# Anyone used dog trailers?



## NeilnrLincoln (10 Mar 2016)

Hi all.
We are shortly getting a dog (Spaniel), as we do a lot of cycling as a family I'd like to take him with us, obviously it'd be lovely if he ran perfectly alongside the bike but I feel that would end in tears as he'd either knock one of us off or run into the spokes or similar.
I've been looking at dog trailers so I can tow him behind my bike, does anyone have any experience of using one to know what they're like to use?
The ones I've seen mount onto the rear wheel axle & in the pic it shows a nutted axle, all my bikes are standard q/r skewer fitting, would this be suitable for towing a trailer?
Thanks.
Neil.


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## Drago (10 Mar 2016)

I've thought about modifying a child trailer to carry my lab.


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## raleighnut (10 Mar 2016)

You need one that fits on with a clamp to the non-drive side chainstay/rear fork although they don't work with disc brakes. the bolt on ones wouldn't be safe on a QR axle.
My trailer has this,


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## MontyVeda (10 Mar 2016)

my friend's dad (a very clever man) made a dog trailer for Bucket (a Lancashire tripe hound). It was a box on two wheels with a four point harness*. Bucket could face forward or back and lay down and as far as anyone could tell, she was more than happy in the trailer. The box had some suspension but whether that improved Bucket's comfort or not i don't know.

*I think the harness was off-the-shelf rather than hand made (like the rest of the trailer).


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## raleighnut (10 Mar 2016)

This is available to convert some trailers







http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/alternat...timate-hardware-trailer-clamp-type-prod17829/


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## Phaeton (10 Mar 2016)

If you can get him/her to run alongside, it is possible, many do, (I presume off road) please be careful on the distance/speed you do when they are young, you can do damage to their muscle development if you overdo it. Unlike humans they do not stop when t starts to hurt they stop when they can no longer continue. There is a guy near me that takes his Spaniel out with him on his mountain bike, the dog is very young & I feel that he rides too fast for it to be healthy for the dog.


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## Drago (10 Mar 2016)

Yeah, dogs should only have 5 minutes of strenuous exercise for every month of age up to adulthood, and beyond that Exercise Induced Collapsed Syndrome can be a dangerous problem for some breeds. A trailer sounds the perfect solution.


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## Crackle (10 Mar 2016)

I've been thinking about one as well. Not sure I'd get mine in though. You can train them to run alongside. The advice is to wait until their joints are fully formed before doing longer stuff but you can certainly train them in the meantime. I taught mine 'Move!" meant get out the way sharpish, handy when mtn biking and to drop to heel on command, whereupon he'd develop a perfect muddy stripe from the tip of his nose over the back of his head!

Unfortunately a tendon in his foot has gone slightly and his paw has spread. This generally doesn't bother him but does over longer distances running or regular shorter runs, hence thinking about a trailer too.


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## voyager (10 Mar 2016)

I have seen several "adapted " kiddie type trailers with dogs aboard along the esplanade in Brighton ,the dogs seem content , and they have been seen to jump back in so they must be relatively happy .
most seem to tow on the left hand chainstay with a bracket .

regards emma


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## Phaeton (10 Mar 2016)

voyager said:


> the dogs seem content , and they have been seen to jump back in so they must be relatively happy


I think if you take this as their way of telling you, if you have to 'command' them back in then it's not for them.


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## Siclo (10 Mar 2016)

I trained our last dog, a collie, to run alongside using one of these http://www.walky.co.uk/walky-dog-range.html , he learnt where he was supposed to be pretty quick and it gave a useful option for when in busy area's. Don't attach it to your bling carbon frame though. The new dog, a whippet, is rubbish at it though, wants to do 30 mph for half a mile then is cream crackered, she's going to have to have a trailer.


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## Phaeton (11 Mar 2016)

They are not as expensive as I thought they were going to be


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## gasinayr (12 Mar 2016)

Our Springer Spaniel is now thirteen and can't walk a far as she used to so we got her as trailer last year. She walks as far as she can then we put her into the trailer to let us get a longer walk. The trailer we got is a " Doggy Hut " from Amazon. It converts into a bike trailer and I have used it with my mountail bike with quick release wheels and disk brakes no problem. The fixing goes onto the Qr skewer at the near side then the trailer fits with pin through the fixing bracket.


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## gasinayr (12 Mar 2016)

In the above photo, the trailer arm folds under the buggy when used as a stroller. To convert to trailer, remove front wheel and push handle and swing trailer arm out and lock in position. As you see whoever fitted the drink bowl put it at the right height ! Price was £105.00 on Amazon and they come in three sizes.
" Cori is modeling the medium size "


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## ufkacbln (12 Mar 2016)

voyager said:


> I have seen several "adapted " kiddie type trailers with dogs aboard along the esplanade in Brighton ,the dogs seem content , and they have been seen to jump back in so they must be relatively happy .
> most seem to tow on the left hand chainstay with a bracket .
> 
> regards emma



So it doesn't interfere with the dérailleur on the right


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## ufkacbln (12 Mar 2016)

I vaguely remember that dogs prefer a solid base to a trailer rather than material


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## voyager (12 Mar 2016)

so fit a thin ply base , to make the bottom firm and cover with carpet lots of cheap kiddies trailers on gumtree and other selling pages


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## NeilnrLincoln (14 Mar 2016)

Do you get a longer q/r skewer with the trailer? Does it feel secure enough fastened on by the skewer? My bikes all have skewers but the photos of this trailer show it held on by nutted axle, that's why I was concerned about the strength of it.


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## voyager (14 Mar 2016)

Most trailers don't supply a qr spindle as fittings would vary from bike to bike 

I have towed my model aircraft trailer 4ft x 2 ft x 1ft deep on a piece of angle iron behind the standard qr on my road bike and I fabricated a bracket for the trikes without problems which fitted to the mudguard / rack mounts on the rear triangle .

My trailer was built from 1.2mm 40x20 square tubing ( still in pink powder coat ) from a bed frame with a 5mm ply base , 300mm Upvc sides and ex-wheelchair qr wheels . if require a tarp can be used as a tilt to cover it if the weather gets bad or a wind/weather shield 
The towbar was made from a redundant car trackrod end and a cranked tv aerial pole The two main rails bolted together and spaced with tube from the same bedframe and studding rather that weld up the frame 
the interior I sprayed with matt black paint and the underneath sprayed with car body underseal to seal the ply from water ..
total cost was about £25 and a mornings work and a couple of hours scrounging bits .

I also use the trailer for collecting logs/ scrap timber for the wood burner behind the e-trike  .

Fitting any ( ready built or home-made ) trailer to a bike / trike does require a little thought and a few ounces of common sense .

.. ....... ......

regards emma


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## gasinayr (14 Mar 2016)

NeilnrLincoln said:


> Do you get a longer q/r skewer with the trailer? Does it feel secure enough fastened on by the skewer? My bikes all have skewers but the photos of this trailer show it held on by nutted axle, that's why I was concerned about the strength of it.



I use the standard skewer with my Trek 6000 disc mountain bike. Used it for more that a year now without any problems. I had the same concern before I bought Cori's trailer so I went to the LBS for advise. Owner told me he used similar trailer for his children without any issues. Good enough for me !


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## shouldbeinbed (14 Mar 2016)

A wee bit of careful introdction and on/off lead (if trusted off lead) training and I imagine you can have him/her running beside you quite happily. my 3 greyhounds have all taken to it very readily - 2 of them aren't 100% off lead unless in an enclosed area so running them their long lead on my bike gives them the chance to stretch their legs closer to their fast pace rather than mine - I've never had an off or had them cross the front of the bike, they seem to know it'll be a disaster that they'll come off badly in a collision and even my off lead one will keep a steady 3-4 feet distance beside me, they are good with slow down and stop commands to bring into a safe sensible conclusion too. 

I'm lucky I've got a good length of straight, clear visibility, barely used, wide off road path to run them on tho.


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## newfhouse (16 Mar 2016)

I've never towed one behind my bike, but have carried a dog in a trailer


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## NeilnrLincoln (17 Mar 2016)

Well, I've bought one of the medium doggyhut ones, same as gasinayr's but without the stroller attachments. Took the little fella for a quick try out last night, only did a mile so I could see how he is with it & he seemed to really enjoy it. By the time we got to the end of our road he was just laid down looking out of the windows.


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## gasinayr (17 Mar 2016)

All's well that ends well. Hope you both have a long and happy life together.


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## Hicky (8 Apr 2016)

In the past month I've started taking my spaniel out. Ive waited till he's 19 months. It's been a long wait and I waited till he was 12 months before running. He's what you call part trained(in trialing terms) i now can have him out with the whole family and he doesn't get in the way. Be aware to buildup to any exersize, I've two(bitch n dog) the bitch take much longer to "get up to speed" in fitness. However it's all the joy of having a pooch.


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## Hicky (8 Apr 2016)

The downside of a working cocker is he likes water....any chance to jump in, ever!


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## Puddles (21 Apr 2016)

Calling @coffeejo Snipe does lurve the bike trailer lots doesn't she? If I recall she is very vocal in one....


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## coffeejo (22 Apr 2016)

Puddles said:


> Calling @coffeejo Snipe does lurve the bike trailer lots doesn't she? If I recall she is very vocal in one....


Not taken her out in it for a couple of years as the permissive path was closed. It's reopened but I'm yet to sort out the trailer's flat tyres. But yes, "vocal" is one way of putting it...


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## gasinayr (22 Apr 2016)

Just packed Cori's Doggyhut into car along with all her other goodies, bike rack on and a half pint shandy in boot. Bikes on rack in the morning and off to Arran for a week. Yeh Man!


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## florencethnurse (5 Aug 2018)

Just found this thread, am considering a trailer for our middle aged westie, I have a bike with quick release wheels so the ones that hitch onto the wheel nuts may be complicated I can’t seem to find any with the clamp style hitch anyone got a clue...


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## Drago (5 Aug 2018)

Would a Westie be strong enough to pull a trailer?


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## raleighnut (6 Aug 2018)

florencethnurse said:


> Just found this thread, am considering a trailer for our middle aged westie, I have a bike with quick release wheels so the ones that hitch onto the wheel nuts may be complicated I can’t seem to find any with the clamp style hitch anyone got a clue...



View: https://youtu.be/Acv-LOqK7nY


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## Phaeton (6 Aug 2018)

Why would you insert from the bottom, I would always put the pin/bolt in from the top, so that if the retaining mechanism comes away the pin/bolt stays in place


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## Fab Foodie (6 Aug 2018)

Siclo said:


> I trained our last dog, a collie, to run alongside using one of these http://www.walky.co.uk/walky-dog-range.html , he learnt where he was supposed to be pretty quick and it gave a useful option for when in busy area's. Don't attach it to your bling carbon frame though. The new dog, a whippet, is rubbish at it though, wants to do 30 mph for half a mile then is cream crackered, she's going to have to have a trailer.


We pick-up Basil our Whippet in a few weeks time!
Pics pls!!!!
@Hill Wimp

... you do know that Whippets aren’t too smart don’t you?


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## florencethnurse (6 Aug 2018)

raleighnut said:


> View: https://youtu.be/Acv-LOqK7nY



Thanks for this I thought it was really complicated but now I can choose a trailer without worrying ....


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## tom73 (6 Aug 2018)

Drago said:


> Would a Westie be strong enough to pull a trailer?


hehe Not this one but our last one was up for anything age was nothing to him he ran ring's round dog's lot younger


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## Hill Wimp (6 Aug 2018)

Fab Foodie said:


> We pick-up Basil our Whippet in a few weeks time!
> Pics pls!!!!
> @Hill Wimp
> 
> ... you do know that Whippets aren’t too smart don’t you?


I'm not tempting fate . Once we know he is ours then I will post his picture.


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## Fab Foodie (7 Aug 2018)

Hill Wimp said:


> I'm not tempting fate . Once we know he is ours then I will post his picture.


Oops, I meant pics of @Siclo Whippet!


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## Siclo (7 Aug 2018)

Fab Foodie said:


> Oops, I meant pics of @Siclo Whippet!







That's Pip on a Corbett, no photo's of the walky dog in action I'm afraid


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## potsy (7 Aug 2018)

Fab Foodie said:


> We pick-up Basil our Whippet in a few weeks time!
> Pics pls!!!!
> @Hill Wimp
> 
> ... you do know that Whippets aren’t too smart don’t you?


A perfect match for wimpy then?


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## raleighnut (7 Aug 2018)

potsy said:


> A perfect match for wimpy then?


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## Hill Wimp (7 Aug 2018)

potsy said:


> A perfect match for wimpy then?


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## Time Waster (19 Aug 2018)

Not read through everything so has the op sorted his dog trailer issues out? 

For my tuppeneth worth of comments I would say Burley do a good trailer hitch suitable for qr rear axles. I've used it without issues for a two seater child trailer for years. On and off road. Their dog trailer is just as good and very similar to their child trailers.

There's always the weber hitch that's possibly the best trailer hitch out there. 

If a small spaniel (you never gave the breed I think) a bar or rear rack box is possible. Getting up to 6kg and the bar based one is possibly too heavy a dog even if they rate it for higher weights.

There's a series of bikejoring kits that have a bar attached to the bike and a short, adjustable lead attached to it by a spring. The dog runs alongside the bike but cannot run into pedals or bike. Some attach to bars which is a bad thing for training your dog to use it. If they run off after a scent you're off too. It's better with a seat post mounted version.

Best option is to train your dog to run without anything If it's a dog capable of running at bike speed (don't go fast) .

We've got a lovely young border terrier that's always run alongside our bike without issues at all. They're a terrier breed bred for running with hounds and horses so I guess it's in their genetics.

5 minutes per month is good advice but it's not universal. Our terror never bothered with it. 7 months old it finished nearly an hour's walk with a two hour mad hour running around the house causing trouble. We have learnt to read our dog and play it safe when the signs showing she's feeling it a bit. We won't get a bikejoring kit until 2 years old I think and tbh it is not necessarily needed.

Good luck with your dog and bike riding trips. It's fun when you get it right for you and dog


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## Fab Foodie (19 Aug 2018)

Thinking of a medium one of these when Basil is up to size.

Any thoughts?

https://www.easyanimal.co.uk/solvit-houndabout-stroller-bicycle-trailer-ii.html#.W3m3K6TTWEc


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## Salty seadog (19 Aug 2018)

Fab Foodie said:


> Thinking of a medium one of these when Basil is up to size.
> 
> *Any thoughts*?
> 
> ...



I'm not sure you'd fit comfortably in the enclosed setup, I have seen this though which may suit better....


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