Thoughts on the Springer Bicycle Jogger?

I have one. Baily wears a harness.  He took too it right away and wasn't afraid at all.  However, doing nothing but jogging alongside the bike is just about the most boring thing in the world to him.  He only goes 2.5 miles an hour !  We don't use it any more.

How old is Simba?  I forget.  If he's not 1 year old yet, it might be a good idea to wait a bit.  When you do bike with him, start slow and short...and work up to longer distances.  Go somewhere with a dirt or grass path, pavement of any type is hard on their joints and paws.

Hopefully, he'll LOVE it waaaaaay more than Baily did!

I wasn't sure what you were talking about so I had to google it.

Secondly, the clamp for the Walky Dog is removable and much easier to install. I believe the Springer has Glue involved, though I'm not certain. The extra clamps for other bikes are cheaper too. As is the entire thing actually.

Thirdly, the Walky Dog can be taken off the bike and used as a sort of stiff leash if you say ride to the store or somewhere you can take your dog into.

There are 3 settings on the Walky Dog, for different sized dogs. The strongest setting is supposed to be good enough for Malamutes and Mastiff type dogs, so I'm thinking most any dog should be ok.

Depending on how your dog walks on a leash would decide what to use. I'd use a collar for my dogs. Simply because they walk nicely on a collar, but in harness, they pull because that's what our harnesses are for. I don't need them to pull me on the bike. Its kinda scary, btdt. At full out, Crusher can run way way faster than I can peddle and I don't need to give him that much leeway. He can still pull ahead a bit with his collar, but at least I can haul him back if he starts to really pick it up.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. Hope it helps.

ETA: I was looking at your sig and it says Simba is under a year? Is that correct? If it is, I would for now, just do casual walks and light runs OFF pavement. If you have a dirt path to run on, or grass, that's best. But take it easy until he's around 18+ months.

 I have had both the Springer and the Walky Dog. I preferred the Walky Dog. I didn't like the way the springer stuck out, and that it is still glued out on my bike. I didn't like that it would break away either, because the dog I had and used it with would not have come back if she had broken off. We modified it to keep her from breaking away. The springer seemed to stick out in an annoying way too, and wasn't easy to get off the bike when I didn't have the dog with me. The Walky dog was very easy to remove if I didn't have a dog, or if I needed to let the dog off for some reason.

I also was injured on the Springer, but never the Walky Dog. The spring absolutely won't keep the dog from pulling you over. My dog tried to go towards a fence with other dogs, she pulled hard, and I fell over with the bike. I was under the bike, and barely missed hitting my head against the sidewalk. I luckily hit the grass, and did have a helmet on. If your dog is at all reactive, just don't do it I think. 

I would definitely run him on a harness if I were using this. I would also specify that this harness have double straps on the belly, not just a cheapy harness with a single belly strap. The ruffwear harness with the handle on the back is a good one. I say that because I had a dog who would get flipped out of his harness on a quick stop or start. That second strap keeps the harness from flipping. 
Oh yeah, don't run with him yet, he's too young. If you get it now, just hook him up and walk to get him used to being attached to something. You may also need to get him used to being on a bike like that, or bikes in general.

 Thanks guys! I'll suggest the walkydog to my mom. Yes he's currently 7 months, 8 next week. If he's only a medium sized dog, would I still have to wait 1 1/2 years to get him started on heavy running and such? I really don't think he'll be getting much bigger.

Ive used both, and I MUCH perfer the walky dog. The design is better, its easier to use, and safer for both human and dog IMO.

punkchica321

 Thanks guys! I'll suggest the walkydog to my mom. Yes he's currently 7 months, 8 next week. If he's only a medium sized dog, would I still have to wait 1 1/2 years to get him started on heavy running and such? I really don't think he'll be getting much bigger.

I would wait until hes at least a year. Till then, you can get the walky dog and start getting him used to it, and do very short runs up and down the street. I wouldnt do anything longer than that though, he is STILL a puppy, and still not done growing. DONT let him go into a full run on the pavement, keep him at a trot. 

 I bought the Walkydog thing for my niece and she loves it - I picked it over the Springer because of how easily it attaches.  For her getting someone to 'install' the Springer would have taken ages. (I'm 600 miles away)

Andrea I am not sure how much Simba weighs now but I believe Bugsy was nearly 80lbs at 8 mos, was low 90's at 1 and is now a trim 105 - which he reached at about 2 ish.  It is much better to err on the side of safety with regard to their growth.  I would only do jogging/biking for short distances and on grass until he is 15mos.  Let his growth plates finish and him get a bit more mature physically.  In the mean time you can get him accustomed to the bike and being next to it and running single track next to it or you.  Work on some simple commands - we have a Fast!, Slow!, and Stop! that help us navigate.

I use a Webmaster harness for biking as the attachment on the top is ideal.  I wouldn't use a collar connection because even though we haven't had any issues I wouldn't want his neck to be the contact point if we crashed.

Lastly it is a lot of fun - I let Bugsy sprint and he is way faster than I can get my mountain bike to go so I just let him pull me. Its outrageous!

Always wear a helmet!

kpwlee

Lastly it is a lot of fun - I let Bugsy sprint and he is way faster than I can get my mountain bike to go so I just let him pull me. Its outrageous!

this. lol 

Ruby loves the Springer...we have a different brand, but basically the same idea.  She does wear a harness, because there have been a few times I have had to stop kind of fast if a car is coming up too fast...or something like that, and I don't want to jerk on her collar.  Stewie will have no part of it.  He's my little "Sunday Walker".  He doesn't want to run on walks...just stroll along and check out all the things going on around him.  So I would say just make sure your dog likes to "run" with you first...Stewie likes to play fetch and run...but not on a leash.  I'm wanting to train him more...but he's still pretty young...so I don't want to run him TOO much.  Maybe this fall he'll take to it a bit better.

 Thanks for advice/suggestion guys! Kpwlee Simba currently weighs about 45 pounds. And yep I'm definitely wearing a helmet HAHA!

 Wow he is much smaller than you originally thought he would be right?  Anyway I do think it is still a good idea to limit things until he is 15 mos or so

Have fun!!

 Yeah he is! I was hoping he'd be bigger but that's okay. :P And I will wait. We've got other things to help get this energy out, my mom got a backpack for him today and we're getting a trendmill.