Dog Exercise, Discover the Trikke

Exercise is necessary for your health, but without a workout your dog’s health may be in jeopardy. Our dogs are the fattest they’ve ever been in dog history. Sure, you two have matching work-out outfits to walk in the park on the weekends, but unfortunately, leisurely walking is not enough to see a dramatic change.

But losing the pounds with your dog doesn’t have to result in boredom. Your exercise routine with your dog shouldn’t feel like exercise, it should be (mostly) fun. In addition, you’ll need motivation to continue after the initial 3-14 days. Your dog will provide the motivation and the inches will melt off as both of you build muscle. This is possible through a new machine called a Trikke and the easy hands-free dog leash for your dog.

Below is a list telling you how to exercise the dog so both of you can get the maximum benefit out of your time together.

• Buy a Trikke. You can buy a Trikke for a slightly hefty price tag, around $300.00 for a Trikke 8 at www.trikke.com , or you can score a deal in your city’s For Sale ads at www.craigslist.org. We picked up 2 Trikke’s for less than $40.00 each on the Dallas/Fort Worth Craigslist.
• Buy a hands-free leash and a good harness for your dog. You’ll need both hands to operate the Trikke while having your dog tethered to you. You’ll need a harness for your dog as it keeps you from putting too much pressure on your dog’s neck. We prefer the Lupine harnesses as they’re washable without disintegrating. You can also use pulling harnesses and/or skijoring (skiing with dogs pulling) lines from www.blackice.com.
• Learn to Trikke. You may need to take a few Sundays after watching the “how-to” videos at the Trikke website to practice your road carving and how to “rock and roll” in the driveway.
• Take cues from your dog. Some dogs, like the Siberian Husky, are natural runners that will pull you with them. Others prefer you to do all the work while they trot alongside you. Have set places for potty and sniffing breaks.
• Don’t look at your scale. Muscle will weigh more than fat; instead gauge your fitness by the fit of your clothes.
• Plan ahead. Figure out how far you can go without feeling fatigued. Work up to a mile. Keep in mind the Trikke is lovingly referred to as an “expensive incline indicator”. Even if your Trikke area looks level, you’ll quickly find it’s not. Mastering the slight inclines will build muscle and give you a sense of accomplishment.

This is a beginning guide to trikking with your dog. Beware, the Trikke is addictive. There are some important things to know before you begin.

• If your dog pulls, don’t Trikke him if he’s under a year old.
• Always use a bungee with your hands-free leash. Skijoring lines have the bungee already built in.
• It’s wise to carry a bag (we use the Bucchi Bag on our belts) to hold your essentials.
• Wear lights at night like the Pet Blinkers and/or the Visiglo L.E.D style lighted collars.
• Teach your dog sled-dog commands such as “hike” (let’s go) “gee” (right), and “haw” left.
• Don’t Trikke an ill-trained dog that has more power than you can handle. Murphy’s law always applies in situations with dogs and children.
• Wear a helmet and pads. You never know what will happen and when.
• Have fun!

 

 

 

Asankadogs.com owner Jessica Tighe has been trikking the family dogs since July 2006.