Endurance Test 2017

[DeltaCharlie]

After saying for many years that I wanted to put my dogs through it (and having dog after dog become too old) I am finally pulling my finger out this year. Whip will be 7 in July so really, this is my best chance to do it as next year will be very limited as most states hold it in August.

 

I am aiming to enter Whip in the ACT (July 2) and then Boost in NSW (August sometime). Both dogs are ridiculously fit and I have no doubts they could do it tomorrow, but I need to condition myself and get used to riding with them. I started off trying a running program but that lasted 3 sessions  Physically I could run it, mentally I could not. I don't enjoy running and give up long before my body does. So yesterday I bought myself a bike and already I realise how much easier that is! Both dogs have had a quick 1.5km ride around the block with me and coped fine with that. Whip trots nicely beside me and I hardly even notice he is there. Boost keeps wanting to run on my right though, so I will have to work on that. When I was running with them together she was always on my right so maybe she is more comfortable there? If I let her stay on the right she trots effortlessly beside me, on the left she keeps pulling ahead to cross in front of the bike (the lead is long enough for her to do that safely). I have a walky dog somewhere that I will use if I have to for now.

Is there anyone else planning on doing the ET this year? Which state?

Also, closer to the time is there anyone who would like to meet up at DogsNSW one day? It doesn't have to be someone doing the ET this year, just anyone with dogs who will run beside a bike. I would like mine to be able to see other riders and dogs and experience riding in a group. I don't see Whip having an issue but Boost can get worried about other dogs sometimes after a few nasty experiences. She is an anxious little thing so I would like to set her up to succeed.

Edited April 19, 2017 by DeltaCharlie

[Papillon Kisses]

Is it a requirement to have dogs run on your left? Just wondering.

[Canisbellum]

I am interested I have a walker device on the bike but its on the right so I can get on and off the bike with the dogs attached. I also have nt trained the dogs to run next to me they normally roam when I am riding.

[Tassie]

4 hours ago, Papillon Kisses said:

Is it a requirement to have dogs run on your left? Just wondering.

Yes, PK.    For anyone that might be interested, this is what the rules say about equipment

 

(1) The dog must wear a fixed collar or suitable harness. No neck chains, slip collars, spiked

collars, muzzles or head control collars shall be permitted.

(2) The leash must be long enough to be held in either hand so that the dog may adjust itself to the

cyclist or runner. The dog shall travel at a suitable pace on the leash on the left hand side of the

handler or bicycle.

(3) The handler may jog the distance, ride a bicycle or use any other form of non motorised

mechanical vehicle with the dog, provided the required speed is maintained. Motor cycles or

cars will not be permitted. Should the handler ride a bicycle, a helmet must be worn. The

Springer device for attachment to a bicycle is not permitted.

(4) No protective clothing shall be worn by the dog.

 

@DeltaCharlie  Good on you for doing the ET .. it's great fun getting ready for it, and if it's nice weather like it was for Rory, and for thel ET in Tasmania on  Monday, it's a heap of fun.   (Not so much when it's blowing a gale with sleeting horizontal rain, like it was for Kirra .  ) Think it's definitely worth getting Boost on to the left asap, even if it means a shorter leash on a harness.

[Rebanne]

There is a FB group. Endurance Test ANKC

Several ET's in Vic before end of July

[Canisbellum]

I can't find any endurance trials listed for QLD or any info about what the trails consist of. I get a pretty snobby vibe from what I can find

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[DeltaCharlie]

I will be insisting on Boost running on the left pretty quickly, even if I have to walk the bike at first. She has never even seen a bike before so today was more about seeing if she was scared of it, would try to attack the wheels like she does with the lawnmower, or decide to pull me on some horror downhill rollercoaster ride  I was just happy that other than a few glances back to see what on earth the thing was that I was pushing, she settled into a pretty comfortable pace with me riding.  Now that I know she is happy around it, I can lay down the ground rules

I just had a look at the FB group, I can't believe how many ETs there are in Vic! Too far for me though

I had a quick look at the Dogs QLD site and cannot find any info for anything past June, so maybe it just hasn't been released yet?

[Tassie]

  I so remember the first tentative stages .. walking the bikes with the dogs on a friend's long flat driveway, then tentatively riding ..(she hadn't been on a bike at all for many, many years ) ... but you're right .. its amazing how quickly they settle down.

Had to laugh at Boost chasing the lawnmower wheels ... my Rory does that when the mower starts .. wants to dive in and grab the wheels.   Thankfully, he's learning not to, and once the mower is going for a minute or so, he's fine with it.

Riding with the two dogs together came fairly quickly too .. once they sorted out the running order.   That saved quite a lot of time in training.

 

[brittany13]

I did the endurance with our 2 dogs - we had a lot of fun doing it - they really loved it! 

A quick easy cheap mod you might want to consider doing to your bike to make it safer for you using the bike brakes one handed (especially if you need to brake suddenly)

I had our local bike shop do a quick swap over of the bike brake cables, so when holding the dog lead in my left hand as required ..... my right hand could operate the bike's rear brake -not the front brake that is normally fitted on that side of the bike.

Much safer this way - you can lose control if you just slam on only the front brake!!

 

Those 2 dogs are sadly now over rainbow bridge.   

 

I will be definitely be training our new pup for endurance when he is older- he will love it too

 

Good luck with your endurance

 

[DeltaCharlie]

On 24/04/2017 at 3:19 PM, brittany13 said:

I did the endurance with our 2 dogs - we had a lot of fun doing it - they really loved it! 

A quick easy cheap mod you might want to consider doing to your bike to make it safer for you using the bike brakes one handed (especially if you need to brake suddenly)

I had our local bike shop do a quick swap over of the bike brake cables, so when holding the dog lead in my left hand as required ..... my right hand could operate the bike's rear brake -not the front brake that is normally fitted on that side of the bike.

Much safer this way - you can lose control if you just slam on only the front brake!!

 

Those 2 dogs are sadly now over rainbow bridge.   

 

I will be definitely be training our new pup for endurance when he is older- he will love it too

 

Good luck with your endurance

 

Great advice! Whip is easy enough to hold the lead and work the brake with one hand but I found it much harder with Boost. I hate using the front brake, too dangerous and I feel like I'm going to go head first over the bars!