people who bike with their dogs

[HayleyMarie]

Tyler just bought me a fancy mountain bike and when I am not practicing going though the trails I wanted to start biking with Teagan, but I have never been biking with Teagan and I am slightly nervous about running her over or something lol

In the beginning how to you teach your dog to run beside you? any other pointers??

 

[Red.Apricot]

Start slow on a soft surface; like dirt.

Does she try to switch sides when you're walking?

 

[HayleyMarie]

Start slow on a soft surface; like dirt.

Does she try to switch sides when you're walking?

Not really, she is pretty good with sticking with one side, most of the time.

 

[Red.Apricot]

Not really, she is pretty good with sticking with one side, most of the time.

She might be okay; I've found using a shorter leash helps, because they can't get out ahead of the bike. Elsie's never run into the bike at all.

Zobby's tried to run under the bike and gotten thumped, which was scary; he was darting after a cat.

/unhelpful.

 

[Flyinsbt]

I started with just short distances (a few blocks). Pirate actually got yelled at a lot when I started with him, because he wanted to jump up and grab my clothing, but fortunately, we got through that part.

Other than that, I found that my 2 got the idea of running beside the bike really quickly, and I didn't need to do much more training.

 

[Shakou]

Training Charlotte was very easy. She was a natural at it. We tied her to the bike and after about 15 minutes of starting slow on a non-busy back street, she caught on.

Ma'ii was a massive pain in the ass when we first started with him. We initially tried training him the same way we trained Charlotte, but I think the issue was he was given to much slack and thus too much freedom. We bought one of those biking apparatus things and he caught on MUCH quicker once he was under tighter control.

 

[Southpaw]

I started out at a slow pace and keeping the leash short. Juno doesn't cross sides when we're walking, so that wasn't an issue with us, I'd suspect it should be the same with Teagan then.

The part that scared me the most was turning, honestly I don't think I'll ever get over my paranoia that something is going to get jacked up while I'm turning lol. Left turns especially, since I keep her on my left side. I slow waaaayyyy down and make sure to get her attention before I make a turn.

Basically though it was easy for us to get started. Never had an issue, I just worry

 

[ruffiangirl]

I use a walks dog! And started slow. http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/walkydog-dog-bike-leash.html

 

[Shakou]

I use a walks dog! And started slow. http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/walkydog-dog-bike-leash.html

This is what we use for Ma'ii, and probably always will!

 

[ackerleynelson]

To teach your dog how to run next to a bike, start slowly. Your dog needs to know that it must stay on the right side of the bike and must not change sides or stop. Your dog must also maintain a healthy distance from the wheels. Lead your dog up to the right side of the bike and change sides so that the bike is in between you and your dog. I recommend the first “real†bike ride with your dog to take place after you’ve already taken her on a walk. You don’t want her to get too excited and take off at top speed.

 

[Applebear]

I trike with Rolyx, and he absolutely loves it. I just started real slow, on leash [shortened] just going up and down the street. He picked it up super fast and learned to watch the wheels. I like to warn him before I'm about to make a turn, but it's just a precaution more than anything.

Hope you give it a shot, think you'll both love it.

 

[Paige]

I've been biking with Bandit on an doff since he was two and I was 15-16. I honestly did nothing other than stick a harness on him and his brother and let them drag me. They both knew what "WATCH YOUR TOES!" meant from leash walking (ie: im turning into you so watch out) and they knew how to follow leash pressure so if I am turning, they turn too.

I don't like letting the dogs run out front personally as I had a bad experience where they decided to ignore my stop command and sent me flying over a little cliff after a rodent.

Anyways, the biggest issue is getitng them used to the bike. My dogs never tried to cross in front of the tire when held to the side of my bike.

 

[Flyinsbt]

I use a verbal cue to tell them about turns, too, that's a good point. I don't know if it matters, I also make turns slow enough that they can recognize it, but I like to give them as much information as possible.

 

[HayleyMarie]

Thanks guys, we will be taking it really slow until her and I both get the hang of it. I showed Tyler the Walks Dog contraption, because he could make something like that, but he says no way will I be riding with something like that. I think he thinks it will give me less control of the dog. Say if Teagan decided to run for a rodent or something like that, who knows. Its a mans logic lol

 

[Linds]

Thanks guys, we will be taking it really slow until her and I both get the hang of it. I showed Tyler the Walks Dog contraption, because he could make something like that, but he says no way will I be riding with something like that. I think he thinks it will give me less control of the dog. Say if Teagan decided to run for a rodent or something like that, who knows. Its a mans logic lol

I seriously don't like those contraptions either, they make me super nervous and I know I wouldn't have the control I want being able to bring the dog in, have them farther out, let go of them if I need to or hold on through something if I need to.

I think they work for some people but I don't think I'll ever be one of them.

 

[Dizzy]

Honestly, I just got on my bike and started pedalling!

Bodhi runs alongside, and watches the wheel turn.

Be interesting to see how Fred fares when he's old enough.........

Eta, I don't use a lead.

 

[El Alano]

It's getting a bit hot nowadays here so I'll be cycling with the dogs first thing in the morning to get their exercise requirements done with before most folks are even up. Gotta do two mountain climbs, one at 6 am with my bull breeds and the next with my next gang at 8 am, so my legs will be like Chris Hoy's soon (British cycling sprint icon who squats over 220 kgs if I remember correctly for anybody not aware).

If it weren't for my bike I wouldn't be able to keep so many dogs as there aren't enough hours in the day to walk 'em!

 

[Paige]

I would not want to use those contraptions either. I do not really like having dogs tied to anything incase you need to bail. My dog doesn't take off so I may have a different view if he was not reliable off leash. However, I have gotten us in a few pickles where I NEEDED to release him RIGHT AWAY or we both could've gotten very hurt. I like being able to drop a leash at any point personally.

 

[Flyinsbt]

I don't use a contraption because I had one, and I couldn't pedal with it on the bike. There may be others that would work, but I haven't tried. I will say though, that I don't seem to be able to drop the leash, so I would certainly use a contraption if I had one that worked.

I've had one major crash where Tess lunged unexpectedly, and I never dropped the leash. It's probably better for me not to drop the leash anyway, as I live and bike in an urban neighborhood, and my dogs would go after people's cats. But when I was hitting the pavement, I didn't have time to think, so it's obvious that the death grip on the leash is my default state.

 

[Kilter]

Start slow, even walk with the bike if needed, and work on turning and such. I don't give them a ton of leash room, so going in front doesn't happen. I also teach cues like 'easy' and 'turn' meaning slow down and turning left, watch out. So they get the idea of what's going on. Doesn't take them long though to figure out it's going to be a good workout and to just get into a steady pace. Once I'm recovered from surgery will start them on biking again.