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Pullin' Pups » Group Forum

Stepping Up

  
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The Buddha

Peace be with- you		 
 
Barked: Fri Apr 7, '06 1:45pm PST 
My boy Buddha has lots of strength and energy to match. He's got pulling weights down pretty well (bricks in a tyre). I want to get him up to pulling me on my bike so we're not limited to back and forward in the yard.
Here in St Lucia there is NOTHING for sporting dogs.
Any suggestions on how to step up from stationary objects when you don't have access to the perfect gear? Precautions, advice and stories welcome.
By the way Buddha is a 16 month old APBT, in case that matters.
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Jammin Lady

I be jammin, I- be jammin		 
 
Barked: Fri Apr 7, '06 4:34pm PST 
You might find something that will help you here:
http://www.dogscooter.com/HowtoTrain.htm#EQUIPMENT
You can use a regular leash to attach him. The major difference between that and a line specially designed for that purpose is that the one designed for pulling has a very strong bungie to absorb shock. If you decide to get a padded harness, I don't think a traditional xback would fit his build at all unless custom made. I'm planning to try the urban dog harness for Buzz, who is a very muscular pointer bird dog mix, but since I don't have it yet I can't say how it will be. Our scootering is pretty much over except for very short sprees early in the morning until next winter so I probably won't get it until then. It's already very hot here. I would be interested in anyone's opinions on harnesses for dogs other than the traditional lanky northern breeds. As far as your bike I would say get your brakes working as well as you can, because a dog can stop really fast to investigate something, and stay off a little to the side behind him so you won't ever hit him. While I worked with Jammin' very little on directional commands before I hooked her up and let her go, I do continue to work with her hooked to a waist belt. I highly recommend the teaching of "whoa" before you set out. Since the Buddha is used to pulling a tire, he shouldn't be fearful of dragging anything behind him. You might possibly need someone else to ride a bike in front and call him to give him the idea of what he is supposed to do, or you might not. I didn't. Well, that's my two cents, based on little experience. I look forward to hearing from individuals who know a lot more than I do.
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Takoda (In- Loving- Memory)

Let\'s Go!		 
 
Barked: Sun Apr 9, '06 3:12pm PST 
Hi! I am just starting out bikejoring but have done a ton of research and found some very detailed websites with very good info. Here are a few of them:
Bruce's Bikejoring Pages

Bikejoring with Abakan

And of course Dog Scooter.com which Jammin' mentioned. Also there is a Yahoo group called "Dogs Love to Run" that is an excellent resource as well. Buddah, there are lots of people who ride with Pitbulls in that group too.

I just got equipment and have only been out a few times, but I am hooked! I bought the Urban Trail Harness from alpineoutfitters.net. It is designed for bikejoring/scootering. You give them your dog's breed, build, weight, and exact measurements and they custom make it for you so it will fit any type of dog (they even put your dog's name on it!). I am very impressed with the quality and fit. It is very easy to put on the dog and mine seem to be comfortable wearing it (they are not used to a harness).

I first tried with a regular leash, and that was a disaster waiting to happen! Alpine Outfitters sells a Single Scooter Line for $25. It has a built in bungie and has a connector that wraps around the stem of the bike. It made an AMAZING difference in the amount of control I had. Otherwise I have read that you can attach a bungee to a normal leash and that works too.

So far Takoda seems to be a natural and took to it very well. She needed no motivation to run and pull. The line stays tight with her and she stays slightly to the right of me out of the way of other bikers, and listens well to my commands.

Today on the other hand, I tried it today with Catori (husky/ridgeback cross) and it was a whole different story! It's gonna take some work to successfully ride with him! He is a bit stubborn! He didn't really pull, wanted to run more beside me, and on the wrong side of the trail (so that the line crossed the trail in the way of other bikers). For awhile though we were following some other bikers and that was when he ran the best. So I think next "lesson" I will bring somebody along to ride ahead and hopefully that will help!

Well, that's about all I know so far!

Edited by author Sun Apr 9, '06 3:49pm PST

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Razel

I'm a scooter- dog now!		 
 
Barked: Thu Apr 13, '06 4:45pm PST 
Hi!

As far as harnesses for non-northern breeds, I can offer my own experience, if it will help. I'm a Bluetick Coonhound mix, and have a Black Ice x-back harness that fits really well. A friend of ours has a Border Collie/sighthound mix and the Black Ice x-back fits him well, too. I have heard that different makes of harnesses will fit differently, even if the style is the same. Balck Ice was also really fast at delivery and very good about accepting a return. (Mom pulled the tape measure too tight and the first harness was too small!)

My brother Max has a kind of a "shortie" x-back that mom made for him. He has hip displasia (wouldn't know it by how he runs!) and doesn't like anything over his hips. Not that it hurts him, but it seems to make him nervous. He also tends to choke on the Urban Trails type of harnesses. There was a thread about that on the DogsLovetoRun Yahoo group, and apparently some dogs are more prone to that than others. And Max is able to choke himself on nearly anything!

As far as other equipment, (not knowing what you already have, that is) I've heard people have had good sucess with dirt bikes, or kid-size bikes - you can pedal to help uphill if you want to, but it's short enough to get off of in a hurry if you have to.
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Jammin Lady

I be jammin, I- be jammin		 
 
Barked: Fri Apr 14, '06 1:54am PST 
Jammin' Lady and Troubadour have Black Ice xbacks also. They are very nice harnesses. Why choke on urban trails harness? Because the chest piece does not fit and rides up? I noted that they have altered the chest piece to make it adjustable.
Jammin' Lady
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Razel

I'm a scooter- dog now!		 
 
Barked: Fri Apr 14, '06 1:03pm PST 
I think some dogs choked on the Urban Trails harness due to owner mis-measuring, but other dogs simply seem to be built differently or carry their head lower. Max goes head-down-full-speed-ahead, locomotive style.

To be honest, I haven't been keeping up with how the harness was changed since the topic came up on DogsLovetoRun, since we now have harnesses that fit and aren't shopping around anymore. It may not be a problem anymore. puppy
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Jammin Lady

I be jammin, I- be jammin		 
 
Barked: Sat Apr 15, '06 9:11am PST 
Thanks for your help and comments. I became concerned about fitting Buzz because neither Troubadour nor Jammin's harnesses fit him. On the other hand, I could call about his measurements and if they find them to be odd I'm sure they could make him one. Might be better to stick with something tried and true.
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Fuzzy- Huskies Dog- Team

'09 Jr. Yukon- Quest- Red Lantern!		 
 
Barked: Sun Apr 16, '06 12:00pm PST 
About the harnesses, I've found that H backs are better on longer, leaner dogs. I use an H back on everyone except Gabby, Norman, Annie, Baxter, and Tigger, and have had wonderful results.
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Troubadour

The Watcher		 
 
Barked: Wed Apr 19, '06 6:39pm PST 
Gosh, the H might be the one for me. I'm so downright long and scrawny the harness store asked if I was underweight. If I'm fed more than a certain amount, I just won't eat at all for a day or two.
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Pudden

Sled-dog by- day, bed-dog by- night		 
 
Barked: Wed Apr 19, '06 9:28pm PST 
one rule of thumb is that the Y of the harness - where the neck loop meets the chest strap - should be right ober the dog's breast bone. If you stick your finger under there, you should feel the bone sticking out. The back straps of the harness should not be so snug that the rib cage can't expand in breathing. If the harness looks bunched up on the dog's back, and if you can't easily stretch it towards the rear, it's too narrow for him.
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