Running an EP with a Mtn Bike

[Brazos]

I am picking up an EP pup in about 4 weeks. This is my second EP and I learned a lot from the first. What I learned is they like to get out and run on occasion. I have heard people using their bike to run their dogs. Just curious how this works. They would have to be attached somehow. Just not sure how to rig it up.

[iowahntr4]

I live in town and don't have easy access to an ATV so I 'road' my dogs (GSP & EP) with my bike using the Walky Dog attachment on my bike. I bought a nice padded roading harness and they love it. I ride on the sidewalk so the dogs can run on the grass. It took about 2 times of me walking my bike with them attached to it before they became used to it, but now they get super excited whenever the bike comes out.

http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/walkydog- ... leash.html

[Brazos]

Thanks for the link. That is perfect. Glad I posted something about this. I have been trying to figure out a way to do this and just haven't had any good ideas.

[bigdaddy]

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=31548&p=337831#p337831

I have road worked my dogs off my mtn bike using a leash and looping it around the handle bar stem. I would not recommend this unless you are a fairly experienced bike handler and the dogs know what is supposed to happen when you put that harness on them. I would NOT try to teach a young pup to road from my bike.

[gtnbirdy]

Walky Dog Great for roading dog off bike. Use it all the time with no issues.

[Hattrick]

It looks really cool.. I just thinking what happens when a groundhog or a cat runs across ur path.

[buckshot1]

I've never used the walky dog, but I've had good luck roading my lab with a leash in my left hand and my right hand on the bike. Roading off a bike doesn't really work though until your dog learns to heel. Even with the walky dog, I imagine that your dog would pull you over if he won't heel. Even with the heel command, it took my lab about 2 times to figure out how to run with the bike. Expect to have a spill or two your first couple times out. Also, you don't want to road a puppy. You're supposed to wait until he's about 2 yo or until he's done growing. It's bad for his bone growth. Off leash walks are fine for now.

[SubMariner]

Have also heard about this attachment for riding your bicycle with the dog:

http://www.springeramerica.com/

[gtnbirdy]

I have used the walkydog for aprox 2yrs and use it about 3-4 times a week on a national park towpath. I have had deer, groundhogs, squirrels, geese, dogs, rabbits run across and in front of my dogs. They will try and chase but there are springs inside the walkydog that takes up any shock from the dogs pulling. One gsp is 64lbs and the other gsp is 56lbs. You will feel a tug on your bike when they try and chase an animal but they quickly find out they cant get to it and settle back in to roading. Have not even come close to spilling the bike. It works great for me and my dogs and feel it is much safer than roading with a leash. A great way to keep a dog in shape.

[cjuve]

Sorry using a bike to road dogs with is just not for me there are just to many variables, to easy to get yourself hurt.
Here is how I would rather do it.
http://youtu.be/UyDGhmg-sxw

[roaniecowpony]

Sorry using a bike tosroad dogs with is just not for me there are just to many variables, to easy to get yourself hurt.
Here is how I would rather do it.
http://youtu.be/UyDGhmg-sxw

That's a great way to road. I love it. Wish I could do that every week. A trot looks about the right speed and you can get your leg workout along with the dog at a trot if you Post. 5-10 miles of Posting is a workout. But I live in the burbs. No horses no more.

[cjuve]

Sorry using a bike tosroad dogs with is just not for me there are just to many variables, to easy to get yourself hurt.
Here is how I would rather do it.
http://youtu.be/UyDGhmg-sxw

That's a great way to road. I love it. Wish I could do that every week. A trot looks about the right speed and you can get your leg workout along with the dog at a trot if you Post. 5-10 miles of Posting is a workout. But I live in the burbs. No horses no more.

No posting required that is a Walking Horse, just sit back and relax you could even enjoy a cocktail if you want.

[roaniecowpony]

Sorry using a bike tosroad dogs with is just not for me there are just to many variables, to easy to get yourself hurt.
Here is how I would rather do it.
http://youtu.be/UyDGhmg-sxw

That's a great way to road. I love it. Wish I could do that every week. A trot looks about the right speed and you can get your leg workout along with the dog at a trot if you Post. 5-10 miles of Posting is a workout. But I live in the burbs. No horses no more.

No posting required that is a Walking Horse, just sit back and relax you could even enjoy a cocktail if you want.

Now that's just plain lazy. Autopilot and smooth too.

[Brazos]

Thanks again for everyone's input. FWIW I did not plan to run the dog with my bike anytime soon. I am thinking about later on when he is grown. I got my last EP on a whim. Up until that point I only had experience with Weimerieners and GSPs and such I treated my EP like a GSP. That was a mistake. They are different dogs with different needs. Just trying to learn from past mistakes and do this right, or a least much better.

[fishvik]

I live in a fairly rural area of Idaho. Farmland and section roads. I've trained my lab/gwp, gsp and other dogs I've owned to run alongside at heel in congested areas and then cast them when we get open fields. They were trained to return to a whistle and I use an e-collar for reenforcement. It is important that they are obedienced trained. I always carry a leash too if they decide not to obey. We do between 20 to 30 miles a week. It gets all of us in shape.

[UglyD]

I live in a fairly rural area of Idaho. Farmland and section roads. I've trained my lab/gwp, gsp and other dogs I've owned to run alongside at heel in congested areas and then cast them when we get open fields. They were trained to return to a whistle and I use an e-collar for reenforcement. It is important that they are obedienced trained. I always carry a leash too if they decide not to obey. We do between 20 to 30 miles a week. It gets all of us in shape.

Pretty much exactly how I do it in Northern Utah- rarely see another person

[Stilly Bay]

I just started roading with a Mtn bike and so far so good. I have access to a couple miles of private farm road so I will do three dogs at a time, two at heel and one running loose. One of those bike attachments might be useful but if your dog is trained to heel its not necessary IMO. I just lightly hold on to the two or three leashes and go for it. My gordon usually runs free because he was actually trained and encouraged to pull the lead for part of his physical therapy years ago, and pull he will!

[Munster]

When I was training him for VGP this is how I ran Max. Dumbbell was about 5 pounds. Most the time I kept him at heel with the ecollar. But I am not in to running on a bike tied to a dog. When I fall now adays it hurts to dam much.

I would run him for 5 minutes witht he bell, then I took the bell and ran him another 10 with out and then with the bell, then without. Final cool down was without. He loked every session.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-l1gkbX0-4

[Stilly Bay]

Thats awesome, Max must be ripped by now.

[Munster]

Max is in nice shape and looks good. But i dont keep that mess up anymore. I needed to strength train him so he could carry a fox over a jump and over a distance. Now that test is done and over with, we dont need to do that anymore. Now, I need to figure out how to train my little female to do the same thing and she is 15 pounds lighter and 2 inches shorter.

[maximus1]

I have used the walkydog for aprox 2yrs and use it about 3-4 times a week on a national park towpath. I have had deer, groundhogs, squirrels, geese, dogs, rabbits run across and in front of my dogs. They will try and chase but there are springs inside the walkydog that takes up any shock from the dogs pulling. One gsp is 64lbs and the other gsp is 56lbs. You will feel a tug on your bike when they try and chase an animal but they quickly find out they cant get to it and settle back in to roading. Have not even come close to spilling the bike. It works great for me and my dogs and feel it is much safer than roading with a leash. A great way to keep a dog in shape.

Exactly right gtnbirdy. I use same setup with a dog on each side and have never even come close to crashing. Being attached to seat post and spring loaded it works fantastic. Dogs adapt quickly and it really helps condition the dogs. Works way better than a leash. Cheaper than a horse with no clean ups or feed bills, just not as much fun