# exercise for my poodle and me



## Cadency (Apr 4, 2017)

I have osteoarthritis in both knees and a bone spur in my left hip. It flares up often without notice. So when this happens, even an extended walk is difficult / painful for me. So I jump on my bike in order to keep my joints moving without extra weight stress on my joints, and I take Aiden along. Aiden loves being able to really go, something he can't do on our walks. I'm thinking, win-win - he gets better exercise and so do I, because he's moving faster and I'm going further, with no pain. But, as I'm riding past one of the neighbours sitting out on his front porch, he says, "Taking the lazy way out, I see."
Wait, what?!


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

A simple, "No" should suffice. Judgey much, sitting on the porch? The lazy way which both my DH and I had the misfortune to witness was a man driving a truck, smoking while his dogs ran alongside. Off leash, of course.


----------



## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

Too bad he had to be judgemental. Way to go for taking Aiden out even though you were in pain!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I used to get comments like that all the time when I was riding horseback. Hah, I don't know how many muscles you use to ride a horse, but I do know that a lot of muscles ache when you are done riding. I didn't hear Aiden complaining about the bike ride, and his opinion is a lot more important than Mr. Porch Sitter. Honestly though, the guy was probably just trying to be friendly, but he has forgotten how to do it.


----------



## rj16 (Jan 30, 2017)

Some people.... Since when is riding a bike lazy? 

That sounds like the perfect setup for you!


----------



## Beautiful Blue (Apr 24, 2017)

Charmed said:


> I used to get comments like that all the time when I was riding horseback. Hah, I don't know how many muscles you use to ride a horse, but I do know that a lot of muscles ache when you are done riding. I didn't hear Aiden complaining about the bike ride, and his opinion is a lot more important than Mr. Porch Sitter. Honestly though, the guy was probably just trying to be friendly, but he has forgotten how to do it.


That was my reaction as well. Just a neighborly comment - something to call out to make conversation. No offense meant.

Have any of you trained your dog to walk a treadmill? Too dangerous? I have one that (sadly) doesn't get much use. I thought maybe in the winter it would be a good for both of us.


----------



## Cadency (Apr 4, 2017)

Thanks everyone. I think you are probably right: he was just trying to be friendly/funny. I was being a bit too sensitive.
My neighbours to the left of our house have a doodle that they had trained to walk/run on a treadmill last winter. Apparently it did help him expend some extra energy when it was too cold or the weather was too miserable to go out. Although I don't see them walking him outside all that much anyway, even if the weather is good. 
I do know that he shouldn't be left alone while he is on it, because stuff can happen with anything motorized. machine malfunction, dog tiring and no longer able to keep up the pace, tripping, etc.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Hahaha! Pay no attention to porched people sitting on their a&$es .....bike riding is probably more than he can do! I WISH I could still ride a bike! I us a mobility scooter and my girl is an expert at trotting along side of me, or if she gets tired jumping aboard and sitting at my feet! NOW THAT'S what I would call 'the lazy way out'.......for both of us! LOL!


----------



## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Think its great that you and Aiden go biking together, sounds like a lot of fun for you both. To heck with the noisy neighbor - fly on!


----------



## ozmommi (Nov 13, 2017)

BTW, love the name Aiden. I too have osteoarthritis and need a knee replacement a year ago. My poor Standard puppy, no matter how fast I walk, is at an awkward slow walk. He is 4 months old and his legs are a mile long. He is going to be a very big boy. I want to ride the bike with him, but had an accident a few years back when a dog I was riding with crossed in front of the bike to chase a squirrel and now I am gun "bike" shy. I was thinking of looking into one of those 3 wheeled low profile bikes. The rider is in a reclined position. I don't know the correct name of them. Has anyone tried one of this bikes? I need to pick up the speed and distance. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Mfmst said:


> A simple, "No" should suffice. Judgey much, sitting on the porch? The lazy way which both my DH and I had the misfortune to witness was a man driving a truck, smoking while his dogs ran alongside. Off leash, of course.


Agreed!


----------



## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

Cadency said:


> "Taking the lazy way out, I see."
> Wait, what?!


In my case it was the lazy way out! My Giant Schnauzer pulled. Once coming out of my driveway he was going so fast my bike went over, I picked it up got back on and off we went. When he finally slowed enough that I started trying to peddle I discovered that the chain had come off when we crashed. I looked at the odometer, we had gone a mile and a quarter. I put the chain back on and off we went again. We would go three miles to the lake, he would jump in off the dock and cool off, then we would go home again. I miss him so much, when I try to bike now I don't get very far without his help. It's very hilly where I live.


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

ozmommi said:


> BTW, love the name Aiden. I too have osteoarthritis and need a knee replacement a year ago. My poor Standard puppy, no matter how fast I walk, is at an awkward slow walk. He is 4 months old and his legs are a mile long. He is going to be a very big boy. I want to ride the bike with him, but had an accident a few years back when a dog I was riding with crossed in front of the bike to chase a squirrel and now I am gun "bike" shy. I was thinking of looking into one of those 3 wheeled low profile bikes. The rider is in a reclined position. I don't know the correct name of them. Has anyone tried one of this bikes? I need to pick up the speed and distance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Google adult tricycles and you’ll find bikes with three wheels where you sit up high similar to a two wheel bike. They do take up more room in the garage than a regular bike but so do those recliner bikes. Someone near us rides a recumbent bicycle with his lab in our neighborhood and I hate driving near them because the guy is so low to the ground that I don’t think he sees what’s going on around him well.


----------



## ozmommi (Nov 13, 2017)

They are low, I worry that drivers won't see them well. And as far as garaging them goes, I just converted my garage into my art studio and I can't find a place to put anything. I didnt think it out very well other than I really really wanted/needed a studio! 
We want what we want and by God I'm gonna get it at this stage in life.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## ozmommi (Nov 13, 2017)

What a regal giant Schnauzer! I worked with one years ago and fell in love with them. I know you must miss him. He is beautiful.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

Riding a bike is an excellent way of giving by ourself and your dog exercise. Please don’t let a judge mental man ruin it for you. He obviously is ignorant on these matters. Be proud of yourself for finding a way to keep both of you fit. Kudos!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

Skylar said:


> Google adult tricycles and you’ll find bikes with three wheels where you sit up high similar to a two wheel bike. They do take up more room in the garage than a regular bike but so do those recliner bikes. Someone near us rides a recumbent bicycle with his lab in our neighborhood and I hate driving near them because the guy is so low to the ground that I don’t think he sees what’s going on around him well.






It is a recluse bike. Good choice!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

I need to add... I adopted a toy poodle when he was 7 years old. The rescue lady told me he walked well on just a leash and collar. I was ignorant. The first time I did it, he started choking. The vet said he had a collapsing trachea caused by leash and collar. Please use a harness on your baby.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Grannyhorsesitter (Dec 17, 2019)

ozmommi said:


> BTW, love the name Aiden. I too have osteoarthritis and need a knee replacement a year ago. My poor Standard puppy, no matter how fast I walk, is at an awkward slow walk. He is 4 months old and his legs are a mile long. He is going to be a very big boy. I want to ride the bike with him, but had an accident a few years back when a dog I was riding with crossed in front of the bike to chase a squirrel and now I am gun "bike" shy. I was thinking of looking into one of those 3 wheeled low profile bikes. The rider is in a reclined position. I don't know the correct name of them. Has anyone tried one of this bikes? I need to pick up the speed and distance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


They're called recumbent bikes and I wish I could afford one! I have a 4 1/2 month old standard and she's a big girl already. I've been really careful about her jumping off furniture but since we live at a horse facility and also gave 10 old cows to care for she's not lacking for things to do. She also has two doggie sisters and one doggie brother along with 5 barn cats to stay busy with. She follows me most mormons and evenings along side the UTV I hail feed on to the outside horses. It's not a looking run but she really enjoys it. I'm careful to go slow as much to not run over her as to not over exert her at her age. I raised Rotties years ago and we had to be careful of them with hip and shoulder dysplasia being an issue same as Standards. I have bad knees so speedy games are out for me. Now one of my dogs is a 5 year old mutt toy aussie that has been a canine Energizer bunny and these two stay very, very busy while I do chores, water and clean up manure and haul it off, about 3 hors mornings and 45 min. evenings. There's no fenced yard, open spaces in county, so exercise available every time they go out for potty call. The older dogs have been a blessing for her to play with and naps are plentiful between rounds of chase the cat and harass the other dog. We work on leash training and general manners and play fetch too. She "helps" me drain the water hoses, gives the horses hay, tails to a couple who don't hate her and is trying to figure out how to make the cows move on command and how to catch gophers. She's a busy girl and keeps this old lady busy. There will be more formal real training a time goes by but the weather is a big issue as I live in a 26' bumper pull travel trailer her at the barn and space is at a premium not allowing for inside activities other than eating and sleeping and staying warm right now. Spring and summer will be welcome. When my Emma is in "ON" mode she's really active and happy, bouncy, but when we flip the switch to relax mode she can crash for hours completely zoned out unless the driveway alarm goes off! Another switch to guard mode. Life's gonna be very interesting with her in it!


----------



## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

glad things are working out well for you and your girl. You brought back some faded memories. My SIL had a standard poodle, she was a mess behavior wise. My lil thought wow I'd never have another. They were living in a suburban home at the time. Jobs changed and they ended up in another state with more open space. SIL was bored day in an out with her children all now in school so they bought an old chicken farm. Eventually moved on it and began to raise boiler chickens. Her poodle thrived and became a constant and great companion. As time went on she protected the chicken houses rom predators, ran alongside the horses as her children developed a love for them. She lived a very long and healthy life and was a great asset and companion.


----------

