# good 4 legged riding parters?



## eraSSerhead (Dec 20, 2004)

I remember reading an article somewhere years ago about good dog breeds for runners, although i cant for the life of me remember any. i'm kinda partial to golden retrievers but dont know if they would be considerd endurance doggies. any advice would be great. of course i'll be hoofin it to the local biblioteca as well. thanks
e


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## lobolator (Oct 29, 2006)

*Any dog that doesn't have to sprint to keep up...*

My dog is a white German Shepherd, he lopes along ahead, next to, or behind me, and even bites my front tire if I take too long a break. My previous dog was a mutt...mutts are better b/c they're often free...just make sure your dog doesn't have hot dog legs.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

My Pit is loves to go on rides, and he's really fast. If you get a Pit just don't get one that was bred to be fat with a huge head and short legs. Get an "ADBA style" Pit. The Shep mix is a good trail dog, but she's almost 13 so I have to wait for her on the downhills, but she will go 10 miles without a problem. Be really careful running any breed that is known for hip problems, and get your dog xrayed to see if there are going to be issues...



















2nd photo by Edemtbs


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## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*Endurance Dog*

Nice looking Pitbull. Mine is a great ride partner, and getting better. She is perfect for running, but she tends to run hard and fade out pretty fast on the long rides. She's about two now and she's slowing up enough that she doesn't explode after ten miles, but I feel like she's probably best at short rides with days off between. I've seen shepards and cattle dogs that can easily keep pace with a strong rider for 20 miles or more.

Here's a picture of Sadie when she was 1. She's more muscular now that we got the ghiardia out of her system....


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## Skipndizzy (Mar 6, 2005)

My Blue healer mix is a rocket. He loves to go on rides and barks like mad when I load up the bike and don't take him. We got him at the pound and don't really know what the rest of the mix is. They thought he was a pure breed healer. That is one of the issues with the pound, you don't always know what your going to end up with. If anyone asks I tell them he is a Australian bat eared squirrel hound. He is really fast and has caught two rabbits on our land. I couldn't be happier with him.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

davec113 said:


>


I've seen this photo a number of times, and as a dog lover, the shear joy and exhilaration on that guys face, flying over the trail at speed, ears sailing, does my heart good. Thank you.


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

*Working breeds.....*

I'd search among working breeds, herding dogs etc. My wife got a Siberian Husky at the pound. We've had Suka a year, and she's good for bike-joring, skijoring, and she can run loose on ATB rides, too. Huskies have a pretty strong hunting instinct, so I have to watch her chasing off after deer (remote shock collar has been critical for us). She catches and eats plenty of mice and small bunnies, so no need to carry food for her on long rides! A real iron gut.

She's good for a couple hours at moderate pace when the weather is cool. Hot weather (like over 80) just shuts her down. She'll refuse to run when hot, and that's for the best. She really gets lazy and lays around the kennel. Seems crucial to watch a dog's system when it is the slightest bit warm out, any dog.

Bummer deal is that 10 degree weather is fine by her. That means I have to bundle up and go ride at least 3 times a week all winter long.


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## MaxSteel (Jun 4, 2006)

I agree Slocaus, it adds to my enjoyment to see how much fun my dog is having on the trail. She is a lab, capable of more miles on trail than I am, and she is faster! I hit 29.7 on a downhill last weekend, probably had 25 dialed in for 1/4 mile, and she was on my wheel. Going uphill she runs ahead 50yds, back to see what is taking me so long....repeat. All Day.

An obedient dog, reasonably athletic, and very social is all that is needed. I was on a ride with a corgi a few weeks ago and it finished a 15 mile ride, and it doesn't have any legs! Good endurance tho.


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## VTBioengineer (Sep 14, 2006)

Well my Bassett Hound is not a runner. If you happen to need your shoes sniffed for several minutes at a time or like to give belly rubs she is your girl for sure. A couple of my friends have great trail dogs. One is a Lab/Blue Healer mix. She is about a year and can run 10+ miles. As far as running goes, the burliest dog I have ever seen is my buddy Allen's Weimereiner (sp?) named Asher. This dog will run 30 miles faster than you can ride and be pissed when you stop. Allen was riding around Bend one day and ruff wear was out shooting. They gave him a bunch of stuff for Asher and took pictures. They are the background for the homepage now. That dog is a machine

http://www.ruffwear.com/


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## Christian A (Jun 6, 2006)

*Australian Cattle Dog*

We have two Heelers- Blue Female and red male. Both are great trail dogs. 20 Plus miles and energy to spare. Vet agrees this is not a stretch for either dog.

Watching these two on the trail, its plain to see that they are in Dog heaven

Best advice I can give is to get them 100% under voice control through obedience training. Its a courtesy to those who share the trail, and it makes people like your dog better.

The Blue one was given to us as a pup, but we rescued the red one. They are equally great dogs, but the red male is more of a couch potato.


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*Cool lookin dog..*

i'd love to have a dog..


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

Lutarious said:


> Nice looking Pitbull. Mine is a great ride partner, and getting better. She is perfect for running, but she tends to run hard and fade out pretty fast on the long rides. She's about two now and she's slowing up enough that she doesn't explode after ten miles, but I feel like she's probably best at short rides with days off between. I've seen shepards and cattle dogs that can easily keep pace with a strong rider for 20 miles or more.
> 
> Here's a picture of Sadie when she was 1. She's more muscular now that we got the ghiardia out of her system....


pretty pits!

this is Nola when she was about 8 months...









and another one from about a month ago...


















i haven't ventured to take her out on trails yet. she's still a bit too independent minded (translation: she doesn't listen to me!) for me to let her run on the trails as i ride. at 50 lbs of solid muscle she doesn't understand that not everyone thinks she's as cute as i do and they don't necessarily want to be her best friend.

she's about 18 mo now and i'm going to start training her to run with me. hopefully by spring she'll have that concept down and we can work on some trail rides. 

rt


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

Here is my mutt after 8 miles, its not a growl but a smile, no kidding, then its off to sleepy time:thumbsup:



slocaus said:


> I've seen this photo a number of times, and as a dog lover, the shear joy and exhilaration on that guys face, flying over the trail at speed, ears sailing, does my heart good. Thank you.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

*rt* said:


> i haven't ventured to take her out on trails yet. she's still a bit too independent minded (translation: she doesn't listen to me!) for me to let her run on the trails as i ride. at 50 lbs of solid muscle she doesn't understand that not everyone thinks she's as cute as i do and they don't necessarily want to be her best friend.
> 
> she's about 18 mo now and i'm going to start training her to run with me. hopefully by spring she'll have that concept down and we can work on some trail rides.
> 
> rt


Learn by doing! I had mine out at 6 months. About 9 months, he almost caught a small deer, so I had to get a shock collar. I don't need to use it regularly because it only took a couple times for him to catch on. Also, try a shock collar out on yourself, its not too bad, it scares you rather than hurts. Pits are really smart, but stubborn. They act like they don't understand what you want them to do, but thats not the case. My Pit would pretend not to hear me by staring off into the distance when I call him, after using the collar twice he never does that anymore. Of course, positive reinforcement is good too! He learned to run with bikes without any difficulty, and stays out of the way 99.9% of the time.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

Brown_Teeth said:


> Here is my mutt after 8 miles, its not a growl but a smile, no kidding, then its off to sleepy time:thumbsup:


*THAT * face says, "make me do that again, and you will have nothing left below the knee!"

My grandparents had a dog that smiled like that years ago. Give you pause until you understand that it is  a smile.

My 16 year old Aussie shepard is twitching in her bed, probably chasing ground squirrels from bygone days. No more trails, just 10 feet to the water bowl and back to bed is a major journey. She gets arthritis meds and carried up and down the stairs to the yard and back for a couple hours in nice weather each day. Healthy and happy, just old.


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

He not only smiles but howls with joy if you use the "bicycle" or "Walky walk" words, he loves to be a dog running in the woods, must be some animal thing


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## chequamagon (Oct 4, 2006)

*This is Sadie Sue*

Sadie Sue is a pure-bred golden retreiver. She is really good on the trail, and follows it perfectly with very little running off to chase animals. She was trained on a remote shock collar. Sadie Sue is one and a half years old now. She still runs real fast at the start, and poops out after 6-8 miles. I take water with, and a treat, and she is OK. It just so happens we have a very nice 6.5 mile singletrack loop a few miles from my house.


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## cdahl (Jun 27, 2006)

Skipndizzy said:


> My Blue healer mix is a rocket. He loves to go on rides and barks like mad when I load up the bike and don't take him. We got him at the pound and don't really know what the rest of the mix is. They thought he was a pure breed healer. That is one of the issues with the pound, you don't always know what your going to end up with. If anyone asks I tell them he is a Australian bat eared squirrel hound. He is really fast and has caught two rabbits on our land. I couldn't be happier with him.


Your dog looks a lot like mine, which is a border collie/cattledog(heeler) mix. They are great dogs! I was recently at a dog agility competition where there were quite a few of these dogs. Fast & smart.


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## baconstrip (Dec 1, 2004)

I rode Ammasa, and then Porc rim + upper sections with my heeler.. She was strong til the end, then seized up for a day, and was ready to go again....


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## nigeldog (Jun 5, 2006)

My pitt/heeler/? is a pretty good trail dog. The only problem is if the riders end up separating too much, he will try to take out the lead rider to get everyone back together. Damn herding instinct.


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

its hunting season


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

davec113 said:


> Learn by doing! I had mine out at 6 months. About 9 months, he almost caught a small deer, so I had to get a shock collar. I don't need to use it regularly because it only took a couple times for him to catch on. Also, try a shock collar out on yourself, its not too bad, it scares you rather than hurts. Pits are really smart, but stubborn. They act like they don't understand what you want them to do, but thats not the case. My Pit would pretend not to hear me by staring off into the distance when I call him, after using the collar twice he never does that anymore. Of course, positive reinforcement is good too! He learned to run with bikes without any difficulty, and stays out of the way 99.9% of the time.


interesting about the shock collar. i had been told that they generally don't work with pits because of the high pain tolerance. but i guess if you use it sparingly then it would surprise and remind. hmmmm.

Nola does the same thing with pretending not to hear me. i know she hears me, she just chooses not to listen.

what i'm really lacking is a good trail system where i can let her run without worrying about other riders. the shorter trails around me tend to be pretty populated and i'd rather take her out when there are fewer distractions.

thanks for the recommendation on the collar though. i'd really like to be able to taker her out with me when i ride.....anything to burn off some of the hyper energy she's got!

rt


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## soly (May 29, 2006)

How do you train your dog to become a trail dog? Also, how do you train using a remote shock collar? I have a 6 month old Lab mix. I am doing basic training using voice and hand commands. Unfortunately, he is just not reliable yet. He would absolutely run off on a trail and pay no attention to any command.


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

Trail dog behavior could be a whole 'nother thread, mine likes to keep in the middle and herd the back of the pack.


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

Rules:

You are alpha dog! it follows you so act accordingly... 

Reward good behavior all the time!

Once it realizes you are alpha always look in their eye on short consistent commands.

Teach it to respect the bike even if you have to run it over to make your point.

Again eye contact and short/consistant commands

Good luck its more fun than it seems!


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

*rt* said:


> interesting about the shock collar. i had been told that they generally don't work with pits because of the high pain tolerance. but i guess if you use it sparingly then it would surprise and remind. hmmmm.
> 
> rt


Yeah, they actually have a 2-tiered pain response. They are either super sensitive or feel no pain at all. When it comes to training and their reactions to the owner they are really sensitive, so you have to be careful not to make them freeze up and refuse to work. That is really bad, and should be avoided at all costs because they will lose confidence in you.

You need to use the collar strategically and sparingly. If youre calling her and she doesnt acknowledge your existance, thats a good time to give her a little zap. The first time I did it his response was to immediately come to me. He knew exactly what was going on. Before the collar he figured coming on command was optional. Now he knows it is not, and I almost never need to use the collar for this anymore.

I also use it to stop him from hunting. This is more difficult as you need to be really aware and use it right when he starts to run after the prey. I have not noticed him running before and he came back a half hour later covered in blood. I never found what he killed, but it fought back a bit, he had some scratches on him. This is still difficult to control, but he is getting better. Its a self-rewarding activity, so you must be really consistant in not letting them hunt. Even hunting dogs need to know not to hunt unless given permission. Pits have the highest prey drive of any dog, so it is a challenge.

Sounds like you might want to find some national forest to take her to where you can work with her away from distrations, then work distractions in slowly if possible. Always praise her for doing what you want as well as using a shock collar for strictly forbidden things.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

soly said:


> How do you train your dog to become a trail dog? Also, how do you train using a remote shock collar? I have a 6 month old Lab mix. I am doing basic training using voice and hand commands. Unfortunately, he is just not reliable yet. He would absolutely run off on a trail and pay no attention to any command.


Be patient, some labs are not very trainable as pups. By 10-12 months they should be reliable for basic commands...

Some dogs are trainable w/out shock collars, but dogs like Pits or Huskys have a really high prey drive so its also a safety issue that the collar helps with. If youre really skilled and/or lucky positive reinforcement is all you need. Try that and professional training first.


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## j944 (Feb 24, 2006)

Here is Bella. My insane oneut:. 
She is six but you would think she is still a pup.


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## nitinat (May 24, 2005)

*Brittany spaniel loves the trailes*

Our brittany spaniel is an awesome trail dog. I do a regular 3-4 hour XC grunt, in all kinds of weather, and he just eats it up. In fact I'm not allowed to ride off without him; he goes crazy if he knows I've gone riding and is unbearable left at home.

He's not a herder at all; he probably does 2:1 our mileage, in and out of the bush. Only time he is a problem is if he sees a deer or rabbit, then nothing will call him off. He's big for the breed at 50 lbs, so maybe the smaller spaniels wouldn't work.

The vet says doing those distances is not a problem, but to watch out for heat stroke in the hot weather, and ACL tears. Actually any dog, particularly pits or short-mouthed dogs, can get heat stroke quickly as they can't expire (sweat) like we can.

I've had labs/retrievers, and although they are tremendous dogs, I'd be concerned about wear and tear on their joints due to weight. My buddy has two border collie crosses, both on the larger size, and they have great stamina as well, plus they are more herd-oriented so stick with us more when we ride.

Here's the picture from a particularly sloppy day of one of my pals and the dog.


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## chequamagon (Oct 4, 2006)

Brown_Teeth said:


> Rules:
> 
> You are alpha dog! it follows you so act accordingly...
> 
> ...


Animal training procedures usually state that you should not reward all the time, but at random intervals, it will make the behavior more reliable.

And short commands is key... Many people say SIT! and if the dog doesnt do it, they repeat again.... Soon the dog begins to learn the command as SIT!......SIT!.........SIT!, and wont complete the behavior unless the full command is said, so you have effectively created a really long annoying command...

Speaking of, same goes with children. If you are not strict with kids, and they begin to learn that you will wait until the third or fourth command before you require action, they will always wait till the third or fourth command... making for defiant kids and annoyed parents.


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## bigbore (May 11, 2006)

im not going to judge people on the shock collars but i would never do that to my dog. 

this is the thing...positive reinforcement works as well as negative, dog obedience can be taught and create a super respectful dog without using shock. my dog follows, runs, walks, walks among other dogs without a leash many times, all i have to do is point and he wont cross my line of sight. all i have to do is whistle and he turns back instantly, if i call his name he reacts. 

straight up, shocking dogs into obedience means you havent properly trained them.

ok ya, and every dog can get a little preoccupied or sidetracked, its your commitment to training him/her that should take those little quips out.


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## ebxtreme (Jan 6, 2004)

slocaus said:


> I've seen this photo a number of times, and as a dog lover, the shear joy and exhilaration on that guys face, flying over the trail at speed, ears sailing, does my heart good. Thank you.


Slocaus.....I totally agree with you. It's an awesome shot of DaveC's doggie ripping it up on the trail out in front. Dave, I know you post this one everytime a dog thread comes up, but it just doesn't get old.

EBX


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## cowgirlonwheels (Nov 23, 2004)

*Dave*

Lots of you out there might actually know Dave. He's our 9 year old border collie mix mutt. He likes to ride right behind your rear wheel. Sometimes he has to dart ahead for a squirrel, but then he comes right back - definately a herder. He acts like he's 2 still and whines at the sound of a freewheel or clicking of a helmet. :thumbsup: These are pics we took a month or so ago on Sovereign Trail in Moab.


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## PomPilot (Oct 27, 2006)

Well, if you don't mind packing a little extra weight you could try a Pomeranian. :thumbsup: 

Sorry for the image quality, but this was taken prior to getting a digital camera.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

*Here's my riding partners...*

Tanner the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Gustav the Weimy. Both go absolutly nuts at the sound of a King freehub.


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## eraSSerhead (Dec 20, 2004)

*wow, thanks everybody.*

a hound doggie that could hang on longer rides would be great. sounds like medium sized hearders are the ticket. really enjoyed the pics.

i must not be the only one with this idea, i'm at the library now and all the dog breed books are checked out. when i do find my new riding partner i'll post a pic and maybe even you guys can help me come up with a name.

happy tails & trails
e


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

*Not a judgement, none taken*



bigbore said:


> im not going to judge people on the shock collars but i would never do that to my dog.
> 
> this is the thing...positive reinforcement works as well as negative, dog obedience can be taught and create a super respectful dog without using shock. my dog follows, runs, walks, walks among other dogs without a leash many times, all i have to do is point and he wont cross my line of sight. all i have to do is whistle and he turns back instantly, if i call his name he reacts.
> 
> ...


Suka, my 3 year old female Siberian Husky (see avitar) went through all we could in obedience training, but until I got the shock collar she was TOTALLY unreliable off the leash. Now when I pull out the shock collar, that Husky woo woos and warbles with delight. That shock collar is really a life saver for her. Huskies get a lot more than just sidetracked, they get 5 miles of forest between you and them in an instant if you can't stop that hunting reflex (as the shock collar can do). I've taken full level 8 on my own neck more that once. It isn't pain, so much as startling. With her thick fur, she doesn't notice until you hit level 6.

But try all the training you can before the collar, certainly. But if you have a dog of some breeds, you just may need the shocker, use it sparingly.


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## Loudpawlz (Jan 26, 2004)

Ollie is an ACD mix we rescued. Don't know what his other genes are, but once we got him home and he started eating regular meals he got, uh, kind of broad. One friend called him a coffee table with legs. I think he is a mega version of a Corgi.

He likes to herd right off the back and to the side a little. Only a problem when running. I prefer a rescue over a pup because you can get a decent idea of the dog's temperament.


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## BeanMan (Jul 6, 2006)

Sparkey,

Our JRT is a great endurance runner and great companion. We call him (RD) Rodent Destroyer. He ran Porkupine rim with us this sprng amd still had enough energy to steal pizza at the trailhead. Bad Sparkey.

















BeanMan


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## geoffss (Mar 23, 2004)

*border collie!*



cowgirlonwheels said:


> Lots of you out there might actually know Dave. He's our 9 year old border collie mix mutt. He likes to ride right behind your rear wheel. Sometimes he has to dart ahead for a squirrel, but then he comes right back - definately a herder.


Herding dogs are great to ride with! Just about any dog that can fetch tennis balls across a soccer field for at least an hour straight will be good for trail riding. This is my buddy's blonde border collie mix. She will stay right on the rear wheel on the uphills, or charge ahead-wait for you to catch up-then charge back uphill. Shes great training on the climbs, just trying to keep up with her is tough. She does pretty well on the downhill too, but obviously not as fast.

She does get distracted by bunnies and squirrels in the bushes, but will come when you call her back. And she will find long lost tennis balls anywhere.


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

I'm hoping a German Shepherd Dog will be a good breed.

I hear herding dogs like to be the leader more then follow and I want that dog behind me at all times riding or just general living.

I have a couple of local XC trails that would be perfect for a 4 legged trail partner.

I hear GSD's are prone to hip failure though.


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## thedroy (Jun 29, 2006)

*My two*

Sandy is first, followed by my wife's pup, Max the mutt. Hoping to turn Max into a trail riding dog once he gets a little older. Obedience is needed first. Sandy is more like the best friend who just doesn't understand your hobbies.


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## Komodo (Oct 11, 2006)

My wife and I have a Weim and they are absolutly great dogs. Grey Ghosts rule!!!


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I have never ridden with a dog but have been around them quite a bit.

There have been hip issues with "fashionable" breeds like German shepherds and Collies. Maybe it is the breeding for looks ar just too much breeding?

Every single golden retriver that I ever met was so friendly that it got annoying pretty soon.

Every single border collie that I ever met would never run straight to fetch anything. They alway herded (circled) everything. Not that this is a bad thing. It just seemed weird to start with.


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## bigbore (May 11, 2006)

goldens arent meant to run a long time, neither are labs btw, its a fact that they overheat after long durations of running, that leads to epileptic fits at worst leading to death and at best vomiting. onecase in point, my buddy had a lab, and what they used to do was 1. dad would go out for a run, 2. son would go out for a run, 3. other son would go out for a run or bike ride and the dog would be taken every time.. He developed seziures and died while running and out of breath.

actually lots of dogs are like that you should really look into it more so with breeders who will tell you what the dogs are good for. keep in mind, most dogs arent endurance runners, they are actually sprinters or medium distance runners, naturally they arent meant for that.


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## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*Shocking !!*



davec113 said:


> Learn by doing! I had mine out at 6 months. About 9 months, he almost caught a small deer, so I had to get a shock collar. I don't need to use it regularly because it only took a couple times for him to catch on. Also, try a shock collar out on yourself, its not too bad, it scares you rather than hurts. Pits are really smart, but stubborn. They act like they don't understand what you want them to do, but thats not the case. My Pit would pretend not to hear me by staring off into the distance when I call him, after using the collar twice he never does that anymore. Of course, positive reinforcement is good too! He learned to run with bikes without any difficulty, and stays out of the way 99.9% of the time.


Sadie is my third Pitbull, and by far the most sensitive. She was a stray when I got her, and although she knew what I wanted, she was still hesitant to come when called. Of course, she would get close, then run, which frustrated me, and she would then be afraid of "negative consequences" once I caught her.

Pitbulls respond to positive reinforcement better than any dog I know. Translation, they want to please you. A shock collar gives them a gentle bump when they ignore you. It sends them the message when they areout of range, so they don't feel threatened by you, and they give you an opportunity to praise them when they do complete the command. Definitely good tools for every pitbull I have had.

I can walk Sadie in urban areas without a leash, she heels when we cross streets on our rides, and she comes every time - even when there's a cat or a squirrel or rabbit in her sights.

Goood Dog!


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

eraSSerhead: a lot of people aren't aware of this, but you can adopt a purebred from the pound or rescue group if you have your heart set on a particular breed. They don't just have mutts! First place to start would be www.petfinder.com - you can search by size, breed, sex, age, and by zipcode. Puppies sure are cute, but there's LOTS (too many) great dogs waiting for homes. Check that out first, and let us know how you do.


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

I think some of you are giving pitbulls too much credit here.

First off I love pits and it's really the only dog I have alot of exposure to due to most of my friends owning them more then other breeds but smart or listeners they are not.

To say they know what you want but they won't do it is giving that breed WAY too much credit IMO.

Straight up most pitbulls are just kinda "slow".


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## prmulligan (Aug 6, 2005)

*remote collars*



sparrow said:


> I'd search among working breeds, herding dogs etc. My wife got a Siberian Husky at the pound. We've had Suka a year, and she's good for bike-joring, skijoring, and she can run loose on ATB rides, too. Huskies have a pretty strong hunting instinct, so I have to watch her chasing off after deer (remote shock collar has been critical for us). She catches and eats plenty of mice and small bunnies, so no need to carry food for her on long rides! A real iron gut.


Yeah, the remote collar was completely necessary for my Husky (Haiku). I found that after a year of wearing the remote, with a lot of obedience work, that I was able to stop using it while on the MTB. At the suggestion of our trainer we'd send a week correction any time that Haiku was out of sight. At this point, if he looses sight of us, he comes running back into view till he can continue while in line of sight. When I'm going deep into the backcountry to ski, I'll put the collar on him, but that's all it takes anymore. Once, I had him descend 2000' into the wrong valley and had to ski down to him to get him out. He didn't want to break trail all the way back up. Funny how they learn to make use of a skin track.


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## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*Shut Up*



MillerSHO said:


> I think some of you are giving pitbulls too much credit here.
> 
> First off I love pits and it's really the only dog I have alot of exposure to due to most of my friends owning them more then other breeds but smart or listeners they are not.
> 
> ...


You're an Idiot, Miller.


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## Drewdane (Dec 19, 2003)

.....


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

MillerSHO said:


> Straight up most pitbulls are just kinda "slow".


Only when they learn it from their "slow" owners. :madman:


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## bigbore (May 11, 2006)

pitbulls are slow actually. 

but knowing what you want to do and not doing it isnt a result of being smart, its because they dont recognize the person giving the order as the alpha male, or more percisely they do but they believe they are on par with the alpha male.

so it has nothing to do with brains but rather their own hardwiring, and bad training.


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## motoman711 (May 7, 2004)

*JRTs are great*

Fast enough to keep on technical trails. Can't quite keep up on the fast downhills but that is ok.

Here is Cooper:


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## Drewdane (Dec 19, 2003)

motoman711 said:


> Here is Cooper:


That's cool. 'Round here, all the yuppies have named their kids Cooper. It's really annoying.


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## HarryCallahan (Nov 2, 2004)

I thought of a few things not mentioned in this thread so far.

Dogs need to build up their endurance, just like us. Do shorter rides and build them up.

Regular exercise on pavement or rough trails will toughen up their feet, as long as you don't over do it. If your dog isn't used to rough or rocky ground, be especially watchful of their feet. You can also get booties for their feet for rough or icy conditions.

If water is not available, carry extra water for the dog, both on your ride and back at the car.


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## Eric Hoefer (Jan 19, 2004)

Heres buddy hes primarily a pit-lab mix but hes got some other breeds in there along the way:

















Slowly but surely Im working him up to staying with me while on the trail. While hes super friendly, hes got alot of energy. I dont want to run the risk of encountering someone on the trail and not having him stay with me because his energy scares people some times. He likes to meet a new person and run circles around them until they pet him.


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## baconstrip (Dec 1, 2004)

Didn’t you see the previous post with the pooch with the hunting vest on... Its hunting season!!!

Many hunters (aka ********) would shoot, gut your dog and throw it on their hood with a tag in its ear.....


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## Rez (Nov 15, 2006)

i like to see all the dog people out there. They seem to be the best type of people.

Growing up as a kid I had numerous labs (black, chocolate, & yellow). Had a Chesapeake once also. They were great water/ hunting dogs. And excellent with kids but they did have much stamina for the long distance running. They would try but there body wasn’t suited for endurance running. 

So when I decided to get a dog I did a lot of research. Wanted a low maintenance, sleek, hunting dog with a high endurance level. Came up with a couple of choice German short or a Viszla. I choice the Viszla due to its temperament and size. (female about 40 –50lbs). She turned out to be a great choice for me. She has to be exercised daily. Not walked but ran. It is easy for me because my house abuts 14,000 acres of state land. The land has great single track and if I can’t ride friends who usually park at my house take the dog. She ends up riding more then me in a weeks time. I have taken her everywhere. She has been on group rides at the kingdom trails with no problems. Brought her up the ski lifts at Killington and Waterville. Freaked some people out but not her she was pumped. She has turned out to be my best riding partner. She never has an excuse or is never late. Don’t have to wait for her to get dressed. And the dog ends up pushing me. On a long up hill if I’m not going fast enough she runs back to me like to say hurry the up. She has been so good I actually got another one a couple of months ago. And the new one has been going on 2 –3 miles rides with no problem. I thought I would try to get the new used to the bike by riding around the house that turned into up the trail in the back yard. That turned into a short loop. I plan to start pushing her after winter. 

Viszla can ride a twenty mile ride with you and when you get back to the car they will grab a stick. As if to say lets pay catch I have not had enough.


A couple for tricks that someone who rides w/ a dog should know. 
1.	Train your dog to drink from a camel back. Blow some air into the camel back to pressurize it. Press the mouth piece so it squirts like a water gun.
2.	Carry some nuti-cal with you. A local pet store should have it . It is GU for dogs. Any time you need energy so will your dog. 
3.	Place a bell on the dog. This way as they run the wild animals have a fighting chance. They will hear the bell long before the dog can flush them.
4.	When riding at night attach a small red flashing led high on their back.
5.	During hunting season invest in a high quality orange dog vest. Rugged wear makes a real good one . I use it all year it helps w/ the bush not cutting into the dog. Also allows others to see a brown dog in the pine needles
6.	Train your dog to listen. Basic commands heal and sit are great but also train them to get of the trail as others pass. That is the tuff one. But it can be done. 

All in all, dogs are great as long as you can spend the time with them. Their only goal is to please you. So any choice is a good one. 

Except them damn yepping dogs. The ones smaller then my cat. 

Good luck


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## nitinat (May 24, 2005)

*Excellent advise from Rez*

Rez is very right about the water, bells, and lights. Knuckles has all three if we're riding at night (which he also loves). He knows "drink" and waits for the camelback to spout. We use those little led flashers called Turtle lights at MEC (Canadian REI). They cost about $3 per, almost waterproof, very tough and bright. We have both white and red, I can see him a long ways in the bush or on the road. Then when he gets close enough I can hear him, and so can the bunnies. Foodwise, he gets bits of my clif bars, but the nutrical sounds like a great idea.

About getting out of the way: any dog that doesn't learn that after being bumped a few times isn't smart enough to ride with. I tell my riding buddies that if he gets in the way, they can hit him (not hard) so he can learn. He's great at getting off the trail now.

I think the general advice is to wait until the dog is a year old at least before running them any distance, or risk joint problems. Then build up over time.

Knuckles gets sore pads and even raw spots on a long muddy ride, but it doesn't faze him, he just takes it easy the next day. I can't imagine him tolerating booties, but then we don't get lots of ice and snow in the PNW either.


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## chequamagon (Oct 4, 2006)

baconstrip said:


> Many hunters (aka ********) would shoot, .....


what a ridiculous statement.

please explain to me why hunters are "also known as" ********.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

bigbore said:


> pitbulls are slow actually.
> 
> but knowing what you want to do and not doing it isnt a result of being smart, its because they dont recognize the person giving the order as the alpha male, or more percisely they do but they believe they are on par with the alpha male.
> 
> so it has nothing to do with brains but rather their own hardwiring, and bad training.


Yes, Pits need strong leaders

No, they are not slow, either physically or mentally. They are among the smartest of breeds if you get one that is well bred. Like most breeds there has been a lot of poor breeding done. That is why I recommended getting a ADBA registered dog that is bred to their standards.

A Pitbull currently holds the record for most working dog titles. Diane Jessup's dog has herding titles, obiedience titles, Schutzhund (police dog) titles, agility titles, etc. A well bred pit is on par with any dog that has been bred for specialized activities.


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## MaxSteel (Jun 4, 2006)

*Slobbery*

Good points all Rez. Just to refine the drinking thing...I couldn't teach my dog to drink from the camelback without slobbering all over the mouthpiece and dribbling precious water. I started carrying a small plastic dish to water her. I don't mind swapping spit with her, but can't stand spilling water on the ground on a hot day! In Oregon there are many trails that cross or parallel rivers so all I need to do is remember to stop to let her wade in to cool off and get a good drink. On real hot days, long ride planned with no water crossings, I leave a very disappointed dog at home for her own safety.


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## Rez (Nov 15, 2006)

100 percent right on over stressing the joints. 
When they are young you should not over work the dogs. But it is the best time to trian them. It is a balance that you need to pay close attention. 


Here is a another good trick if you can teach it to the dog. When you come to a small creek that is too shallow for the dog to swim. See if you make the dog lay down in the stream. It will bring their core temp down and make you jealous. 

The nutri cal is a high calorie dietary supplement which the dogs will love. It seams to have better ingredients then most human products.


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

Keep in mind when you speak about dog breeds you have to speak generally which usually gets people worked up.

I'm not saying all pits are not smart, you can find a stupid border collie and you could find an abnormally large chiawawa(sp?). 

But generally speaking, pits are difficult dogs to deal with and there are much easier breeds to train/deal with. Again, that's going to piss some people off but its the truth.

Pits are mainly show peices for their owners due to their attributes.

I love them though, they're so cute and at the same time they could rip someones face off or take a skull beating if the right buttons are pressed. 
I love the allure of that but I'll let others deal with that, I'm finding a functional dog cause I want it to be able to fill a certain role I have for it.

If you want something to just love maybe a kid or a cat would be better?


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## Eric Hoefer (Jan 19, 2004)

I dunno generally speaking maybey this is true for pits. On the other hand though my dog (half pit) is incredibly smart. Not joking he will learn a new trick in 2 days usually. His energy though is something else. Hes a bit of a wild one, not in a mean way but hes just got a ton of energy even after a 4-5mi walk every night. This is precicely why he was about to go on the kill list at the shelter I adopted him from. People loved his personality but just werent willing to deal with his energy/excitement. This is precicely why I adopted him. He has an amazing personality (if thats even possible) and it would have been a shame to see him killed.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

MillerSHO said:


> Keep in mind when you speak about dog breeds you have to speak generally which usually gets people worked up.
> 
> I'm not saying all pits are not smart, you can find a stupid border collie and you could find an abnormally large chiawawa(sp?).
> 
> ...


Apparently you believe what the media tells you and have limited experience with Pits, yet you post info about them publicly that is not qualified.

There are more Pits than any other breed of dog in the US, and aggressive dogs are often misidentified as Pits. The media has often sensationalized Pit attacks, even when the dog was not a Pit. This leads to a gross overexageration of their tendancy to be human-aggressive. The American Pit has always had human aggressive dogs culled from their breeding stock. Handlers had to be able to get them off of their prey/stock without getting bit, and dogfighters needed to be able to pick their dogs up out of a fight without getting bit. Recently, Pits have been bred for looks or for guard-dog behavior, which has been an issue. They are also fashionable for macho dumba$$es to own, which is certainly a big problem. Much of this is a problem with human behavior, not canine behvior.

As I said in another post in this thread, they are generally extremely intelligent and one holds the record for most working dog titles. For example, my dog found a piece of a bagel, instead of eating it he laid it out as bait for the squirrels. He sat a little too close to it, but he laid it out and waited intently for something to come along and try to grab it. I have witnesses.

Pits are easy to train, but are more difficult to deal with than many other breeds. The owner needs to be a little bit more careful around other dogs that are extremely dominant because a Pit will rarely back down. They also have the most developed prey drive of any breed. They are closer to a wild animal than most domesticated animals, and are far, far stronger than most other dogs, even ones three times their size. They are also closer to humans in a lot of ways too. They love humans, and are very expressive and entertaining. They are very into pleasing their owners.


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

davec113 said:


> Apparently you believe what the media tells you and have limited experience with Pits, yet you post info about them publicly that is not qualified.
> 
> There are more Pits than any other breed of dog in the US, and aggressive dogs are often misidentified as Pits. The media has often sensationalized Pit attacks, even when the dog was not a Pit. This leads to a gross overexageration of their tendancy to be human-aggressive. The American Pit has always had human aggressive dogs culled from their breeding stock. Handlers had to be able to get them off of their prey/stock without getting bit, and dogfighters needed to be able to pick their dogs up out of a fight without getting bit. Recently, Pits have been bred for looks or for guard-dog behavior, which has been an issue. They are also fashionable for macho dumba$$es to own, which is certainly a big problem. Much of this is a problem with human behavior, not canine behvior.
> 
> As I said in another post in this thread, they are generally extremely intelligent and one holds the record for most working dog titles. For example, my dog found a piece of a bagel, instead of eating it he laid it out as bait for the squirrels. He sat a little too close to it, but he laid it out and waited intently for something to come along and try to grab it. I have witnesses.


So this is you telling me I'm a sheep even after me telling you I'm around pits all the time and I love them.
I do agree with you pits are targeted in the mass media. 
Being a lover of firearms you don't need to lecture me about the media's ability to twist things to fit their bias, I deal with it all the time.



> Pits are easy to train, but are more difficult to deal with than many other breeds. The owner needs to be a little bit more careful around other dogs that are extremely dominant because a Pit will rarely back down. They also have the most developed prey drive of any breed. They are closer to a wild animal than most domesticated animals, and are far, far stronger than most other dogs, even ones three times their size. They are also closer to humans in a lot of ways too. They love humans, and are very expressive and entertaining. They are very into pleasing their owners.


Then this is you in a nut shell agreeing with me about them possibly having the potential but it being a more difficult task.

I'm confused at this point.

This whole thing started cause I said some of you here where overhyping a pits ability to be a trail worthy dog IMO.

My hat goes off to those that have that much control over their pit. It would be neat to have that power over something so cute but strong.
Could be mainly the owners so maybe I'm wrong, but I've never seen a pit with skills to take on the trail like some do here.


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## hobbers (Aug 26, 2006)

Brown_Teeth said:


> Here is my mutt after 8 miles, its not a growl but a smile, no kidding, then its off to sleepy time:thumbsup:


My family had a dog when I was younger that would do the same "smile" thing. It was cool, but I don't really understand why they do that. It does look aggressive if you've never seen it before. She was a black Aussie sheep dog.


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## lil hillbilly (May 18, 2005)

I have had three mtbike dogs. Austrialian Shepard, German Short Haired Pointer and the newest member of the family an Laberdootle. The Short Hair was my fav. dog ever and the Ausie was stolen post ride at a gas station when in store. Short Hairs are just a great dog for trails. I never lost Jo on the trail or should I say she never lost me. pic of Hurly the new member.


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## Drewdane (Dec 19, 2003)

MillerSHO said:


> If you want something to just love maybe a kid or a cat would be better?


Kids and pets - no difference at all there...


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## k2biker (Jan 13, 2004)

Here's the Mollie wog -- full Great Pyrenees. She's small for the breed at ~75 lbs and 4 yrs old. She's good for about 10 miles in the winter at a moderate pace but the heat of a GA summer shuts her down. Hiking in the mountains she loves, as long as there are creeks and rivers to play in. She'll run after a deer but leaves squirrels alone. She's super about staying on trail except to do her business, then she leaves the trail -- I didn't have to train her to do that either! Anyway, hugs when I come in the house, she eats my fries from a McD's value meal, loves fig newtons and beef jerky! Anyone who thinks the old addage about dogs being man's best friend is crap hasn't had a dog that didn't live on a chain in the backyard.


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## MillerSHO (Sep 28, 2006)

Drewdane said:


> Kids and pets - no difference at all there...


That's in the eye of beholder.

You roll your eyes and yet people really do think like that.

How many couples do you see with 2 or 3 dogs/cats and take them everywhere but NO kids.

How many mothers do you see clinging onto cats/dogs after their kids are all grown up and moved out?


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## bigwheelboy_490 (Jan 2, 2003)

motoman711 said:


> Fast enough to keep on technical trails. Can't quite keep up on the fast downhills but that is ok.
> 
> Here is Cooper:


I think he's going to bite my face..


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## Drewdane (Dec 19, 2003)

MillerSHO said:


> That's in the eye of beholder.
> 
> You roll your eyes and yet people really do think like that.


Believe me, I know. As a parent, I find it rather disgusting (verging on abusive), but it certainly isn't uncommon.


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## o fish (Oct 26, 2006)

It's nice to see so many people riding with there dogs. Most of time I
ride with my 9 year old pitbull. He likes to be the leader and he is
always in front. After 5 years of riding he has learned left, right and
go faster or he gets run over by me or someone else. He always has a
bell on and sometimes two for his safety and so I can hear him when I
cannot see him. At night he wears a head lamp around his neck and his
collar has reflective tape on it. One of the most important things is to
give your dog a good full body massage after each ride for at least 5
min and talk to him or her. For the long rides I carry Powerbars and
water mixed with cytomax, he loves the orange flavor. 


-Jeff
San Diego

P.S Keep that poo off the trials.


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## reklar (Jan 28, 2004)

To the ridgeback owner (or others): how do you keep your dog from chasing deer? I'm very afraid that ours will not come back. When she starts going, I can't possibly keep up with her...(It's only happened a couple of times, and she's been lucky).

Regarding the pits and intelligence: Many very smart breeds do not seem intelligent to the untrained eye. This is often because the dog is smart enough to be annoyed at having to repeat the same thing again and again. Don't confuse intelligence with obedience. :nono: 

Ridgebacks are a good example. Good luck getting one certified in obedience (it can be done with *mucho* effort) or to retrieve a ball again and again. But my ridgeback can learn tricks exceedingly quickly and never forgets them once she's learned. She just won't repeat them over and over again for our amusement. She gets bored with that and rolls her eyes at us, the stupid humans...


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## crux (Jan 10, 2004)

Damn Pits (JK)

I'm actually waiting to get a riding partner until we get a house since it would just be cruel to keep a dog in an apt. But do not think that I'd ever get a pit because of their rep, I've had several cop friends tell me that if they see a pit they will attempt to restrain it an if needed put it down so they dont get bit. To bad that the dog has a negative image after all it is not the dogs problem more so the owners and a handful at that that have caused such an issue.

Think that a JRT or Aussy Sheep dog would be an ideal riding partner, but then agian since I dont own one yet my opinion does not count for much.


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## RCC (Mar 28, 2005)

i have a german shepherd,he's good for 8 mile rides,i done a couple 10 milers with him,but gets a little slow on the last two or so miles,but he's a big boy thou,he weights about 110lbs.here's lobo on a couple of our rides,enjoy.peace.
RCC.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

reklar said:


> To the ridgeback owner (or others): how do you keep your dog from chasing deer? I'm very afraid that ours will not come back. When she starts going, I can't possibly keep up with her...(It's only happened a couple of times, and she's been lucky).


Rescan the above posts for discussions of shock collars.


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## cocheese (Jan 12, 2004)

motoman711 said:


> Fast enough to keep on technical trails. Can't quite keep up on the fast downhills but that is ok.
> 
> Here is Cooper:


I just love that picture!!! Nothing like a happy dog living the moment.


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## g550guy (Sep 29, 2006)

General Beauregard (Beau)


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## g-t- (Dec 22, 2004)

This guy is a 9 year old Weimeraner. Energy for days. I have had him running on the trails since he was about 1 year old, he's good and I have never had him take off on me when deer or other animals appear. The only down side is that every time the bike even moves he thinks he's coming ( not always feasible ) but ..... nobody told him that !


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## reklar (Jan 28, 2004)

slocaus said:


> Rescan the above posts for discussions of shock collars.


I read the above...I'd prefer not to use a shock collar--for those not using shock collars, how are you doing it?


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

*Shock Collar was the only way with our Siberian Husky.*

We went through lots of training with a pinch collar, choker, gentle leader etc leash trainging (heal, sit, stay, etc, general obedience), hoping that'd transfer over on chasing wildlife, no such luck. Stern commands, consistent with that, bribes and treats, but no matter our Husky would chase deer, squirrels, rabbits. No hope of stopping her, just no way to break the hunting instinct. She thinks fuzzy things are tasty, warm guts and all.

We also work her on Skijor commands, she does fine that way and "on by" or "leave it" keeps her on the trail pulling when wildlife or other distractions pop up when she is in the harness pulling. Off harness, she knows it is another ballgame. She would bolt after wildlife. The remote shock collar is the only way to startle her, or get her attention back once she breaks for a chase. Usually works, and on moderate settings. I've taken full bore shock myslef several times (and appllied randomly by a friend to catch me unaware). It is not bad, just startling, not painful.

She does not fear the shock collar in any way. And 95% of my off leash rides need no shock from the collar. It has an audible warning shot first, and that usually does the trick, if not, she gets a little zap which usually gets her attention back to me, and off the deer. If she sees the collar or remote get pulled out of the drawer, she goes nuts with joy. The shock collar is not damaging to her at all, but surgery after a car hits her, or losing her to a cougar, etc would be.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

reklar said:


> To the ridgeback owner (or others): how do you keep your dog from chasing deer? I'm very afraid that ours will not come back. When she starts going, I can't possibly keep up with her...(It's only happened a couple of times, and she's been lucky).
> 
> Our Ridgeback is pretty obedient, but has a mind of his own. I was riding a tail in Oregon called Brown's Camp several years ago when the Ridgeback and I rode up on a herd of Roosevelt Elk. I fimly said "Tanner, NO!" He looked at me, said "sorry," smiled and bolted after the herd. I didn't see him for another three hours.
> 
> ...


I taught ours to catch a Frisbee. He wont do the trick though and could't be bothered...unless another dog is doing it,then he will do it, just to prove he can do it. Then he gets back to his nap


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## G-VegasMTBiker (Apr 15, 2006)

g550guy said:


> General Beauregard (Beau)
> 
> View attachment 214216


Man thats a dog show quality pose, beautiful dog


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## reklar (Jan 28, 2004)

Vader said:


> I taught ours to catch a Frisbee. He wont do the trick though and could't be bothered...unless another dog is doing it,then he will do it, just to prove he can do it. Then he gets back to his nap


Yeah, my ridgie will catch anything. She just won't retrieve it. Once she chases it down or catches it, it's over as far as she's concerned. Hunting instinct I suppose...


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## GT2005 (Mar 23, 2005)

I agree with HarryCallahan's advice about not taking the dog for too long of a ride and if you do, make sure the dog can drink water somewhere along the way. Hot day, slow down or leave the dog at home. Also, he is right on about perhaps having the dog wear booties in a least cold weather. If their pads can't take rough surfaces, it might be time to ride without the dog and love it when you get home again. -GT2005


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## BeanMan (Jul 6, 2006)

Moto,
Cooper is a cool looking dog. Going to have to take Spark out tomorrow as he is starting to beat up the cats a little. Tha's a sure sign he needs to run.

Bean


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## mtgoz (Dec 19, 2005)

*heelers*

I adopted Boomer when he was 2 and that was 2 years ago. What a fantastic riding buddy he has become. He gets all wound up when I put on the bike shoes. He'll nip the rear tire at the beginning of a ride to get me to speed up. On the trail he is unleashed 10' - 30' off the rear tire, doesn't run off or chase squirrels, doesn't bother with other dogs, sticks to you like velcro on or off the bike. He'll run 15 - 20 miles in almost any weather as long as there are frequent stops when it's hot, he'll go for hours in the snow. Extremely loyal and amazingly smart. And best of all he likes beer.


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## lovemonkey (Jan 5, 2005)

Kona Dog (I swear I named her after the coffee, not the bike) taking a little break. One of unadulterated doggy joy.


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## Low Pressure (Nov 27, 2006)

I am with Rez on this one. My Vizsla's are my best riding partners, other than my female rolled in Coyote skat this morning.


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## dip n ride (Jun 9, 2006)

Vader said:


> Tanner the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Gustav the Weimy. Both go absolutly nuts at the sound of a King freehub.


Rhodesian Ridgebacks are awesome... i spetn about 5 months in south africa and they were all over the place, I definitely want to get one when the time comes for me to get a dog. How are they as puppies? Friendly to other people/dogs?


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## Solohopper (Nov 15, 2006)

Not a great picture of her, but this is my 6 year old yellow lab Sandi. The way she is sitting in the pic is the way she ALWAYS sits when I am standing still or sitting down. She just sits there and stares at me. I love that dog.:thumbsup:


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## hammerdog (May 31, 2006)

I'm partial to Alaskan Huskies and German Shorthaired Pointers. Those dogs can go all day if you train them right. Here are a few pics of my dogs in action. The last pic is from a race a few weeks ago in Chico. I train using a bike but race on a scooter. The photo on snow was taken this past Monday near Lake Tahoe.


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## cowgirlonwheels (Nov 23, 2004)

*scooter racing?*



hammerdog said:


> I'm partial to Alaskan Huskies and German Shorthaired Pointers. Those dogs can go all day if you train them right. Here are a few pics of my dogs in action. The last pic is from a race a few weeks ago in Chico. I train using a bike but race on a scooter. The photo on snow was taken this past Monday near Lake Tahoe.
> 
> That looks pretty cool! A buddy of mine has a german shorthaired pointer and they are beautiful dogs - lots of energy. They seem kinda thin to tolerate that cold though. I want to know more about this race thing! - great aero tuck, it looks funny without a bike beneath you.


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## HarryCallahan (Nov 2, 2004)

*Mm boy!*



Low Pressure said:


> I am with Rez on this one. My Vizsla's are my best riding partners, other than my female rolled in Coyote skat this morning.


I used to have a lab mix that LOVED to roll in stinky stuff. Cow flops were his specialty.

Gary Larsen did a great Far Side cartoon of two dogs on a date, with a caption that said something like "Here are some flowers, and whatever you rolled in sure does stink!"


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## hammerdog (May 31, 2006)

cowgirlonwheels said:


> hammerdog said:
> 
> 
> > That looks pretty cool! A buddy of mine has a german shorthaired pointer and they are beautiful dogs - lots of energy. They seem kinda thin to tolerate that cold though. I want to know more about this race thing! - great aero tuck, it looks funny without a bike beneath you.
> ...


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## Rooster (May 7, 2004)

Lutarious said:


> You're an Idiot, Miller.


Whoa, kind of harsh there. The guy is entitled to his opinion. Think "forum".


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## RetroS (Oct 17, 2006)

*Vizslas are a good choice.*

I agree with Rez. Our 5 yr old V. Chee is a great trail dog. Biking makes him focus more than hiking as I am sure the ratio is 1 mile walked/3 miles ran by him. Do require training and daily exercise. Can't expect a dog to be fit enough to do a three hour ride and not need daily conditioning. Not a hunter but I trained him on a whistle and he really responded to it. One negative is they are not going to protect you or your stuff. In fact there is a good chance a V would show the criminal were the keys to the truck were and where all the gear was hidden. We get one bark for a door knock before the tail goes into motion. 
On a side note as someone who grew up in the city (Baltimore) I really didn't like or trust Pits but since then I have grown to respect and admire them after exposure to some that were properly trained and care for.


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## kegrun (Nov 26, 2006)

soly said:


> How do you train your dog to become a trail dog? Also, how do you train using a remote shock collar? I have a 6 month old Lab mix. I am doing basic training using voice and hand commands. Unfortunately, he is just not reliable yet. He would absolutely run off on a trail and pay no attention to any command.


Remember that you should not use a shock collar until the dog knows the command and it should be used for reinforcement only. They also make spray collars as a more humane alternative.


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## nucmedjim (Sep 11, 2006)

*Post Long Ride. HAPPY HAPPY!!!!*

      My best bud Grace Dog.


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## =ChrisB= (Aug 8, 2006)

thedroy said:


> Sandy is first, followed by my wife's pup, Max the mutt. Hoping to turn Max into a trail riding dog once he gets a little older. Obedience is needed first. Sandy is more like the best friend who just doesn't understand your hobbies.


Aw max is so CUTE! lol. both are actualy but max just has that puppy look 

I've always immagined myself riding/skiing with a golden retreiver or a husky.

I've gotten to ride some more steep stuff with mutts and there great. its awesome to watch them when there inffront of you, the way their boddys move with the trail.


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

Does anybody use booties when they take their dog out? If so, what brand? We just picked up a pair from Ruffwear, and they are too short and she can get them off with one quick movement. Am I doing something wrong?
(The reason we bought booties is because 2 weeks ago on an overnight backpack trip she cut her pad on something. Fortunately it was on the second day and it wasn't too terrible but made me think booties might be a good precaution).


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

Neen said:


> Does anybody use booties when they take their dog out? If so, what brand? We just picked up a pair from Ruffwear, and they are too short and she can get them off with one quick movement. Am I doing something wrong?
> (The reason we bought booties is because 2 weeks ago on an overnight backpack trip she cut her pad on something. Fortunately it was on the second day and it wasn't too terrible but made me think booties might be a good precaution).


Yes, its a good idea to bring booties. I've had many different ones, and I'm coming to the conclusion that they are a disposable item. I'd get the cheaper ones as they can come off, get torn up ,etc... I don't use them unless its really cold or for an injured paw.


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## RetroS (Oct 17, 2006)

If your dog will wear booties they are an excellent idea and yes they are disposable. If not use this treatment consistently. It really helps cut down on nicks and bruises.

http://www.tuffoot.com/


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## kegrun (Nov 26, 2006)

sparrow said:


> I've taken full bore shock myslef several times (and appllied randomly by a friend to catch me unaware). It is not bad, just startling, not painful.


You have taken a full shock yourself?? Was it on your throat like it is on the dogs? I tried it and it hurt like hell!! I wouldn't put my dog through that. That's why I switched to the spray collar.


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

I think its pack behavior,something about showing respect for the boss upon return. Scares the crap out of any strangers though: snarling smile, head low and hackles up. Little do they know he's a ***** cat



hobbers said:


> My family had a dog when I was younger that would do the same "smile" thing. It was cool, but I don't really understand why they do that. It does look aggressive if you've never seen it before. She was a black Aussie sheep dog.


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

RetroS-thanks for the link. I've never heard of that stuff. You've used this on your dog I assume? I am checking it out now.


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

*Yep, right on the neck, and without warning, random.*



kegrun said:


> You have taken a full shock yourself?? Was it on your throat like it is on the dogs? I tried it and it hurt like hell!! I wouldn't put my dog through that. That's why I switched to the spray collar.


Yep, and she has thick ass Husky insulation down to about minus 25, so she feels way less of the shock than I did on my lily white skin. Level 6 (out of 8 levels) is all it takes to pull her off chasing a deer. Don't know how a spray collar would work for that. The shocker is just to break her utterly ferocious hunting urge at full break neck speed so I can keep her with me. Otherwise, it's a lost dog out in the woods with guns (she looks like a coyote or wolf to many), cars, highways, and mountain lions etc that could lead to a bad outcome.

We were diligent using the shock collar, consistent trainging and commands. Never an errant shock, or using the collar out of frustration. ONLY to break her concentration on wildlife, and stay along for the ride. Seldom need a correction now. On today's morning ride, she kept on the trail with me as we ran by two deer, squirrels, rabbits, several turkeys and other folk's loose dogs that were not so well mannered today. I had my shocker at the ready (especially for the deer chasing) and never had to hit the button.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

kegrun said:


> You have taken a full shock yourself?? Was it on your throat like it is on the dogs? I tried it and it hurt like hell!! I wouldn't put my dog through that. That's why I switched to the spray collar.


I only have to use level 5 out of 15 on my Pit... Its not painful at all, but level 15 was a pretty good jolt. Still not really painful, just gets your attention!

I don't agree with using them for general training, but the prey drive thing is really strong with some dogs...


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## sparrow (Dec 30, 2003)

*Exactly*



davec113 said:


> I only have to use level 5 out of 15 on my Pit... Its not painful at all, but level 15 was a pretty good jolt. Still not really painful, just gets your attention!
> 
> I don't agree with using them for general training, but the prey drive thing is really strong with some dogs...


Exactly, the shock collar we have is used only for breaking her concentration on chasing prey when the prey drive takes over. Not for discipline, barking, digging, etc. It is the only way to reach out ahead couple hundred feet and get her to let that deer go.


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## RetroS (Oct 17, 2006)

"You've used this on your dog I assume? "

I do and it works well. I also use Bag Balm on his chest and belly to cut down on the summer and fall scratches and cuts of grasses and branches. Vizslas are what you see is what you get kind of dog. They have no undercoat to protect them and their undersides are almost bare.


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## lil hillbilly (May 18, 2005)

*one more thing to prep for*

If your dog is injured on the trail you should be prepared to evac it. I practice putting the dog on my sholders around my neck and riding around the yard. Works pretty good and effective. Also think about first aid for your pooch. Punctures are common and abrasions too. I wear a bandanna so thats a good start but not everything ya may need.

pics of Hurley turkey day weekend


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## sandblast (Mar 27, 2006)

Well, this thread has inspired me. My riding partners (like everybodys riding partners) flake once in a while, and I have been wanting a dog for my four year old daughter. So this thread started me thinking.

My wife has serious problems putting up with puppys, the chewing and huge amounts of reckless energy drive her crazy. Plus there are a LOT of adult dogs out there in dire need of homes. So we decided to adopt. 
She went to our local shelter while I was out of town and fell in love with Mojo. He is some sort of Shepard mix, not the best looking thing (and a far cry from the Champion Bloodlines Labs I always had growing up), but his personality is awesome. He is so calm and sweet without being too lazy. I think he is perfect. After he gets used to his new home and family, we will start hiking with him on the trails, and when he is ready he will become my riding partner. I think he'll do great. I'll post Pics later.
So anyway thanks everybody for posting your dog pictures and photos, it all led to Mojo getting adopted!!!!!


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## VTBioengineer (Sep 14, 2006)

Sandblast, rock on for adopting. All my dogs have been rescue dogs. I have a Basset/beagle mix who is not a runner. She pretty much just likes to sniff. I just rescued a Pit/Dalmation mix who is about 10 months. Once we get some weight on her and clear up the worst case of worms I have ever seen, Ill start slowly working with her. Thanks everyone for posting so much info about Pits. She is not trained at all, but already learned to sit (2 days), and seems to be grasping to go to the door when she has to potty. She seems very eager to please and she is very gentle and playful with my basset. The prey drive is strong though, when we are walking she trys to chase birds and squirrels. She takes off so fast the leash yanks her up and she almost does a backflip.
Here's Kito


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

Good idea to practice walking around w/the pup around your shoulders. I should definately do that so that I never need to! I just put together a first aid kit to always bring hiking, biking, whatever, and did think of the dog's needs too. I am not sure how Kali will respond the first time I try to hoist her up on my shoulders :skep: 
Sandblast, awesome to hear about your new pup. I love to hear of people adopting!! She's a beauty. :thumbsup: 

PS-just want to plug ruffwear for a sec. We have the Palisades Pack for my pup and she's a terror and ripped the pannier and they are sending me a new set. For free. No shipping charge even. Gotta love a company that stands behind its merchandise! :thumbsup:


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

Neen said:


> Good idea to practice walking around w/the pup around your shoulders. I should definately do that so that I never need to! I just put together a first aid kit to always bring hiking, biking, whatever, and did think of the dog's needs too. I am not sure how Kali will respond the first time I try to hoist her up on my shoulders :skep:
> Sandblast, awesome to hear about your new pup. I love to hear of people adopting!! She's a beauty. :thumbsup:
> 
> PS-just want to plug ruffwear for a sec. We have the Palisades Pack for my pup and she's a terror and ripped the pannier and they are sending me a new set. For free. No shipping charge even. Gotta love a company that stands behind its merchandise! :thumbsup:


just make sure you secure the zipper.... mine came undone, and I lost their booties and one of my gloves :madmax: And the bags started ripping off the harness... I returned it.


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2004)

dave113: well thats what ya get for making the dog carry YOUR stuff :nono: . j/k
Kali is only in charge of her stuff (food, cookies, water, chew toy)


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

Neen said:


> dave113: well thats what ya get for making the dog carry YOUR stuff :nono: . j/k
> Kali is only in charge of her stuff (food, cookies, water, chew toy)


Yeah, he probably unzipped it and dumped the stuff 

It is the best pack I've seen in terms of the fit and harness, I'll buy another one when he's worn off the puppy energy a little more. I saw him get caught in undergrowth, instead of finding a way around he just got a running start and ripped thru it... he's also a danger to hikers with that thing on, he'll run right past you and hit you with the pack on the way by.

I'd just get a couple of clips and attach them to the zippers, and clip the zipper pulls to the harness so you don't lose the contents.


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## IXLR8 (Oct 29, 2006)

I have two Golden retrievers and I trained them off leash from the time they were pups. They easily do a 10 mile loop and never run off. I train them walking them in my town were there are lots of distractions and this gives them the discipline on the trails. They rarely are 20 feet from me and as another post stated, all you have to do is run into them once and they remember to get the hell out of the way. These dogs are really smart and just want to please. If they hear the bike moving out of the garage, they go crazy. I had two Border Collies before these and they are unbelieveable too. I guess it's all in the training though, spend time with them and they will be the best running or biking buddies ever.


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## pops (Feb 14, 2006)

... i spetn about 5 months in south africa [/QUOTE said:


> ...always wondered if your avatar photo was from Boulder Beach !!!


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## IF Harvey (Jan 5, 2006)

This is Fontana. We found him at 6 months old at Fontana Village NC. We were there for a race pre-riding the course and he was running around the course. My wife fell in love with him and talked me into taking him home. I'd always wanted a dog I could ride with but didn't feel ready to commit to another puppy, but I'm soooooo glad I did. He's 2 now and has become my favorite riding partner.

We're pretty sure he's a Catahoula, though he could be a coonhound/cattledog mix. Either way, those are some really good breeds to run with, as they're built for endurance. He's a natural on the trails. I live in Florida and even in summer, he can run about 15 miles provided he gets plenty of water stops. When the weather's cool he can go all day. He has run off chasing wildlife a few times, but he always finds us again. His nose and tracking abilities are amazing. Once my wife and I got separated on a trail in the Georgia mountains with no means of communication. He heard us yelling for each other and took off from me, found my wife and brought her back to me. Incredible.

There's lots of good advice here on what kind of dog to get. We stumbled on this hound/heading dog and they are naturals. Not too small or too big (Fontana's 50 lbs), lean and powerful, built to run long distances unlike many other breeds.









On the trail with Lauren









Cooling off









Tired and happy post-ride


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## devinjo (Aug 4, 2005)

Great canines!! So cool to see other folks who ride out with their dogs!:thumbsup: 
Working and herding breeds are GREAT cycling partners!

I ride with my Border Collie and my husband rides with his Doberman

My girl,Tess









And Joey The Lips


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## wilks_80 (Dec 13, 2006)

I have a English Springer. She is crazy. I can never wear her out. Like others have said she probably puts on twice as many miles as I do in one trip.


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## CRogge (Nov 24, 2005)

Wow. There are a lot of great riding dogs out there. I'll agree that Siberian Huskies are great running dogs. But then...you could say that I am biased. Tanja came with me on a ride just this afternoon! She can run as fast as I can ride. She does have a bit of a mind of her own, but she minds pretty well for a 2 year old. The first pic is from a camping trip when my wife and I rode out to Clinton Lake with Tanja in tow. The second pic has her little buddy in the backround.


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## NWilhelm (Nov 23, 2006)

is that a dog crate on wheels?


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## CRogge (Nov 24, 2005)

Yeah, it's a dog crate. Tanja's original owner gave it to us when we adopted her. I made the trailer out of a weight bench frame, a Burly trailer hitch mount and the bottom half of an old steel Mongoose. I've since braced up that sag in the middle and mounted a bike rack in place of the dog crate to take bikes to work and back.
-Chris


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

Our Mutt, Sitka in the spring.










We adopted her from a shelter, she tricked us good. we went to look at a weimer but that dog had already been adopted, Sitka was the only dog not going nuts, she just sat there looking at us, we took her out, she fetched, sat, and walked on a leash without pulling.

She was in the rescue because she had been burned. The animal control officer said the owners claimed it was an accident, but they never took her to a vet and that is why he confiscated her. She was affraid of the kitchen when we brought her home. Very sad.

This one was from the day we brought her home.









The vets think she is a Pit/lab/other mix. She weighed around 38 pounds when we brought her home, she has put on about 7 pounds of muscle in the year and a half since we brought her home. No trail riding yet, but we trail run on a leash and we skateboard, or she pulls me and I ride the skateboard. It is her absolute favorite thing to do. If I pull out the board she goes absolutely nuts. I can't imaging what she will do when she gets to go riding with me.

Right now her only problem is prey drive, on sunday she finally overcame her fear of swimming to go after some deer on the other side of a canal we were walking on. And meeting other dogs, but I think the leash may be her problem there. If she is leashed she will ignore other dogs, but if they try to sniff her or make a move towards her she gets aggresive. She has gotten much better since we started taking her to a doggy day care a couple times a week. They have been great at working with her socialization. As well as working with her to focus on us instead of the distractions.

OT where do you go to find pulling harnesses like those used for Sled dogs? Right now we are using a typical walking harness when skateboarding.


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## NWilhelm (Nov 23, 2006)

well i dont do any mushing/dryland stuff but i believe you can use this...

http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-trade-Harness?sc=2&category=16

or

http://www.howlingdogalaska.com/supplies.html
or

http://www.tanzilla.ca/cat24_1.htm


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## gatorchick (Nov 5, 2006)

CRogge said:


> Wow. There are a lot of great riding dogs out there. I'll agree that Siberian Huskies are great running dogs. But then...you could say that I am biased. Tanja came with me on a ride just this afternoon! She can run as fast as I can ride. She does have a bit of a mind of her own, but she minds pretty well for a 2 year old. The first pic is from a camping trip when my wife and I rode out to Clinton Lake with Tanja in tow. The second pic has her little buddy in the backround.


Hey! Were you at Clinton today???? I think you and I and your pup crossed paths a couple times. I was the blond chick with the black Stumpjumper!

Your pup looked SO happy on the trail ... one of these days I've gotta get my dog out there ...

Nice to meet ya (again)!


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## CRogge (Nov 24, 2005)

Yep, that was us out there. She really loves the weather this time of year. She's always itching to go when it's chilly out. It was really tough waiting to run her until she was old enough. Once she hit the 1 year mark, it was on! I swear, I ride more in the winter than I do in the summer! Oh yeah, she cought a squirrel today on the way out. She was so happy. I felt awful! I let her pick it back up on the way back though. She ran with it for about a mile before dropping it. She had been doing so well lately listening to me tell her not to chase, too. At least she can tell the difference between squirrels and our cats!


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## gatorchick (Nov 5, 2006)

My dog loves this weather too and she would LOVE to be out there with me! I think next time its too muddy to ride the trails I might take her out to the levee and start working with her and see how she does. I REALLY need to work on her recall ... last time I took her trail running at Clinton she wandered up into the road ... that makes me NERVOUS! ... we're way overprotective of our girl. 

Are you an undergrad in the Environmental Studies program??? I graduated in 2004 but I was Environmental Science not Policy.


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## CRogge (Nov 24, 2005)

I found that the only way I was able to keep Tanja near was to keep riding. If I stop for too long, she gets bored and wanders off. Treats have worked for us with some success. She likes getting water from the Camelbak when she comes to me, too. Yeah, I'm an undergrad. I'll be done in May! My wife is done already with an Anthropology degree. See you on the trails!


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## gatorchick (Nov 5, 2006)

Ok, this thread inspired me to give riding with my dog a try. When we got her the whole idea was to ride with her ... but then overprotective parenting kicked in and we never did. I decided to start working with her tonight. Took her up on the levee that parallels our easiest singletrack ... she stayed with me and after half a mile or so I decided what the hell?! and dropped down onto the trail.

She was GREAT!!!! She ran right in front of me pretty much the whole way ... I loved watching her race around the corners and fly over the logs ... she very quickly learned that "Go!" meant speed up and that she can't just stop right in front of me.

We probably only did 3 or 4 miles because it was getting dark and I need to build her up a little bit. But we will ABSOLUTELY be making a habit out of this! I don't think i've EVER seen my dog so happy ... and it felt like such great bonding ... just a girl and her dog out exploring the woods together.   

Here is my NEW favorite riding partner ... picture not taken today ... maybe next time I'll take the camera out. 










I'm so happy.


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## berrywise (Jan 15, 2004)

Komodo said:


> My wife and I have a Weim and they are absolutly great dogs. Grey Ghosts rule!!!


I'm thinking that this year might be the first year that the Lou Dog and I go out and give trail riding a shot. She's calmed down considerably over the last year and I trust her to be off leash when we are camping. There is one trail near us that is an off leash area and has great sight lines so I figure to take her there in the early morning when there shouldn't hardly, if any, riders around.


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## mbikertim (Jan 7, 2004)

I tend to agree with the brittany spaniel owner. I ride with a 1.5 year old English Springer Spaniel (field variety). Amazing dog. Sweet natured, good with kids, VERY fast, excellent endurance. I've trained her to not get in the way of the bikes. We have a blast together and she can run for literally up to (and probably beyond) an epic four hours.


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## Rez (Nov 15, 2006)

Be careful you may create a little monster. I can no longer ride w/o my dog. If for some reason I go out somewhere that I am unfamiliar with or dogs are un-welcome. I come home to the saddest little face. I now plan the rides around the dog. But thankfully there are more dog friendly places then not in this sport (mostly because it is all woods). 

I have had the dog at a ski areas going up lifts. She was a little freaked on the first lift ride but when she found out that she was able to run down the hill. I couldn't stop her. She was at the lift line jumping around before I could get ready. She has been to other mountains seen then she actually likes the lift to a gondola. But she truly excels at cross country.

Good luck with the riding and don't be afraid to give your dog a little nudge w/ a tire. They learn quickly.


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## hairyharris (Sep 8, 2006)

Hey dog lovers,
My dad was a vet for 47 years until last year when he died. He was in his clinic the day he died. Growing up I learn much about dogs and cats. I like dogs more than cats though.
It's great to see ya'll spend quality time with your dogs. There just like kids. you have to give them quality time. I personally have two Aussy Shepherds. They are FULL of energy. Will try to post some pics soon. All the dogs I've seen in the pics on this thread look great. Kudos to the owners.


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## Pauly F (Dec 2, 2005)

*Davec113, Your pit is beautiful!*

My Pit is similar and the absolute most devoted being I have ever known. Great pics too. I can tell he/she is a huge part of your life because of your avatar. Keep educating the masses of the value of pits.



davec113 said:


> My Pit is loves to go on rides, and he's really fast. If you get a Pit just don't get one that was bred to be fat with a huge head and short legs.
> [


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## Pauly F (Dec 2, 2005)

*RT Awesome pits! Take them to some races next season!*



*rt* said:


> pretty pits!
> 
> I have seen many of your posts over the recent months but never knew you were a pit lover. I hope you take a pit or 2 with you to some races next season. I always take mine. He's black,white, large and loving. I'll be at as many GCS and SERC as I can reach from Atlanta. I hope to meet your pits .. and you, of course. No. I'm not a stalker. Just an mtb message board lurker.
> 
> "Pualy"


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## gatorchick (Nov 5, 2006)

Took my dog out on the trails for the second time today ... and this time I took my camera!

We came upon a nice hiker dude who offered to take her picture. Can you tell how happy BOTH of us are to be out there together?!


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## rideandshoot (Dec 18, 2006)

*Another Shock Collar viewpoint*

We have a Rhodesian Ridgeback German Shepard mix who hikes with us. She used to go riding with us but a 6 month battle with Valley Fever affected her lungs enough that we don't take her riding anymore. She still goes hiking though. She is very smart but very strong willed. We tried everything including professional obedience training. The shock collar literally saved the day. Now that collar is her favorite thing. She knows when it comes down she's going out for some fun.

As for pain, I've never quite understood why people object to a shock but not a jerk on a choke collar or prong collar (which is what the professional trainer used).

The final confirmation of the shock collar came from one of the local Mountain Preserve Park Rangers. My wife was out hiking when a park ranger rode up to her on horseback. Understand there is a very strict leash law in the Preserves. The only 'leash' our ridgeback had on was her trusty TriTronics. Not only did the Ranger not ticket my wife, she told her that she actually preferred the shock collars! She said that she frequently deals with hikers who get pulled off the trail and injured by there large breed dogs! The ranger told my wife that as far as she was concerned for large breeds (our dog was about 85lbs at the time) the shock collar provided more control than most of the leashes she saw.


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## _tom_ (Jun 18, 2005)

This is Sasha, she was rescued from a puppy mill, so we're not exactly sure what she is, but we think some sort of border collie/blue heeler mix:










We don't do too many long rides, but she has no problem staying right behind me on full speed DH sections. She loves to come on bike rides, in fact she starts going crazy as soon as she sees me put on bike clothes.

Here's a clip of her running:
https://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b219/bikeaddict/?action=view&current=sumasoct29.flv


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

After seeing all these trail dogs it's making me want another dog!!!! damn it!


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## CRogge (Nov 24, 2005)

OK, so Tanja just got sprayed by a skunk out at Clinton Lake today. The smell is everywhere! We got some Nature's Miracle enzymes, and we are hoping for the best!


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

Wanted to pose these questions: 
What training has anyone done with their pooches before bringing them along on the trail? 

How do you handle them running around and after stuff?

How old are the pups before you started taking them?


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## lil hillbilly (May 18, 2005)

good idea to wait a year for extended rides and as far as training goes use normal training tools such as healing. :thumbsup:


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

I'm thinking more about control and commanding your dog. Open trails for dogs which are used to it are an invitation to chaos. 

When I was younger our 2 dogs would follow us on our four wheelers. They were 100% outdoor dogs which never were tied up. They'd follow us anywhere always staying within a small distance of us. They were pretty fast dogs and didn't over-do it if they didn't want to. We trained them pretty well to follow and such, but encouraged them to quit before exhaustion. Believe it or not, if they got tired they'd let us know somehow. Towards the end of summer they could run at a decent pace for 2 or more hours. 

On top of that our shepherd mutt was the fastest dog I've ever seen. We clocked her hitting high 40's


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## Chico2000 (Oct 20, 2006)

Here's my 3yr old lab mix, Chico. Haven't taken him riding in a while but goes running with me every day. Any sign of deer or turkey and he's after them but he always catches up to me.


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## Nfelici (Nov 20, 2006)

Here's Gibbs after his first trail ride this morning. We only did about 5 miles and he was perfect - ran about 5 feet behind me the whole time and never wore out.


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## VT_SNGLTRK (Apr 2, 2004)

*German Shepherd*









Loves to run, but doesn't like to run into other trail dogs...


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## namrita (Jun 1, 2005)

i, too am partial to german shorthairs. click here for jackson and porter's latest ride report


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## ziegi (Aug 1, 2006)

Oh Man,

2 Weimys in close succession, i have 2 of them and they are great trail dogs if a little independant minded at first ! Oscar is 2 and Marley is nearly 12 !

(If only i knew how to insert a pic into this thread.)

ziegi


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