Mountain Biking - Dog for Mountain Biking

i am considering getting a dog...

if this is going to work i need a dog that can frequently join me mountain biking since i spend the majority of my free time riding (i'm a mountain bike guide and racer)... but also live in an apartment --- so it must be an active/energetic dog that can also stay couped up in an apartment when we're not out biking/running.

my main question is what dogs are good companions for mountain biking and is it reasonable to assume that such a dog will be able to keep up on a 3-6 hour mountain bike tour on the weekend? i also do multi-day tours often 8 days basically spending the entire day riding. plus i generally ride in groups so the dog would also have to learn to run with other cyclists who may not be used to a dog (i.e. getting out of the way on the downhill and not stopping in the middle of the trail to smell something). does anyone mountain bike with their dog? has anyone trained a dog to joing for mountain biking?

a friend of mine had a Border Collie that was a good mountain bike dog that could keep up with the group pretty well and knew when to get out of the way on the downhill when a cyclist approached from the rear. we did a 4 hour tour with lots of vertical and so a VERY long downhill and the dog seemed to love it! i know you can buy leashes that mount to the bike, but i think it would be best if the dog were untethered most of the time but this of course would require GOOD training.

i had a German Shepard a number of years ago but back then i wasn't as much of a cyclist as i now am...

and to make the selection even harder... i live in an apartment so our mountain biking and running would be the major exercise for the dog --- i.e. on a typical weekday in the morning to the park (huge park right in front of my front door), then i'd be at work and maybe have a "dog-walker" come by once, then after work a few hours biking or running with the dog and then late at night again to the park. my girlfriend is also a cyclist but even more a runner: she runs 5-6 days a week, so i think it's pretty reasonable that IF the dog could join for all our activities he'd get plenty of exercise at least 6 days a week.

i have been researching a little and a think a Dalmation might be a good choice as the breed was originally bred to run alongside carriages and are supposed to be very good jogging companions. and they are supposedly relatively calm indoors.

i think a Border Collie would be a good Mountain Bike Dog, but would not do so well in an apartment.

Golden Retriever? i don't think it'll have the stamina/endurance.

Greyhound? i know they're fast but do they also have the endurance? i've read they're also pretty well-behaved indoors...

Rhodesian Ridgeback? don't know much about them

i dont know much about dogs but how about a siberian husky? they're bred to mush across miles of frozen tundra so they'd probably outlast you. i read in a magazine somewhere that they'd be the perfect dog to run marathons with and every husky i've seen has been well-behaved and being sled dogs, i'm sure that they are trainable

i dont know much about dogs but how about a siberian husky? they're bred to mush across miles of frozen tundra so they'd probably outlast you. i read in a magazine somewhere that they'd be the perfect dog to run marathons with and every husky i've seen has been well-behaved and being sled dogs, i'm sure that they are trainable

i think you answered your own question. huskies are more suitable for working hard in cold weather. they have a very thick coat and keeping up on a trail on a hot day is probably not the ideal situation for a husky

Herding dogs in general can be excellent dogs, but do require a lot of attention. You mentioned a border collie- the mountain biking part would be great for that kind of dog, but alone in an apartment for any amount of time, and he/she could go crazy. I have a Blue Healer/ Austrailian Shepherd, which is my little angel... But she doesn't like being alone for very long. I've taken her mountain biking since she was about 3 months old, and it's definitely her favorite thing to do. The problem is that her herding instinct can not be trained out of her, and she ends up trying to zig-zag in front of us. Great on the uphills, as she can beat us all every time, but on the downhills she can not comprehend the fact that she can get run over if she gets in the way. And she can seriously keep up on a lot of downhills. A few times she's caused one of us to crash on tight singletrack..... That said, I wouldn't give her up for the world, and wish everyone could have this experience, but if you're looking for a moutainbiking dog in particular, maybe not a herding breed. Of course, there are certain dogs within these breeds that would do great. You can't put any one value or label on a type of dog, just as you can't put any label on a human. They are truly one of God's great creatures. :)

Good luck!

I used to ride on trails and even on the public bike path along the Charles River in Boston with a pair of Dobies, Zara & Rufus. They usually ran on a single leash and were yoked together. Zara ran inboard because she was smarter and could quickly adjust her pace (and Rufus' pace) to my Raleigh Technium (recently converted to SS).

Although the concept of MTB Dobermans may seem far fetched, their speed, endurance, athleticism, and above all their trainable intelligence make it a realistic project. I hope our Marines have some Dobies with them tonight in Fallujah!

A few other pluses. Dobies adapt to even small apartments and will sleep a lot on your couch. Also they will run with your girl friend and of course will take superb care of her.

Why two Dobies? The Doberman will develop an INTENSE relationship with you. You will be chief dog in a pack of two. A sibling makes a more natural pack. To illustrate this- I found it disconcerting to have Zara stare at me continuously as I tried to read. When Rufus joined the pack, Zara had Rufus to think about.

So when I retire to Durango or Crested Butte, I'll do single track with a new pair of (unleashed) Dobies!

:roflmao: :roflmao:

I used to ride on trails and even on the public bike path along the Charles River in Boston with a pair of Dobies, Zara & Rufus. They usually ran on a single leash and were yoked together. Zara ran inboard because she was smarter and could quickly adjust her pace (and Rufus' pace) to my Raleigh Technium (recently converted to SS).

Although the concept of MTB Dobermans may seem far fetched, their speed, endurance, athleticism, and above all their trainable intelligence make it a realistic project. I hope our Marines have some Dobies with them tonight in Fallujah!

A few other pluses. Dobies adapt to even small apartments and will sleep a lot on your couch. Also they will run with your girl friend and of course will take superb care of her.

Why two Dobies? The Doberman will develop an INTENSE relationship with you. You will be chief dog in a pack of two. A sibling makes a more natural pack. To illustrate this- I found it disconcerting to have Zara stare at me continuously as I tried to read. When Rufus joined the pack, Zara had Rufus to think about.

So when I retire to Durango or Crested Butte, I'll do single track with a new pair of (unleashed) Dobies!

:roflmao: :roflmao:

very cool! dobies are awesome dogs

Boxers work good. Rottweillers are great for trial running, they will also clear the way for you nicely. Aussies are good second the vote on the Ridgeback, Stattfordshire terriers, American Pit Bulls. From personal experience Shiloh Sheppards will be great. They can trot next to you at pacing speed.

huskies will run forever. They do have very thick coats, but only in winter. In the summer they are quite thin. Probably not the best house dog though, cause of their thick coat in winter, and they shed like crazy.

I would think that any long legged dog can run for a long time, espically with training.

i think australian shepherds would be a great dog. very energetic, train well, and have herding instincts that could prove useful. they are great inside (my friend has one) and they are beautiful dogs.

hey thanks for the responses. it's good to hear some dogs are up to mountain biking... hopefully i hear some more.

i love huskies and i do think a husky could probably keep up, but for an apartment the thick fur may not be so good, but i think the real problem is i've heard they don't do well in small spaces.

australian shepherd... hm don't know much about them so i'll have to check that out.

anyone own a dalmation?

huskies are more suitable for working hard in cold weather. they have a very thick coat and keeping up on a trail on a hot day is probably not the ideal situation for a husky

My neighbor used to be the head zoo-keeper here in Tucson, where the zoo has a polar bear. He told me that the thick fur actually works just as well to keep the bear cool in the summer as it does to keep the bear warm in the arctic. Go figure.

Great on the uphills, as she can beat us all every time, but on the downhills she can not comprehend the fact that she can get run over if she gets in the way. And she can seriously keep up on a lot of downhills. A few times she's caused one of us to crash on tight singletrack.....
yeah i think a lot of dogs do that. like i said i didn't do so much biking with him as it was years ago, but my German Shepherd/Malumute that i had could keep up for a while, but there were 2 problems: for running or hiking no problem but for biking he would wear himself out after 2-3 hours or so (maybe with time and training this would get better) but although he was smart, he never learned that bikes go straight and don't stop as quickly and are not as agile as dogs so he would often abruptly stop in the middle of the trail to smell something (i knew to expect it but he couldn't run with a MTB group) or when running next to a bike suddenly go left or right crossing right in front of you. my friend's Border Collie i referred to above is the only dog i've personally ever ridden with that did this well. he loved to be first and on the downhill would get a start but with 30+mph we would overtake him and he would hear us coming and move out the way - it was awesome and after a while you could just ride fast downhill like he wasn't even there because he would get out of the way - very cool! and this is what i need as i ride a lot in groups (ideally the dog could also join me on the mtb tours i guide)

although i'm sure it depends a lot on the individual, i would think some breeds would be more "natural" at learning this. that's particularly why i'm interested in the Dalmation as they were bred to run alongside wagons so i assume they had to learn not to stop in front and get run over or make the wagon crash. i think endurance and the ability to pay attention (i.e. not get distracted) is probably more important than raw speed or strength...

and Leo, you're right i didn't really consider Dobermans... maybe i'll check that too.

huskies are more suitable for working hard in cold weather. they have a very thick coat and keeping up on a trail on a hot day is probably not the ideal situation for a husky
i think i would agree with L-Dawg...

my German Shepard/Husky was a cold weather dog and i had him when i lived in Texas and i had expected i would have to shave him in summer, but he seemed to do just as well in the heat as all the other dogs i saw - they really shed the winter coat for summer. and now i live in Germany where it is rarely hotter than 90F. so i don't think the heat from the fur is the problem but rather the fur and tons on shedding in an apartment, plus as i said i have heard Huskies go crazy in apartments even for a few hours.

i just found a website from a Dalmatian owner who says they are perfect "biking" dogs and describes the training - one week with a leash and they learn to run next to the bike -- the site is in German: "Dalmatian: the escort for cyclists, hikers and horse riders" http://www.stefan-etzel.de/HOME/themata/dalmatiner.htm

Since you're in Germany how about a Germian Short Hair Pointer. I really liked mine.

Joe

How about a Lab? I've got a yellow lab that keeps up with me just fine. Although, I usually don't eclipse the 3 hour ride when I'm with her. Labs are very intelligent and easily trainable, plus they love everyone. After they grow out of their puppy stage, they are very even tempered. My buddy Crate Trained his and he (the Lab) will spend all day in his crate (with the door open) until my buddy gets home.

My lab has learned to get off the trail when someone is approaching, with just an occasional "GO, GO, GO!" command.

L8R

Oh yeah, regarding Dalmations. These dogs are actually a fighting breed. Which is why they were traditionally used by firefighters. They were trained to fight off other dogs that would "nip" at the horse's heels during an emergency. Although intelligent and trainable, you occasionally will get one that has a very bad temperment. (moreso than a lot of other breeds).

With that, I always wanted one and would call him "Stripe".

L8R

Stay away from the border collies and husky types.
Go for airedales, dobes, rhodesian ridgebacks, am staffs, boxers etc.
Best yet get a mutt, which exhibits the traits of these dogs.
I think dals are a bit sketchy, but you might get lucky...

Whatever you do, please take into consideration the training of a young dog. Some breeds shouldn't do a lot of running until they are beyond a year old. Do some research and talk to a vet before you make your choice and your dog will be able to run with you for a much longer time.

I ride with a guy that mountain bikes with his dog. Pepper, is a mutt that he rescued from an animal shelter (by far the way to go). She kind of looks like an anorexic black lab, with a skinny face, long thin tail, thin body. She is very fast, and has no trouble on 2 hour rides, keeping up with us uphill or down. Dogs learn pretty quick to stay out of the way of bikes while you are riding with them. He previous bike dog was a purebred lab. I never had the opportunity to ride with her, but he said she could keep up fine, but woudl be exhausted after a ride. At the end of a ride, Pepper seems to want more.

so far i'm most interested in the following:
Dalmatian
Weimaraner (prone to barking)
Rhodesian Ridgeback (maybe a little big)
Golden Retriever (long hair and not sure if they have the endurance)
Doberman (read they're not too stranger friendly)
Pointer (i think they're often a little too active indoors)

or i might think of a mix/cross of some of the above. i'm not at all hung up on having a purebred although it is good to know the characteristics of the breed.

and i'm trying to go through all the considerations such as vacations and whatever as well as talking it over with my girlfriend (we are moving in together soon) as having a dog is a 10-14 year committment...

Whatever you do, please take into consideration the training of a young dog. Some breeds shouldn't do a lot of running until they are beyond a year old. Do some research and talk to a vet before you make your choice and your dog will be able to run with you for a much longer time.
thanks. i read something similar saying that Dalmatians for instance should first be "bike trained" at 1 year old and before that only for SHORT distances next to the bike...

I currently have a Doberman any one scratching her ears is her buddy stanger or not.
Never had a Weimaraner, but believe them and the GSP to be equivalent and after puppyhood should do fine inside as long as they get regular exersize. I never had problems with any of my GSPs inside even if it rained for a few days ina row and they didn't get out much.
I had a friend that had Dalmations and said they were hard to train - switched to elkhounds - very pretty and easy to train.
The only Ridgeback I ever knew was fine but not much chance to observe.
Retrievers will require as much exersize a s the W and GSP and are likely to be larger - is that a consideration in your apr.?

Joe

australian shepherd. man i think these dogs are beautiful.

American bulldogs (the performance line) are great companions. They are extremely athletic and quick learners. However, they can be animal aggressive, so taking other dogs with an american bulldog wouldn't work.

australian shepherd. man i think these dogs are beautiful.

I agree.... My Shanti is an Australian shepherd/Australian cattle dog mix. There's never been a better dog, IMO. :)

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v66/gonesh9/wonderings/134_3462web.jpg

She can run FAST, and is the sweetest thing on 4 legs.

Just can't resist posting another pic.... Isn't she cute?

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v66/gonesh9/bikeforums/Resize_of_shanti1.jpg

Keep in mind that whatever you pick, it will have to fit the rest of your life style. A high strung breed that can keep up with you on the trail several hours a week may make your life hell when you want to relax.

I'd go with a Lab. Not only because they are the quintessential family dog and non-threatening, but they are ideal companions and have stamina. They enjoy the running, but don't mind being quite and taking naps. I'd stay away from hounds and terriers.

I Had a dalmation, too high strung and stupid. Too much over breeding recently (101 etc).

MyBrother has a Wienmeranner (sp?), crazy, crazy, crazy. Way high strung and to fragile for the trail, IMO. You need a strong sporting/working dog.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

a lab hands down. I have one and as soon as u want to do sumthing he is very energitic and runs beside my bike with my buddies forever and is still goin. also VERY easy to train.

I agree.... My Shanti is an Australian shepherd/Australian cattle dog mix. There's never been a better dog, IMO. :)

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v66/gonesh9/wonderings/134_3462web.jpg

She can run FAST, and is the sweetest thing on 4 legs.

hahaha, very cool dog!

Well, since others are posting pics of their dogs, I must insist on doing the same.

This is an old picture of her, (and my old P.3), but you can see she's well fed and still keeps up with me. (Not as hard a task as it used to be). So, we've grown old together. But I love her and call her my firstborn!

L8R

I have a dog now but we need to wait until she's over 1 year to get her into mtbiking. But I'll tell you about 2 dogs I know and ride with. One dog is a lab. She is very hyper, she runs back and forth full-bore 4 meters for every 1 meter we ride. She completely wears herself out, and is covered with foamy spit and limping at the end. She just cannot control her pace.

Then there's the other dog. She's a border collie with lab in her. So a rather large fluffy dog. She's twice as old as the lab. However she's the best biking buddy ever. She knows when to get out of the way if she's not going fast enough and you're behind her; you can bolt down a trail and she'll know to keep trotting along and she'll make it to the car eventually. She has a cute little trotting-hop she does, her own little pace. She's done 25 milers with us. Sometimes we wait at the bottom for her, but she always comes and is so happy. And before anyone thinks 25 miles is cruel, this dog loves to bike with us. Once we left her in the house and she saw we were getting ready for a ride. She jumped out of a window to go with us! This dog is so tough, she's even done *some* slickrock. He pads are like steel.

Hopefully my pup will be a good biking buddy. Good Luck.

My neighbor used to have a mean ass doberman. He lived down the street from me a few blocks. Every time I would ride by, he would chase me and bark. He seemed to keep up pretty well.

My neighbor used to have a mean ass doberman. He lived down the street from me a few blocks. Every time I would ride by, he would chase me and bark. He seemed to keep up pretty well.

hahahaa

I've got a Border/German Shepard pound mutt, does great on the trails in temps less than 15C, over that she stays at home. I also leave her home if I plan on doing a long training ride. Couple of anoying habits though:

1) she loves to roll in animal crap, thus I haven't taken her out yet this year, trails are full of dear crap
2) she won't cross water

Check out your pound, great dogs can be had there for next to $0, plus you're potentially saving a dogs life!

great dane. they look cool.

pups! my landlords denied me a dog... I took the apartment based on the ad that said "dogs allowed" but then I asked when I was about to adopt one and they said "oh, you must have misread the ad." Pups!

One of my dogs is half Blue Heeler and half Chow. Ugly but very friendly and LOVES to run. She can top 25 mph. My other dog is a Pit Bull. He likes to run too but gets distracted too easily. He thinks all people are here for him to play with so he wants to stop and play with everyone we meet.

so far i'm most interested in the following:
Dalmatian
Weimaraner (prone to barking)
Rhodesian Ridgeback (maybe a little big)
Golden Retriever (long hair and not sure if they have the endurance)
Doberman (read they're not too stranger friendly)
Pointer (i think they're often a little too active indoors)



I ride with a black lab (Vet she's actually a mini-lab who seems to have maxed out at about the 48 - 50 pound size and will probably not get much bigger from this point) and is still in the puppy stage which means we have been slowly building up her mileage. No special training was really involved as she figured it out on the first ride, knows enough commands from me and automatically stays on or close to the trail. She loves to go mountain biking, but a lab is probably not the correct choice for you as they only have duration for shorter distances than what it sounds like you will be doing. When she first started coming along with me back in December, I kept the distance in the 3 - 4 mile range. Now we are in the 5 - 10 mile range with a couple of stops for water and treats along the way and I really cannot keep up with her. I imagine as the weather gets warmer, I will have to be very careful to keep her hydrated and watch for heat exhaustion. I've heard that herding dogs in the collie family are the best runners and ideal for the type of durations and consecutive days that you mentioned.

http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=1098

BB

hey thanks for all the replies. i have found a bunch of websites about biking dogs - actually strangely enough mostly in German but fine for me! and yes, almost everyone seems to recommend waiting until the dog is at least 1 year old before starting it on cycling...

there are a lot of variables in my life right now - need to find a new job, considering becoming a full time mountain bike guide (my dream) and things are really progressing with my girlfriend (hopefully my future wife), so although i REALLY want a dog, i think i'm gonna hold off a while until i know a little better that i'll easily be able to have enough time for the dog and have the right environment... and my girlfriend is not so crazy about being limited in vacation and other stuff when you have to consider a dog too...

but i think when the time eventually comes i'll have a pretty good idea of the possibilities and i've been paying more attention when i see dogs and asking owners questions, etc.

thanks again for all the info and hopefully some day i'll have an awesome mountain biking dog!!!

and my girlfriend is not so crazy about being limited in vacation and other stuff when you have to consider a dog too...


Several of my friends are dog owners so we watch each other's dogs when someone goes out of town.

Another vote for Labs.
Mine can stay in the mountains for hours keeping up with me all the while. She was easy to train and she's always eager to go for a ride. Plus, Labs are renowned the world over for their intelligence and many positive character attributes.

The ideal convenience dog can be stored on your bike when not in use. I recomend a minature dachshund; they are very aerodynamic and can fit on your rear luggage rack in a wicker basket.

maybe he should just get a cat and put it on a leash... it wouldn't run away... it'd roll alot.. but not run away. :lol:

I have a border collie right now and I lived in aparment for three years. He was great. HE loved to get out and go wherever I went. I don't know about running him for days on end but for the day he was great. They are very intellegnet and as for getting out of the way and being to think for themselves they do all that. They also dont get that big so they wont take up alot fo room. They travel great as well lke in cars and such. The only thing I would say is when they are young train them well. They like to be worked. hope this helped

I have two labs myself and love them dearly, but I would not ride with them. I have a friend who was nearly killed when riding with his two huskies. One of the dogs unexpectedly ran after a squirrel and dumped him. He suffered a major head injury, spent some time in a coma, and has permanent hearing loss. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I think the dogs could certainly add an element of unpredictability to your rides. I don't mean to rain on your idea...just a word of caution.

I have two labs myself and love them dearly, but I would not ride with them. I have a friend who was nearly killed when riding with his two huskies. One of the dogs unexpectedly ran after a squirrel and dumped him. He suffered a major head injury, spent some time in a coma, and has permanent hearing loss. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I think the dogs could certainly add an element of unpredictability to your rides. I don't mean to rain on your idea...just a word of caution.

Good point. I had to train my dog to "keep right", stay on the right side of the fire road or trail and not cross, back and forth, in front of me while riding. It wasn't too difficult but it did take several rides. Some dogs also need to be trained to NOT chase animals that you may come up on in the woods. Where I ride we have all your usual southeastern kritters plus wild hogs (very nasty) and supposedly black bears, although I have never seen any signs of bears in the area, we have come up on a sow with her piglets in tow.

How about a Shetland Sheepdog? They are smaller, extremely robust and hardy, and have natural herding instincts. I definately wouldn't get a big dog for an apartment. Many US ranchers have started using Shelties as they typically outlast a Collie for stamina.

Herding dogs in general can be excellent dogs, but do require a lot of attention. You mentioned a border collie- the mountain biking part would be great for that kind of dog, but alone in an apartment for any amount of time, and he/she could go crazy. I have a Blue Healer/ Austrailian Shepherd, which is my little angel... But she doesn't like being alone for very long. I've taken her mountain biking since she was about 3 months old, and it's definitely her favorite thing to do. The problem is that her herding instinct can not be trained out of her, and she ends up trying to zig-zag in front of us. Great on the uphills, as she can beat us all every time, but on the downhills she can not comprehend the fact that she can get run over if she gets in the way. And she can seriously keep up on a lot of downhills. A few times she's caused one of us to crash on tight singletrack..... That said, I wouldn't give her up for the world, and wish everyone could have this experience, but if you're looking for a moutainbiking dog in particular, maybe not a herding breed. Of course, there are certain dogs within these breeds that would do great. You can't put any one value or label on a type of dog, just as you can't put any label on a human. They are truly one of God's great creatures. :)

Good luck!

I run with a Aussie Cattle dog mix. He stays with me 100% of the time taking a minimal amount of "private adventures". In general, he's very upset if he doesn't know where I am. This is a trait of Aussies. They imprint on a single person and will "shadow" them wherever they go.

I strongly suspect that the "herding" instinct is what keeps these dogs near the bike. They will stay with the group and try to direct it at times. Herders are also high endurance dogs that are meant to work 24/7 as herders, guards or guardians.

Sporting dogs (goldens, labs, poodles, pointers) are pretty trainable and should stay with you.

I strongly suspect that trackers and terriers would quickly run away from a biker with "side projects". Beagles, Bassetts, Coon Hounds, etc.. are likely to follow their nose. Terriers are likely to go down the first Groundhog whole they find. Obviously, toy dogs have no business on a trail.

Sighthouds (greyhounds, borzoi) might follow so long as you have something they want.

Finally, if you're not the "alpha", I don't think any dog will follow you off lead. If your dog drags you around on lead, you need to spend some time training and assert your dominance.

Kewl thread! I have biked extensively with a chow/healer mix ...the kind of longish rides you're talking 'bout. Bubba is a champ. His pads are tough from lots of outdoor play and cycling. He'll drink from a camelback hose and he shadows very well during rides. He belongs to my good cycling friend. I have a Sheltie who would never be able to keep up in spite of his athletic abilities. He's a great frisbee dog and awesome companion ...but he's no cycling buddy.

I trained and qualified two S&R dogs for Boulder and Gilpin Counties in CO about 13 years ago. I was also the handler for either dog when toned out for rescue missions. Before getting into that, I competed in obedience trials ...very geeky. However, I have a pretty in depth knowledge of dog training, their temperment and so forth.

I'm happy to go further with you if you have questions ...PM me if so. For now, though, I will mention that acl injuries are common in dogs who have a rigorous athletic routine ...like mtb biking. Bubba just blew his ...2K for the repair. To make matters worse, he has a very good chance of blowing the other knee according to the docs at Univ. CO School of Vet Medicine. I know another dog, a yellow lab, who did the same thing. It's not the extended endurance of trotting along during a ride. It's the downhilling that's very rough on a dog. Dogs have exceptionally high tolerance for pain (most animals do.) It's their inability to self moderate that gets them into trouble with knees and pads, etc.

me and my sheltie, oy...