Exercise the Fun Way – Go Biking with Your Dog

Nov
2010

More: Randy Moss Obama 2010 election macbook Brett Favre thanksgiving Bicycling looks like a lot of fun, especially when you pass all of those enthusiastic bicyclers riding early in the morning enjoying the great outdoors on all of those bike trails. But wouldn’t it be more fun to do it with your canine best friend? After all, both you and your dog probably need the exercise anyways!

In the past 50 years, dogs have gone from running loose in the neighborhood to being confined or on a leash virtually all of the time. Education by dog owners, and local laws have contributed to much of the more responsible care dog owners take. Most people walk their dogs today, but why not try biking and include your dog in it? It’s fun and good for both of you.

After deciding to take your pooch biking with you, you’ll have to first assess your dog’s suitability for this activity. After all, aerobic exercise such as running is much different that retrieving a few balls or Frisbees in the yard. Ideally, a biker dog should be medium to large, but light for its size.

Compare the physique of Olympic runners who specialize in the marathons to those who run 100-meter dashes. The marathoners have long legs and look almost skeletal which is quite different from the ripped physiques of the short-distance runners. It’s hard to carry around extra weight when running mile after mile, even if that weight is muscle.

Dogs with slight builds are designed for running, but the heavier and more muscular breeds still can participate with enthusiasm. However, they might not be able to run for long distances, even at their most fit. Other type of dogs that may find it hard to run for long periods of time are the ones with flat faces. Dogs such as Bulldogs and Pugs are not really suited for distance running because they quickly become overheated during intense exercise.

Biking activities require a healthy heart, lungs and musculoskeletal system, so it’s best to schedule a veterinary checkup for your dog before you begin serious exercise. Dogs shouldn’t start training until they’ve reached 14 months of age, and they should be a least 18 months old before they run distances greater than one mile.