec 13, 2005

Thats a bummer for sure....

This last weekend we came across some mountain bikers who were riding with a leashless trail dog too.

Hikers aren't the only ones screwing the pooch (so to speak).

crager34

· #4 · Dec 13, 2005

I have two dogs and feel for the loss, BUT!! That is why it's called "training".

oddestfellow

· #5 · Dec 13, 2005

You gotta know your mutt. I have 2 dogs - 1 that I can bring riding with me and 1 that I can't because if she hears a squirrel fart in the woods, she'll be GONE. I have tried EVERYTHING to train this behavior out of her, but nothing seems to work. As soon as something catches her attention, her brain shuts off and she apparently goes deaf. She was adopted, so we're not sure if she might have a little bit of hound in her (hounds are known to wander - and wouldn't ya know that dachshunds are hounds!). Even when I go hiking with the two of them, one is leashed and the other one doesn't need to be. Hopefully this won't start a whole thread of "bad owners = bad dogs" but you just gotta know what your dog is capable of doing and not doing.

I hope they find their pooch!!!

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

· #6 · Dec 13, 2005

boy that is sad

Harold

· #7 · Dec 13, 2005

Cougar/coyote/bear/hawk/eagle/wolf bait! I dunno where this place is, but if there are any large predators in the area, the dog is probably already dinner.

Dwight Moody

· #8 · Dec 13, 2005

That sucks.

I'm getting increasingly annoyed with unleashed dogs on the trail. I was in a local trail Sunday (Tapeworm in Renton, WA) and another biker had an unleashed dog (a big one, not coyote bait). The dog was very well behaved and friendly, but this is a tight winding trail and I almost ran headon into the dog the first time I encountered it. I'd really hate to crash into a dog, or a tree as I tried to avoid a dog.

Daffunda

· #9 · Dec 13, 2005

People, leash your dogs on the trail. It is simple as that. It's a simple responsibility for having a furry companion with you that can ease stress off of your workday.

Anonymous

· #10 · Dec 14, 2005

You hit a sore subject wit me!

I guarnteee that if your dog is off a leash(or on) and i have a choice of hitting the dog, or chashing... I'm dropping a shoulder and taking the dog owner out. If I'm still able to get up, I'll kill the dog owner. I love dogs, more than most people, but if you let your dog endanger my life, then I'll let my Sig, (and yes, I do ride with a firearm) endanger yours. Leash your dog, or lose your dog. Your dog ownership comes with responsibility. Excerecise responsibility, or lose the dog, period!

Quercus agrifolia

· #11 · Dec 14, 2005

Anonymous said:
...I'm dropping a shoulder and taking the dog owner out. If I'm still able to get up, I'll kill the dog owner ...I'll let my Sig, (and yes, I do ride with a firearm) endanger yours...!

Wow, harsh! You sound like you ride with clenched teeth...

texas

· #12 · Dec 14, 2005

dog **** sucks.

I like dogs, but I hate dog ****. If the owner doesn't leash there dog they don't know when they are taking a dump.

Its bad enough to have to look at it, but a couple of times I didn't see it soon enough and you probably all know what happens, not fun.

As far as I am concerned dogs on the trail don't bother me, usually I can get around them and its nice for them to enjoy the trails if only they didn't soil the trails. There is no way to force dog owners of leashed dogs to pick up after there dogs, but at least they are more likely to be aware when there dog takes a dump and more likely to pick up.

iloveclimbinghills

· #13 · Dec 14, 2005

I got dog **** on my hand today changing tires. dog owners pick up after your dogs and leash them.

mahgnillig

· #14 · Dec 14, 2005

IMO it's much more fun for the dog and the owner if the dog is unleashed. That way the owner doesn't have to stop every time the dog wants to sniff a rock, and the dog doesn't get dragged away from scents all the time. Having said that, it's important to have a well trained dog if it is to be allowed off-leash. We are working hard to train our dog, and he's pretty smart so he learns fast. We also use a shock collar as an aid to training. It has a beep function that he always responds to, and he has been trained that under no circumstances is he to chase any animals at all - ever (we have cats so this is very important). We always make him stop and sit when other trail users are passing by, and we always carry poop bags with us to clear up after him.

As a couple of others have said, if you're going to let your dog off leash then it's important to know the personality of your dog, and for it to be well trained.

- Jen.

lovemonkey

· #15 · Dec 14, 2005

oddestfellow said:
You gotta know your mutt. I have 2 dogs - 1 that I can bring riding with me and 1 that I can't because if she hears a squirrel fart in the woods, she'll be GONE. I have tried EVERYTHING to train this behavior out of her, but nothing seems to work. As soon as something catches her attention, her brain shuts off and she apparently goes deaf. She was adopted, so we're not sure if she might have a little bit of hound in her (hounds are known to wander - and wouldn't ya know that dachshunds are hounds!). Even when I go hiking with the two of them, one is leashed and the other one doesn't need to be. Hopefully this won't start a whole thread of "bad owners = bad dogs" but you just gotta know what your dog is capable of doing and not doing.

I hope they find their pooch!!!

Daschunds are actualy terriors.

RTM

· #16 · Dec 14, 2005

Anonymous said:
I guarnteee that if your dog is off a leash(or on) and i have a choice of hitting the dog, or chashing... I'm dropping a shoulder and taking the dog owner out. If I'm still able to get up, I'll kill the dog owner. I love dogs, more than most people, but if you let your dog endanger my life, then I'll let my Sig, (and yes, I do ride with a firearm) endanger yours. Leash your dog, or lose your dog. Your dog ownership comes with responsibility. Excerecise responsibility, or lose the dog, period!

you make yourself sound like a complete tool.

JasonK

· #17 · Dec 14, 2005

Train the dog to crap off of the trail. It's not that hard. I've seen a dog trained to use a catbox.

oddestfellow

· #18 · Dec 14, 2005 (Edited)

lovemonkey said:
Daschunds are actualy terriors.

I'm guessing that if they were in the terrior group they would be called "Daschterriors"

http://pets.yahoo.com/pets/dogs/breed/hound

oddestfellow

· #19 · Dec 14, 2005 (Edited)

Anonymous said:
I guarnteee that if your dog is off a leash(or on) and i have a choice of hitting the dog, or chashing... I'm dropping a shoulder and taking the dog owner out. If I'm still able to get up, I'll kill the dog owner. I love dogs, more than most people, but if you let your dog endanger my life, then I'll let my Sig, (and yes, I do ride with a firearm) endanger yours. Leash your dog, or lose your dog. Your dog ownership comes with responsibility. Excerecise responsibility, or lose the dog, period!

"Hey Cletus, git the firearm! There's a dog over yonder!!! YEEEEHAAAAA! Git the owner too!"

Settle down there hard charger.

It only took my dog one time of getting hit on the trail to learn that he needs to stay out of the way. If he hears a bike coming up behind him, he'll move off the trail and let it pass. It's a very simple training method - bump him in the rear with your front tire and yell "GO". That's his get-the-f***-out-of-the-way command.

XRAYO

· #20 · Dec 14, 2005 (Edited)

Sorry "hard charger", we "share" the trail and hikers carry guns too so you might find yourself surprised one day when you decide to take irresponsible action like that you describe. I expect you signed as Anonymous for good reason... Chicken!

Frankly, I've heard too many stories about wires across trails and planted rocks on downhills to antagonize non-bikers - especially those with dogs. I ride heavily used trails every day and make a point of greeting every hiker I meet and thanking those considerate enough to move off the trail for me. If they have dogs I'll often stop to greet the pooch and handler so the experience is positive for them both. I sometimes carry a bisquit or two for such encounters. And, I carry poop bags and if I see someone neglecting their pet companion duties, I hand them a bag and wait - works every time. I have three dogs and abhor hitting **** when riding - just like all of you - nothing worse, IMHO. But I don't blame the dog.

The numbers of pet owners is increasing every day and I see great risk in trail closures to bikers if we act aggressively towards them. We are the minority, frankly, and we owe the bike community a reponsibility to act like adults in confrontational situations. Can you imagine this headline, "Biker Vigilante Takes Matters Into His Own Hands - Shoots Mayor's Beloved Pet"? Talk about screwing the pooch...

A few weeks ago I was chased by a young sporting dog and the owner felt awful about it. I met the same man the other day and the dog was leashed, muzzled, being trained, and completely under control.

So, there's an unwritten code of ethics for both hikers and bikers (and people in general). In a word, "courtesy".

And, Oddestfellow, terriers is spelled "terriers"

.

Finally, a six month old dog is a "puppy" and like children of, say, 3 years of age, they need close parental supervision. So sorry about the loss but it was probably entirely predictable. Live and learn.

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