How much is too much, biking with huskamute

Ok well as you know we have invested in a walkydog for the bike. Kismet is absolutely loving it... But how much can she do? I don't want to over do it....

Kismet is 17 months old, she's in good health and good fitness. Currently we don't cycle everyday, but on a day when we do her exercise routine is... 30 min walk and trot about on the extendy lead in the morning.. Then in the afternoon/ evening we do round the block out to a field, trotting (or boinging) to the end of the road, then a good 'hike on' to the end of the next road, then settle in to a fair canter pace to the field, (about 2 more blocks away)don't know the exact distances but think average sort of suburban block lengths... Then she comes off the bike and onto her extending lead for 30 mins to cool down and potter about on the field, she has a wee, does her business and has a drink.. Then we mount up again for the ride back home... Again, fast as she likes for a road length then slowing and cooling down and finally trotting the last stretch home...

Once we get in, she has a drink. then plays in the garden for a bit with a ball to warm down, just kicking it about a bit... Then usually collapses somewhere cool for about 10 mins or so completely shattered...

We did this today at 6.30, it was cooling down and with a breeze it seemed cool enough for a run... It's now 9pm and she's got her second wind and is having a fit of the zoomies around the living room and garden...

So.. what can she handle?

How far and how much should a 17 month old husky/malamute cross pup pull?

She loves it and it's clearly not doing her any visible harm, but it's a new addition to her exercise routine and I'm not sure where it fits in... Is it the equivalent of her long walk (1 1/2 hr over to the big fields including a 30 min off lead ball game, mouse hunt and chase with Pharaoh)... or the equivalent of her morning runs, walk round the block to the little field and potter about on the extending lead... If she has a bike run.. what other exercise does she need in the day?

At the moment I use the bike pull walks instead of her long walk... so she has morning and bike rather than morning and long walk, but she seems to have some energy to spare at the end of the day. So I'm wondering if I got that right?

I'd love some advice from the husky/ mal experts...

We start our sibes off very short distances @ about 12 months with running in front of the bike. we have a springer device i sometimes use with 1 dog too. We increased the distance each time we ran them, ours only do about 4 miles max as not racing dogs, just run for fun. This time of year we take them out @ about 5am & 9pm depending on the temperature/ humidity. This is walks or morning runs but lately not been able to get them out much. We run ours with the bike maybe once or twice a week when cooler in the summer. More winter months. I would run kismet maybe once a week starting as i said above short distances to start & increase the distance but do watch the temperature, ours don't run in harness if temp is above 12 degrees. Also be careful if running on concrete as it is hard on the joints try to run on grass/ tracks if possible. Watch her closely so she dosen't overdo the distance you run her. If she keeps trotting then the distance is probably too far & she dosen't yet have the stamina to lope for long (canter).

The temperature watch is a good idea. I think I'll invest in a garden thermometer and be more scientific with my judgement of temperature...

I might have to actually measure the distances we're doing at the moment... See what she's doing...

Clearly I need to apply some science to this problem

Yes its just that thick, double fur coat will warm them up quicker than you think even if it feels cool to us.

Ok. Thanks to the wonders of Google earth I have measured our run... It is only 1 mile round trip on the bike and obviously a bit free running and pottering on the field. I could do a longer ride, but at the moment this seems to be about right, she tired when she gets back but not fall over exhausted...

Too far? Not far enough...

At 17 months her growth plates will have closed so you can do whatever mileage you want to as long as she is capable of doing it

As Rose has stated, I would start her on 1 mile rides and then slowly progress from there, you can then build up to any distance you want to. Our boy was training and running 12 miles with my OH before we started to compete with him and adjust his training. He would take the scooter and the dog and a bag of food and be out in the forest all day, finding new adventures.

I will echo what Rose has said though and warn about running dogs on tarmac roads, it does no favours to their joints and can damage them. A small bit of tarmac on your way to a grassy trail is ok though. Make sure you take out plenty of water with you aswell so you can giver her a drink.

Im glad you and Kismet are enjoying your sessions

The path we take allows me to be on the pavement while kismet runs along the grass verge! so seems perfect... as she gets better and the weather gets cooler, I think I might try taking her over to the woods and really see what we can do...

Thanks for the info about growth plates I was worried that she may still be too young

I'll see if I can get a better video of her so you can see how she is doing and let me know if she's running well or there are any problems

Mine are only small dogs but I do between 2 and 3 miles a day. In this hot weather I have been doing a mile in the morning and a mile and a half about 8.30pm.

One other thing is to wear a helmet huni
xxx

hmmm... I do usually wear a helmet, but as i think it makes me look a bit of an eejit I took it off for the video Knee and elbow pads all seem a bit too far if you ask me... But if we start going to the woods, I might invest