As a family we are biking the Devon coast-to-coast.
20+ miles a day, c50 miles on road with c50 miles on road plus any diversions that take our fancy.

The dog will do at least double anything we do.

Dog owners doing big mileages: What is you opinion on the need for dog shoes/boots?

She is a lightly built Tibettan Terrier and does a couple of miles a day on the road running with my wife on her bike.

Er, don't dogs already come fitted with "shoes"?

DTFU, now that's funny.

Seriously though, that's a seriously long way for a dog, particularly on multiple days. Hopefully she's up to it and hopefully it won't be too hot. You're going to have to think seriously about hydration, nutrition and a training regime for the dog.

Just remember, your dog will follow you everywhere, literally until it dies. I know this will be a fun family holiday, just have a think whether it's the best thing for your dog.

Also, dog, with bikes, on the road, it's difficult to do safely.

Maybe talk it over with your vet / vet nurse to make sure you're doing the best thing.

Driller

+1

Driller +2

That is way too much for a dog to be doing.

That's too far. Get a trailer and stick the dog in it.

"Lightly built"
It will have to work harder if it has shoes on, perhaps that will be the main problem.
But a dog running lots of miles on hard groud will suffer with arthritus in old age.

yeah driller is right!
a dog will run till it drops dead, its built into them that getting left behind the pack is as good as dead anyway and you are the pack! i would be worried about de-hydration/fatigue more then his/her feet.
my lab is not fit young enough to run with me anymore at nine yrs (very sad/sulky looks every time i get the bike out) although my old collie ran with the bike up till 12 yrs- but he was hard as nails

One vet says "yes" to shoes and so does Mrs imp(she's dying to get them AND a waterproof!)
Dog is used to riding with Mrs imp every day.

The hydration and cooling is a good point. The kids are not racers and we will be doing the speed of the slowest so I think she will be OK on that front.
Training up for her (and the kids(and me with the ruddy trailer)) has commenced!

Trouble is if a dog gets injured it does not stop and tell you, it keeps on running and will do so until it collapses in a heap, no indicators of tiredness or fatigue, just run…….stop.

That's too much tarmac. I've seen a dog with red raw pads from walking, not running, on tarmac for way lass than that distance.

On your head be it!

All things in moderation – Tarmac is very abrasive but off road on soil and grass is less so – I would also think too much running could eventually take its toll and you could be looking at early onset dejenerative joint disease (DJD) and long term anti-inflammatory drugs!

(opinion of another vet)

If it was my dog it would be spending the time in kennels or with a relative – 100 miles in 5 days is to much IMO.

People – surely some working dogs do that sort of mileage a day every day of their lives? How about sled dogs?

If I were the OP tho I would both get the boots and have some way of carrying the dog if it gets tired

A mate with a (well trained) dog came out with us a few times bike riding – when it decided we were going too fast for it it just slowed to a walk and made us wait for him. It was a lurcher and would trot all day at around 10 mph and hit the best part of 30 MPH sprinting – but more than 100 yards at above 10 mph it just slowed to a walk and made us wait.

The distance is far too much.

Like above, the dog will run then collapse with no warning.

Yes working dogs can do that distance although I doubt it day in day out. What you have to consider is have you seen a 10 year old working dog – How many have DJD? 🙄 But we are only taking a few days here so…..

I think people are assuming I am driving a Husky team here.
It will be VERY gentle! 20 miles/day and not in one hit.And not in five hits, probably.
Anyone done anything like this before?(The holliday not the getting slammed as cruel Bastid)

I don't think people are suggesting you would be cruel maybe just irresponsible – again All things in moderation dude 🙂

In theory for a week if a dog owner was considerate, not too fast, the dog was fit, lots of rests I wouldn't think its a problem 🙂 A lot of walkers take their dogs on 20mile a day hikes etc…

HOWEVER the problem is that you say she does 2 miles a day with your wife so your going from 2 miles to 20+ miles – If you only cycled 2 miles a day then cycled 20 miles for a few days I would think you would find it tough or get an injury no?

At the end of the day it is up to you to take the risk with the dogs health.

Thats way too far… It might be able to do it, as said it may drop down dead. Certainly won't be able to do it the following day. I wouldn't want to do that sort of distance with my working dog and that really works hard!

Trailer for the dog?

Or Monitor nutritional needs and have good insurance for hip replacements!

agreeing with others here… +100 miles / 5 days is way to much for mr.pooch
he may do it but I think you'd wind up with a lame dog the next week.

as far as the original question… I bought booties for my Malamute when we used to go hiking but he always walked out of them no matter how many different ways I tried to fit them they would wind up trailside before long. ( n.b. – that was over 20 years ago so maybe bootie technology has improved. )

Terriers – would seem a long way for such a dog. But a Malamute – don't they do sled-pulling for more miles than that day in day out normally?

But a Malamute – don't they do sled-pulling for more miles than that day in day out normally?

Yea…. In the snow, not 20°C temperatures.

One of our dogs had the boots, needed some convincing to keep them on, and her feet would sweat loads and that was just around the house.

IIRC it's got to drop below something like -20 before malmutes can run all day. Above that they're just like any other dog in so much that a human can run them to collapse.

No idea about the booties, but if she runs 2 miles a day at the moment and you're thinking of multiplying that distance by 10, ask yourself if you could comfortably run 10 times further than you're used to for 5 days in a row?

How far the dog should go will depend on all sorts of things, distance, number of rests and the speed you are going at. Also on the size and fitness of your dog

My dog will regularly do a 12 mile evening ride with and keep up with me all the way, but I am always make sure the route crosses lots of streams she gets well watered and fed etc. She loves it, and also I know from experience that when she has had enough she will just slow down, and make me wait for her. I have found from experience that the 12 mile loop is about her limit before she starts slowing, so thats what I stick with, if I'm going further then I won't take her.

20 miles a day for 5 days, well its possible, but I wouldn't do it myself. 20 miles for the first day prob ok, the second day.. perhaps, but by the third day be prepared to be going at walking speed or carrying said dog.

Just had a look on t'web and plenty of people have walked the Wainwright C2C(200 miles) with their dogs so I am quite confident it won't hurt her – tire her yes.
They do mention sore paws towards the end of the trip.
They do not mention death by exhaustion.

Just checked and the vet told my wife today(who explained the whole trip to him while he examined the dog) that the distance was no problem and that boots would be a good idea to have in reserve or for occasional use.

I might get some panniers for her, now I know that.

I might get some panniers for her, now I know that.

😆

Don't forget doggy cammelback

walked the Wainwright C2C(200 miles)

There in is your answer, walking vs cycling, spot the difference ?

My dog enjoys running with the bikes but i've found she gets sore feet very quickly on tarmac – it acts like a pumice stone and strips the paws.

I have been considering some of these link

We took our staffie cross to CyB (during the week and met no one on the trails). He loved it although the flinty surface did cause a couple of nicks to his pads. He didn't slow down at all, it was only that we notice his gait change after a while.

Anyway, we got him some RuffWear boots from the states. Breathable mesh uppers, Vibram soles, really nice. He didn't like them, often threw them when running and after more than a few minutes, they would start to rub the tops of his paws. WE tried infant socks inthem to stop the rubbing but then it was really hard to keep them stable.

I think they work for rescue dogs and the like but the speed is lower and often the ground harsher. I don't think Bailey liked them at all.

Onzadog – you might have saved me some money there! My collie had no problems with a few days at CyB but she hates the tarmac path at the end of Afan's Whites Level.

I'd say the potential problem is speed not distance. We have 2 collies and I've had the older one up the West Highland Way (95 miles over 4 days) without a problem. However, I'd be much more hesitant about making either of them follow me on the bike for 20 miles, unless I was going to be very disciplined about speed.

The other thing is building up to the distance – we've just had our youngest collie do 20 miles off road for the first time last week, but she's been building up to that since we got her as a pup.

If you're really prepared to bimble along – and I mean fat boy on a Halford's special bimble along, not ProTour peleton bimble along – then I guess it might be okay, but I'd be inclined to be pretty conservative where my dog's long term well being was concerned.

How about getting a Bob trailer and encouraging the dog to ride on that for spells to give their paws a break?

what's the terrain going to be like? I found the more savage the terrain, the happier the dog was. On a steep climb, he got chance to recover as I was really slow. On the way down, he just went as fast as he could. On flatter such, the aveage pace3 was too much for him.

Phi & Onza
They are the ones Mrs imp has her eye on! Vibram soles FFS!!

Its a Staffy by the looks of it on the advert – just before he rips them off and eats them! And that's my worry.

Just to reitterate we will be bimbling along at my daughters SLOW pace, stopping for a swim, icecream, dinner, cream tea etc and doing 20 miles in a whole day. I now believe that she will NOT do double as she will be on the lead when we are on the roads and the cycle tracks will not allow her free roaming.

Thanks for the input – especially from those who have real experience on the subject.

Muddy
That was Mrs imp's idea too.

Didnt the "Littlest Hobo" do hundreds of miles a week on his travels ?

"Ruff wear boots" love it. 😀

Anything similar for cats?

Shoes/wee dog/big mileage/tarmac/safety of dog and others

I know this is going to sound really weird but why dont you just put the thing in the kennels for a week?