Riding Your Bicycle With Your Dog

It can at times be difficult to keep up to the exercise needs of many of the active dog breeds. Sadly, many of us simply do not have the time to spend hours each day walking them.

Most medium and large size dogs will enjoy trotting beside a bike and even a few of the smaller breeds too. The giant breeds also make excellent bike riding companions, but extra care needs to be taken with them. It is extremely important that they be fully grown before bike riding begins. Forced running on pavement as a pup could serious hurt their development. No matter what size your dog is, dogs should have at least reached their mature height before going on their first bike run and care should always be taken to never go too fast or too far.

When starting out for your first time, go slow. You may need to walk your dog beside the bike for a block or two so he gets use to it. Be supportive and positive and be free with the praise, make it into a fun adventure. Most dogs enjoy running, so once you mount your bike and start pedalling they will usually fall in beside you. However, some may shy away from the bike, so be prepared to be pulled to the side. It is always a good idea to give your dog a chance to do his bathrooms before you start riding. It can be quite the shock when you dogs slams on their brakes to do their business!

Dogs are extremely intelligent and learn quickly with positive patient training. Going on short slow bike rides for the first few days or even weeks is the best way to start. Just like a human athlete, your dog needs time to be conditioned to the activity. Do not push for long hard bike rides right away. During those first few weeks, do not go too fast, if something goes wrong and you are going fast the potential for injury is far higher than if you were going slow.

Take the time while bike riding to teach your dog simply commands to make the activity both safer and more enjoyable. Teach them left turn and right turn, slow down, stop, speed up, let’s go and even possibly move left and move right for when you need to go around things.

Bike riding with your dog can be a lot of fun for both of you but it can also be quite dangerous. Dogs can get distracted, see something exciting and try to chase it, stop suddenly, cross in front of the bike, hit the wheels and cause accidents. It is safest to ride with a dog you outweigh by a descent amount or at the very least are well trained and you have good control of. Keeping your speed slow and never sprinting will help to insure you can stop quickly and safely if needed. Using a proper bike attachment and harness for your dog is important.

There are many different brands of bike attachments. Generally, they are metal bars that attach to your bike and the dog, so he cannot cross in front of the bike or hit the wheels. It also allows you to have both hands on the handle bars at all times. Riding a bike while you hold your dog’s leash can be very dangerous and is not suggested. While bike riding, your dog should be wearing a harness. It is not safe to secure the bike attachment to his collar. Bike attachments can be found in some pet stores but most often, you will have to order one online.

For many of the active breeds it can be very difficult to keep up to their exercise needs with just walking. Bike riding is an excellent way to help tire them out and most dogs seem to enjoy it very much. Always remember to never over do it and avoid taking him out during extremely hot weather. Always watch your dog carefully for signs of fatigue or injury. Bike riding can be a fantastic experience for both you and your dog and helps keep both of you healthier and happier.

Question by loona_blanco: How can I open a dog day care facility, a big one and a breeding business in Pasadena, CA?
I have a veterinary technician associate degree plus a diploma in dog obedience, and 2 animal care certificates one for dog care and one for cat care. I would really like to open a big facility for pet care in Pasadena CA. What licenses do I need. I am also planning to have a vet to be there all the time for emergencies.

Best answer:

Answer by maliboo_girl
You’ll need to speak to the city. Pasadena is notoriously tough to do business in, they have very strict laws about building, insurance, etc. I really think a breeding business won’t fly, besides, realistically the area is too expensive for the space needed. (And don’t even try in a residential area, the residents are not casual about that kind of thing!) If you’re thinking Pit Bulls, forget it, Pasadena has an ordinance against it. Also, there are many pet facilities in Pasadena/Altadena, probably too many to make opening a facility a good financial option in this economy.

Go to the city, but don’t hold your breath. Doing business in Pasadena is also a very slow process.

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