Cycling the dog

[sweeneytoddsrazor]

AIBU to not understand why people cycle when they walk their dog? Is their any benefit to it for the dog or owner. To me it just looks like an accident waiting to happen

Some dogs are trained to run alongside the bike and it's a good exercise for an active dog. I wouldn't be able to do it with mine without risking TBI, so I don't. But she is fine when I am jogging.
I would assume that the owner won't take the dog if the dog is not safe/trained to run alongside the bike.

I used to do this. I thought it was better exercise for us both. More intense than walking and I hate running.

Sniffing is a very important part of walking for a dog, it's not just the exercise.

I just think it’s wrong. Dogs get far more out of a walk than exercise.

There wasn't a sniffing ban. She was allowed a poo too if she wanted.

DH sometimes takes our working springer mountain biking, off in the hills somewhere. They both love it.

My collie loves running, being on a bike is the only way I can keep up with her! She’s out three times a day so gets plenty of sniffing time, but it’s nice to mix it up a bit. She’s very task focused though, so once the bike comes out she knows the drill and is good at keeping out the way of the wheels. We live in the sticks so have brilliant forestry paths, with very few people, it’s great fun to tear around with her on the bike!

Off-lead is one thing, but on-lead is dangerous and also potentially cruel. The dog can’t easily stop if it needs to. It’s forced to keep up with the bike.

Are people allowed to ride horses, or is that bad as well

Agree, I've seen a dog be dragged before as it tried to stop/slow down and the owner didn't slow down in time.

Trail dog. Great fun for the dog if the right temperament/breed. Remember a lot of dogs were bred to run alongside horses.

If it's on private fenced-off land it's fine, the dog can be off the lead and the person in charge can cycle. If it's in public then no, the dog should be on a lead and it's dangerous to cycle with a dog on a lead.

I hate seeing people doing this with a dog on a lead. It does look like an accident waiting to happen.

Surely that depends what kind of area you are in. I can honestly say this has never been an issue in the Cairngorms.

I think it's wrong too, dogs need sniffing, autonomy and interaction. Huskies maybe....in lieu of a sled. Though I don't understand why anyone has a husky in suburban Britain.

When I was a teenager I used to ride my bike with my dog. Once he caught a smell and stoppped dead and pulled me off the bike…. I had a graze all up the side of my face 😆

Never did it again!

People who get huskies are the kind of people who think only about what they want rather than what the dogs need.

It's absolutely fine and an excellent way to exercise a dog -as long as it's not the only kind of exercise the dog gets. It's the same as cani-cross where the dogs have to run at the owners' pace and follow their instructions.

A friend of mine runs his dogs and they absolutely love it - but it's only twice a week or so, and the rest of the time they get "normal" walks where they can potter, sniff and socialise.

Bikejoring is an organised sport and very good for both dogs and people when done responsibly.

Why do you assume they're not getting those things too?

Dog sports are huge and very popular for a reason - they're great for the dogs both in terms of physical fitness and mental stimulation (as they have to learn to follow commands etc).

But most sport dogs aren't run everyday - they do it twice a week or so and get normal walks the rest of the time.