Most people will know not to go too fast until you know how long your dog can run. But don’t forget to check the dog’s paw pads. If your dog is not used to running, he may wear out his pads and show no sign of pain until you get home. So, start with just 10 minutes or so at first unless your dog has been running on pavement for several miles a day already. Each dog will be different.

I don’t think biking with your dog is cruel at all! Not exercising your dog enough is cruel!

Thank you very much for your comment and concern. I agree with almost everything you say. The one part I respectfully disagree with is that the concept of biking your dog is inherently dangerous or cruel. It is irresponsible owners that push their dogs beyond their limit that can make dog biking dangerous for the dog. Any responsible dog owner would know not to bike beyond their dog’s pace. You can just as easily ride at a pace that is similar to simply walking your dog. Most dogs love being able to go for a bike ride and I could send you dozens of emails from people telling me how excited their dog gets when they get the harness out and hook them up. Trust me, I love all animals and would never want to see a dog hurt or pushed beyond their limit. That is horrifying to hear about the dogs you have seen being pushed too far. Again though, it is the irresponsible owner that is at fault in that situation. I do everything I can to make sure that people understand when it is appropriate to bike their dog and how to do so safely – I have created numerous how-to videos. And I will continue to educate people. I really think you are only seeing the worst case scenario of biking a dog when done so by a cruel irresponsible owner that probably should not even own a dog. The most important thing for a dog is to let them get outside and exercise. Biking a dog is one alternative to simply walking your dog and when done so with the right equipment and a comfortable padded dog harness it is no different than taking a dog for a walk or for a jog. It is easy to conjure up the image of someone racing down the street dragging their dog along, but my feelings are that no one that would take the time to research and buy equipment specifically for their dog’s enjoyment and well-being would ever think of using a device in such a horrible way. Thank you again though Jan for your concern and you can count on me to continue to be an advocate for all dogs. That is my intent for this blog – I want dogs to have a chance to get outdoors with their owners and enjoy life. Take care Jan
-Scott

As for the difference between the 2 products, I honestly can’t tell you because I have not tested the bike jogger myself. What I can tell you is that the bike jogger is not the same thing as the WalkyDog – a different company makes it. The WalkyDog is Italian designed and has been around over 7 years. It has gone through numerous modifications over the years to get things just right. The site that sells the bike jogger used to sell the WalkyDog so this is why some people have confused the 2 products as being the same. From what I can tell the bike jogger was designed using the WalkyDog as a template. While I can’t tell you what the difference is, we love the WalkyDog and I have personally used it with my dog for the past couple of years. I can also tell you that we are known for our customer service and will do whatever we can to make sure you have all the information necessary to enjoy taking your dog biking safely. Please shoot me a email with any other questions. You can find contact info at http://www.TheDogOutdoors.com. Here is a videos page I set up at The Dog Outdoors you might like to check out as well http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/wavitu.html .

Take care Laura,

-Scott