If you are like us and your dog is your constant companion, you might think about taking them on your biking adventures. Sometimes it’s not possible, but if you carefully figure out training and the approach, you might be in luck.
Destination is Key
First, think about your destination. Does it make sense to bring the dog with you? Are dogs allowed on that trail that you are going to hike? Does the cafe you are visiting have a dog-friendly patio?
Know your Dog and Focus on Training
It’s important to know the limitations of your dog. If the dog is a new addition to the family, stop here. You do NOT want to bring a new dog into a new situation and not know how they will react. For a dog that you know well, consider their fears and limitations. Our dog does not like motorcycle noises, and despite efforts, he can bark and react unpredictable to the sound. Understanding, this, we avoid main roads and take dedicated bike trails where we know there won’t be any motorcycles.
Training is the next, time-intensive step. Traveling by bike is a new situation that dogs need to be exposed to slowly and repeatedly to get comfortable and ensure everyone will be safe. For example, if you are using a bike trailer, keep the trailer around them so they can sniff it and get comfortable with the physical object. Then you can try putting them in the trailer for a few seconds and give them treats so they know it is a good place to hang out. Keep repeating this for longer durations. Eventually, once you feel that the dog is relaxed and ok with the new situation, you could try some movement. Any changes introduced should be a short training duration in a safe location, like a fenced yard, to ensure that the dog does not get stressed out or escape. We want to reiterate that this takes a lot of time, especially if you are working with an older dog.
Once you are ready to go on a short ride, identify a path and strategy that allows opportunities to safely back out of the situation if it does not go as expected. For example, you might have a second person come along so they can monitor the dog and then be able to walk back home. Or a second person could be on standby with a car so that you can transfer everything to a car to head back home. Just think about what you would do at any point in the trip if your dog is scared or doesn’t want to continue.
Lastly, we would like to acknowledge that biking with a dog is not for every dog. If your dog is feeling stressed out, it might be best for everyone if they just hang out at home while you are out and about.
Ways to Bring your Dog Along
There are multiple ways to bring your dog on a bike ride. The options will be determined by dog size, their comfort level, type of ride and visibility.
Front Basket
This a somewhat popular way to cart your dog around. Clearly, it only works for small dogs. Weight limit of such basket depends on the type, but usually it’s around 10lbs.
Pros: cheap, very easy to setup, no need to dismantle between uses, dog is constantly under your supervision
Cons: only works for small dogs
Cargo Bike or “Bakfiets”
This is similar to front basket in concept, but you can bring dog of pretty much any size. Of course, you will have to have a cargo bike first.
Pros: no need to setup or dismantle, works for any size dog, dog is constantly under your supervision because he’s in front of you.
Cons: expensive, takes lots of storage space, not often used if you are only using it for biking with your dog.
Bike Trailer
This the method we use when we want to take our dog with us. You can use pretty much any kid-friendly bike trailer and hook it up to your bike.
Pros: not extremely expensive, easy to store in your garage, versatile: you can bring your kid or your dog.
Cons: difficult to setup and dismantle, you can’t easily tell what you dog is up to because they are behind you. The latter can cause issues if your dog is in training. It is also somewhat difficult to park in busy locations.
Dog Carrier or Backpack
This type of dog transportation might work for a short trip. It is as uncomfortable as it looks for both you and your dog but might work in a pinch for small dogs.
Pros: dog is mostly stationary, so won’t cause much trouble.
Cons: somewhat expensive, can be uncomfortable on long rides and in hot weather.
Dog Running Next to the Rider
We assume that the dog still needs to be on leash. We cannot endorse dog being off leash in suburban environment.
There are 2 types of leashes: regular and “hard.” Hard leash means that the dog cannot run in front of your bike, but it can still pull you off route causing falls and injuries. Be very cautious when you use this method. Even if your dog is very well-trained, any sudden or side movement could cause an accident.
Pros: for soft leash – the cheapest option and in theory works for every dog. For hard leash – also in theory works for every dog. Allows your pooch to exercise too!
Cons: extremely dangerous even for the most well-trained dogs. Do not recommend outside of dedicated bike trails.
Do you take your dog biking? What is your preferred approach? Drop a comment to let us know.
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