Activities For A Roller Skater With Dogs
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
First gaining popularity in 1930's America, roller skating has remained a popular hobby for those who like traveling in style while also staying fit and healthy. Roller skaters caring for dogs have likely taken their pets along with them on an uncountable amount of roller skating trips, so we won't need to discuss an activity that you've likely already become proficient in. Instead, we'll be focusing on a number of other alternative activities for roller skaters with dogs; some will be more unconventional than others but we can assure you that all of the activities we'll be discussing in this guide are 100% dog-friendly and pet safe.
Inline Skating
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Sunny Day
Moderate
Normal
30 - 45 min
Items needed
Inline Skates
Leash
Activity description
Inline skating is the close cousin of roller skating; both activities involve traveling across the ground via a special pair of boots which have been outfitted with an array of wheels. But whereas roller skating is very lax and easy going, inline skating is more active and intense; whereas a roller skater can simply stay still and let gravity gently push them along, an inline skater has to generate their own momentum and use their whole body to get around. This makes inline skating with a dog by your side more difficult but also more challenging and effective in terms of burning fat. You can get a pair of inline skates for less than $60 as well as a good hands-free dog leash for less than $20. As with most skating activities, you'll want to try inline skating out on a dry and sunny day.
Step
1
Steady and surefooted
The first step is getting used to your inline skates long before you try to go skating with your pet. We mentioned before that you'll have to use a different approach when inline skating as opposed to the methods you'd use while roller skating. Take some time to develop your stride and get used to turning, slowing down, and stopping on your own before heading out with your dog. You'll also need to get your canine companion used to the skates. Leave them lying around the house where they can be seen and sniffed and also push them to and fro with your pup sitting nearby.
Step
2
Leash laws
Now that you've learned how to skate on your own, it's time to start practicing with your pet. Start small and try traveling short distances with your pet before attempting to skate across long distances. Try this out early on; leash up your dog, strap on your skates while the both of you are outside, and then try skating around your neighborhood block together.
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Ice Skating
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Cold Day
Moderate
Hard
1 hr
Items needed
Ice Skates
Leash
Winter Attire
Activity description
Out of all of the skating based activities, ice skating is probably the most difficult to get the hang of let alone master; there's a huge learning curve in this activity, meaning that it will be a while before you're able to go from struggling to stay upright to gracefully gliding across the ice. The difficulty of this activity gets compounded when you add a dog to the equation, as canines naturally have two left feet when it comes to ice skating. One of the primary keys to success is to keep things slow and steady. We'll get into a few of the other keys to success down below, but for now, we need to talk costs. You can actually get a pair of ice skates for less than $50 as well as a leash for less than $10. You'll to spend a pretty decent amount of your budget on winter attire so you don't freeze, so set aside $60 to $80 for that end. As you might expect, you can only try this activity out with your dog when the weather's cold enough for water to remain frozen.
Step
1
Skates off
Spend some time just walking around an ice skating rink with your pet; it can be a rink that uses natural ice or one that uses artificial ice, whichever you can gain access to. Stick to the edge of the rink and just try walking around the edge with your pet without losing your balance. This will allow the both of you to adapt to the icy terrain.
Step
2
Ramping things up
After you and your dog have spent a few days just walking around a rink, you should move on to to the next phase of this activity; skating around the ice with your pet. We mentioned it earlier but we'd like to reiterate it for posterity's sake; skate slowly while your dog is in tow - if you're pet has to run to keep up with you, you need to slow things down.
Step
3
Ice skating, not figure skating
Figure skating is the activity in which skaters perform all sorts of dazzling, gravity defying tricks on the ice. Those sorts of tricks are the sorts of things you'll want to avoid attempting while your dog's on the ice with you to ensure the safety of both parties. Simply put, figure skating and pets just don't mix, but ice skating with a dog close by is very much so a viable means to play and bond together.
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Roller Skatejoring
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
45 - 60 min
Items needed
Roller Skates
Joring Harness
Dog Treats
Activity description
Roller Skatejoring refers to the concept of dog powered travel while a person is wearing roller skates. The idea is that the human will outfit their pet with a special piece of equipment called a joring harness before putting on a pair of roller skates and encouraging their dog to pull the both of them forward. A dog must be able to understand and follow commands in order for the both of you to have a successful Roller Skatejoring session. You'll need about $100 to get everything you need for this activity. You and your dog can also try it out during any kind of weather that suits your fancy, so long as the ground isn't rainy or slippery.
Step
1
Lead by example
Before you or your dog try to go skatejoring together, you'll need to teach your dog a few basic joring commands. You can do this by showing your dog which movement you'd like them to learn, issuing a command, and then rewarding them with a dog treat for successfully following through. "Gee" and "haw" are the joring commands for going left and right respectively. Help your dog understand this by physically helping them move to the left or to the right, saying "gee" or "haw" and then rewarding them with a treat for participating.
Step
2
Leash free training
After you've spent a few days personally assisting your dog, you'll want to take them off their leash and put their mental faculties to the test. Without leading your dog along, issue a joring command and see if your dog replicates the correct action. If they do, give them a treat and praise them for their efforts. If not, keep trying and stay positive regardless of the speed of your dog's progress. Once they seem to have the commands down pat, head to a quiet area such as an empty parking lot and have a few practice sessions. Success? You can now try a quiet street.
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More Fun Ideas...
Roller Skating
Strapping a pair of roller skates on to your dog's front legs and gently pushing them along solid ground can be a great bit of fun for both parties. If your dog's legs comfortably fit into your own skates, then you might not need to buy your pet their own pair. If the fit is too loose or too tight, however, then you'll be able to get your pet a pair of their own skates for less than $50.
Ring Around the Roller
If you've been able to train your dog to sit still on command, try this activity out; ask your dog to "sit" or "stay" while you roller skate around them. Every time you completely circle around your pet and they remain still, give them a treat. Try to increase the number of times you circle around your pet before rewarding them for an added challenge.
Conclusion
Now that you've learned about a few new activities that you can try out with your dog, you'll be able to spice up your pet's routine and add even more variety into their lives. Another really neat fact about the activities we've discussed throughout this article is that most of them can be attempted just about anywhere; at home, at the park, at the beach - anywhere that folks are allowed to go roller skating. To that end, we encourage you to always put safety first and be conscientious of others around you and your pet.