What to do about unleashed dogs

[Tim]

There are some interesting responses in here. I agree that you can't blame the dogs. Obviously, it's not up to them whether or not they are on a leash. I am not sure why any parks should just be relinquished to hikers? If bikes are allowed and there is a leash law then the dog owners are clearly in the wrong.

I love dogs. I own one. He is very well trained. I don't take him anywhere off-leash. I could care less about Strava and I slow way down for any other trail users, whether they have a dog or not. Others being on the trail is just part of the deal living in a populated area. I don't think it's too much to ask for people to follow the rules.

 

[wonderturtle]

i have little issue with unleashed dogs.

is it mildly annoying when someone's 3 unleashed labs dont get out of your way? yeah maybe just a little. but I'm a dog lover so I take the opportunity to pet the dog, exchange pleasantries with the owner, etc.

however, on very rare occasions, you get that ridiculously irresponsible owner of an aggressive (or perhaps WAAAAAY too "playful") dog that allows their dog to run around off leash. for example, that owner of a 1-2 year 80+ lb German Sheppard that chases down every cyclist, barking aggressively at the cyclists heels, jumping up and down as its chasing you (making you worry that any moment its going to knock you off). yeah, I hate THAT type of dog owner.

just like most things - its that very small % that give a bad name to the rest.

 

[one piece crank]

Untrained dogs are the scourge of the K9 world, even worst when off-leash. I just ran into a few on the AT last weekend, non-threatening but borderline. I was traveling with Boy Scouts who may not have the same reaction as me, so it gets worrisome fast! I rarely encounter them on the bike, but would also say something if less than 100% under control.

I'm a dog guy at heart, but we're all animals, so I mentally visualize eviscerating them with my fingers, and project/exude that confidence. They usually pick right up on that...

 

[Monkey Soup]

Untrained dogs are the scourge of the K9 world, even worst when off-leash. I just ran into a few on the AT last weekend, non-threatening but borderline. I was traveling with Boy Scouts who may not have the same reaction as me, so it gets worrisome fast! I rarely encounter them on the bike, but would also say something if less than 100% under control.

I'm a dog guy at heart, but we're all animals, so I mentally visualize eviscerating them with my fingers, and project/exude that confidence. They usually pick right up on that...

No one trains their dogs anymore. They either leave them in a crate all day while they're at work, or they treat them like they're people and assume they'll behave as such. While I was hiking in VT this summer, I watched a woman talk to her puppy on the trail like it was an child, a real one-way conversation, and was surprised when it didn't listen. Then there are all the blue and black bags left all over the place, but that's a different conversation. Whats the point of leaving shit in a bag? If your gonna do that, just move them 30ft off-trail, shit on the bare ground au-naturale, and let nature takes its course.

 

[rlb]

Page 2 and no one has tagged @Johnny Utah yet?

 

[thegock]

I have never been bitten by a dog on the trails, but have had a handful of unpleasant encounters over the years. For example, one Dalmatian took a run at me 200 feet in front of the owner and she didn't even apologize. Then 20 minutes later, the same dog was snapping at me a quarter mile away with no owner in sight. I wonder what happens if a young kid is involved?

The problem is the owners. I don't have any problem with well trained dogs off the leash, but I do hear the "it's the first time he ever bit someone" stories occasionally, so can understand the view of others on the issue.

Three months ago I was riding some local trails and two 35+ lbs. dogs ran up from in front of me with the owner 80 yards back. We had kind of a standoff with my bike between me and the yapping mutts. The owner comes along and says: "Sorry, but when they see someone I can't control them." I am thinking to myself that the guy can't even understand how stupid that sounds, but let it go and ride on.

After riding another mile and a half, I crest a hill and on the other side of a 100 yard swale in a fire road, there is the alpha dog, still off the leash, facing me in the middle of the road. I dropped up a couple of gears and mashed down the downslope in the fire road, then flew up the upslope at over 20 mph. When I was about 28 feet away, the alpha dog realized that over 200 lbs was about to hit him and turned left and back, running over the beta dog in the process. As I rolled by, I stared the idiot dog owner down. I know that what I did wasn't precisely correct, but the dog owner's excuse was so patently stupid that I was still annoyed. I doubt that my educational effort was a success, however, it made me feel better.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Page 2 and no one has tagged @Johnny Utah yet?

No but you did!

I had an issue with a large and aggressive dog last year as well as the owner who upon notifying him of the issue was more threatening than the dog. End of the day I explained that I was a dog guy and didn't want to see anything happen to me, the dog or another user of the park. I grabbed a picture of his license plate (not always available to someone in the woods, I understand) and let him know the next time I would just call the fuzz in the calmest demeanor I could put on. End of story is I have not seen him since.

It is easy to make light of the situation but when you or someone with you gets bit and you are not near a crowded area it is not fun. I the past I have thought about carrying pepper spray or a similar substitute but have not been able to bring myself to do so. As previously said, it's not the dogs fault, it's the owners. If I was regularly in the same situation and with my wife or a child I would carry pepper spray.

 

[Monkey Soup]

I have never been bitten by a dog on the trails, but have had a handful of unpleasant encounters over the years. For example, one Dalmatian took a run at me 200 feet in front of the owner and she didn't even apologize. Then, the same dog was snapping at me a quarter mile away with no owner in sight. I wonder what happens if a young kid is involved?

The problem is the owners. I don't have any problem with well trained dogs off the leash, but I do hear the "it's the first time he ever bit someone" stories occasionally, so can understand the view of others on the issue.

Three months ago I was riding some local trails and two 35+ lbs. dogs ran up from in front of me with the owner 80 yards back. We had kind of a standoff with my bike between me and the yapping mutts. The owner comes along and says: "Sorry, but when they see someone I can control them." I am thinking to myself that the guy can't even understand how stupid that sounds, but let it go and ride on.

After riding another mile and a half, I crest a hill and on the other side of a 100 yard swale in a fire road, there is the alpha dog, still off the leash facing me in the middle of the road. I dropped up a couple of gears and mashed down the downslope in the fire road, then flew up the upslope at over 20 mph. When I was about 28 feet away, the alpha dog realized that over 200 lbs was about to hit him and turned left and back, running over the beta dog in the process. As I rolled by, I stared the idiot dog owner down. I know that what I did wasn't precisely correct, but the dog owner's excuse was so patently stupid that I was still annoyed. I doubt that my educational effort was a success, however, it made me feel better.

Certain places in NJ you shouldn't even bother any more. I used to go to the Tourne with the boy because its relatively mellow, but don't even bother on the weekends any more, and even on some week nights. Loose dogs everywhere, douchey entitled owners. And as bad as you think NJ is, VT is even worse. Dogs up there are more important than people, some people even let them run loose all over town. I remember doing a hike where at the summit, there were loose dogs with no owners. Someone told me that some people that lived near the trail head just let them run loose and follow people 5 miles to the summit of the hike. WTF!?!? The town of Waterbury instituted a leash-law for walking your dog in public, and there was almost an open revolt.

 

[Mikeborg82]

Perhaps but I do not have the extra time to drive all the way to Ringwood to ride nor should I have to due to irresponsible people.

The hell does that even mean ?

It means to slow down when you see a dog... Stop worrying about your strava time

 

[Mikeborg82]

Certain places in NJ you shouldn't even bother any more. I used to go to the Tourne with the boy because its relatively mellow, but don't even bother on the weekends any more, and even on some week nights. Loose dogs everywhere, douchey entitled owners. And as bad as you think NJ is, VT is even worse. Dogs up there are more important than people, some people even let them run loose all over town. I remember doing a hike where at the summit, there were loose dogs with no owners. Someone told me that some people that lived near the trail head just let them run loose and follow people 5 miles to the summit of the hike. WTF!?!? The town of Waterbury instituted a leash-law for walking your dog in public, and there was almost an open revolt.

You realize these hikers that far outnumber bikers feel the same way about bikers. Bikers ride when the trails are wet and destroy the trails. Here's an idea, let everyone enjoy the trails. If you see a family walking with their dog, slow down and let them past. Trails are there for everyone. And if you as a biker think you are entitled to the trail more than the hiker with their dog, well, you will end up ruining it for all of us bikers. The hikers have much more say and pull and would love to see bikers off "their" trails

 

[rick81721]

You realize these hikers that far outnumber bikers feel the same way about bikers. Bikers ride when the trails are wet and destroy the trails. Here's an idea, let everyone enjoy the trails. If you see a family walking with their dog, slow down and let them past. Trails are there for everyone. And if you as a biker think you are entitled to the trail more than the hiker with their dog, well, you will end up ruining it for all of us bikers. The hikers have much more say and pull and would love to see bikers off "their" trails

This discussion has gone off the rails. The original poster was referring to dogs off leash, which is against the rules in most parks and dangerous to bikers, hikers and runners. Yes if I see someone walking their dog on leash I will slow down and let them pass. But if some clown has his dog off leash, that's their problem if the dog decides to chase me for a few miles.

 

[I Ride Bikes]

You realize these hikers that far outnumber bikers feel the same way about bikers. Bikers ride when the trails are wet and destroy the trails.

Riding a bike is not a crime. An unleashed dog is. And if you think hikers don't use trails when wet and contribute to the destruction you've obviously never done any TM.

 

[Monkey Soup]

You realize these hikers that far outnumber bikers feel the same way about bikers. Bikers ride when the trails are wet and destroy the trails. Here's an idea, let everyone enjoy the trails. If you see a family walking with their dog, slow down and let them past. Trails are there for everyone. And if you as a biker think you are entitled to the trail more than the hiker with their dog, well, you will end up ruining it for all of us bikers. The hikers have much more say and pull and would love to see bikers off "their" trails

I'm a dog lover, grew up having dogs. Unfortunately, we can't have one now because the wife and I work all day, and I'm not leaving a dog alone in the house for 8hrs a day, its not fair to the animal. Having said that, unless your dog is expertly trained to do whatever you tell it and stays right by your side, dogs on the trails need to be leashed, its the law, period. Additionally, my son is a bit nervous around dogs, due a bad incident that happened when he was 2, with a dog running loose in the neighborhood. When we hike or bike, every loose dog we run across picks up on his vibes and makes a b-line straight to him. I usually have to intercede, and then listen to the owner say how "his dog never did this before". Its not my duty to explain to every asshole letting his dog run 50ft in front of him that my son is nervous around dogs. I love dogs, but I love my kids more, so I have no problem with kicking a 50 yard field goal with your dog, or worse if I need to, and making it your problem.

 

[Mikeborg82]

Riding a bike is not a crime. An unleashed dog is. And if you think hikers don't use trails when wet and contribute to the destruction you've obviously never done any TM.

Parts of Ramapo it is. And it is not a battle we want. If you see a dog slow down. if it is an aggressive dog, then that's a different story. Any time I ride near a dog, I just slow down and let it do its thing. Relax and have fun out there..

 

[Tim]

Parts of Ramapo it is. And it is not a battle we want. If you see a dog slow down. if it is an aggressive dog, then that's a different story. Any time I ride near a dog, I just slow down and let it do its thing. Relax and have fun out there..

I am not sure why you assume the OP was worried about Strava or was poaching illegal trails. Neither of those things seem to be true. The original question pertained to an aggressive dog, off-leash, that made the rider feel threatened and the ever increasing frequency with which theses situations seem to be occurring.

 

[The Kalmyk]

And it is not a battle we want.

I’ve yet to know of any battle, war, fight, argument, whatever that doesn’t suck for both sides. Peace out my ninja

 

[Monkey Soup]

Parts of Ramapo it is. And it is not a battle we want. If you see a dog slow down. if it is an aggressive dog, then that's a different story. Any time I ride near a dog, I just slow down and let it do its thing. Relax and have fun out there..

Ramapo is the only place I know of thats more of a shit-show than the Tourne with all the loose dogs and entitled douche bag owners. Don't ride at Ramapo, drive the extra 15min. to Ringwood. The riding is better there anyway.

 

[rojasj]

Ramapo is the only place I know of thats more of a shit-show than the Tourne with all the loose dogs and entitled douche bag owners. Don't ride at Ramapo, drive the extra 15min. to Ringwood. The riding is better there anyway.

I may just have to do that. I'm sick of the entitled bs dog owners that always say "my dog has never chased anyone before". Don't get me wrong, I love dogs and had a GSD / Collie mix from the time she was a pup to the time she passed away. Each time we took her out anywhere she was on her leash. I never went by the "she has nver run off before" mentality.