You can bike with your dog, and are encouraged to do so for its physical and mental wellbeing! Biking with dogs, also known as bikejoring, is a great way of stimulating your dog’s need for exercise. You can bike with dogs of all breeds and sizes, as long as you respect the limits of your dog. Also make sure your dog does not have any health issues.

Bikejoring is a sport where one dog or a team of dogs runs in front of a bike pulling, connected with a leash. This activity has its origin from dog mushing, where dogs pull the musher on a sled. Cycling is a nice way to exercise your dog on a hobby basis, but bikejoring can also be done competitively. All you need to get started with bikejoring is a pulling-harness, a line, and a bike antenna, in addition to a mountain bike and safety equipment for yourself.

When introducing your dog to bikejoring you are advised to familiarize him/her with the equipment first. You can do this by letting your dog sniff the gear and gradually getting used to the sound and sight of the bike by walking next to it, then gradually increasing difficulty. If your dog is not a natural puller, you should also teach your dog to pull and how to run in front of the bike.

To get a positive experience when bikejoring for the first time you are advised to start on a less crowded path. Keep your bikejoring sessions short and fun. Build distance gradually.

Bikejoring is a fun and adrenaline inducing sport which is safe as long as you follow some safety precautions when hitting the trails. In addition to a helmet and gloves for yourself, you should equip your mountain bike with a bike antenna and make sure it is suitable for biking with a dog. A bike antenna will prevent your dog’s line from tangling up in the front wheel. Your dog should be connected to the bike with a bungee leash, softening abrupt pulls. To prevent injuries, your dog should also wear a harness designed for bikejoring, allowing him/her to move freely with minimal breath constraint.

Make sure your dog is healthy and fit for the challenge before you go bikejoring for the first time. You must also take your dog’s age into consideration – puppies and young dogs should not do bikejoring until their bodies are fully developed.

Pay attention to temperature when biking with a dog. Dogs are prone to overheating when working hard in warm temperatures like 15°Celcius and above.

You are advised to choose trails that are not too crowded when biking with a dog, as well as slowing down when passing others. The trail should ideally have a soft surface. Bikejoring on tarmac is not recommended.

Teaching your dog directional commands like «gee» for right turns and «haw» for left turns makes cornering a lot easier when bikejoring. When having a command, your dog will know which way to run in a crossing. To teach «gee» and «haw» you can start walking with your dog on a leash. Every time you make a turn to the right, say «gee» and reward with treats and praise. When you turn left you say «haw» and reward. You can gradually increase difficulty by allowing your dog to be further away from you and gradually offer less support. Your dog can also benefit from running together with an experienced dog that already knows directional commands well.