The life of a cyclists dog

So....I am on dog-duty this weekend for my roomates' lovable dog (they're at a race).

I've been reading for school all day, camped out in my study. I finally start to stir and start thinking about preparing for a bike ride. Lola (dog) starts getting super excited ('oh boy! oh boy! are we going to the park again? Yeahhhhhh park! park park i love the park!') Meanwhile, I was trying to convey to her that she wasn't coming (usually a good "bye lola" will get the picture across). But, she wouldn't have it. Her mounting enthusiasm was incredible. (think Gazelle leaps across the bed)


Until....I pulled out the bike shorts. Immediately, her face lost animation, she tucked her tail, and walked out of the room. I, naturally, was struck with a bizarre mix of heartbreak and hilarity. I couldn't believe it--- a dog that knows the exact meaning of cycling shorts!

Ah, the life of a cyclists' dog.




PS. For the record, Lola and I went to the park this morning for an hour. And I have been a very attentive door butler all day to her in-and-out pleasure. ;)

Saddest story ever!

Funny. Mine is the opposite. I've been teaching her to "ride" with me, but she's in the on a leash on the MUT phase. Today I pulled the Yeti out to hit the trails with friends and she started bouncing up and down at the site of a bike. She was very very very disappointed when I left her :( SOON we'll be able to do that together...well, I hope so anyway.

(and for the record, we went on a walk when I got home)

Zeus's exercise always comes first:p And since he's almost 13, he just likes to lay in the shade and wait until I get home. Today I actually got right up to him before he woke up!

My dog Sam's ears go down and she looks bereft anytime she sees me fooling with the camper shell on the pick-up truck. (Where I keep my bike.) And if I'm in cycling gear, she looks downright downcast. 90% of the time that means Mom is going off without her!

On the upside, our next door neighbor rarely goes away from his house (lousy knees), so he and Sam have "play dates," LOL, to watch sports together! :-)

Sam is also so well-behaved that he can let her out of my front door after I'm gone and she'll just plop in her cushy bed and hang out quietly, waiting for me to come home, even it that's three or four hours later. The neighbor can see her and our whole front yard from his sunroom. He says she naps, chews on a bone, gives squirrels the evil eye, and patiently watches for me. I love pulling up and seeing her head fly up and tail start wagging the second she sees the truck!

Nala gets evening walks, so she's fine with my cycling in the morning. Walkies are in the evening. Of course yesterday we had to wait out a thunderstorm - I'll stay inside, thankyouverymuch, my bed is fine - but once the rain stopped, WALK!

If I take her for a morning walk, that's great! But come evening, she'll still want her regularily scheduled walk.

Yeah....when I got back Lola and I went back to the park for a nice hard run. Turns out she was pretty tired from our morning jaunt ;)



I think she thinks that when any of us leave the house (to school, work, etc.) we are going to the park. It just kills me!

Mine always could tell by the shoe choice. Up till either the bike shoes or the bike came out, she was very hopeful. After seeing either of those, she would go lie down and give a very heavy sigh, and a look that said, "don't you love me at all?" :(

My JRT's completely know when I'm going for a ride. The girl, Dixie starts making these crazy noises as soon as the shorts go on. I have a hard time leaving for long, but when I come back they know they get to swim and play ball. Now try sitting on the trainer for a hour with three faces staring at you through the window. Can't do it!

my welsh corgie retreats to the farthest darkest corner under the bed if I go anywhere near her in work out clothes or biking shoes. Mind you it has been over three years since I tried 1x to take her for a short run next to the bike. An elephant's memory is short compared to hers.

marni

sugarland, texas

My helmet and the leash both live on the little table near my front door. Pokey watches carefully and hopefully when I start to pick something up there, and if it's the helmet, his tail drops and his head drops and he kinda sighs as he walks away.... Poor boy....

Lucie has a hard time distinguishing between the roadie & mtbike so we started a new trick...when we say "road bike" she lays completely down w/head on the floor, say "mountain bike" and she gets excited and runs to the car!!!

Ebbe gets excited either way...she gets a kong full of goodies regardless of the bike (she is a small, old dog who is on exercise restriction due to a bad back) ***the kong is in replacement of a bowl of food so she does not get fat :p

Also, we spent many rides with Lucie training her to stay to the right of a rear wheel with the commands "get ready"-means get to the right so she is out of the way of oncoming traffic. "back"-means get back of the wheel. "go"-means do whatever you want! "stop"-she sits down and waits till she is given either a "go" or "this way" command. The hours of work have paid off!!! I love it when people compliment us on our well behaved dog! She also runs along side on a leash if she needs to in areas where leashes are law. I just wish more people took the time to train there dogs...

well behaved dog = happy dog = happy human!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bouncybouncy

Also, we spent many rides with Lucie training her to stay to the right of a rear wheel with the commands "get ready"-means get to the right so she is out of the way of oncoming traffic. "back"-means get back of the wheel. "go"-means do whatever you want! "stop"-she sits down and waits till she is given either a "go" or "this way" command.

---

How did you train your dog while riding to do this? Just by reinforcing when she was in the right place? Very cool.