Problem: Most big dogs need long walks for exercise and stimulation. Is dog walking more than we can handle? We are minding Aki, a Malamut Kelpie cross, for our son. She is four years old and 27 kilograms (55 lbs) light. For her, it takes 12km (8 miles) with many sniff stops to make her day. That’s a lot of walking, and we humans don’t always walk fast enough to suit our canine friends.
Solution: Ride a recumbent trike.
Recumbent Trike Configuration
I can only think of three items on my trike that help – none of them critical.
I have Big Apple tires from Schwalbe. As balloon tires, they need only 30psi, giving both a smoother ride and less pain if I accidentally run over Aki’s foot.
I have soft panniers on the back that keep her away from the rear wheel. This is a precaution only, and I have not had a problem.
An offside mirror allows me to see what she is doing when she is no longer beside me. I like a mirror on each side anyway to help with blind spots.
I use a standard length leash that I loop through its handle around the bar behind my seat. That way, she is most comfortable trotting beside me in my peripheral vision.
Leaving Home
Meet Aki. She is a four-year-old Kelpie Malamute cross. While her size and shape are reminiscent of Kelpie, her personality is all Malamute. She is strong-willed and talks rather than barks. She is definitely a companion – taking offence if treated as a pet. This makes for interesting, if challenging, dog walking.
It is pleasant to be at the same height as our dogs when dog walking. We get to learn things about their behaviour that is lost when we tower over them. Mind you, Aki is a well-behaved companion as long as there is no other dog in sight.
Pet the Pooch
The one time I can pet Aki is when we are starting out. Once we move, whether fast or show, she is so focused that she does not have time for such niceties. I think that is why she is tired on return as much as from the exercise.
Grass or Path
An excellent discussion topic. Should a dog walk on the grass or the path? I asked a vet recently, but she did not have a definitive answer. Indeed, the track is more manageable, and it keeps her nails nicely in check. On the other hand, it is boring if there is nothing to smell. Dog walking is about staving off boredom as well as exercise. I have had to pull prickles from her paws occasionally. I try to ride about half the length of her lead from the edge. In that way, she can choose. She prefers paved surfaces when we move quickly, while she wants to be nearer the smells at a slower pace.
Stop for a Good Sniff
I believe that the walk is as much about variety for a dog as it is about exercise. I put on an audiobook or podcast, and when Aki wants to learn about a location, I am happy to relax in my easy chair and let her. It this dog walking or dog entertaining?
A Wide Berth
I keep Aki on the offside. Most people and traffic pass on the other, but there is always someone who doesn’t. In this case, it was a culdesac, so I could pass widely enough for the leash to provide distance. When that is not possible – mainly when a dog is involved – I will hold her leash tight close to her collar.
Beware Other Dogs
Aki behaves differently, and sometimes indifferently, to other dogs. The one here is about half her size and doesn’t bark – but Aki wants to run past as quickly as possible. She can drag the trike if I don’t change up and pedal faster. I wonder if that is the Malamute in her? Perhaps a few dogs a mushing harness and a recumbent trike would make a good mode of transport. Here the dog is just a black dot in the distance but Aki is ready to leave.
Dead Possum Alert
Other dogs are the biggest distraction by far. Roadkill doesn’t always attract her interest, but this dead possum was an exception. Mind you, she considers possums her natural prey. She is faster and more intelligent than the average possum – particularly when they are dead.
The Backwards Glance
When we have passed something of interest, Aki will look backwards while still walking forward. I have to be careful of power poles and the like as she can walk right into them.
Pole Sniffing
I think most dogs would stop at every pole given an opportunity. They never have to meet a dog to know all about them. It is hard to tell in the video, but I am slowed by the hill. The slower I ride, the more likely Aki will find a scent too fascinating to ignore. This is where the offside mirror is useful. I can stop if I feel like giving her a break. At this speed, a tug at her collar is enough to have her following again. Sometimes the desire is strong, and she will dig in – going as far as lying on her stomach. Here I am generous and giving her time. With a good audiobook or podcast, the time is for relaxing in a recumbent seat.
Sharing
For me, road etiquette includes making space for those on two wheels. Due to stability, a trike takes no more room on a track than an approaching bike. Unfortunately, that is not obvious, and approaching riders become nervous. On the other hand, the same goes for cars overtaking – making trike riding safer than the two-wheelers. Where possible, I pull to the side, so Aki is furthest from passing traffic. She is not the type of dog to leap at them unless they are leading a pooch. As usual, stopping allows Aki to find something interesting to smell.
Road Crossing
Aki has been trained to sit at road crossings. Her logic is impeccable. She sits if the trike is still but stands if the wheels move. At an intersection with lights, she recognises the green walk signal. The short leash is a comfort too. She can’t make a mistake as long as I don’t.
Guard Dog
Even a mild-mannered girl like Aki will deter most people from approaching without permission. I still lock my trike to a rail and take my belongings with me.
Scared Possum
No possums were injured in the making of this video. Even if Aki had dug out the bottom of the pipe, the possum would have just climbed further up.
There are times when the situation is challenging to resolve. Possums are nocturnal marsupials who do not see well in daylight. This once decided that a long black channel was the perfect bedroom. They did not account for the power of Aki’s olfactory senses. You can hear the poor possum panicking. Aki loves possums – preferably fresh.
She could not have got the possum even if she had exposed the bottom of the pipe. It would have just climbed higher – unless the space was full of possums – a not impossible situation.
I once had them sleeping in the gap above my office. The last one had its bum sticking out and spent the day trying to get further in.
The problem was how to get Aki to leave. I could not pull her away. Malamutes are stubborn like that. Eventually, I heaved her up on my lap and rode blind as she insisted on standing on me. Not comfortable with 26kg pushed through four paws. Once we were away, she accepted continuing with the walk.
Such is the lot of dog walking.
Evacuations
Dogs almost always wait for their walk to empty their bowels. I assume it is due to the exercise rather than a desire to irritate their owners/servants. It is easy to miss the signs. We are often moving quite quickly. For Aki, she will put her nose down and start trailing. Within a second, she has stopped and assumed the position. If I did not notice, I could pull her head off. I try to keep observant and monitor her situation with my peripheral vision. If she trails, I use the off-site mirror to see why then slam on the brakes if needed. I get lots of practice since she marks an “Aki was here” pee at least a dozen times a ride.
Gearing Down
Changing down gears on anything with derailleur gears can be problematic – more so when walking a dog. Here is a classic example. As I turn from the flat road to the path, it becomes pretty steep immediately. As we slow down for the corner, Aki will likely find something fascinating and refuse to continue. Consequently, I need to be in an even lower gear to account for a standing start. One downside of a recumbent trike is the difficulty of getting off and walking/pushing. To counter that, with low gearing, you can ride at a speed that would be impossible on two wheels.
Home Again
I like to gear right down on the grass – although it is hardly necessary when the grass is this short. We are home again. Aki has had a 7.5km (4-1/2 miles) walk. I try to do this every weekday to keep her fit and happy. Sometimes we do a 12km (7-1/2 miles) one instead that involves some steeper hills. They don’t bother her, but I get a better workout.
One Final Word or Two
If you have a dog and struggle with walks, consider acquiring a recumbent tricycle. If you have a recumbent and no dog, enjoy the freedom.
I would love to hear on your experiences riding with dogs (or cats).