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Original poster

Dog kicked at by cyclist

192 replies

SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 20:32

I was out for our dog walking group’s regular Saturday morning walk (there’s 4 of us) on a local woodland trail that’s used mainly by walkers and dog walkers, but cyclists and horse riders also use it. The vast majority of the time it works fine, people are tolerant of each other. Our dogs are usually off lead (as many are) and we put them on eg during narrow parts of the path, or if we see an on lead dog, or cyclists are coming, etc etc.

I have been working really hard on ChenPup’s recall and he’s been brilliant. As we were walking a cyclist came tearing round a bend and made no effort to slow down so we recalled the dogs and went to get off the path. However, the speed of the cyclist spooked ChenPup and he started running beside the cyclist for some metres - I was unable to clip his lead on in time. I tried to run after him and recall but as I did that, the cyclist stopped pedalling, and as he was freewheeling pulled his leg in, aimed a big kick at my dog, shouted to me to get my dog on a lead, then carried on cycling. I managed to grab him him and fortunately the cyclist missed him, but I’ve been so nervous of having him off lead since in case it happens again. I’ve tried short bursts off lead and he’s come straight back every time, but I don’t know what to do now - keep my fingers crossed I don’t meet the same cyclist and have him off lead? Keep him on lead/long line forever more? ChenPup is 10.5kg and about 1.5 foot tall so not an imposing dog, but I completely understand it was not on for him to run beside the cyclist.

OP posts:
wasacasa · 23/06/2023 21:10

Dogs should be on leads

ILikeCatsandDogs · 23/06/2023 21:14

I’m sorry obviously my response came from a place of not knowing dogs should be on leads on a bridal path. Our bridal path has a sign asking for dogs to be on leads during lambing season thus an implication they can be off when not lambing. Is this a law thing.

tymberland · 23/06/2023 21:15

This is your fault. Your dog doesn't have good recall clearly so should be on a lead. The cyclist was an idiot tearing round corners, but so were you for letting an unreliable dog off lead

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 21:17

Put it on a lead.

This was entirely your fault.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 21:20

He wasn’t unreliable up to that point - I have already explained that. I now know that he’s not 100% as I thought he was, so will work again on the recall.

No, it’s definitely not a bridle way - it’s a shared footpath where pedestrians have priority.

OP posts:
BigBoysDontCry · 23/06/2023 21:25

I'm guessing lots of cyclists on this thread...

OP not completely blameless, the dog is still young and should be considered not completely predictable, but I'm going 80% the cyclists fault here for creating the issue in the first place by not behaving in an appropriate manner on a shared path.

I'm on the fence about the attempted kick.

madeinmanc · 23/06/2023 21:29

Recall or no recall, dogs should be on leads on shared paths. But I don't think I agree with the kick, better to have stopped and said it should be on a lead, after all it's not the dogs fault it wasn't on a lead.

Nowanextraone · 23/06/2023 21:30

The cyclist was an arsehole.

Dogs (and children) are reliable until they're not! My greyhound, who until this point had bullet proof recall, once decided to run up to a jogger at full speed across a field and join him Blush
Luckily the jogger loved him, but I was very embarrassed!

There are always going to be things that spook dogs, kids or humans.

Hope tomorrow is a better walk!

Yellowsubmarineunderthesea · 23/06/2023 21:31

Dog should be on lead on a shared pathway. It could have been a small child on a bike and dog could have terrified her. If it had been me walking or running I'd have lashed out at any dog who runs at my legs too. A small terrier ran at me and some friends a few years ago. We were going uphill fairly slowly (7% hill) and dog came bounding out of their driveway and into the middle of the 3 of us, resulting in bikes crashing and causing 2 of us have broken collar bones and another a broken wrist. Dog got a slap of a wheel going over him too

booksandcats22 · 23/06/2023 21:33

rwalker · 23/06/2023 20:44

Your fault entirely I would and have done exactly the same
if you don’t have your dog under control then don’t complain about the consequences
not to mention the possibility of your uncontrolled dog bringing the cyclist off there bike and causing injury

I think some posters get some kind of perverse thrill out of being completely unsympathetic.

Chasingadvice · 23/06/2023 21:35

Put it on a lead then.

Yellowsubmarineunderthesea · 23/06/2023 21:37

Cyclist wasn't being an arseholen - maybe he was frightened and that was first reaction after previous incident.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 21:37

Ther’s no way a small child on a bike would have been going at that speed. He’s walked past plenty of cyclists before with no issue at all , but on this occasion he got a fright with the speed and closeness of the bike that he bolted as I was clipping him on lead. No cyclist should have behaved the way he did, it was bloody dangerous, but lesson learned - long line or short lead depending on the area, bike desensitisation and recall practise.

OP posts:
Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 21:38

Behaved as in came tearing round a bend when he couldn’t see what was round it.

OP posts:
surreygirl1987 · 23/06/2023 21:39

The cyclist may have been going too quickly, but you are SO in the wrong here. Your dog was literally chasing the cyclist, and you're annoyed because he tried to kick it away? I'd have done the exact same thing. Get your dog under control and on a lead, fgs.

surreygirl1987 · 23/06/2023 21:41

I think some posters get some kind of perverse thrill out of being completely unsympathetic.

Why should posters sympathise with someone who was moaning about somebody else when actually she was in the wrong...? It's the cyclist I feel sorry for!

Original poster
SirChenjins · 23/06/2023 21:43

No, I’m annoyed that he came round the corner at speed on a shared path when he had no idea what he was speeding into. My OP said my dog shouldn’t have been running alongside him. Do you drive round corners at speed when you know there are cyclists on the road? Do you drive at speed past cyclists on the road?

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 23/06/2023 21:44

Keep your dog on a lead.

Prescottdanni123 · 23/06/2023 21:44

The cyclist should be more considerate of other people. It happens around where I live all the time (Lake District). Public foot paths in places where it is perfectly acceptable to have dogs off leads and you have cuclists tearing along like they are competing in the tour de flipping France. It is not just dogs they could hit, it is walkers, including small children they could hit as well with the speeds they go at, including around blind bends. They think they are above everybody else, that they are above the law and that they should get priority even when they are clearly on a FOOT path and not a cycle path. On one memorable occasion, I was walking my 10 month old puppy off the lead on a popular walk. I saw a cyclist coming, called my dog back. Puppy was running back to me, cyclist saw that I was trying to get her back on the lead and sped up! I only just had time to get hold of her before he went whizzing past. I'm not ashamed that the language I shouted after him was pretty colourful.

Dogs can spook or try to chase bikes. You put your dog on a lead when you see a cyclist coming which is considerate. The cyclist should be considerate and slow down until you have your dog safely on a lead.

But this is mumsnet, where cyclists are always in the right and dog owners are always wrong.

topnoddy · 23/06/2023 21:45

I don't normally side with cyclists as a rule but on this occasion I'm going to

Not everyone in the world loves dogs , i do wish dog owners would understand this

Boomboxinmyattic · 23/06/2023 21:45

Control. Your. Dog.

DataNotLore · 23/06/2023 21:45

surreygirl1987 · 23/06/2023 21:39

The cyclist may have been going too quickly, but you are SO in the wrong here. Your dog was literally chasing the cyclist, and you're annoyed because he tried to kick it away? I'd have done the exact same thing. Get your dog under control and on a lead, fgs.

Same!

Mischance · 23/06/2023 21:46

Keep your dog on a lead in public places.
Keep your dog on a lead in public places.
Keep your dog on a lead in public places.

How hard can it be to understand the importance of this? That cyclist could have been thrown from the bike and suffered serious injuries. Entitled dog owners make me mad. It is not up to others to adapt their lives for your dog; it is up to you to make sure your dog does not disrupt the lives of others.

SunnyEgg · 23/06/2023 21:46

Use a lead so it doesn’t happen again

Yellowsubmarineunderthesea · 23/06/2023 21:46

@booksandcats22 I think some people don't understand two sides of every story