Bikejoring: Our Top Tips For A Stress-Free Adventure
It might seem simple: just you, your dog, a bike, a leash and the open road. But as it turns out, bikejoring isn't 100% just fun and games! Here's how to ensure a safe, fun adventure for both you & your buddy.
Summer is here, and you’re ready to break out your bike and hit the open road! And if you’re on the sporty side, you might’ve considered bikejoring – or the dog sport where you cycle with your dog attached to your bike, pulling it forward with special equipment.
But you might’ve wondered: is bikejoring safe? What kind of planning and prep do you need to do – and how do you keep your dog safe outdoors?
Bikejoring is essentially riding a bike with a dog (or dogs) pulling you. Instead of a bike, you can also use a dog scooter. And according to dog sports champion and bikejoring expert, Jérôme Lafourte, the only equipment you need is:
Bikejoring is a great way to stay fit together and spend some quality time with your buddy. Your dog will enjoy the fresh air and chance to stretch their legs – and you’ll both benefit tremendously from the time in nature.
⚠️ Just keep in mind: In some parts of the world (like Queensland, Australia), leading your dog while riding a bike is not legal. Be sure to follow your local laws and guidelines to protect yourself, your dog, and others.
What about that last bit of bikejoring equipment – that’ll keep your dogs safe in an emergency?
It sounded interesting – especially since my dogs are running alongside me while training, and I want to ensure I can keep them safe.
In November 2016, I decided to buy a Tractive device to try it out. My opinion about it? GREAT!“
⚠️Because while bikejoring – there are a hundred billion different ways your buddy might run off.
Whether to investigate some far-off scent, getting threatened by a bigger, dangerous animal, or spooking from a loud noise.
And no matter how fast a biker you are, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to bike down your dog when they’re off chasing a squirrel (or away from a skunk) at full speed!
Our top bikejoring tips – from a dog sports champion
Besides some general safety pointers, we’ve also gathered some of Jérôme’s tips and tricks to set you up for success on your bikejoring journey. Here’s how to get started right away:
Figure out if bikejoring is a good fit for your dog
Remember: bikejoring can be fun, but also pretty physically demanding – both for you and your dog! So keep in mind these factors to help you figure out if it’s the best fit for them:
Your dog’s level of fitness
Some active, high-energy dog breeds are physically fit enough to just run and run and run – all day long. They’d never stop if you let them get away with it!
Puppiesmight be little balls of seemingly never-ending energy, but even their little legs might not be able to keep up with you while out biking or on a hiking trail.
Likewise, some senior dogs can remain (almost) as active as they were in their younger days, but they might need a slower pace in general. (And more frequent breaks.)
Your dog’s health overall
Brachycephalic dog breeds (like Pugs, Boxers, and Bulldogs) tend to have difficulties breathing and overheating due to the shape of their heads and bodies. So strenuous physical activities might not be ideal for them.
Your dog’s size
Smaller dog breeds with shorter legs might struggle to keep up with your bike.
In a nutshell: bikejoring might not be always be the best fit for your dog.
Rather, you could keep your buddy active with some other fun indoor games for dogs and regular walks instead.
Else, you could bring them along in a dog bike carrier, basket, backpack or trailer.
You could try a practice run of biking in your immediate neighborhood – or even your backyard (if you have enough space) to see how your dog responds to it.
It’s also a good idea to get the green light from your vet before beginning any strenuous physical activities with your buddy.
Make sure your dog is well-trained
So now, maybe you think you’re ready to go out biking with your dog. Not so fast – an out of control puppy or dog that’s never had any behavioral training won’t make a good cycling buddy!
The last thing you want is your dog bolting after a bird and ignoring your commands while you’re out riding a bike with them. Not only could you get hurt in a bike accident, but you could lose hold of the leash and your dog would be gone.
So always make sure your dog is well-trained and behaved first, and knows how to walk nicely with you on the (loose) leash, before you attempt biking together.
We’d also recommend doubling down on your dog’s recall training
“…when I’m training (my 3 dogs), I make sure to train only one dog at a time. This gives me better control over their movements.
For example, I never go free running with all 3 of my dogs all at once.
Rather, it’s better to train them one by one – so you can better intervene in case they get too excited. (And don’t listen to your commands.)”
Disappeared somewhere into the woods – out of your sight
And sadly, it only takes a few seconds of you stopping to take a photo of your surroundings for your buddy to make their escape. Resulting in a ruined trip where you spend more time searching for your dog rather than enjoying yourself.
⚠️ Even worse, some dogs’ recall training can go right out the window if they’ve picked up an interesting scent or have gotten spooked by something in their environment. Even the best-trained dogs can fall prey to their own “flight” instinct and end up lost, miles away from you.
Always keep in mind: bikejoring doesn’t just happen overnight.
If your dog has never been around a bike before, they might be scared, overly excited, or unsure what to do. So start off by slowly introducing your dog to the bike and then walking the bike along with your dog. This is an easy way to get your furry buddy used to the bike.
Then, start out easy by riding at a walking speed for a short distance. As your dog gets used to this, you can try biking a bit faster.
Gradually increase the time you spend biking, and don’t expect your dog to be able to run for long distances in the beginning. Just like us, dogs need time to get used to a new exercise.
Always keep an eye on how your dog’s doing so that you can stop or adjust your pace according to their needs.It can take quite some time to get a dog used to being around a bike, but with patience and some positive reinforcement, it can be done!
Get the right bikejoring gear
Once you have the feeling that your dog is fit and mature enough to run on the leash beside you, it’s time to get the right bikejoring gear. This includes:
Bicycle dog leash: a leash that attaches to your bicycle, so your dog can run safely, away from the wheels of the bike
Comfortable dog harness: when biking with your dog, always use a harness rather than attaching the leash to the collar. Choose a reflective harness to make your dog more visible or add reflective tape to your dog’s current harness.
Lights: both for your dog and bike, lights are especially important if you could be biking at dusk or night.
Snacks, water and collapsible bowl: bring some healthy dog treats and water for both you and your dog to keep you fueled throughout your bike ride.
Dog carrier: if you’re going on a longer trip, you may want to have the option to let your dog ride along in a carrier, trailer or basket in case they get tired. Better not wear out your furry friend!
Optional: you might also want to take with you a normal dog leash for walking without the bike, dog boots, a warm jacket for your dog or rain gear.
Just head to your Tractive mobile app and trigger your tracker’s:
Light option, for a bright LED light that’ll guide you to your dog visually.
Sound option, for a high-pitched melody that’ll help you find your dog audibly.
“I usually go out for my free running or training in the early mornings – when it might still be dark.
(In these times), I just hit the “Light” option and I can locate my dog with the lamp on their tracker. So I always know where to look to find them – no matter how dark it is.“
Beware of asphalt and rough terrain. While dogs’ paw pads are tougher than human feet, they too can be sensitive to rough terrain. Ideally, bikejoring on grass or dirt trails is best, but this is not always possible.
So here’s how to troubleshoot instead:
If biking on pavement is necessary, make sure you give your dog’s pads time to toughen up – step by step.
If possible, mix up the terrain you bike on so that your dog is not constantly running on pavement.
Dog boots can be a good idea. But each dog is different, and some dogs hate booties so much that you’ll never get them to keep them on.
Finally, make sure to check their paws after a ride for cactus needles, stones or small cuts.
Be extra careful in warm weather
Bikejoring on warm days can be challenging. If it’s hot, there’s no shade, and on top of that your dog is running – they can easily get overheated. Extreme overheating can lead to heat stroke in dogs, a life-threatening illness.
So you’ll want to:
Choose a dog friendly path, in the shade if possible
Avoid biking on days when it’s too hot outside
Provide plenty of fresh water
Go slow enough for your furry friend to run along comfortably and take plenty of breaks
Use dog-friendly sunscreen in case they’ll be exposed to the sun for a long time
Be mindful of “danger zones” while out bikejoring
Now when we say “dog-friendly paths” – we do mean it! Most hiking trails and campsites tend to be in vast swathes of nature where you could always run into areas with:
Mushrooms, or other poisonous plants that could be toxic to dogs
Dangerous wildlife
Animal traps, which can injure your dog if they get a paw stuck in one
Poison bait and other toxic substances that could make your dog very sick if they lick or taste it
And anything else you’d rather your buddy not run into outdoors
💡But if you’ve invested in a Tractive device, you could actually mark out these areas as “danger zones” – and broadcast it to fellow pet parents in your area!
So you can both do your part as a responsible dog parent – and keep your buddy safe.
Keep your dog close or on a leash, and don’t let them bother other people or dogs. Not everybody likes dogs, no matter how friendly yours is, so keep a respectful distance to passersby.
⚠️ Also, bikejoring rules and laws can be different from one country to another. In some areas, bikejoring is allowed and in other areas, it isn’t.
For example, in some countries, bikejoring is only allowed when the dog is on-leash.
So before you take your pup for a bike ride, make sure you inform yourself about the rules in your area.
Bonus: Keep track of your dog’s progress & training results
Now you might not be aiming to becoming a dog sports champion – but tracking your dog’s progress during bikejoring can be a great way to stay motivated!
“…while free running or generally training with your dog outdoors, you need to…figure out how to analyze your training results.
(I.e., how fast your dog was running, how active they’ve been – and whether they need more exercise.)
After training, I like to analyze the distance we both covered, how many active minutes my dog got, and how fast we were both going. I usually register my sports activities to Strava, which also helps me analyze how my dog’s doing, performance-wise.“
Ready for a fun, stress-free bikejoring experience this summer?
Regular walks and playtime go a long way – but we know you need a little more challenge than that! So with a little planning and prep, you can safely take your dog bikejoring with you with minimal stress.
With these tips, you’ll be ready to start your safe biking adventure together. Fresh air, exercise and time spent together – it doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
⚠️Because even the best-trained dogs can up end up bolting and getting lost because of something in their environment that’s spooked them or piqued their curiosity. (Or hunting instincts.)
So you can hike, bike, run, and swim in the outdoors with your dog – 100% stress-free.
Always know where your dog is
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
