x-post from Reddit (figured I'd get better answers here)
My SO and I are adopting an aussie mix this weekend and I really, really want to train it to bike with me. I live relatively close to Highland park (about a 5 min bike ride up Highland Ave) so I've been going up there myself and doing a few laps on the street around the reservoir. It would be great to eventually get the dog to do this with me, and I plan on getting a WalkyDog attachment for my bike.
I would think that biking around that loop would be generally Ok, since the bike lane is rather large and there aren't many cars. My worry is getting up there. I can take some of the side streets such as St. Clair, Euclid, etc., and I frequently do this on my own because N. Highland can be a bit iffy at times, but I'm wondering if it would be safe to do so with dog in tow. I know it's going to increase the amount of room we'll need on the street, and I would be sure to go very slowly, but I'm still not sure about doing it.
Does anyone have any advice? I really try to be a good biker around Pittsburgh (I don't go around cars when stopped at lights, etc.) and don't want to do anything flat-out stupid, but there isn't much information on this out there.
I could drive the two of us up and then bike, or I could walk the dog and bike up and then go around the loop (which again I'm assuming is safe to do, feel free to correct me) but it would certainly be easier/faster to bike up if that's an option.
Also, please note that I am going to take a lot of time to train the dog prior to doing this. I'll definitely be taking the walking/driving up to bike option before trying anything on streets, if it seems like that would be ok to do.
Any advice is appreciated!
elysianreverie
2015-07-19 12:44:50
While it might sound crazy, Stanton Avenue can be an alternate route to get into Highland Park. I know, Stanton Avenue seems like it is crowded, but the portion after it passes Dillworth rarely has a lot of cars on it as well as a wide shoulder so if a car does come up, you can move to the side.
On my opinion of using a side road like N. Euclid or St. Clair (Mellon is also an option) I very often bike those roads as a way to get from Morningside into East Liberty, and I rarely see many cars traveling on them. The only issue, mainly with Euclid, is that it is relatively tight in some sections. You might also run into issues with the stop sign at Stanton Avenue.
Others with more experience may have a better guess on an alternate route.
Good luck!
jason-pgh
2015-07-19 16:52:47
I think it's awesome you want to take your dog with you but you may want to consult with your vet first. I've always heard that running a dog on pavement for any distance is really hard on their bodies. Are there any grass or dirt trails near there? I think that would be much safer on the dogs paws & joints while allowing you both to have fun.
As for your problem of navigating there, you could also use a tow behind trailer for the dog. They make dog specific models or you could modify one intended for kids without much effort. You can often get these used through CL and such too.
marko82
2015-07-19 18:25:34
Jason - that's a good idea! I actually live on Jackson - it looks like I could take that all the way as well. I live closer to Negeley so I think that section of Stanton would be a big scary til I passed N. Highland.
Also, I know what you mean about it getting kind of tight (and i just realized I'm going to have to teach Kafka the word 'pothole'). However, I do bike there myself and I never run into any trouble, so maybe I'll give it a shot going slow! Thanks for your input :)
Marko - yea, I definitely will. I was thinking of getting him little booties or something to at least protect his feet. As far as I know there aren't any easily accessible dirt trails - however, I would only be going a max of 6 miles (on a really good day) total, so hopefully that would be ok. I have read of a lot of people taking their dogs on pavement, but I'll be sure to check and make sure it's ok.
I could use a tow-behind, but since he's an aussie they're really high energy and I was hoping to use this as a way to get that out, and I've read that dogs love it. Additionally, his foster mom says he's not one for being taken places like that haha, he would probably get frustrated.
Thanks for the input!
elysianreverie
2015-07-19 20:30:14
6 miles is a helluva long distance for a dog. ONE mile is long for adog. Typically they run sprint distances.
Granted a Australian Shepard might be different.
mick
2015-07-21 16:08:38
Aussies are working dogs, so they can go over 20 miles a day if they feel like it :P Obviously I'll have to work him up to it, but they're definitely capable.
elysianreverie
2015-07-21 16:47:01
Check with your vet, please.
There is huge difference between 20 miles in a day - easy for energetic but sporadic output creatures like canines - and doing 6 miles in an hour
I've hiked 40 miles in one very long day, but have never come close to being able to do a half-marathon.
mick
2015-07-22 11:19:07
Don't worry, he has a vet appointment for a few days after we get him and I'll get everything checked out then.
I've done a fair amount of research on these types of dogs and pretty much everyone said as long as they're in good health they can go over 20. Obviously this is after working them up to it, I'm not going to kill the dog lol. I was thinking I'd take it in half-mile increment increases, and my typical ride around the park is only 4-5 miles so hopefully we can work up to that at some point!
I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I promise I'm being responsible :)
elysianreverie
2015-07-22 16:53:44
