Biking for exercise and conditioning

[pittychick]

I noticed that quite a few of you bike with your dogs, I also read several posts suggesting hand walking instead.

I actually bought a bike today and plan on starting out tomorrow with them. I have a few questions for everybody who uses bikes as exercise tools for their dogs.

Do you typically run them daily, for how long?

How do you begin a running program? Do you just jump right into it, do only a mile, do you warm them up by walking or just start at the trot?

Anybody ever take out more than one dog? I don't have a lot of time (single mother...not easy to find time) and think it would be great to get both dogs out at the same time, but have a feeling I'll be wiping out haha! Anybody have luck with two dogs at once...how did you start out, any training involved?

What type of collar/harness do you run them on? I've heard to use a walking harness. I usually walk both in their prong collars (just in case they decide to act up, it's a very rare situation when they're used), and I know that they'll probably try to go full out when I put them on the bike...should I use the prong to begin with until they learn not to completely take over (I don't allow them to pull leashes, etc...I'm trying to get them in the competitive obedience ring)?

I take them to a nearby pond once in a while, it's private and I'm not suppose to use it so it can't be as often as I like...and the only other water is a river and I get nervous with a current (even if it is slow in some spots). They really like swimming it's just a lack of a place.

How else can I condition them to be in their best shape? They have a spring pole, I have to replace their flirt pole (they LOVED it!), and we do lots of typical doggy stuff like fetching, etc. I don't have a ton of time, nor money for dog pools/mills/etc.

I am going to be building some agility equipment, and once I find my damn tape measurer I'll be ordering WP harnesses to get them into that as well. Anything else I can do? Since I started walking them again, training in agility, and switched them to a raw diet I've seen an improvement in their looks. Just looking to do some more.

There's a couple pix in my gallery. Nothing that came out very good, I caught them during playtime so a lot of the shots are them standing funny or what not. They look a bit better already in the last couple of weeks too.

[GA,CAM]

walking for 1hr at brisk pace aday or 45minutes at a brisk paces.
you can also start jogging, taking the dogs along with you. always start slow, also play fetch with them.You can get a weight pulling harness for a 50-60lb dog for 50-80 dollars. theres alot of threads on here that can help do a search on here.

[Chef-Kergin]

Personally I would never ride a bicycle with a dog on a leash.

My wifey's sister lives in Louisville KY. This past weekend, her husband was walking their mutt when a 13 yr old kid was riding down the street with his apbt on a leash. His dog took off after Benji (their mutt). He got ahold of his right rear thigh and locked on, and started shaking. Her husband Chuck is a sizeable fella at 6'7" and 250+ lbs and was able to separate the dogs when it went for another hold.

Attached below is a pic of injury in an e-mail she sent us.

The owners lived 3 houses down. They paid for his vet bills, and will pay for any follow-up care. They were shocked, because their dog "had never been aggressive before."

It showed lack of responsibility on the owner's part, and extremely poor judgement in letting their son ride a bike with the dog on the leash.

I just don't think it's safe to ride bike whith a dog on a leash.

As for how much to work them, my pup is almost 8 months old. She gets roughly two miles a day. It's either in two smaller walks, or one long walk. If she goes on a long walk as opposed to the two smaller, she doens't walk the next day. Every single day she plays tug, chases my jrt around the yard, or something physical to drain her energy.

My JRT gets the same routine, but I walk them separately now, as they get too worked up together, so I get my heart rate up plenty each day. I'm lucky to have dogs with so much energy to keep me in shape ;)

[Ella]

I just don't think it's safe to ride bike whith a dog on a leash.


In my opinion just as safe as walking on a leash. I take my dog on a bike ride almost every other day. He's wearing a harness with a leash attached to it with a carabiner AND a choke collar with another leash. Both leashes are attached to eachother and me. Where i take my dog with the bike no-one can walk on my right side, that is where my dog is. If I see a dog coming towards me I stop, Block my dog with my bike and take the choke collar shorter. If I walk my dog I've only got my choke collar and can't block him with my bike.

I take my dog for approximately 45 minutes including the little round to walk him warm and and the last part of the ride to cool down. He's 15 months so we do it easy. He loves biking and gets all exited and jumpy when I grab my bike, its perfect to release some energy.

Oh and for the pulling part: My dog is allowed to pull when I put pressure on the harness, otherwise NO pulling. I used a choke collar and had to correct him 3 times and he got it. Shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Have fun !

[WestSideDogPen]

I run my dogs on a bike all the time. apbt needs to run and walking doesn't do it. One dog at time so as not to have an accident. some dogs do better on a bike than others. I have had to hit them with the tire a few times now they know the deal and run strait. they will run father than u want to pedal. a harness is mch better than a collar so the dog can breath freely.

Start slow, it is a learning prosess for u and the dog. Also check the dogs paws to see how the pads on their feet hold up, if the dog isn't used to the pavement the pads get raw, it heels fast though.

[MASON]

I have been bike riding my dogs for ten years and haven't had one single accident and the dogs love it. Hand walking is good but I have seen better results from the bike.

[PirbulBongo]

I think is a good way to burn dog energy and have a fun time with him,at first be careful till the dog gets used to the bike and then try to run around places w/o other dogs or people.

When the dog is 100% used to the bike then you can try different roads, just remember to walk him till hes empty or if you walk with the bike... stop when he's about to pop/piss :P good harness and fresh water is important too.

I ran with my dog all weekends for like 30 min - 5hours with breaks and etc and he loved it!

[LegendsMami]

Do you typically run them daily, for how long?
I usually give my dog a day or two off. I just started a couple of weeks ago with my dog so I don't want to overdo it. Usual 30-40 minutes max on a dirt trail. Even though he still wants to keep going.:rolleyes:

How do you begin a running program? Do you just jump right into it, do only a mile, do you warm them up by walking or just start at the trot?
I usually walk my dog first to make sure he doesnt have to go to the bathroom and warm him up. I go around the block a couple of times. He's use to running along side my sisters on their bikes. But I started him out on a trot and then went a little bit faster and then slowed him back down to a trot.

Anybody ever take out more than one dog?
I have w/ a bike attachment for the dogs. But I won't any more with my GSD as she's extremely dog aggressive and overprotective of my APBT. And well lets just say I had to speed up to keep from wiping out. lol

Anybody have luck with two dogs at once...how did you start out, any training involved?
I have taken a 120lb American Bulldog and my APBT out biking together. I didnt have a problem. The AB has never been biking but caught on quick to just trot/run with the bike.

What type of collar/harness do you run them on?
When I first started out I put a prong collar w/ a traffic leash attached and a harness attached to the bike attachment. The traffic leash was just so if anything happened I could grab him. But my dog doesnt bother other dogs so I have been okay.

I have taken him out once or twice with out the attachement. I used a harness to have him pull me a little bit but he stayed by myside for the most part. And I've used a prong collar and leash when I'm out on busy sidewalks.

[pittychick]

Thanks everybody for the information.

I know there are some people against bike riding with dogs, but as long as you're responsible, your dog is trained, and you have control I don't see the problem with it.

He's use to walking on cement so that won't be an issue, the trails around us are still closed (they close for the winter because of eagle nesting) so we just have the neighborhood to walk in. I'll definitely start them riding one at a time, but think they should be OK together. They're fine walking and running together (I fractured an ankle so can't really run anymore...it just gives out on me).

Legends, where did you get your attachment. I saw those once with a shock system in it and can't remember where. I was thinking about ordering one.

He gets lots of fetch and running in the yard every day. He's toy motivated so I kill two birds with one stone and his reward for doing what I ask of him as far as obedience goes is him getting to fetch a ball or stick.

[Chef-Kergin]

there's a thread about a product like the one you might be talking about:

http://www.game-dog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20268

the site's listed in there, along with opinions of one person who just bought one, and seemed happy with their purchase from what i gathered from their posts.

[ericschevy]

I do it about three times a week, start slow, then a brisk walk, then a trot, then run for about ten minutes, then go back to a trot for ten minutes. I go back an fourth in ten minute increments. I started out with only 35-45 session but I'm now up to almost 2 hours. Just start out slow and easy for a couple of weeks, and make sure you warm them up first, too much too soon= injury...

[pittychick]

That's not really what I was looking for, but similar to the extent that it has a little give in it so it won't jerk the bike if the dog leans a bit to one side, or trips, etc. It's an actual attachment that goes onto the frame of the bike with a lead attached for the harness/collar.

[pittychick]

I do it about three times a week, start slow, then a brisk walk, then a trot, then run for about ten minutes, then go back to a trot for ten minutes. I go back an fourth in ten minute increments. I started out with only 35-45 session but I'm now up to almost 2 hours. Just start out slow and easy for a couple of weeks, and make sure you warm them up first, too much too soon= injury...
Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I figured doing it in increments would be good. I think I'll start out with that. Probably walk them a mile before riding (that's basically around the block). That would allow me to have the time to take them seperate as well.

[ericschevy]

That's not really what I was looking for, but similar to the extent that it has a little give in it so it won't jerk the bike if the dog leans a bit to one side, or trips, etc. It's an actual attachment that goes onto the frame of the bike with a lead attached for the harness/collar.
I made my own but It don't have any give to it, I found it's easy to correct them that way..LOL

[pittychick]

I made my own but It don't have any give to it, I found it's easy to correct them that way..LOL
I'm not very handy. I've been planning on making a cart to train Java in weight pull...I just don't know where to begin lol! Typical female in that aspect :o

[pittychick]

Got the bike today and took both boys out around the block (one at a time). I was expecting to have to do some training, but am happy to say that all of their OTHER training has helped out tremendously! They still stayed in the heel position while riding at all speeds. Smart boys :)

They LOVED it! They both smiled the whole time, and Dunkin didn't want to leave the bike when we were done lol! They would probably run until they passed out!

We're still starting slow (they walked 5 miles earlier today), we did half the block at a jog, 1/4 at a full run, and than the last of it we did a fast walk to cool them down a bit. Now I have no excuse to not get back in shape haha!

[LegendsMami]

Springer-
http://www.springerusa.com/
K9 Cruiser-
http://adogsbestfriend.com/prototype/item.cfm?pid=2
Guardian Gear bike attachment
http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=6346&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iSubSubCat=0&iProductID=6346&AS=1

[dogged]

That's great, pittychick! I plan on biking with the dogs for the first time this weekend. I hope it goes as well as it did for you!

[pittychick]

Thanks Legendsmami for those links. That's exactly what I was talking about! I've been just holding the leash, but if I get one of those I'll be able to take both at the same time without having to fumble with 2 leads.

Good luck Dogged! Let us know how it goes! Obedience training has really helped out with it! When I walk them I make them heel at all times, and that really carried over well. Although it sucks some time for agility cuz Dunkin doesn't want to go away from me and I end up tripping over him lol!