Going for a bike ride with your dog is a great way to play sports together. If you prefer cycling to running, this is a great alternative to canicross, however, despite the fact that there are dogs with a lot of energy and vitality, they need an adaptation period to get used to it.
If you like cycling and want to start sharing those moments with your best friend, don't miss the following tips for walking a dog on a bicyclethat we give you on our site.
Adaptation period
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, before starting to ride your dog on a bicycle and go on long excursions, you should work on the adaptation period with him as follows:
The first contact
Going out on a bike with a friend can be very rewarding, but you must bear in mind that a bicycle can be a foreign object for a dog. It is important that before going out on a bike with your dog you let him sniff it, study it, look at it, go, get familiar with it at his own pace and without forcing him.
Cycling begins
Patience will be key. It is advisable to go for a walk with the dog and the bicycle but without riding it so that it gets used to walking next to it. When it is used to it, we will get on the bike and start riding short distances and slowly Remember that we must take into account the state of the animal at all times.
One of the best tips for walking a dog on a bike is to teach them a specific command to learn to turn when we turn us with the bike, so that it does not jerk or hurt it due to an unexpected turn.
As the days go by we can progressively increase the speed, as long as our dog can stand it. Keep in mind that they have to work much harder to keep up with us.
Some tips for walking your dog on a bike
Here are some recommendations and tips for walking a dog on a bicycle:
- The dog must have relieved himself before starting the walk, in this way we will avoid sudden stops
- The dog will always have to walk on the right side of the bike to protect him from traffic.
- You have to watch the pads of their feet, asph alt is very abrasive and can damage them, especially on hot days. If you find small wounds you can treat them with aloe vera. To prevent it, you can buy a special wax for pads that protects the animal from cold and heat.
- Always carry fresh water.
- Take breaks and don't force the dog if he feels tired
- Always keep it on a leash to prevent it from crossing and being run over.
- Make sure the dog has not eaten anything in the two hours prior to the exercise. When we have finished we will have to wait another hour to feed him.
- Take the dog on a leash in a body harness, never use neck straps as they can cause neck injuries.
- This type of exercise causes a great impact on the dog's joints, so if you are going to do it periodically you should monitor them and go to the vet to avoid problems. To prevent diseases you can give him vitamins for his joints.
Items for safe walking
There are special leashes and baskets for cycling safely with our dog:
- Adapter With a normal strap we can have problems because it can get caught between the wheels or the pedals. This can be avoided by using an adapter. It is a rigid system that adapts to the bicycle and keeps the dog at a safe distance while preventing jerks.
- Special baskets If your dog is too small to carry it tied to the bike, you don't have to give up going out with him. There are special baskets to put on the front of the bike with safety straps to prevent it from jumping out.
- Trailer. When we have a large dog but he is not able to walk next to the bike, either due to his age or due to some physical problem, we can anchor a special dog trailer to the bike.
- Special bike for dog walking. There are some bicycles created with a large space for dogs in the front, they are structured like a tricycle to hold the basket for the dog well.
Follow the steps indicated in the article and start cycling safely with your dog but, above all, turning exercise into a positive and fun experience for both of you.
