BikeJoring For Dogs? Need Advice Please(:

[BeccaB00]

I'm sure some of you read my post below. A few people recommened bikejoring to help get rid of my dog's hyper problem.

I'm totally looking forward to that! I love riding bikes and my dog loves running so it's a perfect match!

Im already online looking at supplies to order for it! Thing is, I have no idea what to get for it, or how to hook her leash to my bike. I know I'll need a harness, but am I supposed to order a special kind? and what kind of leash do I use? I dont want it getting caught in my wheels!
thankkksss soo much!

 

[RiverOtter]

For actual bikejoring (that's spelled wrong, lol, but I can't figure it out) you do need a harness.
But, I've exercised lots of dogs with bikes, I still do with my beagle and will with my pup when he's a little older and here's what I do.

I get a wide, soft, cotton or leather lead. Something I can get a good grip on even with sweaty hands and that will not give me ropeburn. I once had a nylon one that had aged to softness, but the new nylon is cheaper and sucks.

For some dogs their regular collar will work fine but for most dogs I want the first ride or 2 to be with a prong collar. Yes, it looks harsh, but I want something that they are not inclined to pull against, that I can give a very fast correction with and that they don't wear every day. Also, with a prong, they can't get that tight enough to choke themselves and they can't get a nasty jerk against the windpipe like with a flat collar.

I want a bike of a height that I can put both feet flat on the ground.
End of equipment. You really don't need much.

I want the dog next to me with their shoulders behind the handlebars. Most dogs will want to run in front or waaay off to the side. They will learn the right spot.

I put the dog on the leash and get on the bike. I call the dog right up to me for some praise. I put my feet on the ground and roll forward. The dog tries to leave. I call them over again, praise and roll a little further. Repeat until dog decides to move forward. Generally the dog will either decide this is wildly exciting and try to dash ahead of the bike or decide this is really boring and decide to wander off. In either case give a quick, sharp leash correction and start again. At no point give a verbal correction, only praise.

Please note, these first steps can take up to 15 minutes and the very first time may frustrate you to tears.
Take a deep breath.
Calm down.
Your dog is NOT unusually stupid and you ARE capable of doing this.

Perhaps right away, perhaps after 15 minutes, you will (with your feet on the ground) roll your bike forward and the dog will walk along side with their eyes on you.
Success!!
Cheer inwardly, praise the dog calmly (don't get her excited now!!), put your feet on the pedals and go.
Let the dog set the pace for the most part, but try to encourage her to keep running.

NOTE: She WILL get excited at some point and try to either dash in front or go sniff that cat. Put Your Feet DOWN and give a leash correction. You can make it a hard one because she'll be excited and not feel it like she normally would.

She needs to learn that when her attention is off of you the insanely blissful euphoria of running stops. They learn this pretty quick. All dogs are "runner's high" junkies.

If at any time you feel out of control Put Your Feet DOWN. I don't care if the bike has hand brakes, pedal brakes, if you don't like road rash then get your feet on the ground.

Eventually she will settle down to a steady trot. This is happy time. From here go another half mile and turn and go home. The first time, she may poop out before you get there and want to walk. Get off the bike and walk. You will both get better at it.
If you have properly exercised a dog, they will walk through the front door loose and relaxed with their tongue out. They will go, get a drink and the tongue will be in after that. Then they will hunt up a good spot and stretch out.
If she keeps panting after having a drink or just flops right down you've over done it a little. DO much less the next day and just a little less the day after.

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

The prior one is good for biking beside you. For bikejoring you want them ahead of you. A regular sled dog harness and a line (you can use pretty much anything as a line) will do. Tons of info here: http://www.bikejor.com/

 

[True Grit]

This is what I have and it works great. Because of the spring arm and low center of gravity it is harder for the dog to pull you over if she takes off to the side.
http://www.dog-training.com/springer.htm They are pricey but I got it slightly cheaper on ebay. My collie likes to try to bite the back tire and goof around a little so I have a collar and a regular harness on her. I hold a leash attached to her collar so she can't fall back or try to go sideways but I don't pull her with the collar at all. I think just a regular harness with a ring on the back is fine. The springer walker has a safety clip that will break in emergencies so it is good to have a leash on her collar for that reason as well.
You need to be careful of your dog's feet on pavement especially when starting out as they can get friction burns if you go too fast for too long.
Your dog is really pretty. I hope bikejoring works for you.

 

[PotterWatch]

I love running with my dogs. I started with a bike but now run them with a scooter. I just took them out this morning for a 9mi run. I personally like the harnesses from Alpine Outfitters . I use their regular x-back for my dogs but I know several people who use the urban trail and like it as well. I also got my tugline from them. I always recommend getting the two-dog line. You can easily use it with one dog, and many people who start joring or scootering with their dogs end up with more dogs at some point so the option to add a dog is a good one. Here are some pictures of my setup:

My scooter:

The tugline will come with this piece of webbing included and you can see that the line just snaps onto it (you just put the webbing around the handlebar stem of your bike):

The line with harnesses attached:

This is how you can turn a two-dog line into a one-dog line. Just wrap the line you don't need around the other and snap it onto the line you will use.

My dogs, happy to be in harness!

I forgot to add that the tugline has some bungie already built into the line to give just enough shock absorption for you and the dog. I don't use anything to keep my line from wrapping around because that rarely happens when you are running more than one dog (usually, even if one dog stops abruptly, the other is still moving forward and therefore keeping the main line taut). Many people I know who do want something around their line simply use a length of pool noodle. The slit it all the way down one side, put it around the line and then duct tape it shut again. I will try to find a picture to show you what I mean.



If you are anything like me, you will get hooked on this sport and soon be branching out. I bought my first sled last year (at the end of the season though so I am waiting for there to be enough snow in the mountains this year to take it out).

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
Ah! I love your dogs!

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

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Gorgeous!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Anyone try this with a petal go-cart?

 

[KimberlyJ]

Hey Becca!! I think the idea of exercising with your dog is GREAT. Your dog -- or even dogs as I saw more than one in a picture-- would benefit and it would be wicked fun for you too!!!. BUT think about it before you jump on line a spend a bunch of money on expensive "stuff". Are you a member of FreeCycle.org in your area??? It's a group that believes in reusing and passing on things instead of throwing so many things away. You can offer up things to other people as well ask request stuff that you want. Items like this just may be laying around peoples houses...they tried it and didn't stick with it, they liked it so much they got better stuff, or they no longer have a dog. Since it requires personal interaction with strangers at some point I STRONGLY urge you to get a parent involved. But someone in your area just might have a harness etc they'd be willing to give to you. Worth checking into anyway.

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
Hi! Thanks! I'm not a member of that, to be honast I've never heard of it

But sounds neat! Since a GOOD harnesses cost about 20-30 dollars where Im ordering.