Utility Cycling - Hauling Dogs

Get them their own bikes and teach them to ride. Kinda like circus bears. :)

I've never had a problem walking a dog with a cord leash held wrapped around the left hand, and the dog kept to the left front quadrant. You just have to train the dog not to cross in front of the line of the wheel. Two of them at once gets trickier.

Wike (http://www.wicycle.com/ldt.htm) has a dog trailer that can haul up to 80lbs that might work for you. You might not be able to take both at once but it should work. Also, Zipcar allows pets as long as they are in a carrier, so as long as you can fit a dog carrier, that will fit your dogs, in the back seat Zipcar is a valid option for transporting them when necessary.

Burley makes a "Tail Wagon" (http://www.burley.com/products/tailwagon.html)

Shouldn't that be "Tail Waggin"?

You just have to train the dog not to cross in front of the line of the wheel.
Baxter broke his foot darting after a squirrel. At eight, he's a bit set in his ways and the potential for distraction is just too great for him.


have them pull you!! :)
As soon as I get a tadpole, I will definitely try this idea out, especially on the younger, stronger (and dumber, but we love him anyway) Quincy. I just need a sled-dog rig and I'm set.


Get them their own bikes and teach them to ride. Kinda like circus bears. :)
:roflmao:

While the ready-made trailers look pretty nice, I'll probably wind up building something special to pull them along for the vet trips. Thanks for the ideas, everyone!

I just sold my car yesterday, and now use a recumbent (Stratus XP) to get around town. Eventually, I would like to be able to take my Welsh Corgi to the dog park. Can anyone recommend a good trailer for this purpose?

Eventually, I would like to be able to take my Welsh Corgi to the dog park. Can anyone recommend a good trailer for this purpose?

Sure they have trailers for pets. Check this out:

http://biketrailershop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=165

or on e bay for bicycle trailers. Good luck and let the pooch enjoy the ride too.

Perfect! Thanks!

A flatbed with a normal cage attached to it should do the trick. It's a more versatile option.

I guess a used kid trailer with the seat removed might work too, as a more cost-effective solution.

Kids trailers work. There are plenty of them around here used with dogs. The trike is more fun though, the dog can see everyone, and they can see him.

You might like this, photos of a ride with the dog.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=4716128#post4716128

Be prepared for a lot of attention from dog lovers.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/765/hpim7974uh3.jpg

Anybody have some pics of dog trailers? I'm working on designing one that can hold a large dog.

I prefer single wheel trailers so it's easier to hug the side of the road, but it seems that with a dog squirming around in there I might prefer the stability of dual wheels.

I think we have a doggie ride trailer
http://www.bikesandtrailers.com/bike-trailers/images/doggyride-500.jpg

Regarding squirming if the dog is going to squirm even on a two wheel trailer like we have it can become unrideable. Our boarder colliers just won't stay still and they can't go by trailer. Our bischons and sheltie can just fine.

There are a few dog trailers on the market. You can just use a child trailer if you like. If your dog is small enough a trike is an excellent way to go.

Kids trailers work. There are plenty of them around here used with dogs. The trike is more fun though, the dog can see everyone, and they can see him.

You might like this, photos of a ride with the dog.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=4716128#post4716128

Be prepared for a lot of attention from dog lovers.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/765/hpim7974uh3.jpg

Trikes are seriously practical for carrying anything you might want to carry. I don't have a dog - only a grumpy old cat - but I'm certain that the trike I ride on a regular basis would be fine for dog haulage. I noted the 'No Bicycles' sign in the trike pictures thread and I must say I've never had any problems in this area with my trike. Mind you I do carry a walking stick with me when I'm out riding because of this illness I have and because of this nobody has ever questioned me about going where I please. On a bike or a trike I can fly and it's my freedom machine, - once on my feet I'm just a wobbly middle aged lady with a walking stick again. :(

basket in the front, and then use a cargo net on it to keep that tiny little GreatDane biscuit (:p) from hoppping out

Lol -- reminded me of the way my 2 Great Danes respond to tiny dogs (with total confusion, as if they're thinking, "What is that thing?!! Hmmm, it looks like a chew toy, but it moves. I must inspect it more closely.... <pounce>"). I can just picture trying to haul them behind my bike....

Our bischons and sheltie can just fine.

Good to hear. Our Sheltie hasn't seen the open road since he outgrew the basket on my girlfriend's bike. Makes me want to snatch up a trailer, especially with the new Schnauzer we adopted.

I was browsing the local paper today and saw this article "Mesa man invents bike seat for dogs"
http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/1017mr-sakiseat1018.html

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/pics/breaking/mr-sakiseat-autosized258.jpg

I don't know if a good or bad idea as I don't own nor have every tried to cycle with a dog.

Al

Ok, so I know this is a cat, but I do have to haul her to the vet on Friday and I don't have a car to do it with. I found this front carrier at a local pet store. I'll ride slower than normal, but it works well. We went on a test ride this evening.

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u94/donnambr/IMG_0384.jpg

Of course, Thunderhead hated it.

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u94/donnambr/IMG_0385_2.jpg

Ok, so I know this is a cat, but I do have to haul her to the vet on Friday and I don't have a car to do it with. I found this front carrier at a local pet store. I'll ride slower than normal, but it works well. We went on a test ride this evening.

Did Thunderhead try to get out, or go nuts when you were on the bike? One of my cats goes nuts when I try to put her in a carrier. I think she would try to get out of that. I would worry with my cat that a good jacket or some skin would get torn. That looks like a good high quality $$$$ rain jacket, I would be afraid to put my scared cat against it.
Is that better than a pet carrier on the rear rack for some reason?

Need photos of you and Thunderhead on the bike actually riding :) !

She's got a harness on, and there's a dohickey to attach it to inside the pack. Kind of like Bailey on the trike. Of course since we're riding, I got her a reflective harness. I also trim her claws regularly, so they don't cause very much damage. (She doesn't go outside.) She's good for me - she lets me do all sorts of undignified things to her (baths included) that she would shred anyone else for.

I'm not sure why, but the idea of sticking her behind me worries me more than having her in front of me. I can see what's going on, and she's not going anywhere in that pack. When we were riding, she hunkered down and was very, very still and quiet. I'm sure she's scared, but I also think she's comforted by hearing my voice and being close to me. She's part Siamese, so "conversation" is a significant part of our relationship. ;) Before the test ride, I took her on walks in that, and even made a trip to the grocery store. She would poke her head out of the bag for those excursions. We might make the walks a regular event.

We go to the vet tomorrow morning and then I pick her up after work. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

She's got a harness on, and there's a dohickey to attach it to inside the pack. Kind of like Bailey on the trike. Of course since we're riding, I got her a reflective harness. I also trim her claws regularly, so they don't cause very much damage. (She doesn't go outside.) She's good for me - she lets me do all sorts of undignified things to her (baths included) that she would shred anyone else for.

I'm not sure why, but the idea of sticking her behind me worries me more than having her in front of me. I can see what's going on, and she's not going anywhere in that pack. When we were riding, she hunkered down and was very, very still and quiet. I'm sure she's scared, but I also think she's comforted by hearing my voice and being close to me. She's part Siamese, so "conversation" is a significant part of our relationship. ;) Before the test ride, I took her on walks in that, and even made a trip to the grocery store. She would poke her head out of the bag for those excursions. We might make the walks a regular event.

We go to the vet tomorrow morning and then I pick her up after work. I'll let you know how it goes. :)


I had lots of "conversations" with my siamese. I just listened. Amazing, baths and nail triming! :eek:
She probaby does like being close, I didn't think of that. That does seem like an advantage over the crate.

See, I never had a cat before. In fact, I never really planned on one, but she decided I would be her human. It also seems she neglected to read certain parts of the Cat Manual. So in a lot of ways, I treated her like a dog when she was young - and she never corrected me. :D

See, I never had a cat before. In fact, I never really planned on one, but she decided I would be her human. It also seems she neglected to read certain parts of the Cat Manual. So in a lot of ways, I treated her like a dog when she was young - and she never corrected me. :D

:lol:

My dog cozy in our bike trailer. We were part of a cycling parade. I'm dressed as a gas tank.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1132/1435796859_664873e3ec_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/1435795877_d09ee73e96.jpg

Ok, so I know this is a cat, but I do have to haul her to the vet on Friday and I don't have a car to do it with. I found this front carrier at a local pet store. I'll ride slower than normal, but it works well. We went on a test ride this evening.

Of course, Thunderhead hated it.

[[/IMG]

The last time I tried to stuff a cat into a sack I looked like I had been worked over with a straight razor.;)

Well, I've got an update to share. All and all, the vet excursion went very well. The ride there was more lively, as Thunderhead was awake, alert, hungry, and cranky. Having trimmed her claws the night before was a good idea on my part. I discovered she is a Scofflaw Cat - she did not care for stopping at stop signs or red lights. :D There is a big hill between downtown Portland and the vet's clinic. 13 pounds of cat on my chest, 2 full panniers on an 8 speed internal hub, a pretty strong wind blowing against us, and a desire to take it easy for the comfort of my monster was just too much for my physical abilities. We walked up the hill. Her teeth cleaning went well, and no extractions were necessary, so I didn't have to shell out a humongous amount of money. The front office staff and most of the vet techs are all bike commuters, so there was much interest in the method of transport I found.

She was rather drugged on the way home, so it was a far more subdued ride. It got a lot colder and windier so I wrapped a blanket around the bag. I got a lot of strange looks downtown, as well as a couple of nasty ones. I think a few people assumed I was carrying a human baby. :eek: The weather was getting nastier so I stopped by Clever Cycles (http://clevercycles.com/) on the way home to warm up a bit, say hi, and check out their new storefront. I'm glad I did that. She was fairly cold and the warm-up was good for her. The leftover beer from the opening party was good for me. :) All warm and fortified, we made it home just fine.

I like this front carrier for the cat, but it was really meant for walking so I would jostle her every time I pedalled. The Empress of the Universe did not particularly care for that. The bag needs to lift upwards a bit more. When I was at Clever Cycles, Mrs. tfahrner made the excellent suggestion to take the bag to our local pannier repair guy (http://www.mtnsoles.com/) to get some extra strapping and buckles put on to lift her up more.

This carrier would also work very well for a small dog, and it has the added benefit of them being able to poke their heads out of the bag to look around if they wanted to. (I'm sure it will come as no surprise to learn that my cat did not wish to do this on a moving bike.) It's called a "Pet Pocket", and while I cannot find a manufacturer's web site, this online pet supplier (http://www.petexpressions.com/petpocket.html) seems to have the most information on it that I could find. I got mine at a local pet store.

Well, I've got an update to share. All and all, the vet excursion went very well. The ride there was more lively, as Thunderhead was awake, alert, hungry, and cranky. Having trimmed her claws the night before was a good idea on my part. I discovered she is a Scofflaw Cat - she did not care for stopping at stop signs or red lights. :D There is a big hill between downtown Portland and the vet's clinic. 13 pounds of cat on my chest, 2 full panniers on an 8 speed internal hub, a pretty strong wind blowing against us, and a desire to take it easy for the comfort of my monster was just too much for my physical abilities. We walked up the hill. Her teeth cleaning went well, and no extractions were necessary, so I didn't have to shell out a humongous amount of money. The front office staff and most of the vet techs are all bike commuters, so there was much interest in the method of transport I found.

She was rather drugged on the way home, so it was a far more subdued ride. It got a lot colder and windier so I wrapped a blanket around the bag. I got a lot of strange looks downtown, as well as a couple of nasty ones. I think a few people assumed I was carrying a human baby. :eek: The weather was getting nastier so I stopped by Clever Cycles (http://clevercycles.com/) on the way home to warm up a bit, say hi, and check out their new storefront. I'm glad I did that. She was fairly cold and the warm-up was good for her. The leftover beer from the opening party was good for me. :) All warm and fortified, we made it home just fine.

I like this front carrier for the cat, but it was really meant for walking so I would jostle her every time I pedalled. The Empress of the Universe did not particularly care for that. The bag needs to lift upwards a bit more. When I was at Clever Cycles, Mrs. tfahrner made the excellent suggestion to take the bag to our local pannier repair guy (http://www.mtnsoles.com/) to get some extra strapping and buckles put on to lift her up more.

This carrier would also work very well for a small dog, and it has the added benefit of them being able to poke their heads out of the bag to look around if they wanted to. (I'm sure it will come as no surprise to learn that my cat did not wish to do this on a moving bike.) It's called a "Pet Pocket", and while I cannot find a manufacturer's web site, this online pet supplier (http://www.petexpressions.com/petpocket.html) seems to have the most information on it that I could find. I got mine at a local pet store.

That may be the one other thing in the entire universe that is as unique (maybe more) as Bailey in his trike. :D Cool!
I'm guessing no one else is doing that on a bike. If you do go to the pannier guy you could possibly also have a protection panel on the side of the bag facing you to prevent claws from damaging something.