Exercising a dog from a bicycle....

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Not really bikejoring as I don’t want to be competitive and I don’t want to train her to pull me along, but Millie clearly isn’t getting enough exercise so I’ve had my bike fixed with the idea that I can go out with her trotting alongside me at a gentle ‘working trot’ to increase the distance she gets every day (and tire the little darling out ?)

Does anyone do this, and if so how far to do go? Millie can run 10k with me without batting an eyelid, and I wasn’t intending to cycle much faster than that at all, but when I look online all the articles seem to throw their hands up in horror and say 2-3 miles maximum!

If I’m honest there just isn’t any point in taking her such a short distance. She has endless energy, no off button and she never stops - even after a 10k run she will sleep for 1/2 hour then she will be up and ready to go again!

So I’m wondering what is reasonable really ?
 
Dylan is like Millie. The only thing that seems to satisfy him is to be out and about all day. Biking a dog is usually done to get them working/racing fit. How fit do you want her? ;)

Would she enjoy an activity that would also use her brain? Dylan used to love his pet gun dog classes. I sometimes hide things all over the house for him to find and teach him tricks as well. He just keeps demanding that we DO something, please! while the bitches are peacefully snoozing.

If you do get her very fit, she could go lure racing of course when it starts again, but research the venues as some are badly set up and run and dogs can easily get injured.
 
Lol you have both hit the nail on the head of course! More exercise will mean a fitter Millie which is never a good thing ?

I’m liking your ideas Planete... at the moment I am simply trying to stop her barking aggressively at anyone who walks along the footpath behind my back fence, it literally took her 4 interventions before she was snapping round in a quick 180 degree turn and coming straight to me every time I rattled the treat pot! She is just too intelligent for her own good, and as a greyhound owner I’m not used to that ???

I’ve had her 3 years now, you would think I would be used to it, but sadly she has got worse since I lost my beloved Amy lurcher who was in charge and kept Millie in check ?
 
CorvusCorax said:
AD training programme sent lol
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Ooops sorry on the back of that I should have said, she is approx 4 years old, fit as a manic lurcher with absolutely no off button, and she has no known health problems ??

ETA - OMG I’ve just taken screen shots of the programme. She can do week 6 without any problem whatsoever now.

Please Send Help ????
 
planete said:
Dylan is like Millie. The only thing that seems to satisfy him is to be out and about all day. Biking a dog is usually done to get them working/racing fit. How fit do you want her? ;)

Would she enjoy an activity that would also use her brain? Dylan used to love his pet gun dog classes. I sometimes hide things all over the house for him to find and teach him tricks as well. He just keeps demanding that we DO something, please! while the bitches are peacefully snoozing.

If you do get her very fit, she could go lure racing of course when it starts again, but research the venues as some are badly set up and run and dogs can easily get injured.
Click to expand...

This! Can you tire her out with mind games? The young labs can be out for 3/4 hours a day and still be a bloody nuisance, but 15 minutes training and they are little lambs.
 
But.....but..... she is a sight hound not a scent hound ??

I’ll google scent work, thank you, any suggested plans/ideas also gratefully received ?
 
Well I had to post an update this morning to prove my own stupidity ?

I know nothing about scent work so I’ve been googling this morning for ideas - and that is what Millie already DOES!!!!

In the 10 acre dog field we use she loves her tennis balls.... I clearly remember one occasion when she dropped her tennis ball at the top of the field and left it there. We were about 2/3rds of the way down the side of the field when I looked down and realised she didn’t have the ball, which I wanted to put away in the toy box before we left..... so I said to her ‘where’s your ball Millie, go and find it’

So she looked at me, turned around and belted back up the path round the edge of the field, found her tennis ball in the long grass at the top of the field and brought it back!

I feel so totally stupid - but I can also see Millie and I are going to have fun with this scent work thing ??
 
Levrier said:
Not really bikejoring as I don’t want to be competitive and I don’t want to train her to pull me along, but Millie clearly isn’t getting enough exercise so I’ve had my bike fixed with the idea that I can go out with her trotting alongside me at a gentle ‘working trot’ to increase the distance she gets every day (and tire the little darling out ?)

Does anyone do this, and if so how far to do go? Millie can run 10k with me without batting an eyelid, and I wasn’t intending to cycle much faster than that at all, but when I look online all the articles seem to throw their hands up in horror and say 2-3 miles maximum!

If I’m honest there just isn’t any point in taking her such a short distance. She has endless energy, no off button and she never stops - even after a 10k run she will sleep for 1/2 hour then she will be up and ready to go again!

So I’m wondering what is reasonable really ?
Click to expand...

Don't think i'd dare ride a bike with spaniels attached!! I'd end up in a hedge!
 
I used to cycle along with my previous border collie, she would trot the two to three miles up to the yard with me next to my bike, then we would do the horses and go riding, and then she would trot home next to the bike. Current collie throws himself to the floor every time a car comes within a mile of him and then tries to chase them once they have passed, so i think I wouldn't survive the situation! I also agree it makes for a very fit dog with high expectations! Scent work is definitely the way to go.
 
maisie06 said:
Don't think i'd dare ride a bike with spaniels attached!! I'd end up in a hedge!
Click to expand...

Many years ago, when I had 2 Norwegian Buhunds + 1 Smooth Collie, I bought something called a Springer and put on my bicycle, to sometimes take one of them out for a little extra exercise.

But as have already been mentioned on this thread, none of my dogs got mentally tired by it, only more fit (which was what I was after), and I would only recommend it for those who wants their dogs to have more energy to be bored with.

41MR29u2WnL._AC_SY400_.jpg


 
Levrier said:
Millie has her first scent work session on 17th June :) Only half an hour, the trainer said she would find it too tiring to do more...... I didn't like to say that she hasn't met Millie yet.... I'm so excited about it and the prospect of seeing Millie tired for the first time ever :D:D
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How exciting, I hope both of you have lots of fun with the scent work.
 
maisie06 said:
Don't think i'd dare ride a bike with spaniels attached!! I'd end up in a hedge!
Click to expand...
I have biked with my 2 but I had to give it up as my minihound gets sore feet after any time at all on anything but grass.
Spaniel loves it, I pretty much constantly have the brake on though I think it could get scary otherwise ?
 
FinnishLapphund said:
How exciting, I hope both of you have lots of fun with the scent work.
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Not sure if that sentence makes it sound as if I think that both of you are going to have go at trying to do scent work, or if it reads as I intended it to sound, that both of you have fun, while Millie does all the work.
 
FinnishLapphund said:
Many years ago, when I had 2 Norwegian Buhunds + 1 Smooth Collie, I bought something called a Springer and put on my bicycle, to sometimes take one of them out for a little extra exercise.

But as have already been mentioned on this thread, none of my dogs got mentally tired by it, only more fit (which was what I was after), and I would only recommend it for those who wants their dogs to have more energy to be bored with.

41MR29u2WnL._AC_SY400_.jpg


Click to expand...

OMG those look brilliant ? I was imagining getting two and taking all four dogs out at the same time..... but the greyhound boys are far too lazy for that ??
 
Levrier said:
OMG those look brilliant ? I was imagining getting two and taking all four dogs out at the same time..... but the greyhound boys are far too lazy for that ??
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I really recommend them, they really do work the way it shows in the video. My ladies behaved very well out with the bike, so for us it was more for the times when they just stopped to sniff at something as they were used to be able to do out on walks, instead of it leading to the bike doing a dead stop, it sort of of became a jerk, which either gave me time to stop the bike, or reminded the dog about that this was exercise time, not a stop and sniff whatever you want walkie.

You could still get 2, Millie on one side, George on the other, then all you need is one of these to put behind your bike, and Ace and Marty can sit in it, and watch the other 3 of you do all the work, while they rest.

anhaenger2-550x407-e1455234730775.jpg
 
Clodagh said:
This! Can you tire her out with mind games? The young labs can be out for 3/4 hours a day and still be a bloody nuisance, but 15 minutes training and they are little lambs.
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I agree with this. A tired dog is a good dog but the fitter you get them, you have to maintain that fitness because otherwise they become impossible?. Tire her out mentally, get her doing small challenges. I’ve set up a mini agility course in my garden. Introduce new things. Tbh , I wouldn’t worry too much about her behaviour on your fence line - she’s just doing what dogs do. But, if you can distract her before she sets off on a barking frenzy then great.
 
If you like the scent work I would say take her Mantrailing. I took my Kelpiex and took to it like he'd done a dozen sessions...... Then lock down happened........ But we're starting up again Saturday! He was really knackered after the session.
 
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