it made me sad to see a dog's lead attached to the waist of someone walking smartly

[AbsolutelyPatsy]

thereby lack of stopping, sniffing, doing business.
just walking for exercise.

am i wrong?

Maybe the person has some temporary/ long term disability/ injury /weakness in the shoulder/arm/wrist /fingers which would be worsened by any unexpected pressure from tugs on a lead. So the lead attached to waist belt is safer for them and the dog and the public .

At least the owner and the dog are getting out for some excercise, which is very beneficial for mental health.

@joystir59

I hate seeing dogs attached to cyclists. That is NOT a dog walk, it's very cruel and should be banned imo

It's very dangerous and for that reason it should be banned.

Can't see the issue with canicross leads though - at least it means the dog is under control.

@TurquoiseBaubles

My TIO only showed the beginning of the thread title, and I presumed it was "a dog lead attached to the waist of a child".

I'm very disappointed sad. I had popcorn and everything.

I saw the whole title but misread it as 'a dog's head attached to the waist' which would, to be fair, be outrageous.

We will be doing walks like this with our puppy. It's called training. I did it with our current dog when he was learning to heel and not to pull on the lead. There is probably a "free" command to allow sniffing/dawdling/walking ahead on a loose lead when the training is over.

@joystir59

I hate seeing dogs attached to cyclists. That is NOT a dog walk, it's very cruel and should be banned imo

vm.tiktok.com/ZMd4XuWvD/

Togo the husky, very definitely happy running with his owner who is on a bike.

How is this cruel?

@Catdogmum I'm imagining the reaction of some people on this thread to the scooter. Ddog gets very excited when her harness comes out. She also thinks I'm a total spoil sport for constantly making her stop running before she is ready.

With so many overweight and unfit dogs and humans, maybe we should celebrate those who give their dogs suitable exercise.
An hour long potter covering less than a mile maybe great for an elderly mini schnauzer but is not right for a youthful
vizsla.

'Don’t people know dogs should never run it’s so dangerous for them'

Obviously intermittent running is not dangerous for them but to tie a dog to a bike surely is no fun for them. If you're dragging a dog along you don't go on the road (where adult cyclists tend to) so you've got an adult on a bike and a dog taking up the path!

It is hazardous and dogs don't tend to run constantly when out on leisurely walks, they do it in fits and starts when chasing balls.

Honestly, it's no wonder some dog owners have a bad name. Utterly hapless 🙄.

He's elderly now but I had a collie who loved to be with us so we took him out on errands etc IN ADDITION to normal walks, he had at least an hour off lead at the woods or massive wooded park and nearly half an acre of gardens at home to maintain boundary patrol in. He ran parkrun each week on a belt and 1-2 runs mid week. Oh and he got very excited when we appeared in running gear, he loved to run. Alas now he can't but still gets short sniffy walks and shorter periods outside, mostly he likes to curl up under the desk.

Never make assumptions based on a 30 second snapshot. If you want to see very excited (and happy) dogs look at fly ball, agility or canicross, no sniffing but lots of stimulation and brain power

@Formaldeheidi

Working labs are thin (although not usually golden). We had one of those once. He didn’t need much walking. He was a nutter and would tire himself out.

I have a yellow working type, full working line pedigree. His mother is yellow and father is black, carrying yellow (producing a mixed litter of black and yellow puppies). He is tall, lean and muscular.

As for the OP, it doesn’t really matter what breed or mix it was/is. I agree with others who say that it may well have been that the human was using that walk as a means of transport, rather than a recreational opportunity for the dog. Sometimes I go out to walk the dog and we do whatever he wants, lots of dawdling sniffs, going back on ourselves to check out a smell or a wee opportunity we missed . Sometimes I have to go somewhere on foot and he comes with me but we’re under some time pressure so it’s literally just a means to an end.

'You don't seem to realise that dogs and owners are responding to each other all the time. Dogs tell you when they're tired. They tell you when they want to run.'

We've always had dogs, they don't 'tell you' anything. I've managed to respond perfectly to them without tying them to a moving bike.

They don't tell you when they're tired they usually keep on going until the responsible owners take them home and lets them know it's rest time. I've yet to see a dog having a nap on a beach or in the middle of the woods. Tied to to its owners bike I highly doubt a dog would just sit down and not budge.

@AbsolutelyPatsy

I personally don't use a waist lead but they are good for people with arthritis, carpal tunnel, small children etc. Most people at Parkrun used them except me

I feel sorry for the big, long-striding dogs I see being walked by very slow-walking humans.

Some breeds of dog are bred to run (husky, Dalmatian etc) and give every appearance of enjoying it. Though common sense should always apply, obviously.

I’m too terrified of what would happen if I put mine on a waist lead. I’d be on the ground or in a hedge.

I had a dog that loved to run alongside while I rode a bike. Dogs can run so much faster than humans that a run for us is jogging for them. The bike lets people reach dog pace! I wouldn’t trust this one alongside a bike for a second though. She’s run into railings before because she wasn’t paying attention (off lead, while I was standing waiting for her.)

@JaniieJones

'Don’t people know dogs should never run it’s so dangerous for them'

Obviously intermittent running is not dangerous for them but to tie a dog to a bike surely is no fun for them. If you're dragging a dog along you don't go on the road (where adult cyclists tend to) so you've got an adult on a bike and a dog taking up the path!

It is hazardous and dogs don't tend to run constantly when out on leisurely walks, they do it in fits and starts when chasing balls.

Honestly, it's no wonder some dog owners have a bad name. Utterly hapless 🙄.

You have no idea what you're talking about. You're saying things as if you know all the dogs and all the owners.

Are you a dog owner yourself?

I've yet to see a dog having a nap on a beach or in the middle of the woods. Tied to to its owners bike I highly doubt a dog would just sit down and not budge

You've clearly never taken a dog on a day out then or walked an elderly dog. My dog would often take a nap on the beach if we were on a day out. He enjoys stopping in the park for a rest now he's elderly.

And the bike thing is called bikejoring Dogs love it and when trained properly it's perfectly safe. Dogs like huskies and other cart dogs adore it.

Some dogs, mainly terrier types, will keep going until they drop dead, most will slow down or otherwise indicate they are tiring and most owners will respond appropriately.

@JaniieJones

'You don't seem to realise that dogs and owners are responding to each other all the time. Dogs tell you when they're tired. They tell you when they want to run.'

We've always had dogs, they don't 'tell you' anything. I've managed to respond perfectly to them without tying them to a moving bike.

They don't tell you when they're tired they usually keep on going until the responsible owners take them home and lets them know it's rest time. I've yet to see a dog having a nap on a beach or in the middle of the woods. Tied to to its owners bike I highly doubt a dog would just sit down and not budge.

Sorry, just seen this. I feel sorry for your dogs if you don't get any of the communication they will be trying to make with you. Whether you've seen (or recognised) a dog looking tired or not is your business. It's not fact.

Most of us can tell when our dogs are tired or other moods. If you can't... I don't really know why you're commenting. You're just highlighting your ignorance on the subject.

@JaniieJones

'Don’t people know dogs should never run it’s so dangerous for them'

Obviously intermittent running is not dangerous for them but to tie a dog to a bike surely is no fun for them. If you're dragging a dog along you don't go on the road (where adult cyclists tend to) so you've got an adult on a bike and a dog taking up the path!

It is hazardous and dogs don't tend to run constantly when out on leisurely walks, they do it in fits and starts when chasing balls.

Honestly, it's no wonder some dog owners have a bad name. Utterly hapless 🙄.

There’s some utterly hapless people here but I’m not one of them pet.

As you are aware, there is a VAST difference between a dog running happily alongside its owner on a bike in an appropriate setting and dragging a dog along on a road so stop suggesting all owners who cycle with their dogs do the latter and being utterly hapless yourself.

If you’re strapping a chihuahua to a bike and cycling to the point of exhaustion then of course no one is going to agree that is a safe or enjoyable thing to do. However a husky could happily pull a fully grown adult on a sledge (unpowered) for a long time without stopping, and it’s fastest pace could well outpace many cyclists. But people aren’t cycling to their fastest pace for an hour at a time and expecting the dog to keep up are they? They’re cycling at a fairly slow place for a dog and not for hours and hours on end.

Powerful working breeds would end up obese, anxious and frustrated if they stuck to your “leisurely” walks and half hearted ball throwing. So please don’t ever own working breed dogs with that mentality, that’s how you end up with problem dogs. Dogs that are exercised appropriate to their breed are the ones with the least problems.

"Togo the husky, very definitely happy running with his owner who is on a bike.

How is this cruel?"

Honestly that's not a great set-up IMO - point of attachment is too high, unsuitable harness design, running at high speed on tarmac, shared public path with other cyclists. I have competed in bikejoring and other sled dog sports and completely understand the enjoyment and even the need some breeds have for running and pulling like this but it needs to be done safely and responsibly.

Coming back to the OP yes, for every race where the dog(s) were expected to run ahead and pull without stopping and sniffing they would have a dozen mooching sniffing business-doing walks, but you'd have no idea of that as an observer.

Togo, the dog from the tiktok video i posted previously in the thread, is an ex sled lead-dog, and a rescue.

He NEEDS that kind of exercise.. he wouldn't be able to run like that alongside someone having a leisurely stroll.

You should walk your dog to THEIR needs, not yours.

'Dogs like huskies and other cart dogs adore it.'

Lovely. Are there a lot of cart dogs kept as domestic pets .

How does this work on paths and pavements though, or do you ride on the road with the dog on the path, or all on the pavement? Do you dismount to allow actual pedestrians to pass (who are allowed on paths where adult cyclists shouldn't be let alone dragging a dog behind).

Adult cyclists should not be riding their bikes on paths or pavements with their dogs tied to them. It is hazardous as well as not pleasant for the dog.

Of course I'll be told its fine on a cycle path, but it isn't. You'll then be a hazard to other cyclists. Just walk your dogs and throw them a ball. Interact with them fgs.

@currahee

"Togo the husky, very definitely happy running with his owner who is on a bike.

How is this cruel?"

Honestly that's not a great set-up IMO - point of attachment is too high, unsuitable harness design, running at high speed on tarmac, shared public path with other cyclists. I have competed in bikejoring and other sled dog sports and completely understand the enjoyment and even the need some breeds have for running and pulling like this but it needs to be done safely and responsibly.

Coming back to the OP yes, for every race where the dog(s) were expected to run ahead and pull without stopping and sniffing they would have a dozen mooching sniffing business-doing walks, but you'd have no idea of that as an observer.

She's working on it, he's a rescued ex sled lead dog with some specific needs, and she is holding the leash in her hand, rather than it being attached.

The owner has said they will be upgrading the equipment.

@JaniieJones

Yes, if people are riding bikes with their dogs in places where it's hazardous for themselves and/or others, that's wrong. But none of us were arguing that point.

Just walk your dogs and throw them a ball. Interact with them fgs

Because that's the only way to interact with any dog? Walk it and throw a ball. Right.

Lovely. Are there a lot of cart dogs kept as domestic pets

You've never seen a pet Husky? Dalmatian? Rottweiler?

You don't get out much do you?

I sincerely hope your dog is a lapdog breed and not one who needs a chance to fulfil his 'job'.

'Sorry, just seen this. I feel sorry for your dogs if you don't get any of the communication they will be trying to make with you. '

Oh no you misunderstand. The pp kept saying dogs tell us things! I said no they don't. They of course stand by the door if they need a wee, go to the cupboard for a biscuit etc. So yes in that regard they let me know what they want but no, I don't think they'd be able to 'tell me' they didn't fancy being tied to my bike for a brisk 30 min non stop run.

They can't talk y'see and dogs tend to trust their owners and hope they won't do stupid things with them.