Dog contraption. What do YOU think?

[urbpan]

Someone sent me a link to this site, which appears to be selling a variety of wheeled contraptions that you can attach dogs to. I'm all for making dogs earn their keep--if you're going to be feeding these things and picking up their feces, they ought to do something useful, too. I like the scooter (click the HOW IT WORKS link) but the person who sent me the link emphasized the 'trike,' which I don't actually see anywhere. But as far as the scooter/dog idea goes, the big variable is what if the dog decides to bolt after a squirrel/other dog/motorcycle/whatever triggers your dog to act like an idiot? Perhaps it's for people who don't have dogs that do such asinine things. What do you think?

Comments

[hhw]

the trike is the one at the top of the linked website (looks like a recumbant-style rather than a kid's tricycle)

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, thank you. I think it would bother me to have the dog behind me where I couldn't see him.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

I think it would do the people good to walk as well.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Are you making fun of us obese Americans?

[gigglingwizard.livejournal.com]

I'd imagine having that yoke over them and having them walk along the side would make it a lot harder for them to veer off sideways, as opposed to when they're just hooked to a harness and left out front to lead, sled-dog style, and can go any which direction they please.

Also, I see that this puts the dog in the same position as if it were heeling on a leash. If it's been trained to heel, I wouldn't think squirrels would be a problem.

You could put a choke collar on the dog, maybe with a leash wrapped loosely on the handlebar so you can reach down and give a tug if needed, but I'd think it could present a danger to the dog. For that matter, so could the whole contraption. If the scooter starts to go too fast, as down a hill, and the rider doesn't brake quickly enough, it looks like the dog's going to get dragged along, caught up in those bars. At least with the sled-type harnasses, you can pass the dog and have a few feet to stop before the dog starts getting dragged.

I went to the site you linked to. The trike is at the top of the page. It's a yellow recumbent with a rottie hooked to it.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

A choke collar is definitely a bad idea. but I think you're right about the yoke/position. I'd like to try it before buying it.

[mandy-moon.livejournal.com]

WHAT A PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING WEBSITE AND A REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT! THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT MY DOG IS LAZY AND HAS HIP DYSPLASIA SO THE SCOOTER WOULD NEVER GO FASTER THAN TWO MILES PER HOUR.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

YOU'RE FUNNY, BECKY, I'M THE DOG IT'S FUN!

[grrlpup]

My dog's a big idiot, but he did great with the Springer. The center of gravity was low enough that he couldn't pull me over. He would be wildly excited and pull like crazy for the first three blocks, then tire and trot along more calmly. (He's a shepherd, about 70 pounds.) It was still all about him, not "I'm going for a bike ride and sure the dog can come along," but it was fun and manageable.

Fun ended when the bike with the Springer hardware on it was stolen.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

The springer has always looked to me like it gives the dog too much rope. Especially in the city where you're passing joggers and rollerbladers and people with baby strollers and stuff.

[grrlpup]

Yeah, I wouldn't use it on rails-to-trails paths.

[jolantru.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's making the assumption that the dogs are really well-trained?

[belen1974.livejournal.com]

you are in luck jef because someone you and i both know is planning to get one of these scooter contraptions. she was in my apartment this past weekend trying to figure out what color she'd go for: green, yellow, or red. i'll let you know how she and the dog do!

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

somebody has an envious amount of disposable income.

[http://users.livejournal.com/purplebunnie_/]

I'd like the idea better as a bicycle.

[wandererrob.livejournal.com]

I can just see us going for an unscheduled cross-country ride as Beyla starts after a squirrel.

My girlfriend thought a similar product called the Walky Dog, I think, would be fun. It attaches to your bike seat and hold them on a short leash a few feet out from the bike. Personally it kinda makes me cringe. Between matching pace with each other and sudden direction changes by either of us, and let's not forget how dogs like to stop and sniff... it just has disaster written all over it.

Besides, I enjoy walking with my dog. So I'll stick tot he trusty old foot and leash system. Simple. Effective. :)

[whatisbiscuits.livejournal.com]

Whenever I see dogs tied to bikes I always have visions of the humans getting pulled over and the dog getting yanked up by its neck and human and bike landing on top of each other in a big, tangled, painful mess. Such an optomist, me.

[buboniclou.livejournal.com]

I think I would've been in trouble with my dog attached to one of those things.

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

I don't know. It's seems a bit pointless to me. I mean, are you genuinely using that as a mode of transportation, is it exercise for the dog (but not human) or is it just a novelty? I'm probably iffy about it because I'm so unused to the thinking of dogs as anything other than pets, but even at that it seems sort of a silly invention.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

CAUTION: DOG MUSHING IS A SERIOUS SPORT THAT HAS AS ITS FIRST PRIORITY DOG SAFETY. WHEN STARTING OUT WITH A NEW DOG IT IS RECOMMENDED TO WEAR A HELMET, GLOVES, KNEE PADS AND STURDY, GRIPPY SOLED SHOES.

a dog would look so silly wearing all of that!!

scootering!

[klandaghicat.livejournal.com]

This is the Trikke we have, actually two, a 6 and an 8.
My harness is mostly ready, I may have to add more padding. Hige... Well, he isn't the best trained dog, so we'll see how it goes. Hopefully, better than the roller-blading incident!

Ignorant people shouldn't critique

[(Anonymous)]

I see that so many folks here talk about this, or any other dog-running-with-a-bike contraption, as though it's automatically a bad idea that will end in injury. To those people, I recommend doing a search for bikejoring, skijoring, canicross, dog scootering, etc.

You'll be surprised to find out that though you think that all dogs are out of control, impossible to control, "a pet, not an animal who should work", "is this for exercise or novelty" (THIS is the extra-ridiculous comment) or "too delicate" for these kinds of exercises, there are plenty of dogs all around the world who are happy and healthy, not in-spite of exercise like this, but BECAUSE of it.

Humans domesticated dogs to work for and with us and be our partners and we do them a disservice by forcing them to lay around our homes all day with nothing to do and then taking them for a walk around the block and thinking that serves their exercise needs. Dogs like to RUN, not walk, and unless you like to RUN (jogging is often not even fast enough) with your dog, the best thing you can do with your dog is to connect him/her to something with wheels that can allow you to keep up.

Ultimately, your opinion doesn't matter. Those of us who love these sports will continue to do them and have happier, healthier (and not drugged for "anxiety") dogs while you sit by and scoff with your fat, unruly, hyper, anxious, poorly-behaved dog.