What is bikejoring?

There are almost as many dog sports as there are breeds of dogs—or at least so it seems. On top of the traditional sports like agility, scent work, and obedience, there’s a whole host of other sports with unfamiliar names you can do with your dog.

One of these is bikejoring. If you have one or more dogs with insane amounts of energy and no outlet, bikejoring could be a great way for them to spend their energy, while helping make your own cycling adventure easier.

In bikejoring, dogs are tethered to the front of a bicycle, where they can help pull it. This especially comes in handy up hills and on winding trails where it is a little bit more difficult to get your bicycle up on your own.

Any healthy animal that weighs more than 30 pounds has the potential to be a bikejoring dog. If you’re interested in trying out this sport, here’s a few tips.

Get your dog used to the harness first

Introduce your pet to the harness and the feeling of pulling something before taking him out. Your pet may find something touching his body in unfamiliar places unusual, and may not understand that he’s supposed to pull.

Once your dog is used to the harness, you can practice the real thing.

Avoid pavement

Your pet can damage his paws, overheat, or even hurt his joints overtime by running on pavement. It’s best to find a nice, smooth, dirt bike trail to practice on, especially at first. Not only will this give you and your dog a different view than the city streets, it’ll be better for your pet.

Most high energy breeds will enjoy bikejoring, and some are naturals at pulling. If you need an outlet for your pet’s energy, this might be a great way to get going.