This is Bruce
Crawford's Bikejoring Main Page.
Updated: 11/30/2007, more
equipment info.
Bikejoring is
riding a bike with dogs pulling you.
Instead of a bike you can
also use a dog scooter.
These are similar to skijoring which is
having dogs pull you while wearing cross country skis.
They are
similar sports for different seasons.
Skijoring
Skijoring
some more
Bikejor
until the snow gets thick enough, then skijor again!
Why Bikejor or Skijor?
Your dog wants to
run. It will be healthier if it is allowed to run.
If your dog
drags you down the street on your walks, why not have it pull you on
a bike or scooter?
Let your dog go at your dog's favorite speed,
not at your slow human pace.
Most dogs are just getting started at
the fastest speed we can run.
Bikejoring and
skijoring are an adventure every time you do it.
I have more of
an adventure bikejoring in the morning before work than most people
have all week.
Bikejoring and skijoring give you an opportunity to interact with your dogs and to train and work as a team.
You and your dogs will see more of the world together. They will be used to seeing things that would scare other dogs. My dogs shrug off noisy garbage trucks, horses, cattle, snowmobiles and many other things that throw some dogs for a loop. If you train them well enough to bikejor safely, you will know your dogs' behavior in most situations you could encounter and they will respond quickly to commands in spite of distractions.
Tired dogs that have already run several miles are happy and mellow. “Chew up stuff, run away? That all sounds like work!”
If you enjoy skiing, then skijoring is a great way of having an fun and exciting time with your dogs. Since it is generally cooler when you are skijoring and the dogs have snow to eat, hydration and overheating are far easier to deal with.
Bikejoring and
skijoring have risks.
You will likely fall off the bike and have
accidents when training and doing bikejoring.
Wear proper safety
equipment, especially a helmet. Don't bikejor on busy streets.
Remember, the dogs determine what happens, so train them well.
Skijoring is a lot like bikejoring, except it is easier for the dogs to pull you off balance and there isn't a hand brake.
If you just want speed, stick to cars instead of dogs. If you want a relationship with your dogs and shared adventures, consider bikejoring and skijoring.
If you REALLY have to get somewhere on time, don't bikejor there. You are too likely to have an adventure along the way. Allow lots of time for surprises.
Learn to enjoy
cold weather. That is when dogs run best.
It is also when you can
have the most fun.
These bikejoring and skijoring pages just cover my experiences and
opinions.
You may experience something completely different.
Know yourself, know your dogs.
I have been bikejoring and skijoring for several years. Jaguar Puma and Panther, Samoyeds from Snowwater are my dogs, or I am their keeper. We have also run with other dogs & people, helping the dogs and their owners learn how to bikejor and skijor.
The big dogs and I usually do several hundred miles a year of bikejoring, even with breaks for various problems and other activities. We have bikejored across the Cascade Mountains more than once. Puppies get training, but no serious runs until they are full size. Since nearby skijoring trails are limited and the skijor season is only a few months, we don't do nearly as much skijoring. If we are lucky we skijor every weekend there is snow, and bikejor all year round.
I would enjoy hearing your
comments. My email is brucec@nwlink.com.
Be
sure to look though the links I have
noted that may meet your needs. There is a lot of information and
many resources available. It is best to look through a lot of
information and then see which things work for you. Each team needs
to find its own way of doing things, but research can definitely
shorten your learning curve and make you and your dogs happier.
Have fun bikejoring and skijoring and do your best to keep your dogs safe!
On the Trail Again...
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