Riding on bikes with dogs...

It's like that move, Riding in Cars with Boys, but better.

I don't know what it is, but over the last few weeks there has been a major influx of people at the fairgrounds with dogs. Now, we're really lucky that the fair board lets people take their dogs there to let them run off leash (as long as they don't chase the racehorses when they're being conditioned), but it irks me that most of the people who do bring their dogs have absolutely no control over them. And this isn't a dog park, just a humongous area next to a semi-busy highway. Beyond the fact that it's rude to other people and dogs when you can't call your away from them, it's dangerous around roads! When I take Izzy and Mollie down we stay well away from the road and Izzy has a rock solid recall (Mollie sticks to me like glue there), and even further from other people and their dogs.

/semi off-topic mini rant.

Well, since this massive influx I've decided to stop taking her to the fairgrounds, it makes me nervous when there are a lot of other dogs there, I don't trust anybody in my town with their dogs (except the old man who practices advanced obedience with his bloodhound there *applauds*), and it sets Izzy on edge. So we'll do obedience at the park and stay away from the huge, open spaced, perfect walking distance from my house, fairgrounds. *le sigh*

I thought maybe she'd be fine with two walks a day. Hah! Not!
She has become a real PITA, I don't see how people can live with under exercised dogs for years on end. Just over a week with Izzy and I'm ready to start ripping my hair out. It doesn't help that since she's started eating raw she has a lot more energy than before. Nuisance barking, being pushy for attention, going into a frenzy when dogs are walking by outside. In a week. My dogs are nuts.

So, the solution is...riding a bike! Well, the solution is actually Izzy running along said bike. We went last night for the first time. I had thought she might be scared of going alongside the bike, but she was fine. I stretched her out and away we went, fast. I took her on the long line and stuck the 6 ft. lead in Nike bag, she had her flyball harness on so she was all about laying into the lead. She's part husky, I swear, pulling is one of her favorite pastimes and one of my most hated.

I held the leash in my left hand (she probably had about 10-12 feet of line) and the handlebar/brake in the other. I wasn't pedaling and was riding the brakes and we were still moving at a good pace. She's strong for a 16 lb dog! I wonder if she's the first bikejoring corgi? We only went for about 1/4 of a mile because it was getting dark, but she was still worked up and ready to go when we got home.

This morning we went again and it didn't go as smoothly as last night. I took her around the block first walking so she would go potty, which she did, and then put her in her harness and on her 6 foot lead so she would run beside me instead of in front. She pulled a bit at first but eventually settled in beside me. Our problems came when she decided she had to go to the bathroom again and tried to stop with no warning *rolls eyes* So she stopped and I kept going and she got a good jerk on her harness before my reflexes caught up to my brain and I dropped the leash. She has a good recall and I knew as long as she was taking a crap she wasn't going to be going anywhere :p

She crapped and off we went again. Our next problem was when we were waiting for the walk sign to cross the street and somebody had a dog halfway out the window who was barking like crazy. So my genius dog decides the annoying dog in the car must die and she doesn't have time to run around my bike to get to it, she'll just go through my wheel. Oh, but wait, there's metal spokes there dumbass! Yup, she ran head first into the metal spokes of a stopped bike. *dramatic sigh* For a smart dog she can sure be dumb. She was fine but it's got me worried that she'll act like an idiot if we see a dog that reacts while we're going faster.

Anyway, I'm not sure how far we went today but she was good and tired when we got home. Finally, some peace and quiet around here.

P.S. (like in middle school notes), I just wanted to say that I wouldn't run out and just hook up any dog to a bike like this. I know it's dangerous and I wouldn't do it with Frodo or Mollie or pretty much any dog that I know other than Izzy. She has excellent spacial awareness for when I turn the bike and adjust speeds. We've been going slow, most of the time she's at a quick trot until we're both used to it.

/P.S.

Don't wanna.

I don't wanna spend $60 on flea and tick meds for the dogs this month. :/
I could feed the dogs for over a month with that amount of money. I could buy over 30 delicious TAZO drinks from Starbucks. I could pay for the majority of a flyball class. I could buy new collars. I could buy a book for college. I could buy a training book. I could do a lot with that money, but instead I'm stuck buying chemicals to put on my dogs (and cat). Hmph.

I don't understand where the fleas keep coming from?! The dogs get them, I treat the house, and they come back. I hate it! I was hoping the raw food would make it so I didn't need to buy the chemicals, as I know it does for a lot of people, but apparently I am not one of these people. Unfortunately. I'm thinking maybe I pick them up from one of the dogs I dogsit for? Who knows...

And it's not even just the money that irks me about it. I'm trying to do things as naturally as possible with the animals, from their food to shoveling out money for titers instead of vaccines, blah blah blah. I don't like that I'm putting these chemicals on them and it's soaking into their skin, it can't be good for them! But if I don't Izzy and Inky will bite and scratch until they are bald, Frodo and Mollie aren't much better. They are miserable when they have fleas.

Exhibit A:
Miserable Frodo
(okay, so this isn't him with fleas as much as it is him wanting to go for a walk.)

I really need to go pick up some today though.