Undoubtedly, rollerblading is an exciting exercise and even more fun if you go rollerblading with a dog. It’s not only an exciting exercise for you and your dog, but also an incredible way of bonding with your dog and keeping him fit and healthy. During rollerblading, you potentially make your dog to run fast, so your dog can get exercised next to you. So in essence, rollerblading with husky or dog is a good thing.
Rollerblading With a Husky
If you must rollerblade with husky in the best possible way, you might want him to get accustomed to a few commands and change the way he thinks. Huskies are not just like any other dog, they are incredibly intelligent and worse of it all, they are assumed to have predatory instincts. That’s why many people are so afraid of them. They don’t know what to expect of them, especially if they are unhappy or pained.
However, a husky appreciates or loves to follow a strong leader. If he sees that you are in charge and you are leading him well, he will more than obedient to follow you and will do anything to make you feel appreciative of him.
Dog Training: How Do You Teach a Dog to Rollerblade
Just so that you know, you aren’t the only one who want his dog to exercise by rollerblading with you. It’s exciting, having your pet run or walk beside you. However, there are few points you must know as regards rollerblading with your dog. These points will make sure that your goal of rollerblading with your dog becomes a success.
First of all, you must change the way he thinks. A husky is a pack dog and as one, he needs to belong to your pack. He needs to be able to run next to you without causing any distractions. Forming an understanding partnership with your dog is key to rollerblading with him.
To achieve this, your dog needs to undergo some obedience and leash training.
Obedience Training
Obedience training is great for rollerblading because it will help the dog to familiarize and interact better, especially with other dogs and humans. They would be able to learn basic commands and help the owner to develop a relationship with the dog, known as alpha relationship.
Talking about alpha relationship, enabling your dog take the alpha position is a way of making your dog realize that you are dependable, reliable, and a leader that will provide food and security for him. If your husky realizes that you are in control of every situation, he will be more obedient to you and receptive to any training that you give him. The more time you teach him taking this position, the better your chances of getting him to listen and obey you completely during further trainings.
Leash Training
When it comes to rollerblading with a husky, this training is vital. If you are having difficulties walking your dog on a leash, it’s because he probably doesn’t know the leash rules or what you mean when you pull the leash back or when you pull it forward. Be patient when teaching your dog the leash rules. Don’t rush him and make sure he is always calm because if he is calm, he will respond better to your commands.
So How Do You Teach a Dog to Rollerblade?
You will require rollerblades. However, it’s possible to train your dog without heels. Since it’s rollerblading with a dog, you will need a leash – something that will give you total control and movement over your dog. Training your dog will take time, so be patient so that both you and your dog will be safe. Don’t expect to just mount on your roller skates or blades and go on a rollerblading adventure with your dog.
- Be sure that you train your dog with basic commands such as stopping, running, squatting or sitting, etc. Like we said, you can send your dog to obedience school to learn obedience commands. Practice these commands with your dog since you both will be rollerblading together.
- Pick a short leash that will keep your dog in close proximity. Practicing on a short or tight leash is vital and part of learning the basics. You can go longer if you have mastered some techniques.
- Get your rollerblades on and ready. Hold your leashed dog close to you and start to skate. Skate in an area that is surrounded with less people. The area should be comfortable and without any traffic.
- Use the commands that you have practiced with your husky while rollerblading. This will test his knowledge and then, you will know if your dog is up to the task or not. Make him stop, sit, move, wait, heel, repeatedly. Also, practice the ‘leave it command’ by pulling the leash backwards.
- If your husky is familiarized with the exercise, you can increase the distance you both travel together on your rollerblades, but if he is yet to get acquainted with some commands, take it slow again and start from the beginning. Practice the obedience commands till he is acquainted with them.
- If you are sure that your husky is conversant with all the obedience commands and leash training, you might want to let him go off the leash to run while you are rollerblading. This is a symbol of trust and he will see that you trust him to let him go.
Any Dangers of Rollerblading With a Husky?
Only a few inline skaters go about rollerblading in the morning with a leash on their huskies. While these inline skaters see this as a good way to workup the dog and have a nice sprint together, a vast majority of others see it as a dangerous ‘venture’. They believe that rollerblading with a dog is not only a hazard to themselves, but to other pedestrians.
Sometimes, the skater may not have complete control over the skates and the dog, and as such, the dog may go rogue, rebellious, and become a danger. This happens very often if the skater wants to make a quick turn to the left or right. Because the skater is holding the leash, you can trip over and injure both yourself and the dog when you are in the middle of either saving yourself from falling and being hurt or falling on your dog and injuring him.
During the course of falling, you will put the bystanders at risk of getting accidentally injured because they may not be aware that you are rollerblading with a husky from behind. The action may happen in a matter of seconds and they may have little to no time of saving themselves from the impending danger.
Many rollerblading experts have no solid evidence to backup the claims that rollerblading and dogs is a good mix. However, they all agreed on one thing, which is you shouldn’t attempt to rollerblade alongside your dog if you aren’t skilled enough to handle the danger, pressure, and whatever that’s associated with engaging in the activity.
Dogs easily get carried away, especially if there are some squirrels or cats to chase down the road. This sight can distract them and may put you in harms way if you are not skilled. Also, they should have confidence that their dogs are totally obedient to them irrespective of the circumstances.
Safety Tips
Before you go about rollerblading with your dog, you need to think about some safety issues. First thing first, one of the essential precautions to take is acquiring some skillet in dog training and rollerblading. Take lessons from a certified instructor on how to skate while avoiding any danger and obstacles. It might look so simple avoiding obstacles while rollerblading, but with a dog, it’s different. You have two entities to control at the same time and this can make you or anyone trip if the required skill set is not there.
Next is to wear the recommended protective gear – a helmet, wrist guard, knee pads, elbow pads, etc. This is not just important for skaters who leash their dogs, but for all skaters generally. Most injuries that are sustained during skating come as a result of being underprepared, and overconfident. Part of it is not wearing a protective gear.
Stay alert and skate smart. Obey traffic regulations to avoid any hazard and follow pedestrian rules.
If you must rollerblade with your husky, then you must make sure that you do it in an area that’s less busy. Probably an area with low or no vehicular movements. You should also rollerblade with your dog in an area with fewer people, so as to avoid any problem or unpredictable circumstances. The best time to rollerblade with your dog is in the morning. During this time, there is less vehicular movements and human movements.
The leash on your dog should be slightly longer than normal. The longer the leash, the better at it giving you any warning if your dog should take any unexpected turn. This will give you the time to save him from impending danger. Avoid putting a leash on your dog that’s too tight.
Keep your dog hydrated and know when your dog is tired to run further with you. Only run to a level that you are both comfortable with.
If the weather is hotter than normal, keep the run short or better still, don’t take your dog with you. Just like every other dog, huskies perspire through their feet and if the ground is too hot, they won’t be able to breathe or cool down.
And if your dog is showing any sign of being sick, don’t hesitate to take him to the vet. If he is having troubles getting down on his feet, it could be that he has worn them out as a result of running constantly. This sign is a common running-related injury. You can either take him to a vet or purchase a Pad Guard. A Pad Guard is a spray that is applied directly to a dog’s feet to protect them from getting worn-out during running.
Finally, remember to train your dog to learn some basic commands. Many skaters are tripped by the leash because the dog simply doesn’t understand when to stop, when to walk, when to run, or when to take a direction. We have explained the steps to train your dog in this post.
Conclusion
Off-road rollerblading with your dog can be one amazing experience that you will forever be grateful for. It has amazing benefits to both you and the dog and will go a long way in instilling positive behaviors in the dog.
However, training your dog to be obedient and to rollerblade with you requires consistency and some levels of commitment. This is very essential for the husky. You will need to go over the rules and commands time and time again until he gets used to them.
Set boundaries and make him know that. Let it be consistent, else it will get him confused. If anyone wants to go off-road rollerblading with your dog, make sure he or she is familiar with the rules – what he can do and what he can’t, where he can be and where he can’t. Knowing all these will ensure that your dog is in the best behavior and that he won’t try anything funny while you are rollerblading with him.
