Dog Trailers recommendation – help.

We are just about to get a dog ( approx. 15kg) and looking at getting a trailer for use on road rides and occasional gravel paths.  Does anyone have any recommendations –  maybe SW should do a test

How much are you expecting a 15kg dog to pull? Is it a Huski?

She is a labradoodle ,  expert in stealing food and sleeping.

Can’t speak from experience because my dog goes in a basket up front but if you’re taking it off road then a single wheel trailer is probably best. If you search for dogs on Bikepacking.com there’s a few examples of peoples set ups.

I have a mate with a labradoodle, he’s 35+kg if anything. Are you thinking of keeping this one miniature? My dog is only just shy of 30 and she’s far smaller than he is too, also too bonkers to have in a trailer I’d imagine.

Labradoodle in a trailer!? Mad!

Make it walk or leave it at home.

My brother got one from Zooplus for his very spoiled sprocker spaniel. He says it works fine for travelling to the park with dog, kids, etc.

I’m just glad the dog didn’t have the springer and cocker spaniel parents the other way round!

 if you’re taking it off road then a single wheel trailer is probably best. If you search for dogs on Bikepacking.com there’s a few examples of peoples set ups.

I’d go 2 wheel, single wheel trailers really don’t tow well with a high COG . 2 wheel trailers you barely notice they’re there other than the weight/drag.

Labradoodle in a trailer!? Mad!

Make it walk or leave it at home.

They’ve been bred as guide dogs for people with allergies to dogs so they can be very biddable, but yea, my prejudice would be …… nope 😂😂

I’m just glad the dog didn’t have the springer and cocker spaniel parents the other way round!

That’s the problem with mixed breeds.

Some are bred to be a certain way Labradoodle with desirable traits + Labradoodle with desirable traits => Labradoodle with desirable traits

Others are just mongrels labradoor + poodle => who knows what you’ll get?

I don’t get it….what’s the point of taking a dog in a trailer on a bike ride? What pleasure does the dog get out of it? Just leave it at home.

I don’t get it….what’s the point of taking a dog in a trailer on a bike ride? What pleasure does the dog get out of it? Just leave it at home.

To go nice places and do nice things without using the car?

Contrary to current thinking a dog doesn’t need to be welded to your side!

You can still do nice things and go nice places.

I don’t get it….what’s the point of taking a dog in a trailer on a bike ride? What pleasure does the dog get out of it? Just leave it at home.

Some dogs love it (and as Josh said, it would free you from having to use the car to take it everyhwere.

Contrary to current thinking a dog doesn’t need to be welded to your side!

You can still do nice things and go nice places.

Again, some dogs.

The dog might make it clear that it is quite happy being alone for a few hours, or it might get horrible separation anxiety (and no you can’t always just train it out of them).

I’d wait till you’ve got the dog and then figure it out. Start by seeing if it can stay sat on a big box or something without getting distracted and jumping off. If it’ll do that then a trailer should work.

I don’t get it….what’s the point of taking a dog in a trailer on a bike ride? What pleasure does the dog get out of it? Just leave it at home.

I take my dog on rides in a basket on the front, sometimes she runs alongside but if there is a section of road we need to ride or she’s been running for a long time she goes in the basket. Fortunately weighs 8kg so it’s a bit easier. She enjoys riding in the basket, lots to see and smell.

I live on my own so wouldn’t want to leave the dog at home alone for a long time.

Don’t underestimate how much effort towing a 15kg dog plus trailer takes . Our dog was just over 20kg, the most we managed was about 25km, split between two over flat terrain.

It is a laugh though and great for trips to the beach and suchlike, or when the dog gets old

Get the dog used to a trailer immediately, we used ours as a bed indoors for a bit.

My only other advice is two fold. Get an axle fitting thing, and make sure the trailer fits through your garden gate.

Well the dog won’t ‘get’ separation anxiety lets be clear, it’s not a disease or an illness it’s something we accidentally give them through lack of awareness/knowledge/training. So actually your idea to have them along for such activities could be doing them more harm than good because they’re never alone and therefore don’t have the confidence to be alone.

Both the labrador and poodle are working breeds and my working breed goes up to 14 miles currently at 2 and my last ridgeback happily did the beast at CYB so 18 miles. However, I understand some places I’d like to ride just aren’t suitable for a dog to run alongside safely, I just don’t do those rides with him. Also bear in mind if you do decide the place is suitable for the dog to run alongside perhaps on an attachment that tarmac trotting can be quite hard on their pads so give them the chance to toughen up first.

We had a labradoodle before, who lived to 17 and only in the last couple of years slowed down so we got her a buggy so we could go for longer walks.  In her youth she would happily do a 15 km MTB ride or be happy to sit at the bottom of a crag all day and chase the occasional rabbit.

This time we are getting an Australian labradoodle ,  so much smaller, approx 15 kg rather than 30 kg and we are planning ahead .  We have met lots of people with dog trailers and use them as a way to go out for the whole day, so mixing cycling with dog walking.    Like bike racks, there are lots out there to choose from and I would rather get recommendations rather than just google reviews. 

I need to get Sandy out on a few rides with me. She’s a minature Labradoodle so about spaniel size and about 12kgs. I’ve taken her on a few 5k runs but she’s a bit mental round bikes….

Has anyone tried any of those leads that fix to the bike or your waist and have a pole that sticks out to the side? This one look good as it rotates but it’s £70!! https://www.amazon.co.uk/MALABI-V2-0-Upgraded-Detachable-Adjustable/dp/B08NHNKTXN/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

Has anyone tried any of those leads that fix to the bike or your waist and have a pole that sticks out to the side?

I just use a normal runners lead attached from the left side of my waist onto my dogs harness. It has a shock absorber and I got one that isn’t so long as to allow her to run around the front or back wheel. I’ve not had any instances while riding where the lead has been close to tangling with the bike. It was fairly straightforward training her to run only on the left of me by giving treats while we ride whenever she runs there.

Cool, I’m going to try it later on if its not lashing down with rain. We’ve got a really wide nice and easy tow path along the canal that is not actually near the water so I might have a bimble down there to a nice pub. Got to have an incentive!!…

It’s one of those thing we’ve been putting off because we’re scared of actually doing it and it being a nightmare. It will be a mare at first but it’s something I really need to do with her to make it better for all of us, especially on holidays. I need to do it first then get my wife confident that the dog is ok with it.

It’s one of those thing we’ve been putting off because we’re scared of actually doing it and it being a nightmare. It will be a mare at first but it’s something I really need to do with her to make it better for all of us, especially on holidays. I need to do it first then get my wife confident that the dog is ok with it.

Just take it nice and slow, I started by walking with my dog while wheeling my bike and dishing out treats then walking with the bike in-between me and dog then cycling slowly. When she was very young I was spinning freehubs, making brakes squeak etc in my kitchen all while dishing out treats and praise when she was calm.

I’m just glad the dog didn’t have the springer and cocker spaniel parents the other way round!

That’s the problem with mixed breeds.

Some are bred to be a certain way Labradoodle with desirable traits + Labradoodle with desirable traits => Labradoodle with desirable traits

Others are just mongrels labradoor + poodle => who knows what you’ll get?

I’m not commenting on the reality of the dog (it’s a soft energetic family pet) just what would happen if you used the other halves of the dogs parents breed when naming 😉

My brother use for the trailer as he is near the edge of a large city but can cycle to a big woodland park area within a couple of miles. There are good cycle paths that are OK for cycle safety but too busy to run a dog along. The park and woodland area is great for kids and dogs to roam free with or without bikes. Uses less car (and saves on car park charges) so a nice toy to have for him, other people’s use of these things varies.

 I started by walking with my dog while wheeling my bike

I thought you said wheelie-ing your bike at first!! 🤣

I used one of the boom things, was good on roads but wouldn’t have wanted to go too far with it. On the trails i used an extendo lead clipped onto my rucksack waistbelt so the dog could run ahead and slack was taken up. Both need a harness rather than a collar.

But once he was trained he just ran along with me.

We got a trailer at the Mrs insistence but he only went in it twice, he didn’t want to be in it until he was tired and so we were towing it empty for 20k just to put him in for the last few, just keep it to what the dog can do and at its own pace. My Mrs had to have the Burley that all her mates had so that was about £200 a go, we should have got a second hand kids trailer for £50 off gumtree but she wouldn’t hear of it.

I’ve got a dog trailer sitting unused in the garage – it attaches to an old fashioned QR wheel. We used to take our 25kg lab in it, it worked a treat. Folds too. Am in Swindon if you are interested – you’ll need to collect though.

Thanks,  sadly we are down south.

think I will check out second hand kids ones