Dog Bike Trailers- Thoughts?

[BeanDip4All]

I was thinking of getting something like this:

http://www.bicycletrailers.com/New-T...lers/index.cat


That way I could take Buddy to the beach, get him out, let him romp around and play at Fort Funston, and then bike back. Of course carry water for him in there as well.

Any thoughts? Are they too dangerous? Would a dog even be comfortable being in a bike trailer during a ride, or do you think he would be too terrified?

Trailers seem to be a much safer option than something like this (and at 27lbs, I think he'd be a little too heavy up there in front):



Anyone ever used a dog bike trailer? Did your dog enjoy it? Do you feel like it was safe? Where did you take your pup in it?

edit, also, woah, this one is HUGE! for all the great dane owner cycling enthusiasts:

[backcountry1pr]

27lbs... Just stick him in a backpack...

[BeanDip4All]

27lbs... Just stick him in a backpack...

huh. neat. Do you have any other pics of this from further away/with less of a crop? I'm interested in how low he sits on your back. you don't find him too squirmy? What if there's a .... SQUIRREL!?

[XtrPickels]

Not that it helps you at all...
A buy in bozeman mounted a big plastic cooler to a frame with wheels, cut a hole in the lid and road around with his dog in it. I figure with a little PVC roll bar around their head, it could actually be pretty safe.

OR you could be un-ghetto and get something actually made for hauling dogs.

[backcountry1pr]

Ill have to look.

Zero is 50-55lb, and that is an aprox 3500cu pack. That pack has a non-removable lid, which is not able to close obviously. This isnt something I normally do with him, but the conditions warented it on that particular day.

He more more or less went in hind legs first and was pretty tight in the bag itself. He couldnt move much. He didnt really mind, and if I had to guess, I would say he liked it.

That being said. At 50lbs, hes pretty heavy, and I wouldnt do this unless I needed to. At 30lbs tho, I dont think it would be that bad, even riding a bike. It really depends on how far you would have to go, and how comfortable you dog is with ackward situations. (Zero also likes to go 70mph on a snomobile with me).

That basket that attaches to the front of a bike looks like it would work really well, as long as you had a decent bike. And Im sure you would get less looks.

Upside is, this doesnt cost much to test as long as you have a backpack. See if he is ok with hanging out in it, if your ok biking with it on, and if your both cool. Give it a whirl.

If on or the other doesnt like it. You can look for something else.

He is in the bag while Im skiing (ackwardly)

[wetcoaster]

Dogs will put up with some pretty awkward things and enjoy it. Craig Evanoff, a guide based out of the McGregors near Prince George, used to let his dog walk for the skin up and then ride on his shoulders for the way down (ie: hind legs on one side, fronts on the other and body resting on his backpack). The dog just absolutely loved it.

So I'm sure they'll deal with a carrier.

[lph]

as I am finding out, going downhill fast, either skiing or Mtn biking is very hard on dogs joints, so carrying a dog downhill skiing because of shitty conditions is not a bad idea.

when my dogs are too old/arthritic to run, i will definitely be biking with them in a trailer.

for now, i am gonna let them run, but at their pace not mine.

beandip, have you tried biking with your dog on a leash? it sounds miserable but if you keep them really close, leash in left hand, it works pretty well.

your dog may or may not like being in the trailer at first, but once he/she realizes it is safe, the dog will likely be fine. confidently lead the dog into the trailer, treats as positive reinforcement and start off slow. my guess is dog will love it.

[BeanDip4All]

as I am finding out, going downhill fast, either skiing or Mtn biking is very hard on dogs joints, so carrying a dog downhill skiing because of shitty conditions is not a bad idea.

when my dogs are too old/arthritic to run, i will definitely be biking with them in a trailer.

for now, i am gonna let them run, but at their pace not mine.

beandip, have you tried biking with your dog on a leash? it sounds miserable but if you keep them really close, leash in left hand, it works pretty well.

your dog may or may not like being in the trailer at first, but once he/she realizes it is safe, the dog will likely be fine. confidently lead the dog into the trailer, treats as positive reinforcement and start off slow. my guess is dog will love it.

lph, good point about their joints!

this would be for road riding, btw, and the reason i would rather have him in the trailer is because the dog beach we go to is about 15 miles away, so that's a little long for him to run next to the bike, let alone have energy to romp around the beach, and then run all the way back!

but maybe I will try the leash thing for exercise or just for fun. I normally run with him every morning, but it could be something new.

[Ed el Loco]

I put my kids in the kid trailer till they got too big. Its safe as riding a bike on the street, just use flags so cars know you have a trailer. I have see a few people riding around her with there dogs in kid trailers, you could pick up a used one of them for fairly cheep.

[XXX-er]

last year at my annual carport B-day party a guy rode by with his Siberian husky named "squirrel" on a bob trailer so of course we invited him in for some burnt meat and beer

buddy had been biking from anchorage with a final destination of fort collins colorado which is 4600 miles away ,buddy was a grade school teacher so as an exercise he had his class help him do the trip prep so he was using kitty litter pails bolted to his racks for panniers

squirrel would pull the bike & trailer up the hills and ride the bob trailer down ,squirrel was having some foot issues at that point ,squirrel was a very cool dog

I hope they made it ok