Safety First: Biking Etiquette and Precautions

 Have you ever taken your dog with you on a bike ride? Maybe you haven’t because you’re worried that your dog can’t keep up with you or that her leash will get caught in the wheels. But, there are ways to include your dog safely. Here are a few basic safety tips for biking with a dog.    Getting Your Dog Ready for Exercise If you think your dog actually has the energy and stamina to trot alongside you as you bike, great! This is a perfect way to get exercise. But even if your dog appears to be in the best of health, you should have your veterinarian check her over before starting a new exercise routine, like jogging—which is essentially what this is. You will want to be sure that your dog isn’t too old or young for sustained workouts and that she doesn’t have any underlying health conditions that could be worsened by strenuous exercise. If your dog is overweight, jogging is usually not the best way to begin a new routine. You should first start your dog on a regular walki...

  If your dogs are like mine, there’s no end to their reserves of energy. Morning runs, puzzle feeders, squirrel chases in the backyard, a seemingly endless in-house wrestling match that tends to peak right in the middle of my Zoom meetings, and another mile of walks each night do nothing to curb their energy. These two could run all day and I still don’t think they’d feel sufficiently worn out. I love them so much it hurts. Literally—my legs are so tired from all these walks. Despite my best efforts at incorporating regular enrichment opportunities that help work their mind and their bodies, my slow-moving biped ways just can’t keep up with the amount of sheer exercise they crave. So what’s a dog mama to do?! Both of my hounds are former shelter pups who likely missed out on socialization opportunities during puppyhood, so doggy daycare and romps at the dog park are wrought with frustration and fear for all of us. And while they’re both hound dogs who were bred to chase critters a...

  Bike riding is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your dog. Here’s how to safely enjoy biking with your dog. Dogs Running Alongside Bikes Having your dog running alongside your bike can be a very fun activity but it’s also high impact—especially when you’re biking on concrete. Before you try it, consult with your veterinarian to confirm if your dog is in the right physical condition to do it safely. They should also assess to see if your dog is able to keep up with a bicycle. Most small-to-medium dogs cannot keep up with a bike because of their shorter legs. Because of this, it is best to allow only healthy, large dogs to run alongside your bike. Once you have the all-clear, it’s best to use a biking leash that attaches directly to your bike. This will help keep your dog away from the wheels and means you don’t have to focus on holding the leash while steering the bicycle. When you start biking with your dog, begin very slowly with very short distances and slow speeds. Attach...