Biking with a BullDog

[Nash]

dont use a prong collar cliffdog, you'll be alright with just the 2' collar, but laced wit games tip you could consider. I use a 2' and never had any problem. I believe the problems to restraining the dogs breathing or wounds from the harness start when you let the dog pull the bike. Should be none of that in my opinion. Biking my dog is pure stamina and a wee bit of muscles. the lateral movement has positive effects to the joints. I try to keep them at a steady pace for long periods of time.

[Tiitu]

Hi, just want to know, in what age its OK to start biking with pup. And how long runs? Im going to start teaching pup ofcourse to walk with the bike in our yard few minuts at the time once and while, but in what age can we start to go to cycle?

[Pirbul]

In my opinion, you can start at 4 or 5 months old, doing something like 5 minutes in a cool weather and not aggro ground, then playing with the pup. Thats what im doing right now 3-4 times a week and the pup loves to pull in bike, pup runs with mom and that makes things very easy.

[hardluck]

Collar and i just regulate the leash, depending where i am and what im doing. I tie the leash to the frame, just up to the fork.

I dont like harness, too much friction into the sides.

Here's a vid, old one tho :P

i cant get over this video. that is one hell of a workout there.

[Tiitu]

Oh, and with my adult dog, I use collar, I think collars wide is something between 2" or 2,5".

Here is picture from yesterday, our first time with bike, I did love it, and so did Lyyti

[pejay]

Here's a vid, old one tho :P

The X-back harnesses on black dogs are just too HUGE for them. Better not use them, they don't fit and do cause discomfort to the dogs. If you want to use those on APBTs, most probably you will have to look for someone to make them by individual measurements of your dogs. The regular sizes made by most manufacturers are made for dogs of different structure (sleddogs) and usually don't fit APBTs. The X-back harnesses are not the best ones to use with the bike anyway. Even many professional mushers don't use them in bikejoring.

[tigerboy5]

I guess im the only one that uses a 12' lead. I bike with my dogs at the end of a workout so my wind work and milling is already done. I use the bike to help add legs to a dog if he has to go the distance. I hold the slack of the lead in my and and when the dog sees a cat or coon and bolts after it i let the slack out. I am also on a beach cruiser bike so when he's running after an animal i peddal backwards and ease on the brakes and let him pull me while hes chasing. This has always worked for me and i have never fallen.

[WWII]

I tried it once. It was a complete disaster. hahaha

[RedGoodbye]

I get it done!! lol godda be carefull or you will break youre face lol... Watch those pads especialy on paved roads!

[Cadibuck]

You aint kidding Redgoodbye..I've used the bike for a long ass time and I've taken some bad falls..got my ass torn up but never let go of the lead LOL. When some of these real powerhouse sonsabitches want something and cut across its a wrap!! Be safe folks.

[Big-Lz]

i do 8 mile every moring. I use leather harness and a 4ft lead need full control as my bulldog is a handfull when he see's another dog or cat etc

[RedGoodbye]

lmao doing it with anything longer than a four foot lead is fuckkin suicide lmmfao.
yeah when them fuckers cut across the front tire after something it gets trickky lmao

[Hachiman]

I must have been doing it wrong all those years. I used a 10' leash and allowed the dog to pull me. Never had to pedal. If another dog appeared, I always stopped and reeled in the leash. Only had 1 accident: In an isolated area, I allowed the dog to run free, he ran right into the front tire and CRASH. I had to pick rocks out of my hands for a few days.

[Laced Wit Game]

Like bg said,, i would stick with the 4 footer if not shorter lol

[gringopistolero]

[Nash]

Gringo, very correct method, and the beach adds to the workout. No problems with the pads with the shells and all ?

[gringopistolero]

The sand is hard-packed but cushions also. It also toughens up the pads yet keeps them soft so no loss in grip. What you are seeing in the video is the end of a 2 hour workout, but we didn't start that way we started out by just hand walking as perparation which made the pads thick enough to work normally. So far I have never had any problems with the pads, also the cool water makes the sand cold which will relieve any sores and allows them to work a bit longer.
In any case, you have to also do the post-excersize stuff, pad toughener, massages...etc. But I have not had any problems working a dog this way and have been doing it for over 13 years. I always use the same collar and leash to work my dogs, when they see me coming with it they go absolutely crazy to go, and very agressive toward the one that is worked that day.

[gringopistolero]

Also, I don't make my dogs pull me on the bike because I like a free-running workout. For strength I hand walk them while pulling a chain with weights. For this the pads have to be already toughened up because the dog has to dig in to pull.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...0428Medium.jpg

[Nash]

I don't like being pulled on the bike either, already posted that i think. That's accidents waiting to happen. I bike them the same way as you do, the walk with the chain on sand looks like a great workout also. I have so much more control over the dog if they cant go in front or behind the bike. I also think if you teach them to be on the side at all times you can do interval sessions of sprints in the bike workout, without them dragging you and the bike. I have viaducts were we sprint down and climb up at alower pace. With leash of course, never drag the dog, never let them pull. just my opinion.

[Pirbul]

The X-back harnesses on black dogs are just too HUGE for them. Better not use them, they don't fit and do cause discomfort to the dogs. If you want to use those on APBTs, most probably you will have to look for someone to make them by individual measurements of your dogs. The regular sizes made by most manufacturers are made for dogs of different structure (sleddogs) and usually don't fit APBTs. The X-back harnesses are not the best ones to use with the bike anyway. Even many professional mushers don't use them in bikejoring.

That was the first time we ran dogs in bike as a pack, i had those mushing harness because i used to sell dog stuff and those were for canicross. But i 100% agree with you i tried a normal harness, adjustable but i didnt like it. So i finally run my dogs with collar tied to the frame, with both hands free so i dont lose balance and use brakes as much as needed.

My sister in law weights something like 50kg and her dog 22kg, a long winded screamer and never once she fell down using this combo. I even ran 3 dogs at once in a place where rabbits run somethings across the path and never crashed, but overexcitation could cause dogs to fight eachother.

The first time i ran with a dog in a bike was 13 years ago when i was 15 and i weighted maybe 50kg and my dog was 35kg (pitbull mix) using NO brakes on my BMX lol, and i ran everywhere. One day the chain broke and i didnt feel like to repair it, so i just tied the dog and ran with him from here to there... well, i think i ran like that for a good 6 months.

And now talking about old times, i remember when i used to tell my parents. "Im going to walk dog". and returning back home at 6 am LOL, he was like my big brother and they felt safe if i was with him. RIP Bongo, RIP @ 14 years old, September 2011.