Dog kicked at by cyclist

[SirChenjins]

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.

Good on you. DH adopts a ‘middle lane’ approach on paths where cyclists think they have the god given right to bomb it down unimpeded by pesky slow pedestrians. He sticks his hand out a little too, to make them give the correct passing distance.

I'm saying most dog owners are entitled **holes who think nothing of prioritising their animals above all else.

Dog walking group sound like a nightmare. So you basically have a pack of dogs who walk together? Most places will insist dog walkers don't have more than 4 dogs without a permit but a group get around this. There is a very good reasons why the permit scheme exists - dogs in packs don't always listen to their owners.

You don't have perfect recall- most of the time isn't good enough for you dog to be off lead around other people and dogs.

So if you're adamant you're in the right and it was all the other persons fault why post?

Sounds like you both could have done better, he was right to try and get it away once it was chasing though the injury to your dog could have been horrific from even a slow moving bike imagine a little paw between moving bike spokes

For those who say OP should have changed her behaviour due to circumstances, ie put her dog on a lead on a shared pathway, surely the same applies to the cyclist? If the cyclist had slowed down the dog would have been on the lead.
I regularly drive a country road, popular with cyclists, which has a 60mph speed limit. I do not drive at 60mph as it is not safe to do so. I might come around a bend and see a group of cyclists 3 or 4 abreast. We all have a duty to consider the environment and circumstances.

Sounds like a lot of victim-blaming here: the cycling was tearing round the bend, etc…

Ive had young dogs going for me while cycling in woods. I usually just keep going, which leads to the dog getting further and further away from the owner.

Perhaps slowing down and aiming a firm kick at the dog is kinder all round and will teach the dog not to do so again. Better that than risking the dog getting caught in the bike and seriously injured.

It is illegal for cyclists to be on footpaths. So stick to them if you dont want to contact cyclists.

Cyclists can go on bridleways and BOATS avoid them

It's quite simple, all dogs should be on leads in public places, but especially in the countryside at this time of year.

Attachment didn't seem to work in previous post.

1st March to 31st July.

Most "leisure" cyclists are arse holes who seem to be the only group who think their hobby gives them the right to inflict it on the rest of society.

The fact that the cyclist might have been going too fast is a complete red herring.
It does not change the fact that the dog should have been on a lead - end of.
If it had not been the cyclist it might have been something else. You could be facing a massive claim if that cyclist had been seriously injured.

I reserve the right to sail my boat on any goddamn bridleway I like 👍

Not read the entire thread but as a non dog owning mountain biker I think the guy on the bike was being a bit of a dick.

It’s not as if you were on a purpose built bike trail, or a race track. First rule for me if I encounter others on the trail is slow down, these are shared spaces.

It wasn’t right that your dog was running along side him and has poor recall, but I think unless your dog started nipping or trying to bite, kicking the dog is wrong and disproportionate. He should have slowed at the very least. I’d have probably stopped myself given the situation.

I think that bloody cyclists need to slow down when using shared paths. Sick to death of the MAMILs charging around our local forest at top speed with no regard for walkers.

@Boomboxinmyattic

Whereas cyclists who speed along pavements and public footpaths at ridiculous speeds with no thought to walkers, children and dogs they might hit are the most considerate, unentitled people on the planet right? 😂😂😂

I'm checking out of this thread now.

Replace “”leisure” cyclists” with “dog owners” and I think you may have a point.

Okey dokes. What an absolutely fab idea!

I agree. I keep my dog on the lead if I’m on a shared path. As a cyclist I’ve had so many near misses with dogs that have veered into my path.

No, I already have a point thanks.

I'm not a dog owner and would gladly rub the owners faces in the random dog shite they think it's okay to leave behind, but without doubt, the biggest wankers are leisure cyclists.

Dogs, cyclist, horse riders and walkers share paths where I walk.

I have been a cyclist when a dog walker has been annoyed at me saying they 'never anticipated cyclists' when their reactive dog tried to bite me a few yards from a bloody cycling sign (was cycling very slowly as I am a nervous mountain biker). As a dog owner I also know how unpredictable a dog can be especially mine bring a hunting dog as he won't think twice about running in a cyclist path when he picks up a scent.

I have trained my dog to 'stay' when I see something (cyclist, horse rider etc) to a command and hand signal. It's means stop and look at me rather than recall. I find this works better as you can be a short distance away from him to just pause and wait for them to pass so he is stationary which tends to suppress the instinct to follow them.

How very kind of you to kick an animal instead of not kicking an animal in case something else happens.

The cyclist was not a victim, there were acting like an entitled idiot. Yes, the dog should have been put on a lead if it could not be trusted to behave, and would have been on a lead had the cyclist not been speeding on a path. The fact it was a path in the woods doesn't make it not a path. Paths have mixed users, inlcuidng people, and the cyclist didn't give a shit about the potential for hurt that they were causing by cycling dangerously on a pathway. Some dog owners are annoying, yes, and so are some cyclists - they aren't all considerate users of the public environment and we all know that.

As I disabled person with a service dog, my dog wouldn't have chased him even when off lead, but I have lost count of the number of times that cyclists have almost hit me because they think they own paths and I can't get out of their way fast enough.

So lets not act like the cyclist was a poor victim of anything here. On a pathway, wherever that is, nobody should be speeding and putting others in danger, so he was no better than a dog owner who can't control their dog.

Most "leisure" cyclists are arse holes who seem to be the only group who think their hobby gives them the right to inflict it on the rest of society.

At least we don't squat down on footpaths, pavements, hedgerows etc. and curl out massive turds that inflict our germs and smell on all and sundry. And, what is more, expect to be worshipped for it!

I expect you're one of the "he's only playing!" crowd.

@Saucery
Good on you. DH adopts a ‘middle lane’ approach on paths where cyclists think they have the god given right to bomb it down unimpeded by pesky slow pedestrians. He sticks his hand out a little too, to make them give the correct passing distance.

That's not sharing the path is it? It's being a deliberately obstructive arsehole.

Try reading, I don't have a dog and also complained about owners who don't pick up. I've yet to be shoved of a pavement by a speeding dog, held up on country roads by multiple dogs meandering 4 abreast and not allowing traffic to flow or have a dog drop down on the path like a mountain biker and expect me to notice them and move in case I interrupt their hobby.

What if instead of being a cyclist it was a horse and rider and the horse kicks your dog in the head and kills it? Whose fault would that be?