Dog Scooters

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Dog scootering is a sport where one or more dogs pull a human riding an unmotorized kick scooter. It is similar to mushing, which is done in the winter, but generally with fewer dogs and with a scooter instead of a dogsled. The dogs wear the same harnesses that sled dogs wear, and are hooked to the scooter with a gangline. The gangline usually incorporates a bungie to smooth out the shocks of speeding up and takeoff. Most of the same commands are used, although dog scooterers tend to be more relaxed about their commands, sometimes using "right" and "left" instead of "gee" and "haw", for example.

Scooter

The scooter is generally unmotorized, and has mountain-bike-style tires ranging from 16" to 26". These are not razor-type scooters, which would be dangerous in this sport. The scooters incorporate mountain-bike-style brakes and have a large footboard to stand on and kick off from. The scooters are occasionally called kick bikes because they are not yet largely marketed for the sport of dog scootering, although Pawtrekkers have a 'brushbow' attachment on the front to protect the dogs from the wheel and to provide an ideal pulling position for connecting the ganglines. Some of the newer scooters also incorporate front shocks similar to mountain bikes to absorb bumps better.

An alternative is to use a bicycle instead of a scooter. This is seen as a more dangerous alternative, as it is more difficult to dismount a bicycle in an emergency. This alternative sport of harnessing dogs to a bicycle is known as bikejoring.

Harness Types

There have been new developments in harnesses, and many owners who scooter prefer the multi-sport (also called Urban Trails) harness; a harness that is similar to an H-style harness found in stores, but with a specially fitted neck (ZIMA design) and a tighter fit on the girth. This harness has been found to take pressure off the dogs back, and allows for better extension, and curvature of the dogs' back. It is especially useful for shorter dogs whose gangline goes upward towards the point of attachment. It is also useful for dogs who excel at backing out of their X-Back harnesses. There is also a newer design on the Multi-sport harness, called a Y-Back or Hybrid Performance harness. It allows for a straight line back from the harness to the hitching point, and can be used for many different sports. These harnesses can be found on sites such as Adanacsleds.com, Dogscooter.com and Pawtrekker.com (UK, Canada and USA)

Breeds That can Pull

This sport is open to many dogs, from Huskies, to Great Danes, and Schnauzers to Pit Bulls. Any dog over 30 lbs can pull a scooter, but smaller dogs in teams can also be used. The smaller the dog, the more you will have to help out on hills and rough spots. All dogs, regardless of size, must be slowly worked into fitness, along with their owners. Don't expect to run the Iditarod in your first month! There is often an adjustment period for the dog's paws, and they may bleed initially if on a longer run, until they toughen up to pavement. The owner should ALWAYS carry booties along for cuts and abrasions, as well as a bottle of New Skin which seals over the cut and prevents infection

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