Scootering?

Question

Were your dog pulls you on a scooter. Does anyone know were to get a scooter with those big wheels? Also what breed of dog is best for scootering?

Answer 1

Dog scootering is a sport where one or more dogs pull a human riding an unmotorized kick scooter. It is similar to mushing, which is done in the winter, but generally with fewer dogs and with a scooter instead of a dogsled. The dogs wear the same harnesses that sled dogs wear, and are hooked to the scooter with a gangline. The gangline usually incorporates a bungie to smooth out the shocks of speeding up and takeoff. Most of the same commands are used, although dog scooterers tend to be more relaxed about their commands, sometimes using "right" and "left" instead of "gee" and "haw", for example.

Contents [hide]
1 Scooter
2 Location
3 Benefits
4 Activities
5 See also
6 External links



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Scooter
The scooter is generally unmotorized, and has mountain-bike-style tires ranging from 16" to 26". These are not razor-type scooters, which would be dangerous in this sport. The scooters incorporate mountain-bike-style brakes and have a large footboard to stand on and kick off from. The scooters are occasionally called kick bikes because they are not yet largely marketed for the sport of dog scootering. Some of the newer scooters also incorporate front shocks similar to mountain bikes to absorb bumbs better.

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Location
While this can be an urban sport, done on sidewalks and paved trails, more dog scooters take the sport off-road to mountain-bike trails and back-country roads, where a higher level of skill is needed. There is also less chance of having to dodge people or vehicular traffic on these trails.

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Benefits
Scootering provides exercise both for the dog and the rider. The dog gets exercise pulling the scooter but people have to help push, especially up hills. Dogs that exercise regularly tend to be better behaved, as a lot of bad behavior is due to boredom and lack of exercise. Behavior Problems

Most dogs take to this sport with little encouragement. They get to run as fast as they can and get to see and visit new places. As dog scooters become more experienced, they tend to take their dog(s) and scooter(s) with them to new trails. This can lead to a stronger bond between people and their dogs.

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Activities
Dog scooterers get together for fun runs, where a number of dog scooterers run their dogs and scooters on the same trails. Fun runs may be just a morning run, or can be a weekend-long activity with multiple runs scheduled. This is still a maturing sport, and there are not yet formal dog races or other competitions.

In December 2005, dog scooterers are putting on the first Dog Powered Sports relay, Dogs Across America, where participants from around the country will choose one of the trails in their state and ride it in relay style to cover the entire length.

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See also
Related sports are carting or dryland mushing, bikejoring, and sulky riding or racing.

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External links
http://www.dogscooter.com
http://www.dogsacrossamerica.org
Think of dogsledding, with only one dog and no snow. That's dogscootering! It's one of the few activities that works even BETTER when the dog is wired and overdue for exercise. It's a great way to wear an active dog out, without exhausting the person. You'll need a scooter (with brakes, and 12" wheels or bigger), a tugline with a bungie section, a sled-dog harness, and a willing dog. An enthusiastic small dog can do it, too, if you stick to level trails or help scoot on the uphill parts. Most mushers start pups at 5 months old, though young dogs should do shorter distances and easy trails. (It takes very little effort to keep a scooter coasting on level ground.) Puzzle spent 7 years learning NOT to pull, so it took a while before he really got the hang of it. I'm sure it would have been simpler with an experienced dog to show him how! See the contact list on the dogscooter.com site for someone to get you & your dog started
One of the toughest parts can be to keep a dog from stopping to sniff whenever he feels like it. That's where an experienced dog can help keep the team moving! (Here, Puz is helping a friend's small cocker get the hang of it. Click on pic to see more.) Chasing a family member who is moving ahead on a bike can work well. I didn't have those available, so I just hopped off the scooter, ran up & moved Puzzle back onto the trail by the collar. Or I told him to lie down & stay for a few moments -- when the only choices are mushing or a down-stay, the dog discovers mushing is a lot more fun! A good verbal "off" or "leave it" command when the dog first slows or turns his head can remind the dog what his job is; praise him when he moves on. (Photo by Melissa Frye.)
Now that we are experienced, I often follow Puzzle directly. But in the beginning, I found it much safer to aim the scooter on a parallel path beside the dog's path. So if the dog suddenly stops or slows down, you have a clear path to coast while you try to remember where the brakes are!

Answer 2

I've seen canine carts for sale on the net. Never heard of scooters for dogs to pull.

These would be for young, very large, healthy dogs. You wouldn't want to have an older dog pull a wagon.