I recently got a rescue pup. He is Boxer/Pit Bull mix and about 8 months old. I want to buy a bike harness to attach him so he can run with me. Who need electric assist when I have canine assist? Here's the one I was looking at:
https://www.chewy.com/walky-dog-plus-bicycle-exercise-dog/dp/146032
Has anyone used these? It looks like I can mount it to the seat frame. I don't intend to take him far but if I can do 4 miles daily rather than 8-9 miles twice a week, I'll be better off physically? What do you think?
Comments
TheDogOutdoor.com is a great company for active dogs and owners. There are several vidoes where the owner shows leashes and harnesses in use and gives some training tips.
What kind of speed do you ride with the dog? I usually average 7 mph but have a lot of stop signs along the way.
I Had an employee who took his dog, harnessed to his df bike, for a daily ride for more than a decade without an issue. One day, his dog apparently took after a critter and through him to the ground. He suffered a concussion, went into a coma, and never woke up. So still be careful.
I also need to pack some small dog treats. I've got to reward him along the way!
Cant wait to see it, thanks.
Glenn
He did really well. We only went about 4 miles. I didn't want to hurt him. He really seemed to enjoy it. I connected the harness to the seat cross beam. I need to make some adjustments before the next ride.
I'm not getting much exercise but it sure calms him down! I guess a few miles every other day is as good as 10 miles once or twice a week.
Yep. Totally agree. Pup skeleton's and muscles need at least 1 year to fully develop. 2 miles every other day is good to give him a recovery day. Just keep an eye on how he gets up. If he struggles then it was too much exertion.
Watch him after a ride to see if he's licking at his pads a lot. He could be hurt and you might not know it. Look in between the pads/toes to see if there's blood there. (Or a lot of wet fur from licking.)
And let HIM set your pace. If he is hurting, having him lagging a bit is a good indication something isn't right. It could be he's hurt, or just plain tired.
Stop frequently for water stops, too. Dogs don't sweat, except through their tongues and feet, and the water stops give him rest time, as well as a chance for you to check him out.
Is running harder on the feet than walking on the same surface? The roads are blacktop but a lot of the pea gravel is showing through. I could let him run on the grass but I'm afraid he will get burrs in his feet. They are usually found here in yards that don't use a sprinkler system.
We are going to have rain and highs in the 50s until well after Christmas. We'll be watching college bowl games and playing fetch in the house for a while!
https://www.chewy.com/kurgo-step-strobe-dog-shoes-large/dp/56793
I have to say I'm loving Chewy.com!
One day I noticed a man come up the street in front of my house riding a recumbent trike. Harnessed on either side of his rear rack was a large Weimaraner dog and he was moving along at a steady pace. I'd never seen anything like it.
Some time later my wife and I were taking a walk. We noticed, probably this same man, stopped along the curb on this busy street. As I got closer I noticed the man was trying to twist around in his seat toward his dog (only one dog this day). The dog's harness was partially disconnected from the trike's rack and the man, who was handicapped, was unable to get up off of the trike to fix the problem. I managed to get the dog, a big, very strong Weimaraner, reattached. The man thanked me profusely and continued on his way. I never saw him again after that.
Until I read this thread I hadn't thought about this experience in a long time. I have no idea who he was, what kind of trike he was riding or how the dog was precisely attached. What impressed me was just how strong the dog was and how impossible his situation had become. I was glad to have helped.
On a serious note, my harness is designed to connect to the seat pole of a 2-wheeler. They provided only a thin piece of rubber to put inside. I connect it to the back frame of my Rover seat. I had some other rubber but it's not holding the harness in place. Does anyone has suggestions on what else I could use?
I think the major problem would be keeping the dog on task. One distracted, big, powerful, energetic dog is capable of pulling you six ways to Sunday!
Unless your dog is the one in a million, save your money. Most dogs HATE boots of any kind.