Biking with my dog....questions

[Kandi]

I was recently informed that my show girl is soft. I have had some health issues this past year, so it has been difficult to work either of my girls. In saying that, I was told to bike her. Which, since it does not require walking, which has been a bit of an issue with a foot problem, though I am getting that taken care of again, I figure that would be a good option. So, my question is, what would be the best harness for the job. I don't want to attach the springer to her collar, and there are so many harnesses out there, which one do I choose. Since there are several shows coming up next month, I need to get moving on this and would appreciate any help.
I figure biking will get us both in shape, but I am also purchasing a treadmill for those days when it is just too ugly to go outside.
Help please..

[Mavides]

Honestly, I'd be a bit nervous about biking with a novice dog on a harness (I wouldn't ever bike with a dog on a harness myself, but I would suppose a dog that was very seasoned on the bike would probably be okay). Harnesses are designed for pulling -- and I don't think that's what you want when you're up on two wheels! I bike daily with my boy and he goes on a prong collar and a regular 6 foot leather leash which I hold in my right hand along with the handlebars. (Although he "heels" on the left, he goes on my right when we bike.) This way it is easy to give a small correction if he's going too fast, too slow, or getting too interested in the neighborhood cats. I know a lot of people use the Springers and are very happy with them...but I feel better knowing that I have my hand on my dog's leash and feel a bit more in control of the situation.

Best of luck - it has been great exercise for Legend and we both thoroughly enjoy our morning bike rides!

[Carol Burke]

I agree with Shawna. I like to have control of any dog I am biking, I also like the option of letting go if it looks like a train wreck is about to happen.

You have to be careful with a treadmill that you don't teach your dog to shorten her gait, biking is much better.

[Kandi]

Thank you so much for the info. The harness is out. Unfortunately, graceful, I am not. The reason for wanting the springer is because, I am afraid that while I am biking, I will lose her lead. Last thing I want to do is drop my girl's lead and have to chase her. Though, I am willing to keep a lead on her while she is attached to the springer, at least until she gets used to it. I just know that if something can go wrong, it will, and I do not want to risk her safety by possibly losing the leash.
I never thought of a treadmill causing her to shorten her gait. Thanks for that info as well. The treadmill was another suggestion of my trainers. Guess I get the treadmill for me and not the dogs. Again, thanks so very much.

[TrinaJ]

How old is she? Do you have to wait until a certain age (ie 2)before you start that kind of training with a dog? ie; do you have to wait until you've had hip x-rays etc to make sure that it wont hurt her joints etc until everything is fully developed?

Trina

[Kandi]

My show girl is only 13 months. I am not planning on running her hard, and only on dirt. I assume this is okay, though I know my one breeder said not to road work until they are 18 months. My older girl can be road worked, and I plan on going at it aggressively with her. But for right now, the show girl will not get lots, max-10 min. a day. I am not in great shape myself, so I will probably be very worn out in that 10 minutes. But, unless told otherwise, that is my plan for her. Or, very brisk walking, which due to ankle problem, may be difficult for me.
What do others think?? Is that too much?

[Mick Trainer]

No I wouldn't think ten minutes at 13 months would be a problem. I usually dont put to much on my dogs until 15 months but I am not one to wrap thjem in cotton wool and believe that if the hips etc are truly so bad that you cannot give at least a good amount of exercise as they grow then chances are that the hips were bad any way and you would of had problems no matter what you did.

Mick.

[Kandi]

Mick,
Thanks so much for the response. I am sooo afraid of overdoing it with her, only because my other girl DQ'd at 9 months. A whole other issue there, but I really want things to work out with this girl. I guess you could say I have caught the show bug, and don't want anything to disrupt it.

[OnyxGold1]

Originally Posted by Kandi

my other girl DQ'd at 9 months.

Your other girl was DQ'd because of weight???

Heather

[ChloeBear]

Good read !! I have a 15 month old. I let her pull me around on a skateboard, Ive pulled back on the frequency because I think she is actually getting overworked !!! Should I not even be doing this at all being that she is only 15months?

[RottsNScotts]

I had a friend use the Springer with her Rottie; I TOLD her it was not a good idea but I guess I don't know what I am talking about. She went to great lengths to tell me how, if the dog pulls hard, it has an automatic release...

Yeah, well, her dog saw something he wanted and pulled the bike right out from under her, injuring her rather badly. (I promise, I did NOT tell her "I told you so"!)

I think a Springer, with a Rottie, is an accident looking for a place to happen. I have had the best results with dog on a pinch collar on a 6' leash as Mavides and Carol described.

I don't start my biking until dog is over 18 months...but they are doing plenty of physical stuff before then!

And I actually prefer to roadwork them in a cart rather than just the bike; the load builds their butts and they more correctly use their rears for power, transmitting the power through their topline which strengthens that as well.

[Kandi]

Onyxgold,
No, my girl was not DQ'd for weight. Actually, she was not technically DQ'd, I pulled her before that happened. Being a newbee to the show curcuit, I did not know much, not that I know lots now, but... For months, in training class, my trainer would open her mouth to check her bite. Never indicated there was a problem. We went to our first show, she took 2nd in her class. Came out the ring, handlers were all over her wanting to see her, stack her bait her, etc. One checked her bite and found 2 missing teeth. Since I never checked the teeth on any of my dogs before, I had no clue how many teeth they should have. And, my trainer apparently never caught it. I pulled her from the show ring, and we never went back.
My younger one, thankfully does not have that problem. All teeth are present and accounted for. However, she does lack muscle definition, so the need to increase exercise level.

I have been told by a handler, that sprints up a hill will strengthen the rear muscles, and biking is not necessary at this point. Since she is only 13 months, I do not want to risk messing up her hips. So, we will be sprinting instead of biking, for now, a few quick sprints a day should solve the problem, or so I am told.

[Carol Burke]

Also going up stairs will strengthen her rear.

[Shelby427]

Originally Posted by ChloeBear

Good read !! I have a 15 month old. I let her pull me around on a skateboard, Ive pulled back on the frequency because I think she is actually getting overworked !!! Should I not even be doing this at all being that she is only 15months?

well, she really shouldn't be running on hard surfaces like blacktop of roads until after 18 months - she also shouldn't be pulling any weight until after 18 months...as you could be damaging her developing growth plates and joints.

[Kandi]

Carol,
Thanks, I never thought of stairs. Stands to reason that would work too. That can be done, even in bad weather. Brilliant idea, thanks so much.