Hi all- well in my quest to 'get into’my new way of doing things i want to start taking the dogs out on angus (my mob scooter)- well not literally on it- hopefully beside it- but knowing Seamus he’ll want to drive.
as they will be new to this my thoughts were to just ride around at home on it with them out with me so they get used to it and then go out with the kids walking the dog next to me and then as they seem more confident at walking beside it-hand the lead over to me.
ive got 2 to walk, and was planning on doing them seperaly as i thought it would be impossible to do both at once-
any advice and thoughts would be most welcome-
Angus has been sat up in the shed for the past year because ive been to chicken to get out on him-but hoping i can pluck up the courage to just do it.
Get your a** out on that scooter!! I have one dog (3 yr old Irish Setter, Murphy), when my scooter came, the first thing I did, even before adding the chrome effect flames, was take Murphy out for a walk. He was a bit wary at first, but ignored it after 5 mins, he was more interested in pottering about sniffing than what I was doing. I walk him on an 8m extending lead, so he has a bit of play to either bounce about like a fool (normal behaviour for an Irish Setter) or stop for a minute while I keep going. I rein him in if I need to, and make sure that on each walk, for a wee bit, he is on a short lead jogging along beside me. Not sure how you’ll manage 2 dogs though, you need at least one hand to control the scooter, but Campion told me that she takes 3 dogs out with her scooter by attaching the leads to the scooter itself - she’ll maybe reply to you and explain it better than I can. Take the scooter out by itself to make sure you’re comfortable driving it, then get those dogs out, whether you walk them separately or together, you’ll work it out. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be missing being able to walk your dogs - the scooter will give that pleasure back to you, you’ll be fine, and I’m sure you’ll wonder what the fuss was about!
Oh yeh, get old angus out for an airing. maybe hell need a little check up first, so as to make sure he doesnt have a hiccup on your journey.
Good thinking re riding him round the garden and allowing the dogs to get used to him.
When out on my scooter or wheelie, our Lucy (toy poodle) refuses point blank to walk besdie me. She prefers to sit on my lap and watch the world go by.
Cheers loves- i know its awful isnt it- he has been sat waiting for me to give my self permission to have m.s
he’ll be getting a service as soon as my money from the business comes through
I used to lead and ride with the horses- have only ever lead one and rode one but a friend used to ride and lead two!!
i was going to go on the principle of the preasure halters i used to lead with and get halties for them both -
Seamus is scared to death of angus at the moment so will be leaving them in the garden together to get aquanted- poppy how ever thinks its brilliant and just leaps at me
a very springy springer, a bassett, me and angus-
well we will raise a smile im sure
there is only one neighbour i dont want to pass- they make me feel really horrible and seem to think im somewhere near my deathbed as im out on angus
i know its stupid ( i really am quite a tough cookie) but it just take s all the confidence ive mustered to go out and crumples it- i dont really get on with them anyway- long story but they like to stand at their front gate and tell everyone their opinion-i have even caught them stopping cars to tell people some ‘gossip’ when my friend was having a hard time- and back along they started speading stuff about me-
if they have something they think needs saying they will also ring the poor offending party and give their opinion but it seems they dont have the guts to do that to me and prefere to spread horrible rubbish around the neighbours instead.
the only reason they wont ring is because they know the response they will get- was thinking of sending them a box set of corrie to keep them occupied
sorry went completely off on a tangent then- hadnt realised it was bothering me so much.
I thought it would take my little dog some time to get used to the scooter but he was great from the get go. He already walked very well on the lead – didn’t pull or weave about so I guess that made it easy. Turning left was a problem at first because you’re turning into the dog but he soon leaned to respond to a slight pressure on the lead and step away. He’s not very good when I reverse so I get him to sit on the foot bed so I can see where he is. He also sits on there if we have to go through town as he gets a bit fazed by lots of people and traffic.
I like to hold the lead in my left hand but you can also tie to the machine (not the handles though in case they pull you off track. ) It’s also easy to off lead in the Park and now I can keep up when he takes off at speed.
I’ve only got a tiny dog (shih tzu) but I’ve met people walking labs and an Irish Wolfhound on their scooters. I don’t think you need to practice a home but taking the kids for the first time is a good idea. I go out everyday and do about 2 miles (far enough for 6 inch legs!) and to be honest it’s probably what gets me up when I’m feeling crap.
My scooter is a very heavy one - Tramper - so l can tie the dogs on without any chance of them pulling it over. l take my two rotties out - once in the fields l let them off but they usually just run beside me - unless they pick up the scent of rabbits or deer. They will spend ages going round and round with their noses to the ground following the scent of something - even when l can see rabbits watching them - they still keep nose to the ground. As soon as they know l have changed direction and leaving them they start running after their ‘mum’. l have a whistle - and lots of smoked sausage or bits of chicken for treats. l find dry biscuits do not attract them as well as something soft and smelly.
Last week - l met a lady with a cairn terrier. The owner was not well enough to take it for a good walk - so l hitched it on to the scooter - as she trotted along with my rottie dog Bruno. He was very proud of his new friend - and strode along with his head in the air. The little cairn trotted beside him - sometimes underneath him. She did keep plunging after squirrels and birds - while Bruno just ignores everything when he is on the lead. But this little dog took to the scooter in no time. l usually have one lead that connects to the ‘Happy at heel harness’ fixed to the scooter - and another on the collar. This one l hold in my hand so that l can pull them closer in if neccessary. l do have a lightweight scooter - but it would not be any good for taking the dogs out. lt is not stable enough - and it does not have ‘arms’ - be ok to take a small dog. My daughters bull-terrier soon gets puffed out - and the lazy thing will lie over the running board with head and front paws stickin out one side and back feet sticking out the other. When he was a little pup - l would take him out sat inbetween my feet - then let him run once in the fields.
lts my animals that give me a good reason to get out of bed in the mornings - ducks/hens - dogs cats ponies [ and a ferret] When l had several ferrets - l have taken some of them out on their harnesses - tuck them inside my jacket - and let them run along in the woods/fields.
l spend nearly all my time - either feeding/mucking out/ exercising/ collecting eggs filling water bowls.lt takes your mind off all your problems when you have animals to care for. They never argue/complain always happy and excited to see you. Without my scooter-l would be a lost soul.
Hi Frances, I knew you`d be along to reply to this post, regailing us all with your wonderful stories of dogs, tramper and other animals. What a fab life you have!
I don’t know how large your dogs are but my little Jack Russell used to sit by my feet on my scooter. Mind you, she had gone blind by this time, don’t know if it would have been that easy when she had her sight, it worked perfectly for us she did have a little walk by my side and when she got tired she just hopped up onto the buggy.
I hope you get the confidence to use your scooter, i have only just plucked up the courage to buy and use one, i orderd it online last sunday,after a few months of debating wether to get one or not, well i did, and i am so pleased i did, the 1st time i used it i felt fine, and wonderd WHY has it taken me so long .hold your chin up girl, and get out there with your beloved dogs,and dont give those nasty neighbours your head space,they so are not woth it, who cares what people like them think,i feel sorry for them, they must be sooooooooooo unhappy.
I’ve got no advice , but my thoughts will be with you , I’m just about to face the same challenge , I’ve had my scooter for ages but have never tried dog walking , just got a pup a few days ago and I’m waiting for the innoculations to kick in before we go out and about , I’m hoping to feel less of a plonker going out with a dog LOL , though to be honest the way he’s chewing his new rubber bone just now I won’t have any tyres left after 100 metres !
Hi John, congratulations on getting your puppy - it’ll be sensible to train him to walk on one side of you when you take him out - my one walks on my left and this makes walking him when I’m on the scooter a bit easier and less hazardous than if he was all over the place. Also, the command “wait” will be useful for when you need him to not be galloping off, eg when picking up after him (value nappy bags are the cheapest, don’t bother with proper poop bags), or crossing roads, etc
thanks Luisa, I’m looking forward to it all , though it’ll be a while before we get going properly , I hadn’t thought about the perils of poop scooping etc, we’re pretty much out in the countryside with no paths and lots of single track lanes , so it’ll be an experience
I take my two dogs out with my scooter and they love it. I loop their leads over the arm rests of the scooter, one on either side, and they run along happily beside me. I have even trained them to turn on command so they don’t get run over
Sam, who runs on the left, responds really well to the command, “Sam turn” with a left moving wave of my hand and veers away from the scooter when I am going left and Harry does the same to the right. They have both been trained to sit when the scooter stops and it is great fun going out with them. Gets lots of smiles from other pedestrians as well.
I take a water bottle with me with a built in drink bowl for them
and keep a couple of plastic bags in the basket in case of toilet breaks. But I have never needed the bags as my dogs never seem to poop while out and about.
thanks all - your replies have given me a real boost-
good luck John- What sort of puppy have you bought?
Seamus and Poppy are a bassett and a spaniel
we have 3 others - a very old spaniel who just likes to mooch about the place- when we walk in the fields she sits at the edge and watches and waits for us to come back- bless her and we have 2 farm terriers, they are with me all day and are happy tearing around the fields-the kids ride around the garden on Angus with the terriers on him and now as soon as they see him they jump on.
Frances your place sounds like mine- id looked at the tramper but it was a bit out of my budget at the time- I have a Breeze 3 and I love it-
my son- being the pro active lad he is- has been to get angus from the shed- next thing we see- just angus driving slowly pass the window- my son was sat in the foot well.
a hairy german shepherd pup , , we’ve still got an oldish border collie too , but the old girl’s hearing is shall we say selective LOL , so the pup will be the new head of security , essential in our rural outposts sadly , I’ve got a heavy duty scooter (pride legend XL8) , but I guess he’ll turn into a mini horse with the strength to match so I’ll probably be skiing at times in the years to come , x