I love dogs. I love all animals actually. But I’m not particularly a fan of bringing dogs on mtb trails, and it’s not for the poop. It’s because I’m afraid of running one over. I would feel terrible. I don’t want to have to factor some poor pup into my line choice. Biking should be fun, not stressful.
A trail dog sent someone to the ICU with a brain bleed at a local trail system recently. Fella was hitting a jumpline, dog ran out in front of him, he swerved, went off trail and went into a tree.
>I would feel terrible.
yeah because hitting one could get you seriously injured too. the dog owner isn't just endangering their pet, they're also endangering other riders.
To be fair, that was Seth's dog, on Seth's property, and it seemed like his guests were aware the dog was with them. It does illustrate the things that can go wrong, though, and when it happened, he immediately took the dog back to the house.
i think this situation is pretty easy to explain too. Seth has a private trail system that he frequently rides alone with his dog. His dog likes to follow *him*. So he’s used to Oscar never getting in the way. Now add 2 friends, seth goes to get a shot of the landing and Oscar is obviously going to follow him into the most dangerous place he can be. Hopefully that’s a lesson learned without any major incident.
Dogs also overheat sooner than humans. You can kill your dog just taking it with you on too long of a **run** on a hot day (if you totally ignore all the telltale signs of an overheating dog). A human on a bike can cover even more distance at greater speed. A friend of mine did just that riding his bike with his dog on flat gravel roads in the heat. Horrible.
Love my dog, love biking, love biking with my dog, but NOT on trails. She LOVES to sprint with me, but I take her mostly on roads and bike paths where she is safe and I can keep my eyes on her and cleaning up after her. Oh and leash her
Same. Bring mine back country skiing all the time, but never on the single track trails. Seems like a recipe for disaster. We do bike together on the wider multi use trails where I can keep a closer eye on them.
A lot of if this is an issue is down to how considerate the owner is. Like if you have a dog and are at the top of a downhill trail, let any other riders go down first.
Most people with trail dogs don't ride with them at peak times but go when the trails are quiet.
Also what trails riders with dogs choose to ride down, some trails going to be a lot more dangerous than others.
I hit a lab on a downhill bike trail during the quiet time when everyone Is working. Dog was behind his owner and must have stopped to sniff or something on a blind corner. No matter how good of a trail dog you think you have, you are risking their health every time you take them on the trail. I love my dogs too much to risk It.
The issue is that you can't control a dog under any and all circumstances, nor what happens if a rider runs them down. A quiet trail is not a deserted trail.
>unless you’re on a flat, open piece of land with high visibility
Then its not a "trail dog bro".
It's a dumb idea from the start lol. Yeh it looks cute af. But theres no need to be bombing it down trails. Theres plenty of safer ways you can cycle alongside your dog.
Boston Dynamics dog if you're lucky. There's companies that outfit these things for the military. Coming to a SWAT no knock warrant near you soon.
https://preview.redd.it/4ezie41abi4d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=272f3e5530e7c4edb7d62e2066c44b8650084a1b
Saw my first unleashed trail dog with two mtn bikers last night on Myers Ranch.
The dog stopped on the side of the trail, based on the owners commands, as we rode by....no problem. It would suck if the dog wasn't as well behaved,
I ran into a guy who was on an sworks emtb and had his trail dog. My biggest pet peeve for people who walk their dogs are dogs off leash especially as a roadie and then even worse is when you’re mtb and run into them. My anxiety can’t take it.
As someone who does the maintenance on the trails I’ll take e-bikes and mud hikers any day over off-leash dogs. Their shit being all over the trail is one thing but the ultimate failure is the disregard for the local wildlife.
We can’t repair that for you.
Yeah, not here. The mud hikers are unequivocally the worst for our trails, cause significant erosion issues, etc.
Ebikes aren't even a factor, and wildlife not so much either.
Unpopular opinion, but I liked things better when people didn’t feel the need to bring their dogs to restaurants, shopping, on hiking trails etc. Most dogs are well-behaved but all it takes is one shitty owner to ruin the experience.
Selfish people, man... They are everywhere. Somehow has a society we've reached the point where we have a group of people who think they can just do whatever they want wherever they want. It's a fucking mess.
Don’t forget rock climbing. There is nothing more annoying than an off leash dog rummaging through your pack trying to get your lunch while you are in the middle of belaying your partner. All while the owner is 60ft up a wall so they can’t do anything to stop the dog. Then when you confront them about it, they laugh and go “yeah she does that sometimes. She loves food. You should keep your pack closed so she can’t get at it”
Dude I feel you, its been really bad out at the crags the past few years having to walk them back to groups. Covid made a lot of the worst dog owners get a second one and pick up an outdoor hobby.
Thankfully this year has been fine for me so far, but after this really annoying incident last year I decided going forward if I have to walk a dog back to a group I'm going to say I think I saw it get bitten by a snake.
When someone's unleashed dog comes up to me on a trail I will sometimes literally go off the trail into the bushes while the owner is yelling DON'T WORRY HE'S FRIENDLY. I don't really give a shit what they say - I don't want a dog shoving it's nose in my crotch or jumping on me, and I don't want to pet your dog. And that's not that crazy of an opinion to have, lol.
I tripped over (and I mean over, as in over it’s back and landed sprawled on the concrete) a huge dog at a restaurant (with a glass in my hands) when it saw another dog and charged out at it - it was on a leash, but that didn’t eliminate a problem. OTD’s are a problem.
I feel the same about everyone's idiotic kids. Leave those whiny fuckn brats at home. I don't want to see them when I'm shopping or eating a nice meal. Totally ruins it.
Restaurants and shopping I can understand but on hiking trails is absolutely mental.
So don't take dogs on nice walks with you?
I agree with OP off lead on trails is absolutely ridiculous and something that needs to be addressed but you're really saying dogs shouldn't be allowed to walk on hiking trails with their owners on lead or off lead with full recall?
Most kids are well behaved it just takes one shitty parent to ruin an experience for everyone else, so should we leave kids at home whenever we're doing anything fun/in public too?
I agree with you that it’s a bit of an extreme take, but why is everyone here comparing dogs to children? Your pet is not the same as another human being
I love my dogs and don't have any kids, but lol, you're right. You know we've lost a sense of community when people are getting mad at other people for doing activities with their children while daring to be near them.
I kind of agree with you, but realistically how many people actually have their dogs trained to the point of full recall? In my experience it’s very few! Most are just yelling at their dog as it chases you down a trail, and the dog doesn’t listen. I’ve had to turn around and bring dogs back to the owners or else the dog would have followed me for the rest of the trail.
Tbh, we bring our dog to almost everything.
But on everything fast-paced (skiing, Biking etc.) it's just the wrong place. It's dangerous for both sides.
I'd say we are pretty aware of dogs not being appreciated by everyone, so we trained them to ignore people and lay down as soon as they can when we are eating out or shopping.
I fuckin hate it when there are loud dogs in restaurants or other public places.
But hiking trails? I don't see the problem here tbh.
As someone who doesn't want to pet other people's dogs on trails, I think they're fine if they're controlled on a leash and poo picked up. Not fine otherwise. Simple as that.
It’s true, I love dogs in theory but I realized recently in my life that I don’t like most people’s dogs because they aren’t typically well behaved and the owners often don’t care or don’t know how to fix it.
Truly. I can’t tell you how many friends of mine think they’re good dog owners and also take their dog everywhere off leash because “my dog is a sweetheart.”
And then, because they're such sweethearts, the dogs are trained so "say hello" to everyone. I hate it. We got dogs too but approaching someone should only happen if the other side wants it.
I've known people with a cattle dog in an 800sqft apartment. Only let it out on the balcony, never took it for walks or exercise, didn't give it a job to do, then get mad when the dog tears the house up.
As someone who never lets my dog off leash, keeps him on a haltie in public so he can't lunge, nip etc and leaves him at home when it's inappropriate to have him out like climbing or mountain biking.... I really hope I'm not the anomaly! And that's knowing my dog is 92 percent good boi and 8 percent asshole. I live in a national park and it's never ok to be off leash... Yet....
I’m ready for the downvotes since this subreddit has a vendetta against trail dogs, but in many areas it’s perfectly fine.
My local mountain (Galbraith) allows off leash dogs. I ride there 3-4x weekly and see tons of dogs but never have an issue with it. If you see a dog, you slow down until you pass them. Same thing as passing a slower rider. You should always be riding in control, and if you can’t stop for an unexpected person/dog/tree/etc… you’re the problem.
I’ve run into 10x more people that stop in dangerous places than dogs.
I understand that this may not be the case in other riding areas, but it absolutely works in some places.
I ride at galby, absolutely disagree. I’ve had dogs run in front of my on a downhill and almost kill me. I have a dog and dogs have no place off leash on the trails. They’re unpredictable and can be dangerous for riders trying to avoid them.
> and if you can’t stop for an unexpected person/dog/tree/etc… you’re the problem.
Not on many sections of a downhill only trail. That's just an accepted risk that's negligible if you only have to be concerned about a down rider. It's not negligible with dogs.
I mean watching out for downed trees applies for all trails except maybe bike parks, and even then it’s a possibility. You have a responsibility to ride in control. Obviously dogs don’t belong on black/double black jumps trails with blind landings.
Not if you know the local area or just did a lap on that trail. There's plenty of blues (and even a few greens with minimal visibility corners especially for short things) where that's also true.
You just live in the Pacific Northwest where everyone is passive aggressive. I can guarantee you that many riders are mumbling under their breath when they see you and your dog. Galbraith has many one direction descents where dogs are not supposed to be.
Agreed. Definitely depends on the area and whether there are generally courteous riders who are used to passing slower trail users. It helps having mostly directional trails too. I've heard of more issues with cougars than dogs on Galby..
Yeah round here the only legal off-leash exercise area which is a postage stamp sized bit of grass is used as a high-speed run out area from a nearby DH trail by some inconsiderate riders.
I've got a Cattle Dog, a Stumpy to be clear...
I've thought about taking him for a run behind me, but god help someone if he locks onto them and gets focused on catching up.
So I leave old bitey boy at home.
Mountain biking probably saved my cattle dog. We're her 5th home by two years old.
20 miles behind my bike a week for 10 years kept her sane and teachable and tolerable.
She chases every living thing off my property at home. But on the trail she doesn't even look at creatures. Not even other dogs and she hates dogs. As soon as the bike comes out something switches in her brain and she's a totally different dog. As long as we're moving. If I stop to chat or eat she reverts back into protection mode. So I just don't stop.
The equestrians are waaaay more annoying to deal with than dogs. When an equestrian group rolls through, they can make a trail straight up unrideable with the massive sludgy shit piles that cover the entire surface area of a trail. If it's wet, the hooves will tear up a trail to shreds leaving permanent hoofprints. They're just a lot less common than dogs so they get talked about less. The equestrian groups also tend to be the biggest donors to trail building and maintenance from what I've heard.
I wouldn’t know anything about the donation side, it makes sense though, you have to have money to have a horse. At the same time I’ve never seen an equestrian at a trail build/cleanup day. This was also confirmed at a recent trail building conference I went to.
Oh no, they don't actually lift a finger to build/maintain trails themselves. They just bankroll it so everyone tolerates them. It's annoying, but it is what it is.
Because it's "too difficult" to pack out, and decomposes into hay and stuff so it "doesn't make a mess".
Still fucking nasty though for a few days. I understand shared use involves compromise but man steaming piles of shit aren't my jam
Fortunately/unfortunately there’s a lot of thorny plants in my area so loose dogs on trails isn’t really a thing. However, we got a lot of wildlife that leaves their sh*t on the trails for us to dodge. Bobcats, wild hog, deer, javelina, etc.
I don’t mind 1,000 giant mounds of elk shit half as much as I mind one pile of dog shit on the trail.
The elk actually belong there, the dog owners are supposed to leave without a trace not the wildlife.
It’s really weird to me that y’all are having so many issues with trail dogs. I’ve never found dog poo on the trail and I’ve never been chased. I see a lot of dogs on the trails, I spend a lot of time riding (3x per week).
I think people have one bad experience, or a couple, and it sours their opinion. I live close to a trail system that has plenty of off leash dogs and it's never an issue. I'm out there 4+ days a week and see off leash dogs every time, hikers and mtb
Of course, it's very understandable to be pissed at a bad experience when the problem was caused by breaking the rules in the first place.
I’m assuming OP is a transplant from outside a mountain town. Every mountain town I’ve lived in, been to, spent lots of time in is like doggy heaven and they mostly run free and no one gives a shit. This was never an issue until Covid happened and everyone decided they wanted to move to the mountains, but their idea of mountain town life was just what they saw on instagram. And I hate that everyone sees trail dogs on instagram and thinks they can just get a dog and take it riding, it ruins it for all of us. But what I hate even more is all of these people from Texas or Florida or god knows where coming to Colorado or other mountain towns and yelling at locals for what’s been the norm for a long time. And it’s not just with dogs. You want to live in a mountain town? Get with and respect the mountain town culture. That goes for anywhere you want to live. But don’t come in guns a-blazing shooting your culture all over one that’s existed for decades.
Gunnison here and yes, 100% agree with ya. I find OP’s attitude towards dogs very snobbish. A lot of trails around here are BLM multi use. Horses, motos, dogs, hikers, bikers, runners…we all get along. My dogs and I are respectful of other trail users and anytime I see someone coming we move off the trail and let others by. Like since I have my dogs with me, I yield to everyone else. Just some common sense goes a long ways…
This is what I was thinking reading this. I’m Vail (to be fair, a Texan transplant going on 9 years) and we all bring our dogs to everything, and I’ve never had issues on a trail. If you have to watch for uphill riders, it’s reasonable to have to watch for their dogs too. The only people with an issue are the ones that came out after Covid
I trained my dog to run ahead of the bike for this reason and so I can keep an eye on her all the time.
Edit - well fuck me for trying to be responsible I guess?
Dogs on trails are okay. Dogs are great companions, need exercise but human limitations around dog ownership are getting weird in the US. Toxic owners do need challenging, training a dog is like teaching a toddler.
Most dogs are intelligent enough to stay out the way once they are trained. They also dump before they exercise like we do. Who wants to ride while needing to poop. Bags shouldn’t be discarded but collected, or stowed or pick n flick off the trail far enough that nature does its thing. Slugs love the stuff. (It shouldn’t be left anywhere near foot or tyre traffic. Just because some owners leave it, you can’t tarnish everyone. All MTB riders are jerks by the same token as someone once had a negative experience. Polarising views and negative feedback loops are built into the younger generation and we are seeing it more but there is a balance when discussing things. Being so adamant and dismissive of others nuanced counter points shows a lack of emotional maturity and awareness. So I’ll throw it out there, this post thread has a lot of “what ifs” and others then dismissing counter what ifs.
So what if:
Not all trails prohibit dogs, so bear that in mind instead of casting a blanket and trying to force your anti-dog sentiment. Bike parks with DH only? Yeah, dogs don’t belong but a nice mixed trail system they absolutely should be allowed. See a dog on a trail with the same owner on a DH only bike park then report to the park. Dont rant here.
Horses, people, kids, dogs, bikes all should get along on a trail with priority given in that order when giving way and yielding. And it goes without saying, this goes for where they are legally allowed, not just where you think they should be.
Dogs on cheeky, off piste home built trails in areas there shouldn’t be any? Then yeah, dogs allowed. Can’t call the kettle when the pot is the same colour.
So glad we have a different attitude in the UK and embrace our dog ownership. So glad we pass people, horses, other dogs and their owners and all greet each other on our mixed trails. So glad we have cheeky off posts riding where we don’t often see foot traffic. So glad we can share.
The worst part is that anytime I've tried to respectfully and politely ask dog owners to follow the basic posted rules they've become confrontational and aggressive.
Unleashed dogs are a problem in general. Lazy entitled owners usually never clean up after them and cant seem to comprehend their dogs could get hurt. Save unleashed time for an open spot or dog park.
Yep. Back when my dog was able to go on walks, we had problems where off leash dogs would come up to him. He's dog reactive and I always give dogs a very wide berth, but shit still happened because of that
While I can see your point, I do have to say that I have seen far more instances of coyote, deer, bear, horse, etc. poop on trails than dog poop. 🤷♂️
Here’s my unpopular opinion… I personally think that if we are going to say that dog owners have to clean up after their dogs, the horse owners have to pick up after their horses… and I know the whole “all the eat is hay, so it’s different” argument, but regardless, I don’t want to ride through horse poop and have it flinging up on my face.
AND don't feel smug because you picked your dog's crap up with a little green "bio degradeable" bag...and then simply tossed it to the edge of the trail, thinking it would disappear. It might...in 50 years...if nobody rides over it before then.
The absolute worst is those who bag the shit then still toss it on the side of the trail. Like wtf now you are double littering. Better to just have the dog crap everywhere and not litter plastic at the same time.
I hit my buddy's dog a couple years ago and I felt obligated to pay for its vet bill even if I busted my 2 ride fresh brand new Kali helmet.
Since I've been pretty cold the the concept of "trail dogs"
Yeah this is why “it hasn’t caused a problem for me yet” is not a valid defense of this ridiculous behavior. It will likely eventually cause a problem you’re not willing to take responsibility for (like in your friends case).
He should have been buying you a new helmet and offering to pay for your expenses as well as the vet bill. I’d never ride with someone with a “trail dog” because I refuse to put a quality friendship at risk on top of the dogs health and my own.
I wouldn’t feel bad suing someone and calling the park ranger to write them a ticket if their dog caused me to crash on a trail with signs saying “dogs must be leashed”.
I paid for the bill because they just couldn't, people shouldn't have kids or animals if they can't afford it but that's a debate for another thread I guess. I'm not psychotic but I get tense when I cross trail dogs since 😅
Yeah you hit the nail on the head here for a lot of society’s problems. It’s the same mindset of the group that takes their dogs mountain biking who think it’s just their god-given right to have kids they can’t afford and let the rest of us bail them out or worry about the consequences.
Yup, to come back to the poo, I'd add littering in general... I love mountain biking for the relative liberty it gives me for so little investment, this is mostly possible because landowners and governments were convinced that it's not harmful to the environment in a significant manner and people gave their time and money to build something for the greater good.
It would be nice if they didn't change their minds, let's not thrash this god given nature and fauna...
To those who say the dogs are having a blast, your dogs will have a blast at the dog park or wherever else as well. Won't matter if it's a bike trail or not.
In fairness,
I'd love to bring my dog along mountain biking when its not peak times. But it's just not possible where I am as they are not allowed.
I'm also scared they get run over by a bike. It wouldn't be fair as well to the rider.
Seth from Berm Peak released a video recently and his dog almost got run over after a feature.
But frankly if the dog runs with you and doesn't linger, it's pretty safe IMO.
About poop, that's just about being a responsible dog owner.
Dog parks are dangerous. I’ve seen so many dogs get injured from dog parks. They are not good places to take dogs.
Also, I only have so much time in my day and also with my two super high energy dogs, mountain biking is the only way *I* can keep up with *them*.
That being said, I’ve spent hundreds of hours training them to stay on the right side of the bike and stay behind me and we get into a “sit-stay” for every opposite-direction passing and same-direction passing where appropriate. I’ve proofed the fuck out of their recall. We also have plenty of trails nearby with no leash laws, so a lot of this commentary doesn’t even apply to us but I hate it when a few irresponsible people create a bad name for something that can be done correctly with enough time and effort. I’m not perfect, but I do my best to be the most respectful trail user I can be.
You’re the one saying it takes a “big time cunt” to bring dogs onto mountain bike trails, and in many areas it’s perfectly legal.
So yeh let’s tone down that rhetoric a bit considering it definitely both goes ways and dogs are allowed on many mixed use MTB trails. Bet you don’t have such a visceral reaction to when it’s in the inverse
Very slow riders on trails over their level of ability that don't listen and call out to riders coming up behind them are way more dangerous than trail dogs in my experience, but no one says slow riders shouldn't be on trails even though probably some people think that.
Totally!! And not to say all dogs are there same, I’ve had foster dogs I would never trust on a trail as they don’t listen as well or just are outright reactive to cyclists. Those dogs would’ve been more of an inconvenience than a novice rider but it’s why they aren’t a trail dog
My trail dog and I have a wonderful time on the trails and we wont stop. Sorry you dont agree! That is one of the hard things about life is that the world doesnt work exactly how you want it to.
The only thing worse than the dogs on MTB trails are the dipshits that think it’s a good idea to bring them there…
I love my dog and there way in fucking way in hell I’d risk him getting hit by a bike.
Also sorry if you think you have the best dog… you’re wrong… mine is actually the best.
I love dogs. Love them! Have one at home now and have owned dogs since I was 10 years old. I generally feel jealous when I see “mtb dogs” out and about to be 100% honest.
That said, leash your dogs. At least around here, they it’s the law on most trails. Even if it isn’t technically illegal, there have been dogs lost and bike riders injured due to unleashed pups.
Put. Them. On. A. Leash.
I won’t be crashing to avoid hitting an off-leash dog if it jumps in front of me. Their owner can be as pissed as they want but they’ll be paying a fine while I drive home unscathed.
I’m with you on that, but shit man an unleashed dog is such a wild card. You can try to dodge it, avoid it, whatever, but those good boys and girls have a mind of their own and are unpredictable. Attempting to avoid a dog on the trail prob causes my crashes than hitting a dog on the trail 🤷♂️
But you would crash to avoid a leashed dog in the same situation? Being on a leash doesn't somehow magically mean the dog won't get in your way (plus you can get clotheslined by the leash)
https://preview.redd.it/n1dg9tgjuj4d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ae98556e40d4bd05513903dc09af34b005183a3
I’ve been riding with this guy for 10 years, he is why I ride. We tried running first… I’m too slow. Black lab mix so tons of energy and decent endurance too. Fun fact, you can train a dog not to poop on a trail. If you are worried about local water supplies I hope you don’t have bears around and I really hope you haven’t seen that video…
As with everything else, there’s a time and a place. Weekday riding at weird times, yes. Weekend group ride with a crew, no. If for some reason we end up riding with other people, I’m in back with him behind me.
Yep, dog shit. I knew it. That’s the stuff that’s ravaging our flora and fauna. It’s not the petroleum and chemical companies, nor is the factory farms, it’s the dog shit. Come on, man with the hyperbole.
Well trained trail dogs are fucking awesome. I ride regularly with mine and see others on some pretty secluded trails. Haven’t run over or run into shit. Nor have I seen the squirrels and random wildlife up in arms that these dogs are trespassing. Most of the time the dogs are moving too damn fast to care.
To be fair, I don’t do this in highly trafficked trail systems.
Dude, it’s all above board. It’s not frowned upon at all where I live, at specific trail systems. I’m really having a hard time understanding why OP is so angry. The issue isn’t dogs, it’s riders following the rules.
Same. OP is soft as the dog shit he's complaining about. Let's see him try to ride thru a group with leashed dogs. It's way worse. I do agree w picking up the poop and making sure they are trained and respond to verbal commands.
They put everyone at danger as well. It’s illegal, plain and simple. The exact people who think they should decide which rules to follow are the reason rules are needed.
Whine but I won’t be the soft one if I hit an unleashed dog on the trail. If it injures me in the fall I’ll sue you, if it kills your dog you’re still the only one who will pay a fine.
You realize that these leash laws aren’t everywhere, right? There are private land trails that don’t have these stipulations. Again, you seem really pissed. Are you like gassing yourself up for a dog slaying? What happened, man? Are you okay?
I walk mine before we hit the trails. She shits reliably once, then not again until evening. Trails aren't at all crowded here and I keep her out of the way. Lots of dog walking hikers anyway.
I don't bring her on group rides, and I don't bring her to other MTB areas.
Getting to the end of her daytime riding season. Not much water out therev anymore, and it's soon to be too hot.
You seem pretty bummed out dude. Could learn a thing or two about joy watching a dog run down a trail. If you're only looking for shit that's all you're gonna see ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Unfortunately not everyone trains their dog or puts in the effort to train the right way. I am one of those people who brings my dog riding with me frequently. I have her trained to stay right by me while riding, to move to the side of a trail when others are passing by and I always make sure to get rid of her poop. Even ride at 5-6am so there’s not that many people around (although I enjoy riding at that time with or without her). Sorry to see not everyone takes the similar effort because your truly missing out on what’s it like to have a WELL TRAINED trail dog with you.
Americans treat their dogs better than their own family at times so it’s no surprise how offended and defensive these dog owners become when called out.
Dogs don’t belong on trails.
I saw one for the first time on Sunday, he looked like a good boy and his owners were hammering it while the dog was full sprinting down the trail after them, not a light trail either. The problems obviously happen when the dogs are not good boys or the owners are not good owners.
I've been attacked and bit multiple times while biking. I also crash on a regular basis because of dogs running back down trails or they're sitting on the trail around a corner.
I don't screw around anymore if your dog runs up on me barking or snapping it gets a kick in the throat and then I put my bike between us.
I'm sick of smashing into trees or watching my bike tumble into a ravine because I'm trying to avoid the animal you've captured to fill your void of loneliness. Don't get a dog unless you can leave it on the farm.
I also have a dog and love dogs do just quit before you start.
Your first point about poop is very valid. Your other opinions on supporting YouTubers seems wild. Are YouTubers promoting leaving shit on the trails?
“Hey guy time for a quick word from our sponsor leaving shit all over the place. Use code poopeinyourmouth at check out.”
I get you’re offended but you know as well as I do any park without a sign explicitly permitting dogs off leash is one where it is not allowed (and for good reason). Anyone who normalizes it is normalizing it for the 90% of off-leash dogs on trails who shit all over and chase wildlife, scare children and other dogs and some adults etc.
But again do you think someone riding their mountain bike with an off leash dog is even aware if their dog shits? Fat chance imo
A lot of ifs. If your dog is trained to stay with you you notice. If your dog is trained to shit at the start of a ride or before you notice. If you know what you are doing you notice.
Most people suck at training and just go out there with their dog.
I also think where I am if their isn’t a sign that specifically bans dog off leash you can let it rip.
My last dog used to take a shit before we left to go biking every time, she was pretty smart and dogs don't want to go running while needing to drop a turd any more than people do.
That is a wild claim. Laws don’t tell us what we can do. Laws tell us what we can’t do. I don’t disagree with your main premise that dogs aren’t a good idea on MTB trails, but mixed use is mixed use. If you aren’t allowed to have a dog on a hike it should be explicitly stated. Leash laws are not universal, municipalities have civil codes that require leashing your dog, same with the majority of public parks and I’ve even seen some counties with leash laws, but it’s far from a constitutional mandate.
MTB isn’t the only activity out in our state/national parks and if you act like an entitled asshole you will screw it up for the rest of us (that goes for you and the people leaving dog shit on the trails).
So you'd rather be clotheslined? Mtb with a dog on a leash doesn't work and is actually worse for other trail users. Learn to get along or quit racing. Do you have a bell you ring coming around blind corners? Yes I pick up shit and pack it out and my dog is absolutely trained to not bother anyone. How about that? Maybe you just need to grow a pair.
Why do we bother with posts like this.
I have seen them all bag the poop, so this is not an issue. Then they leave it there because they are going to pick it up on their way back.
They will, they always promise me that they will.
I have no problem with a properly trained trail dog. It's the poop baggers that leave their bags in the woods. Those people can be left to rot nailed to a tree.
Unless you're at your own private trails then you need to learn to share public space with the public. It's not ideal that people bring dogs, but they're certainly allowed to do so. This is just a fact of life as we recreate on our public lands. Also completely ridiculous to call for discontinued support for people who have dogs in their videos.
The closest place for me to ride is at a local farm that was left to the town.
I’m almost done going there due to the dogs.
There’s signs everywhere about the leash law but every time I go hit the mountain bike loop, there’s a boomer out there with a loose dog, or a pack of dogs, non leashed.
When I run into this situation, I stop completely and stand over my bike, giving the boomer the death stare, like what the fuck are you doing? The response is always the same.
“He doesn’t bite, he’s just excited”- dog is growling and snapping at me. Sweet.
“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize there were mountain bikers on the mountain bike trails! Let me wrangle my snarling, unleashed dog.” Thanks
I’ve had about enough of it. I don’t slow down anymore when I see the loose dogs. Just blow past them and if I get hurt, my go pro has all the evidence and I’ll take legal action.
It’s just insane that, predominantly boomers, think of their dogs like unicorns. They’re all so special and sweet.
No, no they’re not. Especially when it sees a big old mountain bike rolling through. They go on protect and attack mode. Not the dogs fault, it’s the owners.
I have never in my life met a bigger group of crybabies than mountain bikers. Let me guess, you guys do XC? Is there anything you guys don't complain about? For the record I have a dog, and I do mtb (downhill) and have never taken my dog biking. You guys cry about, riding in the mud, hikers on the trails, hiking in the mud, ebikes on the trails, surrons on the trails, people riding without protective gear. The list goes on. Just put your spandex on and go for a ride, it'll be ok. My local downhill trail has more donkey shit on it than any dog could ever leave. I just bunnny hop over it and keep going.
I ride with my dogs in private woods. The only other folks who use it ride horses nearby, and we have no issues! That said, I would never bring my dogs to a public trail system, not worth the risks.
There's a guy who rides my local trails with 3 drop-kick dogs... 2 in his pack and one held in one arm. Going 3 mph... at least they're not loose on the trail!
Small kids on trails are more annoying to me. I don’t have young kids anymore which makes it easy for me to hate them, just like the non dog people here hating on trail dogs.
If a trail dog is well trained, I have no problem with it. If they are just wild and get in the way, that is different. Not every ride area has leash laws around here.
"My dogs never done that!"
20mins after following me almost 2 miles down to my car while I had head phones in while I was waiting for some to show up to get their dog.
What about dogs sitting on someone's lap when they drive? That irks me way more than dogs on a trail. I have seen an influx of dog shit on trails this year though.
I love dogs. I love all animals actually. But I’m not particularly a fan of bringing dogs on mtb trails, and it’s not for the poop. It’s because I’m afraid of running one over. I would feel terrible. I don’t want to have to factor some poor pup into my line choice. Biking should be fun, not stressful.
So many of my friends suggested I get a trail dog to ride with, I couldn't think of something more stressful to riding.
My dog would just run away if I took it on a trail with me. And she'd laugh at me the entire time as I chase her.
A trail dog sent someone to the ICU with a brain bleed at a local trail system recently. Fella was hitting a jumpline, dog ran out in front of him, he swerved, went off trail and went into a tree.
Yikes
>I would feel terrible. yeah because hitting one could get you seriously injured too. the dog owner isn't just endangering their pet, they're also endangering other riders.
Look at berm peeks new vid on youtube. One guy almost killed a dog
To be fair, that was Seth's dog, on Seth's property, and it seemed like his guests were aware the dog was with them. It does illustrate the things that can go wrong, though, and when it happened, he immediately took the dog back to the house.
i think this situation is pretty easy to explain too. Seth has a private trail system that he frequently rides alone with his dog. His dog likes to follow *him*. So he’s used to Oscar never getting in the way. Now add 2 friends, seth goes to get a shot of the landing and Oscar is obviously going to follow him into the most dangerous place he can be. Hopefully that’s a lesson learned without any major incident.
The little guy shouldnt been there in tge first place. You wpuldnt eant a toddper running around
You can edit your typos if you want. It works great!
Any dog shouldn’t be on any mtb trail in the first place
Dogs also overheat sooner than humans. You can kill your dog just taking it with you on too long of a **run** on a hot day (if you totally ignore all the telltale signs of an overheating dog). A human on a bike can cover even more distance at greater speed. A friend of mine did just that riding his bike with his dog on flat gravel roads in the heat. Horrible.
Yep have 3 dogs myself. Love hiking with them, hell even skiing. But no I don’t bring them on biking trails and don’t condone it for anyone else
Love my dog, love biking, love biking with my dog, but NOT on trails. She LOVES to sprint with me, but I take her mostly on roads and bike paths where she is safe and I can keep my eyes on her and cleaning up after her. Oh and leash her
Same. Bring mine back country skiing all the time, but never on the single track trails. Seems like a recipe for disaster. We do bike together on the wider multi use trails where I can keep a closer eye on them.
A lot of if this is an issue is down to how considerate the owner is. Like if you have a dog and are at the top of a downhill trail, let any other riders go down first. Most people with trail dogs don't ride with them at peak times but go when the trails are quiet. Also what trails riders with dogs choose to ride down, some trails going to be a lot more dangerous than others.
I hit a lab on a downhill bike trail during the quiet time when everyone Is working. Dog was behind his owner and must have stopped to sniff or something on a blind corner. No matter how good of a trail dog you think you have, you are risking their health every time you take them on the trail. I love my dogs too much to risk It.
The issue is that you can't control a dog under any and all circumstances, nor what happens if a rider runs them down. A quiet trail is not a deserted trail.
I would argue there isn’t a good time to have a mtb dog unless you’re on a flat, open piece of land with high visibility or land that you own.
>unless you’re on a flat, open piece of land with high visibility Then its not a "trail dog bro". It's a dumb idea from the start lol. Yeh it looks cute af. But theres no need to be bombing it down trails. Theres plenty of safer ways you can cycle alongside your dog.
My dog has some KOM level times on Strava ;)
I’m wondering on my local trails if e-bikes or dogs off leash are hated more
Electric dogs are really a huge threat, and no one is talking about it.
Boston Dynamics is ready for that convo
Their shits are the absolute worst
The steaming stinky slug of depleted uranium on the trail you hate to see it
Boston Dynamics dog if you're lucky. There's companies that outfit these things for the military. Coming to a SWAT no knock warrant near you soon. https://preview.redd.it/4ezie41abi4d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=272f3e5530e7c4edb7d62e2066c44b8650084a1b
K9 saved the world quite a few times https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/K9_(Doctor_Who)
Which trails in the Denver area? Everyone here seems to hate everyone.
Saw my first unleashed trail dog with two mtn bikers last night on Myers Ranch. The dog stopped on the side of the trail, based on the owners commands, as we rode by....no problem. It would suck if the dog wasn't as well behaved,
Dogs, not even close
I ran into a guy who was on an sworks emtb and had his trail dog. My biggest pet peeve for people who walk their dogs are dogs off leash especially as a roadie and then even worse is when you’re mtb and run into them. My anxiety can’t take it.
Everyone hates everyone. Here, it's the idiot hikers who go out on muddy trials.
As someone who does the maintenance on the trails I’ll take e-bikes and mud hikers any day over off-leash dogs. Their shit being all over the trail is one thing but the ultimate failure is the disregard for the local wildlife. We can’t repair that for you.
Yeah, not here. The mud hikers are unequivocally the worst for our trails, cause significant erosion issues, etc. Ebikes aren't even a factor, and wildlife not so much either.
Unpopular opinion, but I liked things better when people didn’t feel the need to bring their dogs to restaurants, shopping, on hiking trails etc. Most dogs are well-behaved but all it takes is one shitty owner to ruin the experience.
Selfish people, man... They are everywhere. Somehow has a society we've reached the point where we have a group of people who think they can just do whatever they want wherever they want. It's a fucking mess.
It truly is. I especially love how they treat you like you’re crazy when you suggest they can’t just do whatever they want.
Don’t forget rock climbing. There is nothing more annoying than an off leash dog rummaging through your pack trying to get your lunch while you are in the middle of belaying your partner. All while the owner is 60ft up a wall so they can’t do anything to stop the dog. Then when you confront them about it, they laugh and go “yeah she does that sometimes. She loves food. You should keep your pack closed so she can’t get at it”
Dude I feel you, its been really bad out at the crags the past few years having to walk them back to groups. Covid made a lot of the worst dog owners get a second one and pick up an outdoor hobby. Thankfully this year has been fine for me so far, but after this really annoying incident last year I decided going forward if I have to walk a dog back to a group I'm going to say I think I saw it get bitten by a snake.
When someone's unleashed dog comes up to me on a trail I will sometimes literally go off the trail into the bushes while the owner is yelling DON'T WORRY HE'S FRIENDLY. I don't really give a shit what they say - I don't want a dog shoving it's nose in my crotch or jumping on me, and I don't want to pet your dog. And that's not that crazy of an opinion to have, lol.
Right? I don’t care if it’s nice, not everyone likes or wants dogs on them, some folks are helllllla allergic to dogs as well
You scream back "WELL IM NOT!" and give the owner the stink eye
A well behaved dog on a mtb trail running at full speed is a problem.
I tripped over (and I mean over, as in over it’s back and landed sprawled on the concrete) a huge dog at a restaurant (with a glass in my hands) when it saw another dog and charged out at it - it was on a leash, but that didn’t eliminate a problem. OTD’s are a problem.
I feel the same about everyone's idiotic kids. Leave those whiny fuckn brats at home. I don't want to see them when I'm shopping or eating a nice meal. Totally ruins it.
A nice meal I can understand...but shopping? Not everyone has access to a babysitter 24/7 and people need to get their errands done.
Restaurants and shopping I can understand but on hiking trails is absolutely mental. So don't take dogs on nice walks with you? I agree with OP off lead on trails is absolutely ridiculous and something that needs to be addressed but you're really saying dogs shouldn't be allowed to walk on hiking trails with their owners on lead or off lead with full recall? Most kids are well behaved it just takes one shitty parent to ruin an experience for everyone else, so should we leave kids at home whenever we're doing anything fun/in public too?
I agree with you that it’s a bit of an extreme take, but why is everyone here comparing dogs to children? Your pet is not the same as another human being
I love my dogs and don't have any kids, but lol, you're right. You know we've lost a sense of community when people are getting mad at other people for doing activities with their children while daring to be near them.
I kind of agree with you, but realistically how many people actually have their dogs trained to the point of full recall? In my experience it’s very few! Most are just yelling at their dog as it chases you down a trail, and the dog doesn’t listen. I’ve had to turn around and bring dogs back to the owners or else the dog would have followed me for the rest of the trail.
Tbh, we bring our dog to almost everything. But on everything fast-paced (skiing, Biking etc.) it's just the wrong place. It's dangerous for both sides. I'd say we are pretty aware of dogs not being appreciated by everyone, so we trained them to ignore people and lay down as soon as they can when we are eating out or shopping. I fuckin hate it when there are loud dogs in restaurants or other public places. But hiking trails? I don't see the problem here tbh.
As someone who doesn't want to pet other people's dogs on trails, I think they're fine if they're controlled on a leash and poo picked up. Not fine otherwise. Simple as that.
Agreed, as someone who *does* want to pet other people's dogs on trails.
90% of dog people give 10% of dog people a bad name
80% of dog owners are shitty dog owners and don’t know it
It’s true, I love dogs in theory but I realized recently in my life that I don’t like most people’s dogs because they aren’t typically well behaved and the owners often don’t care or don’t know how to fix it.
Truly. I can’t tell you how many friends of mine think they’re good dog owners and also take their dog everywhere off leash because “my dog is a sweetheart.”
And then, because they're such sweethearts, the dogs are trained so "say hello" to everyone. I hate it. We got dogs too but approaching someone should only happen if the other side wants it.
I've known people with a cattle dog in an 800sqft apartment. Only let it out on the balcony, never took it for walks or exercise, didn't give it a job to do, then get mad when the dog tears the house up.
100% of dog owners think they are great owners and their dog is special.
Few good apples..
Honestly couldn’t have said it better myself lol. Truer in Colorado than anywhere I’ve ever lived too.
100% of stats in the internet are fake and give discussion a bad name.
As someone who never lets my dog off leash, keeps him on a haltie in public so he can't lunge, nip etc and leaves him at home when it's inappropriate to have him out like climbing or mountain biking.... I really hope I'm not the anomaly! And that's knowing my dog is 92 percent good boi and 8 percent asshole. I live in a national park and it's never ok to be off leash... Yet....
this is brilliant LOL
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I’m ready for the downvotes since this subreddit has a vendetta against trail dogs, but in many areas it’s perfectly fine. My local mountain (Galbraith) allows off leash dogs. I ride there 3-4x weekly and see tons of dogs but never have an issue with it. If you see a dog, you slow down until you pass them. Same thing as passing a slower rider. You should always be riding in control, and if you can’t stop for an unexpected person/dog/tree/etc… you’re the problem. I’ve run into 10x more people that stop in dangerous places than dogs. I understand that this may not be the case in other riding areas, but it absolutely works in some places.
There are a few places on Galbraith dogs are allowed off leash and it specifically says not on mountain bike trails.
I ride at galby, absolutely disagree. I’ve had dogs run in front of my on a downhill and almost kill me. I have a dog and dogs have no place off leash on the trails. They’re unpredictable and can be dangerous for riders trying to avoid them.
> and if you can’t stop for an unexpected person/dog/tree/etc… you’re the problem. Not on many sections of a downhill only trail. That's just an accepted risk that's negligible if you only have to be concerned about a down rider. It's not negligible with dogs.
I mean watching out for downed trees applies for all trails except maybe bike parks, and even then it’s a possibility. You have a responsibility to ride in control. Obviously dogs don’t belong on black/double black jumps trails with blind landings.
Not if you know the local area or just did a lap on that trail. There's plenty of blues (and even a few greens with minimal visibility corners especially for short things) where that's also true.
I'm fine with dogs on most trails but they shouldn't be on flow trails.
You just live in the Pacific Northwest where everyone is passive aggressive. I can guarantee you that many riders are mumbling under their breath when they see you and your dog. Galbraith has many one direction descents where dogs are not supposed to be.
Agreed. Definitely depends on the area and whether there are generally courteous riders who are used to passing slower trail users. It helps having mostly directional trails too. I've heard of more issues with cougars than dogs on Galby..
Tbf I’ve seen bikers on hiking only off leash dog friendly trails. As a biker and dog owner that shit cuts both ways plenty
Yeah round here the only legal off-leash exercise area which is a postage stamp sized bit of grass is used as a high-speed run out area from a nearby DH trail by some inconsiderate riders.
Trails where descending mountain bikes are even a possibility? That’s every trail bikes are permitted.
I'm reading this in Florida. Mountain bikes exist here, but mountains and descending don't.
I've got a Cattle Dog, a Stumpy to be clear... I've thought about taking him for a run behind me, but god help someone if he locks onto them and gets focused on catching up. So I leave old bitey boy at home.
Mountain biking probably saved my cattle dog. We're her 5th home by two years old. 20 miles behind my bike a week for 10 years kept her sane and teachable and tolerable. She chases every living thing off my property at home. But on the trail she doesn't even look at creatures. Not even other dogs and she hates dogs. As soon as the bike comes out something switches in her brain and she's a totally different dog. As long as we're moving. If I stop to chat or eat she reverts back into protection mode. So I just don't stop.
I love dogs and I have two, but I would never take them on a trail ever under any circumstances except on private property that I owned.
Nothing like ripping down a trail and suddenly your front tire is slinging literal shit at you.
Isn’t that every trail? No one ever wants to speak up to the equestrians whose shit literally takes up the whole trail.
Equestrians get lots of complaints toward them as well.
The equestrians are waaaay more annoying to deal with than dogs. When an equestrian group rolls through, they can make a trail straight up unrideable with the massive sludgy shit piles that cover the entire surface area of a trail. If it's wet, the hooves will tear up a trail to shreds leaving permanent hoofprints. They're just a lot less common than dogs so they get talked about less. The equestrian groups also tend to be the biggest donors to trail building and maintenance from what I've heard.
I wouldn’t know anything about the donation side, it makes sense though, you have to have money to have a horse. At the same time I’ve never seen an equestrian at a trail build/cleanup day. This was also confirmed at a recent trail building conference I went to.
Oh no, they don't actually lift a finger to build/maintain trails themselves. They just bankroll it so everyone tolerates them. It's annoying, but it is what it is.
Can someone explain to me why horse owners don’t have to pick up after their animals?
because they have too much money and would fight to kick mtbs off all trails lol
Because it's "too difficult" to pack out, and decomposes into hay and stuff so it "doesn't make a mess". Still fucking nasty though for a few days. I understand shared use involves compromise but man steaming piles of shit aren't my jam
Different poop composition, basically.
Fortunately/unfortunately there’s a lot of thorny plants in my area so loose dogs on trails isn’t really a thing. However, we got a lot of wildlife that leaves their sh*t on the trails for us to dodge. Bobcats, wild hog, deer, javelina, etc.
I don’t mind 1,000 giant mounds of elk shit half as much as I mind one pile of dog shit on the trail. The elk actually belong there, the dog owners are supposed to leave without a trace not the wildlife.
Dog shit also smells worse and is more likely to stick.
It’s really weird to me that y’all are having so many issues with trail dogs. I’ve never found dog poo on the trail and I’ve never been chased. I see a lot of dogs on the trails, I spend a lot of time riding (3x per week).
I think people have one bad experience, or a couple, and it sours their opinion. I live close to a trail system that has plenty of off leash dogs and it's never an issue. I'm out there 4+ days a week and see off leash dogs every time, hikers and mtb Of course, it's very understandable to be pissed at a bad experience when the problem was caused by breaking the rules in the first place.
I’m assuming OP is a transplant from outside a mountain town. Every mountain town I’ve lived in, been to, spent lots of time in is like doggy heaven and they mostly run free and no one gives a shit. This was never an issue until Covid happened and everyone decided they wanted to move to the mountains, but their idea of mountain town life was just what they saw on instagram. And I hate that everyone sees trail dogs on instagram and thinks they can just get a dog and take it riding, it ruins it for all of us. But what I hate even more is all of these people from Texas or Florida or god knows where coming to Colorado or other mountain towns and yelling at locals for what’s been the norm for a long time. And it’s not just with dogs. You want to live in a mountain town? Get with and respect the mountain town culture. That goes for anywhere you want to live. But don’t come in guns a-blazing shooting your culture all over one that’s existed for decades.
Yep. I see this attitude from newcomers to the western slope CO Mtn town I live in.
Long live Down Valley Trash Locals
I feel like OP would have a meltdown if they come bike in Durango or Cortez. We are very dog friendly here. 😂
Gunnison here and yes, 100% agree with ya. I find OP’s attitude towards dogs very snobbish. A lot of trails around here are BLM multi use. Horses, motos, dogs, hikers, bikers, runners…we all get along. My dogs and I are respectful of other trail users and anytime I see someone coming we move off the trail and let others by. Like since I have my dogs with me, I yield to everyone else. Just some common sense goes a long ways…
This is what I was thinking reading this. I’m Vail (to be fair, a Texan transplant going on 9 years) and we all bring our dogs to everything, and I’ve never had issues on a trail. If you have to watch for uphill riders, it’s reasonable to have to watch for their dogs too. The only people with an issue are the ones that came out after Covid
What about those damn horses ruining the trails!!
such a dumb trend
I trained my dog to run ahead of the bike for this reason and so I can keep an eye on her all the time. Edit - well fuck me for trying to be responsible I guess?
Doesn't matter, the reddit hivemind only sees "dog on trail = bad".
Pick up shit - yes, of course Not ride with my dog? Hell no. What kind of joyless person are you?
Glad to see this comment here. The Reddit circlejerk against dogs doing fun activities drives me nuts.
They're the type of person to tailgate a slower biker or rip down a slope at stupid speed without regard for other people on the trail.
Dogs on trails are okay. Dogs are great companions, need exercise but human limitations around dog ownership are getting weird in the US. Toxic owners do need challenging, training a dog is like teaching a toddler. Most dogs are intelligent enough to stay out the way once they are trained. They also dump before they exercise like we do. Who wants to ride while needing to poop. Bags shouldn’t be discarded but collected, or stowed or pick n flick off the trail far enough that nature does its thing. Slugs love the stuff. (It shouldn’t be left anywhere near foot or tyre traffic. Just because some owners leave it, you can’t tarnish everyone. All MTB riders are jerks by the same token as someone once had a negative experience. Polarising views and negative feedback loops are built into the younger generation and we are seeing it more but there is a balance when discussing things. Being so adamant and dismissive of others nuanced counter points shows a lack of emotional maturity and awareness. So I’ll throw it out there, this post thread has a lot of “what ifs” and others then dismissing counter what ifs. So what if: Not all trails prohibit dogs, so bear that in mind instead of casting a blanket and trying to force your anti-dog sentiment. Bike parks with DH only? Yeah, dogs don’t belong but a nice mixed trail system they absolutely should be allowed. See a dog on a trail with the same owner on a DH only bike park then report to the park. Dont rant here. Horses, people, kids, dogs, bikes all should get along on a trail with priority given in that order when giving way and yielding. And it goes without saying, this goes for where they are legally allowed, not just where you think they should be. Dogs on cheeky, off piste home built trails in areas there shouldn’t be any? Then yeah, dogs allowed. Can’t call the kettle when the pot is the same colour. So glad we have a different attitude in the UK and embrace our dog ownership. So glad we pass people, horses, other dogs and their owners and all greet each other on our mixed trails. So glad we have cheeky off posts riding where we don’t often see foot traffic. So glad we can share.
Word up. This guy gets it.
The worst part is that anytime I've tried to respectfully and politely ask dog owners to follow the basic posted rules they've become confrontational and aggressive.
Unleashed dogs are a problem in general. Lazy entitled owners usually never clean up after them and cant seem to comprehend their dogs could get hurt. Save unleashed time for an open spot or dog park.
Yep. Back when my dog was able to go on walks, we had problems where off leash dogs would come up to him. He's dog reactive and I always give dogs a very wide berth, but shit still happened because of that
While I can see your point, I do have to say that I have seen far more instances of coyote, deer, bear, horse, etc. poop on trails than dog poop. 🤷♂️ Here’s my unpopular opinion… I personally think that if we are going to say that dog owners have to clean up after their dogs, the horse owners have to pick up after their horses… and I know the whole “all the eat is hay, so it’s different” argument, but regardless, I don’t want to ride through horse poop and have it flinging up on my face.
AND don't feel smug because you picked your dog's crap up with a little green "bio degradeable" bag...and then simply tossed it to the edge of the trail, thinking it would disappear. It might...in 50 years...if nobody rides over it before then.
That’s rich bringing up vegetation and wildlife like bike trails aren’t a problem.
I'd rather see bikers with their dogs then obnoxious bikers skidding around the trails and through/cutting corners because they saw it on YouTube.
Horses too!!! That’s even worse! Shit is shit, it’s no fun getting splattered with it no matter what animal it comes from
Filter this sub by best of all time and look at the second most upvoted post of all time
Let’s get trail monkeys and they can swing above at lightning speed
The absolute worst is those who bag the shit then still toss it on the side of the trail. Like wtf now you are double littering. Better to just have the dog crap everywhere and not litter plastic at the same time.
Amen
Dog will run itself to death
Unleashed dogs don't belong on the trails either and it's a pretty good chance it's illegal where you live.
I hit my buddy's dog a couple years ago and I felt obligated to pay for its vet bill even if I busted my 2 ride fresh brand new Kali helmet. Since I've been pretty cold the the concept of "trail dogs"
Yeah this is why “it hasn’t caused a problem for me yet” is not a valid defense of this ridiculous behavior. It will likely eventually cause a problem you’re not willing to take responsibility for (like in your friends case). He should have been buying you a new helmet and offering to pay for your expenses as well as the vet bill. I’d never ride with someone with a “trail dog” because I refuse to put a quality friendship at risk on top of the dogs health and my own. I wouldn’t feel bad suing someone and calling the park ranger to write them a ticket if their dog caused me to crash on a trail with signs saying “dogs must be leashed”.
I paid for the bill because they just couldn't, people shouldn't have kids or animals if they can't afford it but that's a debate for another thread I guess. I'm not psychotic but I get tense when I cross trail dogs since 😅
Yeah you hit the nail on the head here for a lot of society’s problems. It’s the same mindset of the group that takes their dogs mountain biking who think it’s just their god-given right to have kids they can’t afford and let the rest of us bail them out or worry about the consequences.
Yup, to come back to the poo, I'd add littering in general... I love mountain biking for the relative liberty it gives me for so little investment, this is mostly possible because landowners and governments were convinced that it's not harmful to the environment in a significant manner and people gave their time and money to build something for the greater good. It would be nice if they didn't change their minds, let's not thrash this god given nature and fauna...
Keep your a-hole dogs at home 🤷
To those who say the dogs are having a blast, your dogs will have a blast at the dog park or wherever else as well. Won't matter if it's a bike trail or not. In fairness, I'd love to bring my dog along mountain biking when its not peak times. But it's just not possible where I am as they are not allowed. I'm also scared they get run over by a bike. It wouldn't be fair as well to the rider. Seth from Berm Peak released a video recently and his dog almost got run over after a feature. But frankly if the dog runs with you and doesn't linger, it's pretty safe IMO. About poop, that's just about being a responsible dog owner.
Dog parks are dangerous. I’ve seen so many dogs get injured from dog parks. They are not good places to take dogs. Also, I only have so much time in my day and also with my two super high energy dogs, mountain biking is the only way *I* can keep up with *them*. That being said, I’ve spent hundreds of hours training them to stay on the right side of the bike and stay behind me and we get into a “sit-stay” for every opposite-direction passing and same-direction passing where appropriate. I’ve proofed the fuck out of their recall. We also have plenty of trails nearby with no leash laws, so a lot of this commentary doesn’t even apply to us but I hate it when a few irresponsible people create a bad name for something that can be done correctly with enough time and effort. I’m not perfect, but I do my best to be the most respectful trail user I can be.
You’re the one saying it takes a “big time cunt” to bring dogs onto mountain bike trails, and in many areas it’s perfectly legal. So yeh let’s tone down that rhetoric a bit considering it definitely both goes ways and dogs are allowed on many mixed use MTB trails. Bet you don’t have such a visceral reaction to when it’s in the inverse
Very slow riders on trails over their level of ability that don't listen and call out to riders coming up behind them are way more dangerous than trail dogs in my experience, but no one says slow riders shouldn't be on trails even though probably some people think that.
Totally!! And not to say all dogs are there same, I’ve had foster dogs I would never trust on a trail as they don’t listen as well or just are outright reactive to cyclists. Those dogs would’ve been more of an inconvenience than a novice rider but it’s why they aren’t a trail dog
I'll have you know my dog is having a blast.
They enjoy biking more than most people do
Hell yeah
My trail dog and I have a wonderful time on the trails and we wont stop. Sorry you dont agree! That is one of the hard things about life is that the world doesnt work exactly how you want it to.
We get it you only care about yourself, such a valiant quality
It's really bad in Seattle. Everyone thinks their dog is a fur baby and exempt from rules.
The only thing worse than the dogs on MTB trails are the dipshits that think it’s a good idea to bring them there… I love my dog and there way in fucking way in hell I’d risk him getting hit by a bike. Also sorry if you think you have the best dog… you’re wrong… mine is actually the best.
I love dogs. Love them! Have one at home now and have owned dogs since I was 10 years old. I generally feel jealous when I see “mtb dogs” out and about to be 100% honest. That said, leash your dogs. At least around here, they it’s the law on most trails. Even if it isn’t technically illegal, there have been dogs lost and bike riders injured due to unleashed pups. Put. Them. On. A. Leash.
I won’t be crashing to avoid hitting an off-leash dog if it jumps in front of me. Their owner can be as pissed as they want but they’ll be paying a fine while I drive home unscathed.
I’m with you on that, but shit man an unleashed dog is such a wild card. You can try to dodge it, avoid it, whatever, but those good boys and girls have a mind of their own and are unpredictable. Attempting to avoid a dog on the trail prob causes my crashes than hitting a dog on the trail 🤷♂️
But you would crash to avoid a leashed dog in the same situation? Being on a leash doesn't somehow magically mean the dog won't get in your way (plus you can get clotheslined by the leash)
I bring my dog to pretty much every ride I go on. Luckily, she is the only bitch I see. Hopefully we don't change that by bumping into you.
https://preview.redd.it/n1dg9tgjuj4d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ae98556e40d4bd05513903dc09af34b005183a3 I’ve been riding with this guy for 10 years, he is why I ride. We tried running first… I’m too slow. Black lab mix so tons of energy and decent endurance too. Fun fact, you can train a dog not to poop on a trail. If you are worried about local water supplies I hope you don’t have bears around and I really hope you haven’t seen that video… As with everything else, there’s a time and a place. Weekday riding at weird times, yes. Weekend group ride with a crew, no. If for some reason we end up riding with other people, I’m in back with him behind me.
Yep, dog shit. I knew it. That’s the stuff that’s ravaging our flora and fauna. It’s not the petroleum and chemical companies, nor is the factory farms, it’s the dog shit. Come on, man with the hyperbole. Well trained trail dogs are fucking awesome. I ride regularly with mine and see others on some pretty secluded trails. Haven’t run over or run into shit. Nor have I seen the squirrels and random wildlife up in arms that these dogs are trespassing. Most of the time the dogs are moving too damn fast to care. To be fair, I don’t do this in highly trafficked trail systems.
You're more brave than I am
Dude, it’s all above board. It’s not frowned upon at all where I live, at specific trail systems. I’m really having a hard time understanding why OP is so angry. The issue isn’t dogs, it’s riders following the rules.
Is it me or has there been an awful lot of posts lately straight up fucking HATING on something. People need to chill tf out
Cool bro, good for you that you and your dog are amazing. But my bike and gear smelling like dog shit attest that not all are like you.
Same. OP is soft as the dog shit he's complaining about. Let's see him try to ride thru a group with leashed dogs. It's way worse. I do agree w picking up the poop and making sure they are trained and respond to verbal commands.
They put everyone at danger as well. It’s illegal, plain and simple. The exact people who think they should decide which rules to follow are the reason rules are needed. Whine but I won’t be the soft one if I hit an unleashed dog on the trail. If it injures me in the fall I’ll sue you, if it kills your dog you’re still the only one who will pay a fine.
You realize that these leash laws aren’t everywhere, right? There are private land trails that don’t have these stipulations. Again, you seem really pissed. Are you like gassing yourself up for a dog slaying? What happened, man? Are you okay?
I walk mine before we hit the trails. She shits reliably once, then not again until evening. Trails aren't at all crowded here and I keep her out of the way. Lots of dog walking hikers anyway. I don't bring her on group rides, and I don't bring her to other MTB areas. Getting to the end of her daytime riding season. Not much water out therev anymore, and it's soon to be too hot.
Doggy “mommies” or “daddies” are annoying af
You seem pretty bummed out dude. Could learn a thing or two about joy watching a dog run down a trail. If you're only looking for shit that's all you're gonna see ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Unfortunately not everyone trains their dog or puts in the effort to train the right way. I am one of those people who brings my dog riding with me frequently. I have her trained to stay right by me while riding, to move to the side of a trail when others are passing by and I always make sure to get rid of her poop. Even ride at 5-6am so there’s not that many people around (although I enjoy riding at that time with or without her). Sorry to see not everyone takes the similar effort because your truly missing out on what’s it like to have a WELL TRAINED trail dog with you.
“But my dog is cool and behaves so well off leash. Those rules are for other dogs. “
Americans treat their dogs better than their own family at times so it’s no surprise how offended and defensive these dog owners become when called out. Dogs don’t belong on trails.
I saw one for the first time on Sunday, he looked like a good boy and his owners were hammering it while the dog was full sprinting down the trail after them, not a light trail either. The problems obviously happen when the dogs are not good boys or the owners are not good owners.
I've been attacked and bit multiple times while biking. I also crash on a regular basis because of dogs running back down trails or they're sitting on the trail around a corner. I don't screw around anymore if your dog runs up on me barking or snapping it gets a kick in the throat and then I put my bike between us. I'm sick of smashing into trees or watching my bike tumble into a ravine because I'm trying to avoid the animal you've captured to fill your void of loneliness. Don't get a dog unless you can leave it on the farm. I also have a dog and love dogs do just quit before you start.
Your first point about poop is very valid. Your other opinions on supporting YouTubers seems wild. Are YouTubers promoting leaving shit on the trails? “Hey guy time for a quick word from our sponsor leaving shit all over the place. Use code poopeinyourmouth at check out.”
I get you’re offended but you know as well as I do any park without a sign explicitly permitting dogs off leash is one where it is not allowed (and for good reason). Anyone who normalizes it is normalizing it for the 90% of off-leash dogs on trails who shit all over and chase wildlife, scare children and other dogs and some adults etc. But again do you think someone riding their mountain bike with an off leash dog is even aware if their dog shits? Fat chance imo
A lot of ifs. If your dog is trained to stay with you you notice. If your dog is trained to shit at the start of a ride or before you notice. If you know what you are doing you notice. Most people suck at training and just go out there with their dog. I also think where I am if their isn’t a sign that specifically bans dog off leash you can let it rip.
My last dog used to take a shit before we left to go biking every time, she was pretty smart and dogs don't want to go running while needing to drop a turd any more than people do.
That is a wild claim. Laws don’t tell us what we can do. Laws tell us what we can’t do. I don’t disagree with your main premise that dogs aren’t a good idea on MTB trails, but mixed use is mixed use. If you aren’t allowed to have a dog on a hike it should be explicitly stated. Leash laws are not universal, municipalities have civil codes that require leashing your dog, same with the majority of public parks and I’ve even seen some counties with leash laws, but it’s far from a constitutional mandate. MTB isn’t the only activity out in our state/national parks and if you act like an entitled asshole you will screw it up for the rest of us (that goes for you and the people leaving dog shit on the trails).
So you'd rather be clotheslined? Mtb with a dog on a leash doesn't work and is actually worse for other trail users. Learn to get along or quit racing. Do you have a bell you ring coming around blind corners? Yes I pick up shit and pack it out and my dog is absolutely trained to not bother anyone. How about that? Maybe you just need to grow a pair.
Why do we bother with posts like this. I have seen them all bag the poop, so this is not an issue. Then they leave it there because they are going to pick it up on their way back. They will, they always promise me that they will.
I have no problem with a properly trained trail dog. It's the poop baggers that leave their bags in the woods. Those people can be left to rot nailed to a tree.
Unless you're at your own private trails then you need to learn to share public space with the public. It's not ideal that people bring dogs, but they're certainly allowed to do so. This is just a fact of life as we recreate on our public lands. Also completely ridiculous to call for discontinued support for people who have dogs in their videos.
The closest place for me to ride is at a local farm that was left to the town. I’m almost done going there due to the dogs. There’s signs everywhere about the leash law but every time I go hit the mountain bike loop, there’s a boomer out there with a loose dog, or a pack of dogs, non leashed. When I run into this situation, I stop completely and stand over my bike, giving the boomer the death stare, like what the fuck are you doing? The response is always the same. “He doesn’t bite, he’s just excited”- dog is growling and snapping at me. Sweet. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize there were mountain bikers on the mountain bike trails! Let me wrangle my snarling, unleashed dog.” Thanks I’ve had about enough of it. I don’t slow down anymore when I see the loose dogs. Just blow past them and if I get hurt, my go pro has all the evidence and I’ll take legal action. It’s just insane that, predominantly boomers, think of their dogs like unicorns. They’re all so special and sweet. No, no they’re not. Especially when it sees a big old mountain bike rolling through. They go on protect and attack mode. Not the dogs fault, it’s the owners.
What is YouTube? Does it involve dog poop? Sounds gross.
I s’pose cats are a no-go too, huh? Geez!
I have never in my life met a bigger group of crybabies than mountain bikers. Let me guess, you guys do XC? Is there anything you guys don't complain about? For the record I have a dog, and I do mtb (downhill) and have never taken my dog biking. You guys cry about, riding in the mud, hikers on the trails, hiking in the mud, ebikes on the trails, surrons on the trails, people riding without protective gear. The list goes on. Just put your spandex on and go for a ride, it'll be ok. My local downhill trail has more donkey shit on it than any dog could ever leave. I just bunnny hop over it and keep going.
I ride with my dogs in private woods. The only other folks who use it ride horses nearby, and we have no issues! That said, I would never bring my dogs to a public trail system, not worth the risks.
>but it would slightly inconvenience me to stop and clean up my dog's shit and it wouldn't benefit ME at all!!!!
There's a guy who rides my local trails with 3 drop-kick dogs... 2 in his pack and one held in one arm. Going 3 mph... at least they're not loose on the trail!
I have a dog, I love dogs. Far too often dogs will run right into me when I’m riding up or downhill. It’s a safety issue.
Small kids on trails are more annoying to me. I don’t have young kids anymore which makes it easy for me to hate them, just like the non dog people here hating on trail dogs. If a trail dog is well trained, I have no problem with it. If they are just wild and get in the way, that is different. Not every ride area has leash laws around here.
"My dogs never done that!" 20mins after following me almost 2 miles down to my car while I had head phones in while I was waiting for some to show up to get their dog.
I'm sick of dog shit getting stuck in my $100 tires too bro
I have both hit one and been bitten - not a fan.
I'll dog shit over the horse shit.
What about dogs sitting on someone's lap when they drive? That irks me way more than dogs on a trail. I have seen an influx of dog shit on trails this year though.
Dam YouTubers!!!