Exercising for me AND my dog

[Trek420]

big shout to obedience training, good for you, good for the dog, also find a good dog walker to work on the skills. My dog has too much of a "rabbit factor" ("ooh, let's go see THAT! Right now!") to do the bike thing and I also feel strongly that it can put you....or your dog in traffic or danger.

but with a lot of work, and treats she walks very well on a loose leash now.

[dakay]

Another option is the Walky dog http://www.sitstay.com/store/equip/eq6.shtml . I use this with my dalmatian on the unpaved rails to trails where there aren't a lot of people. It is very easy to install. My dog is obedience trained but if he sees a critter sometimes he can't contain himself. I used to just hold the leash until he decided to stop and pee one day and the leash caught on my finger. Since I installed the Walky dog everything has been fine, even if he tries to stop or sees a squirrel. I attach the Walky Dog to a harness and still hold a leash attached to his collar for extra control when we stop.

Kathy

[KnottedYet]

I worked a lot with my dog to understand the difference between going out for a dog-walk and going out for a exercise walk.

He has specific commands for running and serious walking and for changing from a serious walk to a sniff-around walk.

It has made a huge difference in both our attitudes! And he knows he gets a sniff-around as a reward for being good during my exercise, so he doesn't fret over it.

[farrellcollie]

I rollerblade with my dogs (except the one who hates it) and I use a "gentle leader" head halter - no dog liked it at first - but they got used to it and they LOVE running so they get all excited when I get the gentle leaders out now. They can open their mouths, drink, bite, etc - but I can control them on rollerblades without fear of getting hurt. ALso - all have gone to training classes with me.


I had disasterous results with both the springer dog leash and the bicycle dog leash - but it was about 8 years ago so perhaps the designs are better. On the springer - hound lab mix would just snap the safety snap and go off so we tried something called the bicycle dog leash. WIth bicycle dog leash - no safety release - dog took bike after a squirrell and I flew into a tree. Dog was fine. Bike and I were not as lucky. My collies have not been as tough to handle as the lab/hound who had a very high pain tolerance (I mean he did not seem to mind dragging a bike that weighed almost as much as he did), was quite strong for a 50lb dog and had no sense whatsoever.

[Kano]

I rollerblade with my dogs (except the one who hates it) and I use a "gentle leader" head halter - no dog liked it at first - but they got used to it and they LOVE running so they get all excited when I get the gentle leaders out now. They can open their mouths, drink, bite, etc - but I can control them on rollerblades without fear of getting hurt. ALso - all have gone to training classes with me.

I used a gentle leader on my Boxer years ago, and it is an amazing tool! In about 15 minutes, he went from being headstrong and impossible to control to easily controlled by even a four year old. It was quite a sight to see him try to get it off those first few minutes, but once he adjusted, he was very easy to coax into following my lead. We had some issues, since gentle leaders aren't really designed for Boxer heads. The "nose strap" was pretty close to his eyes, and sometimes that would bother him if we were out for a long time (kind of like a not quite perfect bike seat!)

I don't have one for Khan and don't know why. I think I did have, but it's been missing for a very long time. He probably hid it and knows where it is. What has worked best for him is a very short leash while he gets the initial excitement of being out together worked out of his system. You would think that by six and a half, he would have settled down some, but noooooooooo, he still gets mighty excited when something he likes happens or is about to happen. After a half mile or so, he settles down and I can let him have his head a bit. It's also helpful if I behave unpredictably for a bit, since it gets his attention when I do things like walk around in a tight circle, turn and go back the way I came, etc. He's not sure what to expect, so he pays better attention to what I'm doing than if I just take off and walk in a long straight line. If we go long enough, he comes up with this brilliant idea that I should carry him home. I've never given into that, but I do check his paws for thorns or abrasions when he begs for up, just in case.

Despite having been neutered when he was about five months old, he likes to mark things as we go, and I do put up with a little of that, since he seems to think it's fun. His walks should be fun for him too, right? But, yeah, Cheri, I know just what you're talking about: drunken sailor walk is pretty accurate if I'm not a very firm mom-dog!

Karen in Boise

[GLC1968]

I worked a lot with my dog to understand the difference between going out for a dog-walk and going out for a exercise walk.

He has specific commands for running and serious walking and for changing from a serious walk to a sniff-around walk.

It has made a huge difference in both our attitudes! And he knows he gets a sniff-around as a reward for being good during my exercise, so he doesn't fret over it.

I totally agree. My last dog was trained to know the difference between a walk (or run) for exercise and a walk for sniffing/doggie-business. It makes a HUGE difference.

We are in the process of training our new puppies and they are slowly getting it. One of them is so crazy with energy that the only way we can keep her focused on the 'walk/run' is by going really fast. Then she is forced to pay attention to me! It's scary, but it works. I just hold her leash while I bike (not clipped in) around the neighborhood. The other dog is learning by running with us...he just doesn't have the energy/speed to work with a bike.

Either way, obedience training will also help. It's no fun to walk a dog that is out of control...and if its not fun to walk, you both lose out!

[Tater]

I have a hyper Australian Shepherd, Jack, (the four legged fleabag in my avatar) who loves to go out with me. I don't take him biking, but running/walking is another story. He knows when I am pulling on the Acsics that I am going out for a run and will sit as close to me as he can, even on the shoe that I haven't put on yet. I think he is hoping that I won't forget him! (As if!) We went through obedience training, but his place is at the absolute end of the leash. He won't pull, but that is his spot. As with Knot and GLC's pooches, he knows when we are out to sniff and p!$$ and when we are out to put some miles on.