Conditioning the dogs

[Casper]

People often ask about other ways of roading or conditioning their dogs. Scootering is a fun way to get and keep your dogs in shape year round. I don't have an ATV so this is my alternative. I took a couple videos with my P&S yesterday at a local park that is by my house. My dogs have not had much done with them in a while so they are really out of shape. We are gonna keep at it all summer so come September they are ready to rock-n-roll.

Both of these videos were done toward our last go around. I have a hard enough time hanging on the first couple times around let alone trying to hang on to a camera and the scooter so I waited until they were tired enough to do the video so you will hear me trying to get them to dig a little harder.

http://vimeo.com/12429689

http://vimeo.com/12430547

[Wagonmaster]

Works great, doesn't it? And the dogs seem to really love it. I put a cyclometer on mine and we hit about 23 mph with both dogs in the harness. Haven't done it in awhile though.

[Ruffshooter]

Can you show a pic of the scooter?
Is it powered?
How do you keep from getting slack in the cord and catching a tire on it and send you and them A$$# over band box?
I am limited here because of trees for a 4 wheeler rig.
I have been trying to figure a way where I can go on the roads but always wonder about the slack in the cord. Was goingt to build a 4 wheel bike. They make them but are expensive. I don't like regular bikes as my butt and the seat don't get along.

Thanks,
Rick

[Casper]

Yes John it works awesome. Especially if you can vary uphill and down hill. With these two I have had top speeds of 25 mph according to GPS with an average speed of 12-13 mph. With the dogs solo they average anywhere from 6-9 mph.

Rick the only power is the dog(s) themselves and you if you need to assist the dog(s) in particularly strenuous situations. To see the different styles of scooters you can go to http://dogscooter.com/ScootersCatalog.htm

As long as the dog keeps moving there is no worry about the pull cord the dogs keep the line tight. There are times when the dog slams on the brakes when you are not prepared for it resulting in a crash but I have only had one instance getting the cord caught up in the wheel and that happened yesterday :roll: It was my fault for it happening.

Roads are great so long as they are not paved and have minimal traffic. The pavement can make quick work of a dogs pads. Dogs do funny stuff so you dont want to be putting yourself and the dogs into harms way. I know a guy that was killed roading his dogs from an ATV last year. A teenage girl hit him. Always keep safety in mind.

[Wagonmaster]

Scooters have brakes, at least mine has brakes and all the one's I have seen have brakes. One major advantage of a scooter is if the dog decides to do something flaky, like stop to poop suddenly, or chase a rabbit off the trail, the driver just hits the brakes and hops off. It is only a couple of inches to the ground, and nothing (like a bike seat) to keep you from getting off immediately.

[sjkennels]

how do you keep the dog going in a straight line? when i walk mine they go from side to side. i would be afraid of roading them with a bike or something just for that reason.

[Greg Jennings]

Running them attached to a bike is a recipe for a crash, IMPE.

I've just got to get one of the scooters. Not many gravel roads around here, though....

[Casper]

how do you keep the dog going in a straight line? when i walk mine they go from side to side. i would be afraid of roading them with a bike or something just for that reason.

It takes a bit of training as does anything with dogs. Smart dogs figure it out in short time. Hardest thing to teach them is a left and right turn command. Mushers use Gee and Haw. Since your dog naturally goes back and forth you could begin there and teach the turn commands. Once the dogs start pulling they become focused on the task at hand and maintain a straight line. A dog must be obedient prior to this kind of work because they need to listen to you and be able to follow direction

Running them attached to a bike is a recipe for a crash, IMPE.

I've just got to get one of the scooters. Not many gravel roads around here, though....

Even the scooter has its potential for a crash. Had me one Saturday morning, hit a patch of sand and down I went. About the only way to keep from having a crash is to use the ATV.

Concrete sidewalks can be a good thing to use but in an urban environment absolute control must be established in a dog. The dog(s) must turn on command, run straight lines, and stop when told too

[Greg Jennings]

Running them attached to a bike is a recipe for a crash, IMPE.

I've just got to get one of the scooters. Not many gravel roads around here, though....

Even the scooter has its potential for a crash. Had me one Saturday morning, hit a patch of sand and down I went. About the only way to keep from having a crash is to use the ATV.

I've had the crash from the bike. Thus, the "IMPE" meaning "In My Painful Experience". When that bike is snatched sideways by a "SQUIRREL!" encounter, the fall is vicious.

Concrete sidewalks can be a good thing to use but in an urban environment absolute control must be established in a dog. The dog(s) must turn on command, run straight lines, and stop when told too

I think one of the parks still has gravel. I'll check it out tomorrow.

[jbo]

Bikes are scary, I just decided last week to try with my 17 week old pup only made it about 50 yards out of the driveway taking it nice and slow to start, he jumped in front of the bike and I ran over his back leg with the brakes locked up, he yelped and that was about it, no injury, but wow, my heart was racing.