Posts
302
Joined
9/14/2012
Location
San Diego, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
5/27/2016 2:05am
Going on a ride with your best friend is always a blast, especially when that friend has four legs and fur.
I've been lucky enough to have two trail dogs over the years, Bowser and Goose. We got Bowser when he was already 6 years old. He's an old man now and doesn't come along anymore but the younger pup, Goose, now comes for the ride and can hang even in some pretty fast and steep downhill worthy trails. I try not to take her down anything too gnarly because her breed has known knee problems, but she'd go for it if I'd let her.
That's Bowser on the left and Goose on the right.
Goose at my favorite trail.
Check out these videos of other trail dogs and post up your own.
I've been lucky enough to have two trail dogs over the years, Bowser and Goose. We got Bowser when he was already 6 years old. He's an old man now and doesn't come along anymore but the younger pup, Goose, now comes for the ride and can hang even in some pretty fast and steep downhill worthy trails. I try not to take her down anything too gnarly because her breed has known knee problems, but she'd go for it if I'd let her.
That's Bowser on the left and Goose on the right.
Goose at my favorite trail.
Check out these videos of other trail dogs and post up your own.
Occasionally we'll throw a GPS tracker in his pack to see how fast and far he goes (loves those bunnies and squirrels). Tops out at around 28-30mph. The dude is fast!
Also be in tune with the dog and how it's feeling. Don't just assume what the dog is feeling. It's easy to just see how excited the dog might gets when it sees its going for a ride and think the dog loves it. Or see that the dog is willing to follow you for 12 miles and think the dog is enjoying my itself. But just remember that they are dogs, which are very loyal creatures and all they want to do is please thier master most of the time. They aren't going to say no to going with you or stop in the middle of the trail and let you know they are tired or hurting. They will follow you anywhere.
But when I take my dogs out I'm doing it for them, not taking them along on something I want to do... i take a ball, let them swim and allow them to enjoy the experience. Sometimes they just want to have a good old explore and sniff other dog butts.
I'm always quite sad when I see dogs taken out to do something that is more for their owner... Runners are just as bad.
If you're not focussed on your dog(s) then you're doing it wrong.
In sweden we have what's called "allemansrätt" which means that you're allowed to walk and ride everywhere (pretty much) which means that everyone that uses the trails have to show respect and not behave like assholes. That means that it's not a problem to ride with your dog, cat, bunny och kid anywhere you want. If someone is bothered by you being in their way cause they're chasing a KOM, it's their problem. Not yours.
it looked so freaking cool.
I tried to dig up the pic but couldn't find it
Tucker gets super pumped at the site of a helmet. Like starts spazzing out running around like you just gave him $1 million doggy dollars.
Or like we went XC-skiing this winter:
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