You can go on a ride with your husky if your dog is leash trained
Yes, you can go on a bike ride with your husky if your husky is leash trained and responds to your basic commands. Don’t try to make your husky go on a bike ride if your dog hasn’t had his basic training. Your husky needs to be calm, listen to you, and enjoy the ride.
You will need to give your husky verbal commands such as starting, stopping, going faster or slower, and changing the direction. Huskies are pretty smart, and they will learn quickly. Your husky will need to learn how to run alongside your bicycle.
Don’t go biking with your husky puppy
Don’t make your husky puppy run alongside your bicycle until she or he is at least one year old. Running alongside your bike will put extra pressure on your puppy’s ligaments, muscles, and joints. Wait until your puppy is at least one year old. You will have plenty of time to go biking with your husky. Let your dog’s body develop properly. Siberian huskies are working dogs, but they are still puppies, and they need time to grow healthy.
Your old husky shouldn’t run alongside your bike
Do you have an older husky? Your older husky should enjoy a walk around the block or a walk in his or her favorite park. Not running alongside your bike or go jogging with you. Talk with your husky’s veterinarian and ask what type of exercises are recommended for your dog.
Do you want to take your older husky with you when you’re going on the bike? You can take her or him if you attach a bike trailer to your bike. Your husky will enjoy coming with you and smelling all the new stuff from your expedition. You can use a bike trailer if your husky is healthy, old, with health problems, a puppy, or when you’re going on longer rides with the bike or on incredible expeditions.
Where can you go biking with your husky
You can go biking with your husky in two main environments: forest and mountain trails or pavement.
What to do when you’re going biking with your husky on forest and mountain trails
First, make sure you are allowed to bike with your husky on those rails. There are places where dogs are not allowed, even if they are leashed. Bikejoring is another trail option because your husky will run in front of the bike. Bikejoring can be done with one or more dogs. It depends on you and how well trained the dogs are.
For bikejoring, you will need a harness like the harnesses used in traditional sled dog mushing and bikejoring equipment. Don’t go bikejoring with a normal harness because it will cause him or her discomfort. A normal harness will limit the husky’s ability to breathe. Bikejoring requires more training and more resistance for your husky. You need to know the trails before you go with your husky. I will talk more about bikejoring in another article. Let’s get back to your husky running alongside your bike.
Find a safe trail for biking with your husky
Of course, you should go on a trail that you already know. Make sure your husky can ride alongside your bicycle with no problems in the forest. The rules are the same: make sure you know the trail, and your husky can run alongside your bike with no problems. Don’t take your dog biking if it’s too hot outside.
Avoid biking when the trails are crowded. Take some breaks along the way to hydrate and spend some time with your husky admiring nature. Check your husky’s paws for little stones or cuts and make sure everything is ok.
Check to see if there are ticks on the trail
Ticks are another problem that you can find while going in the forest. Try to see if there are ticks where you want to go biking with your husky. If there are too many ticks is better not to go or at least get some tick repellents for your dog. And for you. I usually avoid places where there could be ticks.
How to go biking with your husky on asphalt
Always check the asphalt’s temperature before you go biking with your husky. And even before you go for a walk. Choose to go biking with your husky early in the morning. The asphalt should be cold and not warm.
You can think about going for a bike ride with your husky after you check the asphalt’s temperature and know that outside will not be above 60°F (15°C). Trails are better for your husky’s paws, but they are not always an available option for everybody. Therefore, you have to go with your husky on asphalt.
Try to mix the environments. For example, you can go cycling with your dog on asphalt in order to get to a park. Don’t make your husky run only on hard pavement because running on hard surfaces can damage your husky’s joints. Also, check your husky’s paws when you’re taking him or her to run alongside your bike on asphalt, concrete, or gravel. There is the risk of injuring your husky’s paws. You can put dog shoes on your husky to protect her or his paws from sand, little rocks, glass, or salt.
Always go cycling with your husky only when outside is below 60°F 15°C
The best temperature to go cycling with your husky is between 40°F ( 6°C ) and 60°F ( 15°C ). These are approximatively temperatures. You need to take humidity into account. For example, if it is a hot day and after a storm it’s 60°F outside and the humidity is still high, you would be better off going for a walk. There are places where the humidity is high, even if the temperature is not so high. If you live in such an area, you always need to consider the humidity level. You are feeling the humidity also, most likely.
Do not go cycling with your husky when it is hot outside. The best temperature for you and your husky to go cycling is approximately 50°F (10°C). Because of this reason, I usually go cycling with my huskies in autumn or winter. It depends on your weather, but never go cycling with your dog when it’s hot outside. I usually go cycling with my dogs early in the morning, at the dawn of the day. Less traffic and is right before I start working.
Never go bike cycling with your husky if it’s too hot outside
Heatstroke, overheating, over-exercise, damage to the paws, and other injuries can happen if you’re going biking with your husky on a hot day. Do not, under any circumstances, go with your husky on a bike ride if the temperature is above 60°F (15°C), or the asphalt is hot.
Always check the pavement with your hand. Place your hand on the pavement, hold it for about 10 seconds, and feel what your dog will feel. If the asphalt is cold, you’re good to go. Don’t go cycling with your husky if the asphalt is warm. Not even for a walk. Walking on hot pavement can cause severe burns on your husky’s paw’s pads. The skin can burn and lead to painful wounds.
If you need to walk your husky on a hot day, find a green place, such as a forest and make a day of it. But keep in mind that there might be ticks in the forest. Swimming in safe water, safe pools, or playing with a sprinkle are activities more suitable for huskies on hot days. But let’s get back to biking with your husky. As I said, don’t go cycling with your husky if the temperature is below 60°F.
Signs that your husky is overheating
Always check your husky, no matter the temperature. Your dog is exercising, and she or he can overheat even if outside is around 60°F (15°C ). Stop and take a break if you see any of these signs:
- Excessive drooling
- Increased pulse
- Difficulty to keep up with you
- Willing or insisting to sit down
- Dark red tongue or gums
- Weakness
If you notice any sign from this list, you should take a break, give your husky some water and find a place out of the sun. Call your husky’s veterinarian if the signs are aggravating.
Always look at your husky
You need to look at your husky all the time and make sure he or she is not overheating during the bike ride. I can’t stress this enough! Pay attention to the road and to your husky and see if he or she is panting, drooling excessively, or unable to keep up. Don’t wear headphones to listen to music or talk on the phone while biking with your husky.
Your dog needs your full attention. Enjoy these precious moments with your husky.
How do I start cycling with my husky?
Start bike cycling with your husky slowly. This is not a race, and your safety and your husky’s safety are important. It is advisable to start slow and be precautious to make sure there will be no accidents.
Let your husky sniff the new equipment
Let your husky sniff the new equipment. If you get a new bike, you should let your husky sniff the bicycle. He might mark it, but it is ok. It’s washable, and you don’t need to worry about that. The main purpose is to make your husky as comfortable as you can. Your dog shouldn’t be stressed about the new equipment or bike because cycling with your husky has to be fun and not stressful.
The bicycle’s attachment leash will be shorter than the usual leash. It has to be that way so your dog can’t get in front of the bike. Your dog will notice that, and he needs to get used to it. Huskies like to pull or walk in front of the owner. When you’re attaching an attachment on your bicycle’s side, it’s going to be a change for your dog. Start slow and let your husky accommodate.
Allow your husky get used to the bicycle
The bicycle makes sounds when you change the speeds or pull the break. Your husky has to get familiarized with those noises. When you’re just starting out cycling with your dog, he or she needs to be as calm as possible.
Start biking with your husky slowly
Your husky can be excited to run alongside your bike. Calm your husky and start slow. You have to be in charge. Don’t be scared, and make sure you’re holding the bike right. Make sure you don’t hurt yourself or your husky if your husky tries to pull.
Find a place with less or no traffic when you’re training your husky to run alongside your bike. Your husky should stay on your right side to protect him or her from the traffic. Start slow and take many breaks. Praise your husky when he’s listening to your commands. Use commands like “go” and “stop” and talk with your dog.
Don’t go too far at first. The important thing is to train your husky.
Take a detachable leash for your husky when you’re going cycling together
Take a detachable leash with you because you will need it when you’re stopping for a break. Grab the detachable leash on the harness before you remove the bike attachment leash. This way, you can walk for a bit and let your husky sniff, pee, and drink some water.
My huskies usually have a collar with a leash too. The leash connected to my husky’s collar is much longer than the leash attached to the bike attachment, so he will not feel pressure on his neck if I don’t want it. It’s just a safety measure for us if we encounter unfriendly off-leash dogs. It’s a good safety measure, especially if you’re going cycling alone with your husky. Plenty of people leave their dogs off the leash, and those dogs could run to you and your dog. By doing so, you can get off the bike and detach the attachment leash while you’re holding the collar’s leash that is already on your husky. Your safety and your husky’s safety are important.
I know that we shouldn’t find ourselves in this kind of situations, but the world is not perfect, and we all need to exercise our dogs. You don’t need a collar and a leash on your dog, beside the attachment leash, if your area is safer. Your husky will run beside you with no problems. Still, even if you don’t have this kind of situations to confront, you should have a detachable leash for the water breaks.
Always make sure your husky is safely leashed during the bike ride
Always double-check and make sure your husky is safely and properly leashed to the attachment. You don’t want your dog running in the traffic or chasing a cat or other animals freely.
Find a place where you can go cycling with your husky safely
As I mentioned earlier, there is always the possibility of encountering dogs that are off-leash. And you need to be on top of the situation because it’s your safety and your dog’s safety at risk. But try to find places where there are preferably no off-leash dogs and less traffic so you could enjoy your bike ride with your husky.
Try to find a comfortable pace for your husky
Don’t bike too fast, and find a comfortable pace for your husky. Always keep an eye on your husky and check if he or she is too tired or it’s time for a water break. You can cycle as fast as you can when you’re alone. Don’t push it with your husky. You’re pedaling, and your husky is running. Your husky will try to keep up with you, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.
Try to cycle at the speed of fast walking and keep it that way – think about power-walking speeds. This is not a sprint, it’s a walk with your dog.
Do huskies like bike rides?
Huskies are working dogs, and they like to exercise a lot. I can’t really run as much as my dogs would want, but I’m trying my best, and I’m using the bike also. But not all huskies like to run alongside the bike. Always check with the husky’s veterinarian and ask if your dog can run alongside the bikes.
Don’t make biking with your husky an unpleasant experience for her or him. Especially, at first when you’re training your husky to walk and run alongside your bike. Positive reinforcement methods are the best when you’re training your husky. Treats and praises will make your husky associate the bike ride with something good and fun. If a husky has a rocky start with the bike, it will take even more training for him or her to associate the bicycle with something good and trust you with it.
Some huskies will not find walking or running alongside the bike fun, which is ok. But that’s ok! There are many activities where you can exercise your husky in which both of you can have a good time.
In general, with the proper guidance, huskies enjoy walking and running alongside a bike.
What do I need to have to start biking with my husky?
Bike attachment for your husky to run alongside your bike
You need to find and buy a proper and sturdy bike attachment. I’ve been using this bike attachment from Trixie for almost two years. It’s easy to assemble, and I can easily remove it if I’m going biking without my husky. There are plenty of universal bike attachments. You don’t need a special bike to ride with your husky, so find a bike attachment that can be easily installed. Choose one that is sturdy and can absorb the shock of the pulling. Make sure that there is no possibility of it detaching from your bike if your husky will pull in one side. If you know your husky will pull, if he or she sees a cat, a bird, or other small animals that are found in your area, keep your hands on the brakes and cycle slower. You need to be in control.
A good harness
You need a good harness for your husky. Your husky most likely already has a good harness. If you don’t have a harness, you need to get on for your husky. You can use that harness when you’re going bike riding with your dog if you have the attachment beside your leg/pedal.
Don’t attach the bike attachment to the collar because the trachea can be damaged due to the constantly applied pressure.
I also use a second leash
I also use a longer leash that I grab by the collar beside the bicycle attachment for dogs. Not always, but if it’s the case, I will do that. Yes, I’m extra careful, but plenty of people will let their dogs run free in my area. The leash connected to my husky’s collar is much longer than the leash attached to the bike attachment, so my husky will not feel pressure on his neck if I don’t want it. It’s just a safety measure for us if we encounter unfriendly dogs. The collar leash is also useful when I give my dog direction.
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t use the extra leash always. I don’t need it if I’m going biking with my huskies in a safe area. If you don’t have these kinds of problems, you don’t need the extra leash attached to your husky collar. As I said before, it’s just how I can make sure that we are safe in places where there could be problems.
Always bring a collapsible bowl for water for your husky
Water is important when you’re going biking with your husky. Put one or two bottles of water in your backpack for you and your husky. A collapsible bowl is perfect because you can carry it easily in your backpack or attached to your bike by a carabinier. You can also pack a few treats for your sweet husky. A treat is always welcome. You can take a dog water bottle if you don’t go too far. You can attach it to you with a carabinier or put it on the bike’s bottle holder.
Put in your backpack or in your pocket some poop bags
You need to clean after your husky when you’re taking him for a walk, even when you’re with your bike.
You should walk next to the bike for a few minutes when you’re first taking your husky to walk or run alongside your bike. This way, your husky will poop in peace. If you don’t do this, your husky will try to stop while you’re on the bike. Be sure those breaks work because when mother nature calls, your husky will respond no matter what.
A tip: appoint a “poop zone” for your husky. You can do that if you’re going to stop at the same place along the same route with your husky. My huskies have places where they always poop, so I know to stop there. I put the spare leash on my husky before I detach my husky from the bike attachment. We drink some water and walk for a bit to find the perfect poop place in that area. Here is where the poop bags come in handy. Your husky will want to poo outside because she or he does this when you’re going for a walk.
Don’t forget about bike lights and a reflective vest
Make sure you carry in your backpack a reflective vest for you. You can also carry your husky’s reflective vest if your husky’s harness doesn’t have reflective strips or if you want to be safe. Time flies when you’re having fun, so it might get darker while you’re with your husky outside. If this happens, put the reflective vests on you so that others can easily see you.
We don’t want any accidents. Reflective vests are a must, especially during the cold season. I usually go for a small bike ride with my huskies early in the morning, before sunrise.
As you already know, if you have followed my blog for a while, I have three huskies, and I ride the bike with them one by one in a row. This is why I need to have an early start. Usually, before sunrise. This way, I can exercise them before I have to get to work. I don’t go too far. Usually, I try to make about seven miles with every dog in the morning. I don’t make them run alongside the bike, it’s more like how I would walk faster with them. I let them set the pace so they could feel comfortable. This is when I exercise them before work. When it’s the weekend, and we have more time, and the weather allows us, we take longer bike walks because it is fun for all of us.
Always check your bike lights before you leave the house with your husky
As I said earlier, time flies when you’re having fun. If it’s getting darker while you’re outside with your husky and you need to use the bike lights, they better work. This is why you should check your bike light before biking with your husky.
Don’t forget to check your bicycle brakes before going for a ride with your husky
The breaks need to work when you’re going with your husky for a ride. Always check and see if they work before leaving the house. Especially, if you’re just training your husky to walk or run alongside your bicycle.
Bring a first aid kit with you
A first aid kit is not mandatory when you’re going on a bike ride with your husky, but it can prove to be useful. You never know when an accident could happen. Better safe than sorry. If you’re going on a bike ride near your house, you might not need it. I have an emergency kit on me because we like to go on longer bike rides, and you never know.
Take care of your husky’s paws
Take care of your husky’s paws by putting some paw balm on them. Use dog booties if it’s necessary, and make sure your husky’s paws pads are not injured. Your husky’s paw’s pad can easily get injured during walks on asphalt, running on asphalt or on the trails, or even in your backyard. Moisturize them with a paw balm and get your husky happy and healthy. Wash your husky’s paws before you apply the balm.
How far can you bike with your husky?
Huskies need training just like people do. They don’t just get up one day and run fast and much. Your husky’s stamina depends on how much exercise has been done before, age, weight, health, and the outside temperature. You need to be patient and let your husky walk beside your bike and not run, until he or she gets in shape, builds muscle, and increases stamina. Always check how your husky’s doing and see if he or she isn’t tired.
Your husky’s paw’s pads also need to get used to the longer and faster walk if he or she hasn’t done this type of exercise before. This has to be a fun activity for both of you. You can sprint and go as far as you can when it’s just you or if you’re caring for your husky on a bike trailer.
Start slow and don’t go too far from home. Try 10 – 15 minutes in the first week and see how your husky will feel next week. Don’t make your dog run alongside your bike from the first week. A fast pace alternated with a slower pace is perfect at first and even after. Don’t rush the progress. We don’t get up one day and run a marathon, so neither would your husky. Start training and exercise him or her. Make sure your husky will run alongside your bike only when she or he can do that without putting your dog’s health at risk. Even if you just let your husky fast walk alongside your bike is still a workout, and your dog will thank you with lots of smiles.
My experience bicycling with my huskies
I mentioned earlier that I take my huskies to walk and run alongside my bike when the temperature is below 60°F (15°C). These temperatures are starting in my area from late September until May sometimes. We didn’t have so much snow in the last four winters, so we went on many bike rides together. My huskies enjoy running alongside the bike, but they started slowly, with some fast walking, or even just relaxed walking.
Loki, one of my huskies, was extra hyped about running alongside the bike from the first moment. I just had to exercise with him on when to stop, go slower or faster and change the direction. He responds well to my commands when he is on a leash, so there were no problems.
With Nuria, it was a different story. She wouldn’t want to see the bike at first, and she would not even walk when I put the attachment’s leash on her harness. I placed the spare leash on her harness and unbuckled the attachment leash. I walked with her along the bike a few streets, and we returned home. She was scared of the bike, but she learned there was nothing to fear. We tried the next morning again, and she started to walk without any problems.
Zen, my third husky, was a bit different because he was scared of the bike’s sounds but wanted to walk and even run alongside the bike. He just turned one year, so we went for a little stroll. Just to get him used to the bike for future rides. This year he will be able to walk and run alongside me more.
My opinion on biking with your husky
For my huskies, running and walking alongside my bike is fun. I always look at them and take breaks to drink water and walk. If you’re wondering if it’s fun, I must say it is. Especially when the temperature is low. The important thing is to be a safe and fun activity for you and your husky. You will see if your husky wants to go slower, if he or she wants to go faster, to stop and pee, or just to stop. Don’t go too fast.
Even if your husky just has a fast pace, it’s faster than how you usually walk him or her so a bike could help you keep up with them.
You can go biking with your husky if your husky is comfortable and he or she enjoys biking with you. Know your husky, be realistic when you’re thinking about how much exercise he or she had before going on a bike ride with you. Ten or fifteen minutes with your husky walking or running alongside your bike are enough in the first week if you didn’t jog or run with your husky.
This was a longer article, but I hope it answers all of your questions about how can you go cycling with your husky. Let me know your biking experience with your dog or if you are thinking about trying this fun activity with your husky.
