dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
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Posts:559
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| 05/17/2010 5:53 AM |
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Anyone on the forum do this? I should wait until Dieter is around 2 years old before we can go on long bike rides right? I was just wondering if anyone has started training their dogs for this when they were a little younger. I have everything I need for this right now and I am dying to take him to the trail just up the road. Would it be a bad idea to take him on quick little runs to get him (and me) used to the bike? |
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
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Phillyo118
UK
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Posts:681
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| 05/17/2010 5:59 AM |
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This is one of the main reasons I got Bentley (other than shooting). Yes, you'll need to wait until he is fully grown/developed etc but I see no harm in going out with him on your bike and him running with you for now. Get him used to the idea of running next to you and not running under your wheels, maybe he could pull you a little bit on some of the flat bits, just becareful he doesn't do too much.
I started (trying) to teach Bentley left and right when he was a pup and continue to do some now. Left paw, Right paw. Left side when we're walking, then Right side etc. Hopefully he'll pick up the whole left and right thing from this.
It does look like a whole lot of fun eh!?  |
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"From the dog's point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog."
"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." |
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dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
MH
Posts:559
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| 05/17/2010 6:12 AM |
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| Ya It looks like a blast! I think I will try him a few times this summer..just short little runs. The trail I plan to go on is mostly all flat with quite a bit of grass so it shouldn't be to hard on him. I will be very careful not to over do it. He will be 2 next summer...you expect me to wait until then!? |
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
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Phillyo118
UK
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Posts:681
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| 05/17/2010 6:24 AM |
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| haha, well I could say "Patience is a virtue" or possibly even, "Good things come to those who wait"...however I will say, "Hell no! Get out there and have a blast with him!" |
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"From the dog's point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog."
"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." |
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carlower1
Kansas
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Posts:1253
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| 05/17/2010 7:18 AM |
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I started the training in Wachter's first year. We worked on the commands and getting used to the feel of the harness, and the difference between walking on a collar and pulling on a harness. I never allowed him to do any weight work until well after his first year, but after he was a year old I hooked him to the side of the bike with a walky dog and let him run with it, while I still peddled.... NOW I don't even try to peddle until after he has run down a bit because he goes too fast for the bike peddles to catch.
Carrie.
P.S. he turned 2 last October |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
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Posts:7846
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| 05/17/2010 7:23 AM |
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| The only reason to wait is to let his growth plates close. They typically close on a larger breed at about a year and a half although some can go later. The last growth plates to close on a dog are the ribs. Anyway, as long as you don't over do it and you are running him on dirt or grass and not pavement, I don't see any reason you couldn't start taking him some now. I bike with my dogs and they all love it. I need to get back to doing it. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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zodiakgsps
NW PA
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Posts:1059
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| 05/17/2010 7:26 AM |
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| I bike all mine!! Free run off bike quite a bit at a gamelands with a bike trail, but have an old horse racetrack nearby they paved around & bike them there in harness (some traffic) -they run the grass & I stay on pavement -I do not use the bike springer, but have them on a CC & they do pull. My 140 LBS on a bike (I peddle some also) isn't much weight to pull, just got done doing 5-6 miles with Jesse & Jet! |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
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Posts:3166
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| 05/17/2010 10:26 AM |
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| We just started scootering ... only reason we didn't start last year (when Bo was 2) was because we only found the local club in the fall, and well, laziness on our part. Definitely get him used to wearing a harness and learn the commands now, so that he is raring to go when he is ready. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
MH
Posts:559
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| 05/17/2010 12:13 PM |
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well I took him out today! he is a natural! What commands do you use? Here is where I am so far. He already knows easy and stop from our leash walking which comes in handy. Saying "go go" seems to keep him going ahead. THe track we went on was an old train track so it was nice and straight and good to start on. It was great. I strapped him on told him to go and he just started pulling. I only ran him for less then 10 minutes but we had a blast. He darted into the woods 2 times but I quickly got his attention and got him moving ahead. Holy moly! how do I wait a whole year before we start going for long rides? I tried to record some of it but it was pretty bumpy.
Getting suited up...I am going to invest in a better harness later on. Anyone have any suggestions?
On our way
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
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JoeyBean
Albany, NY
MH
Posts:315
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| 05/17/2010 12:22 PM |
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dieter is da man!!! what a good looking guy
i can't wait to do this with little joey.. want to start jogging with her too! |
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Shello
Modesto, CA
Posts:6
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| 05/17/2010 2:29 PM |
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I do this too! almost every day just around my neighborhood! except one time Duke slowed down and out of reaction I grabbed the FRONT brake to prevent running him over! ...OMG I launched OVER my handle bars, and plowed my face into the sidewalk....It hurt pretty bad and people were laughing...
So...now I use a skateboared because I can bail out at top speeds without hurting either of us ...and it helps condition my snowboarding skillzzzz lol
I still have him pull me on the bike, or rollerblades on occasion, but the skateboard is by far my favorite... whatever you use, GSPs are ultimate urban mushers and I love the speeeeeed lol |
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carlower1
Kansas
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Posts:1253
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| 05/17/2010 3:06 PM |
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Looks REALLY good for a first run.... He already seems like a pro!!! Maybe he has done this in a previous life.
You are REALLY going to want to teach a "line out" command! this is where he walks out until the line is tight.. this will reduce the jerk you get when he really starts running.
Save your "go" command to get him going, try "straight" when he tries to turn or "on by" if he goes after a squirrel. These will be handy commands when you get the chance to do more occupied trails.
You might want to look into getting an x-back harness for him. First it will distribute the pulling weight more across his body and less on his front shoulders, plus it will reduce the "spanking" of the line across his back, which will also help with the distraction issue that he kept having.
Figure out what your "pulling" commands will be so he won't confuse them with his regular commands
I hope this helps
Carrie |
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MelB
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Posts:1217
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| 05/17/2010 4:01 PM |
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| He looks like a natural!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sooo have to try this! But why do I have visions of me going one way and XAra going the other??????????? LOL |
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gharner
Middletown, PA
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Posts:565
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| 05/17/2010 6:42 PM |
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| I plan on doing this with Dax to someday...hopefully next spring we can start up early. I take him running with the bike on trails occasionally now, usually off leash. Once I kept him on a flexi, and let him pull a tiny bit (didnt wanna over do it...he's only 7 months old), but once he pulled a little bit, he wanted to take off even faster haha, so Im real excited now. It seems like forever, waiting till next spring, but at the same time, the past 9 months flew by, so itll be here before I know it (and probably before I have any real supplies for it haha...I seem to like to wait till the last minute and then scramble around for the bits and pieces) |
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Phillyo118
UK
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Posts:681
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| 05/17/2010 11:32 PM |
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| haha awesome Dan! Dieter seems the natural! If only Bentley takes to it this well...haha. I might have to start biking with him and teach him some commands first. |
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"From the dog's point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog."
"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." |
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Hammerdog
Sacramento / Tahoe
Posts:5
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| 05/24/2010 12:27 PM |
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Hi Everyone
First time poster here. I love GSPs. I have three of them. I use them for competitive scootering and skijoring. I am in the mushing fringe of the GSP lovers. I am getting a little old for competitive skijoring so now I prefer using my scooter to train and race. I like the GSPs because they have a fast top speed and they can keep it up. I used Alaskan Huskies for years but all my huskies are retired now.
This photo is my two dog team at the Pacific Northwest Championships in Roslyn WA. I placed second behind a team of Streeper thoroughbred Alaskan Huskies. There were fifteen other husky teams I did beat. Thats Mojo in the lead and Seamus at wheel.
I see nothing wrong with starting a puppy from the get go. I start with quarter mile walk when the pup is four months old. I think it is important to build your dog in his formative years. I never overdo exercise. You know how far your dog can go. By the time the pup is six months he might be running loose with the team on runs about three miles. I won a ISDRA silver medal in one dog skijoring with a 22 month yearling.
Training your dog to lead is probably the most difficult thing to get. You have to have a dog that responds to commands when he is ten feet in front. The dog needs to go on by distractions like birds and varmints. My GSPs were very quick learners but I had other leaders to train them with. The first dog I trained really helped me to train all my subsequent dogs. My dogs know Gee, (Right) Haw, (left) Hike, (go) On by, Come Around gee or haw, (U turn) Gee/ haw over, (move to the side) Straight, (fork in the trail)
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everbell
Kanata, ON
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Posts:3166
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| 05/24/2010 3:47 PM |
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Nice to meet you and good looking dogs!
We are just getting our dogs into this. Our boy, Bogart, has been scootering a couple times and out once cani-crossing with my husband. Our girl, Shiraz (currently having puppies --I hope!) has done scootering once, and will get fully into this once she has recuped! We just need to buy a scooter for our own use and then we are off to the races! |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7846
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| 05/24/2010 3:56 PM |
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| Welcome. Love the picture. I bike with my dogs now, but only one at a time. I may have to try scootering so I can harness up my girl, Halo, and my boy, Ringo. Of course, I need to start working with my boy some I think. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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boognish
Idaho
MH
Posts:105
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| 05/24/2010 4:58 PM |
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| Anyone have any experience with the "Walky Dog" setup? I just ordered one from Amazon for $30, and figured I'd give it a try. |
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Hammerdog
Sacramento / Tahoe
Posts:5
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| 05/24/2010 5:10 PM |
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I like my scooter. I used to mostly bikejor but I like the feel and extra safety of the scooter. Letting a two dog team go all out at the peak of their fitness is about extreme as it gets without a throttle. The scooter platform with the low center of gravity will prevent a lot of incidental accidents. When you have that little brain out front doing your bidding, things don't always go perfect. Crashing happens. Training your team to "line out" and keep the line taut at all times, prevents crashing.
Here is a helmet cam series of clips I made last summer near Truckee CA.
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