Starting To Do Bike Road Work

[Aequus]

Well today we went for our first bike ride...... VERY FUNNY day out.

Nitro healed along beautifully until we saw the ducks, then it was kind of a "Oh are we both going to chase the ducks, thanks mum, didn't think we did this anymore!!!" It would have been hillarious for a bystander.

He settled quickly and worked things out very well we got along at a steady pace. It was just hard to hang on, use front brakes and keep him at my side rather than infront of me next to the front wheel...Oh well for a first effort he did very well.

Was wondering if anyone could offer any advise as to the wear and tear of his pads. No there was no problem today, but should I be doing anything as a preventive measure.

Also when I took him out I had his wide flat collar on but was thinking about a harness. Only concern is that I may encourage to him to surge forward and pull... Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[MonElite]

My dog pulled like crazy, I did him on a prong at first.

Re pads, I used to ride on footpaths in quiet streets (I dont think its allowed but noone ever told me not to) and I was on the footpath while he was on the grass.

PawPaw ointment for dry worn out pads. Id alway apply it in large qtys after the run when he was resting.

If the dog pulls it will wear pads a lot more, be carefull, once they wear out a bit they break on the "corners"

[jbbb]

We dont have footpaths... and unfortunately it's dark at the moment and we dont have decent street lights either....

I tried Flame on the oval one weekend with a harness attached to the 'springer' and it was pretty good, but she was positioned kind of behind me so I couldnt really see what was going on.... I'd prefer to be able to see her, so will be trying out the flat collar and possibly prong (if she decides to pull).

Has anyone used booties to protect their dog's feet?

[MonElite]

If you have enough energy to ride on the grass than that is ideal as ET is on grass.

I had to get fit for the ET hence the training was more for me than for the dog

I used to put a belt on my waist and tie the lead to it, hence hands were free and dog not behind.

But that is not allowed in the test.

[Aequus]

Hey, lead to the belt sounds like a good idea, will give that a go in the morning.

Jbbb - What is a springer??? hehehe had a chuckle about the booties, he is a princess enough without slippers also!

Thanks

[jbbb]

A springer is an attachment to the bike - it kinda hangs off the side of the bike and has a spring on it. You attach the harness to the springer. The idea of the spring is that if the dog lunges to the side, the spring absorbes the energy and you dont go flying off your bike!

I have seen booties for sale at the Pet Barn in West Gosford....

[Griffo]

i ride ellie on the road and we have had no trouble at all with her pads...i think they get tougher the more they do it. well it seems that way for my dog. when we haven't done it for a while, she prefers to run on the grass alongside the road every now and then as it is a bit softer.

i just ride her with her flat collar and a lead. it didn't take her long to learn what to do, i would just stop every time she was an idiot and she soon learnt that to go forward she needed to be in a certain place.

have fun

[jbbb]

There is a thread on springers here: Springers

[Hazz]

I thought it was no longer legal to exercise your dog from your bike on public roads ?

[Aequus]

Thanks,

Have emailed top dog and will get myself a springer!

[jbbb]

Good one! I've gotta get back out there and have another go at riding with her... might try and do the ET this year! I'm sure it wont be a problem for Flame - I just have to train myself to sit in a bike saddle for that long!!

[pigpup]

I dont know if this will help, but I used to just take it really slowly at first, and get the dogs pads used to it. I used to horse ride on tar and gravel roads and i just took it slowly so he didnt bruise (I dont know if they do or not, horses do so I just treated them the same) until he was tough barefooted. and used paw paw ointment on any little cracks. He toughened up in no time.

Good luck.

[MaxSpots]

I saw a product called "Paw Wax" on a working dog website, long time ago, I'll see if I can find it.

Could be useful stuff ??

[BCNTC]

I actually encourage Misty to pull when biking ;) but Misty is also trained not to go chasing after everything in her path, and she listens to my breaking and stops, I do this on purpose with her because it builds lots of muscle, and keeps her in fabulous shape not to mention it gives her an outlet to her love of pulling, and its really fun for me!

as for pad care I use paw balm with shea butter, and give her a 10mg zinc tablet every other day or so(I was told it would help stregthen her pads) and its must be working seeing as her pads are no longer ripping and blistering with every ride. my other dog I do road work with needs nothing for her pads, she ripped em up twice as a pup, got over it and they never got hurt again, I actually had to start putting lotion on her pads when one day she stepped on my foot and left a cut!

[petmezz]

hi

that paw wax is good i have used it on dogs with worn thin pads and it has helped them also helps on keeping their paws dry.

i would strongly sugest that you stop training on hard serfaces. this can do damage to your dog that you whon't see for a few years, it is realy hard on the dogs structure. try to train on grass or dirt roads these are best but not always available.

if you are having pad problems yes use booties, you can make them your self or buy them. i would also use them if training on hard surfaces. the best i have come across are the ones dogs undercover make. they have a padded foot part to cushion the paw and don't come off whill running.

[Gillian]

ok call me stupid - but when would you need to use wax on your dogs paws? How do you know if you need to?

Harleys paws are not as soft as they used to be but what do you look for - some pictures might help if anyone has any.

Cheers

Gillian ;)