Running your dog(s) with ATV?

Kismet

Kismet

UPH Guru
Finally got Mick used to loping along side of the ATV. Took a bit, and the dummy still forgets and decides to investigate a smell right in the path of the vehicle.

But what a blessing for my old legs and for his youngish legs; I get spared and he gets to run it out.

Anyone else work on general field exercise on an ATV?
 
When we were visiting my mom for Easter, I used her golf cart to run Junie. Not really far or fast, just far enough to take the edge off of a hyperactive 10-month-old puppy. I went just fast enough to keep up with her. It was quick and effective, and Junie took to it right away since she is accustomed to walking in the grass beside the road when we go on walks anyway. I used a 20' retractable leash, and only had to jab the brakes twice. Once for #2, and once when she thought she would cross the road in front of me. I won't allow her to run in the road on our walks, so I just gave her a firm "no" and she went right back to the grass.

I think she could be easily trained to run alongside the cart with no troubles, and her nose and legs overtake her brain constantly so that's saying something!:eek: I'm sure any dog could learn to do it safely if a guy was willing to put in a little time.
 
I don't have an ATV but I do use my bicycle to exercise my Brittany. I put a cheap harness on her with a 6' lead (7-8 ft. might be better) and away we go. I hold the lead in my left hand with just 2-3 fingers so I can release it in the event she would veer over in front of me for some reason. We've been doing this for some time now and she has learned the routine pretty well. We normally go about 5-6 miles on the bike path with her pulling me and majority of the way. I don't have to pedal much unless it's up hill or into the wind. We probably average 12-13 mph on our runs so she gets a great workout. I usually stop and give her a short break and water at the half way mark. I also road her on some less traveled gravel roads with my vehicle.
 
I used to road JP on the river bank with my truck. Did it for over a year without incident. He would run by my back passenger tire and I could adjust my mirror so I could watch him. Then it happened, a rabbit bolted in front of the truck and in true springer fashion JP tore after it, passed my truck (doing 20mph) and I ran him over with my front driver side tire.:eek: Took him straight to the vet and they said he's fine, are you sure he got ran over? Yep I'm sure, I did it.:( I no longer road him behind the truck, but I would road him with an atv if I had one.
 
I run my GSP's almost every day (Except May- Aug) with the truck. I am fortunate enough to have access to thousands of acres. Normally we go 2-3 miles, it's helps keep them in shape and the hyper activity minimized.
 
When I road my Britt with vehicle I never have to worry about me running over her as she is way down the road ahead of me. Now when another vehicle is coming that's another story, but I ony have to give her a couple toots on the whistle and she's back at the vehicle. I usually get out and hold her until the other vehicle passes. One thing I've learned it not to expect another vehicle to slow down just because they see you and your dog along the road. I think some of the SOB's actually speed up! :mad:
 
Conditioning is a tough one for me. I either have to worry about snakes, disturbing nesting birds or heat with no access to water. So far my answer is throwing a Kong ball as fat as I can till my arm falls and lots of water retrieves in the pond down the street. I'm going to get a bike to start roading though as I have 4 knuckle heads now.
 
quail hound said:
I used to road JP on the river bank with my truck. Did it for over a year without incident. He would run by my back passenger tire and I could adjust my mirror so I could watch him. Then it happened, a rabbit bolted in front of the truck and in true springer fashion JP tore after it, passed my truck (doing 20mph) and I ran him over with my front driver side tire.:eek: Took him straight to the vet and they said he's fine, are you sure he got ran over? Yep I'm sure, I did it.:( I no longer road him behind the truck, but I would road him with an atv if I had one.
Click to expand...

Quail Hound?

Maybe we should talk about the different definitions of "tiring the dog" out.

See...tire is a verb...er...that is...it is a noun that can be...hmmm.


nevermind. :)

Glad he was ok.
 
quail hound said:
Conditioning is a tough one for me. I either have to worry about snakes, disturbing nesting birds or heat with no access to water. So far my answer is throwing a Kong ball as fat as I can till my arm falls and lots of water retrieves in the pond down the street. I'm going to get a bike to start roading though as I have 4 knuckle heads now.
Click to expand...


QH,

With four dogs you should make a little cart out of bicycle tires and let them pull ya' Make some mushers' out of them
 
Kismet said:
Quail Hound?

Maybe we should talk about the different definitions of "tiring the dog" out.

See...tire is a verb...er...that is...it is a noun that can be...hmmm.


nevermind. :)

Glad he was ok.
Click to expand...

Lol! I'll try to remember that.

What are some of your guys roading routines? When I used to run mine with the truck I would drop JP, let him stretch for a bit then start at about 5mph for a 1/2 mile to get loose, then 1/2 mile at 10mph, 1 mile at 15 and one mile close to 20, then turn around and work down back to where we started for a good swim at the diversion damn about 3 times a week. I know JP and the rest aren't quite at this level of fitness anymore so I wouldn't just drop all 4 and expect that performance out of them but we will work back up to close to that (or whatever I can manage on a bike).:D
 
OKIEGunner said:
QH,

With four dogs you should make a little cart out of bicycle tires and let them pull ya' Make some mushers' out of them
Click to expand...

You maybe onto something there.:cheers: We might never win the Ididerod but boy would we have some fun.:D
 
QH,

It really depends on the temperature/ time of the year for me. I take my dogs to work with me every day. I run them on some two track roads. Start out slow and progress much like hunting from an ATV Rig in the flatlands of TX. The dogs set the pace and will hunt out in front pretty hard. If one strays off left or right a simple toot of the horn normally brings them in. I run them in the AM before work and then after work if the temperatures allow it. At lunch sometimes I head to the pond and let them brouse around while I eat my lunch. I figure it’s better than staying in the kennel all day!

Early spring has the snakes out, so I am very selective on where we go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top