Trail dogs....

[Raydek]

My wife and I are planning on adding a new member to the family soon, we have not yet settled on a breed though, one of the main reasons is which breed will be best suited to our lifestyle.

 

We are both very active people, her more so road riding and all forms of running, me MTB, both climbing, hiking, surfing etc. So we are wanting to get a dog that will gel with us on such outings. Have been reading a lot about which breed to go for, so think we will settle on one soonish...

 

BUT, are dogs allowed on trails (mainly in CPT where we live)? And if so, can they be off leash?

 

Also, how will other riders feel about it (assuming it is 'legal') as I have never seen a dog with a rider before, but as long as the dog is well trained, it wouldn't stress me..

 

So.. to the poll..

[Wil6]

I personally dont have a problem with dogs on trails, but if you can not control your dog, please keep it on a leash.

[Super Sywurm]

As long as they behave, it's fine. And no poop on the trails, that's what the space around the trail is for.

[Raydek]

As long as they behave, it's fine. And no poop on the trails, that's what the space around the trail is for.

 

Fore sure!! Rolled through a fresh pile coming down Majik Forest (not for the hell of it, but rather because of unfriendly branch that reached out and grabbed a handle) it was not a great experience.

[Raydek]

Dogs are not allowed in Tokai. I think most other trails too. Let's see what the masses say

 

Poo.. (pun intended) but mostly frequent Tygerberg trails, so interest to see what is said.

[gwhite]

Yes... agreed... I noticed in good time thankfully a massive poo in the middle of the trail up above Rhodes Memorial. Clean up after them and I am all good with that!

[Pieter1]

I'm all for pets but not for sponge thorns.

[Jigghead]

As with most here, I have no problems with dogs as long as they behave. Most of the trails belong to all of us.

 

I think it's like all things dog related, trained dogs are awesome, pretty much always. Untrained dogs on the other hand, are almost always a pain in the ~ss. The same as both probably applies to MTB riders as well.

 

Why can't we all just get along....

[mada3400]

for tokai.

 

i cant think of anything worse than running into that troop of baboons with my dog.

 

which is why, against the rules or not, i wouldn't risk it

[(Deon)]

Dogs are not allowed in Tokai. I think most other trails too. Let's see what the masses say

They are allowed in the lower section where they are also allowed off the leash. T&C's do apply however - i.e. dog must be under voice control and preferably not shouting because then your dog is well on his way to being disobedient.. i.e. winning.

[Spokey]

I see you are not in the Gangsters Paradise, here we roll with the biggest bad ass Rottie or Boerbol we can find! Just kidding, me, I am fine with the beasts as per the other posters wrt training, poop etc.

What breed are you thinking about?

[Raydek]

What breed are you thinking about?

 

Probably a collie. Father in law recently got one and as much of a hand full as they are i.e. bounds of energy, they learn very quickly and seem to also have the stamina/agility.

[Raydek]

Did find a helpful article on another MTB forum detailing how to train a dog to run with your ride.

 

And another listing the top ten breeds, most of which I haven't even heard of, but collie is right at the top.

 

Edit: will post the links a bit later.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Raydek

[DJR]

Probably a collie. Father in law recently got one and as much of a hand full as they are i.e. bounds of energy, they learn very quickly and seem to also have the stamina/agility.

Smart and quick to learn, very trainable. Agile, with good endurance, will run well with you. Very energetic and needs very regular (daily) exercise. Needs regular stimulation or it gets bored and then become destructive, or bark or try escape from the boring backyard. Not a good dog to leave at home alone for 10 hours a day while you are at work.

[r0adrunner]

Love dogs

[DJR]

I have to confess to being a Labrador freak, so, here is my very biased take on them:They are extremely easy dogs to live with and because they are not at all aggressive, it is easy to run and cycle with them. They are highly trainable. If you like the beach or swimming, no other dog even comes close. They take 2 years to mature, until then they chew things like you can't believe and they shed hair like you can't believe. They don't mind small properties and they cope well with being left alone. Because they are smart, they need regular stimulation and exercise. they tend to get fat if you overfeed them. They are medium distance runners, not marathon runners.

 

Also look into something called a Vizsla. It is a Hungarian breed of gundog. Smart, trainable and very good at running longer distances. Difficult to find a puppy.

 

Rhodesian Ridgeback. Great company, athletic, great temperament. Lots of energy, but not (quite) as smart as the others we talked about.

 

The Huskies run incredibly well (hardcore marathon dudes) but they have a tendency to keep on running and get separated from you and get lost easily if not on a lead. They are also more difficult to train and you have to watch that they don't overheat (actually, that goes for all breeds).