What is canicross, bikejor and dog scootering?
Canicross is cross country running with your dog, Bikejor is mountain biking cross country with your dog attached to the bike and Dog Scootering is attaching your dog to a specially designed off road scooter and being along by your dog/s, 'scooting' with one leg at a time to help your dog/s. The sports originate from sled dog sports but now have a much wider appeal with all breeds of dog taking part from Daschunds to Great Danes. More people are discovering the benefits of running, biking or scootering with their dog, some of which can be found below:
The Benefits
Health – for both you and your dog, and this can be split into two categories...
Physical - getting regular exercise helps to keep your and your canine friend fit throughout the year. If you need motivation to get active, then having a dog is a great reason. The number of overweight people in the UK is rapidly increasing and the same is true for dogs. Figures from recent studies show that as many as half of all dogs will be overweight by 2022. Obesity is linked with diabetes, orthopaedic disease, heart disease, respiratory distress, high blood pressure, skin diseases & cancer (much the same as in people) so what are you waiting for?!
Mental (Behaviour) – running, biking or scootering with your dog gives your dog a ‘job’ to do. We live in a society where there are too many pet dogs being re-homed because their owners don’t understand they have taken a working dog into their home and don’t realise the level of stimulation these dogs will need to keep them from displaying unwanted and often destructive behaviours. If you give your dog an outlet for the energy they naturally need to burn off, then you will have a much happier animal for it.
Other benefits include:
Bonding – your dog will appreciate any time you spend participating in activity with them. Dogs are companion animals and by training with your dog, you will effectively be building a closer bond between you which can also help with training in other aspects of behaviour around the home.
Fun – aside from the physical and mental benefits of getting outside to participate in dog sports, the ultimate reason for doing anything in your precious spare time is to have fun.
Social – as the active dog sports grow in the UK and more people discover how much fun the sports are, there is a growing number of groups being set up to allow like minded people to get together to train.
Canicross is cross country running with your dog, Bikejor is mountain biking cross country with your dog attached to the bike and Dog Scootering is attaching your dog to a specially designed off road scooter and being along by your dog/s, 'scooting' with one leg at a time to help your dog/s. The sports originate from sled dog sports but now have a much wider appeal with all breeds of dog taking part from Daschunds to Great Danes. More people are discovering the benefits of running, biking or scootering with their dog, some of which can be found below:
The Benefits
Health – for both you and your dog, and this can be split into two categories...
Physical - getting regular exercise helps to keep your and your canine friend fit throughout the year. If you need motivation to get active, then having a dog is a great reason. The number of overweight people in the UK is rapidly increasing and the same is true for dogs. Figures from recent studies show that as many as half of all dogs will be overweight by 2022. Obesity is linked with diabetes, orthopaedic disease, heart disease, respiratory distress, high blood pressure, skin diseases & cancer (much the same as in people) so what are you waiting for?!
Mental (Behaviour) – running, biking or scootering with your dog gives your dog a ‘job’ to do. We live in a society where there are too many pet dogs being re-homed because their owners don’t understand they have taken a working dog into their home and don’t realise the level of stimulation these dogs will need to keep them from displaying unwanted and often destructive behaviours. If you give your dog an outlet for the energy they naturally need to burn off, then you will have a much happier animal for it.
Other benefits include:
Bonding – your dog will appreciate any time you spend participating in activity with them. Dogs are companion animals and by training with your dog, you will effectively be building a closer bond between you which can also help with training in other aspects of behaviour around the home.
Fun – aside from the physical and mental benefits of getting outside to participate in dog sports, the ultimate reason for doing anything in your precious spare time is to have fun.
Social – as the active dog sports grow in the UK and more people discover how much fun the sports are, there is a growing number of groups being set up to allow like minded people to get together to train.
