How to Train Your Dog to Ride in a Sidecar

With the sidecar stationary, you help the dog 'discover' it, with the help of a trail of treats. The dog learns to associate the sidecar with tasty snacks and is happy to hop in.

The dog will feel less pressured if he discovers the joy of sitting in the sidecar for himself. Park the sidecar combo in a quiet place, such as a driveway or garage. Choose a high value treat the dog really enjoys, such as slivers of chicken or ham. Lay a trail of morsels for the dog to follow.

Place some treats within easy reach inside the sidecar. Lay the trail so they lead to these treats. Patiently encourage him to find the treats and climb into the sidecar to eat them.

With the dog willingly getting into the parked sidecar, praise and reward him while he's inside. Hold his attention with treats in the hand, and make him wait to receive. You are teaching him that the sidecar is a good place to be so that he readily gets in without fear or anxiety.

To reinforce the message, feed him meals in the sidecar. Then he will jump in eagerly in anticipation of his next meal. Praise him while he eats his food. Once the dog is readily getting in and sitting nicely, you are ready to move onto the Moving Sidecar Method.

So far, the dog has been getting used to a parked vehicle with the engine off. Now it's time to slowly get him used to engine noise and being comfortable inside the moving sidecar.

Once the dog is comfortable with the sidecar, you can introduce the extra elements of noise and then movement. A noisy, smelly engine is unsettling for a dog, so allow him to get used to this before putting him in the sidecar.

With the engine running, lay a trail of treats around the vehicle. Don't necessarily expect the dog to approach closely, the aim is to have the dog relaxed in the general area first.

Gauge the dog's reaction. If he is very fearful and reluctant to approach, gauge the distance at which he is relaxed. Offer him treats on this spot. Now take a step closer and reward him. Gradually, close the distance between you and the bike, all the time rewarding boldness. If may be necessary to return many times to this step, in order to bolster his bravery and help him understand there's nothing to be fearful of.

With the engine on, encourage the dog to sit in the sidecar for treats and his meals. When the dog understands good things happen in the sidecar he will start to ignore the noise and vibration to hop right on in.

And finally, once the dog is comfortable in the sidecar with the engine running, roll the bike forward a little. Moving at a walking pace, allow the dog to get used to the motion. Over several sessions build up the speed.

If the dog is reluctant to get into the sidecar, or once placed inside jumps straight out, then NEVER punish him. Instead, ask yourself how you can make the sidecar more attractive to him and reward any boldness the dog shows in approaching. Be prepared for this to take a while.

Never force the dog into the sidecar against his will. If he doesn't want to get in, the chances are he lacks confidence or is fearful about the sidecar. Forcing him inside will stress him and make the anxiety worse rather than better.

Avoid fastening the dog's collar to an anchor point in the sidecar. Braking forces and acceleration may jolt the dog's neck and injure it. A better option is a crash-test approved travel harness, clipped into the seatbelt anchor.

Your dog doesn't yet know how to anticipate corners or brace for bumps in the road. Keep your speed right down, so as to give him time to adjust to the jolts and jostling. Also, by keeping the speed down he is less likely to injure himself if he did try to jump out.

Many dogs take to sidecar travel and love it. However, some do not. If your dog dislikes the motion or noise of a sidecar then chalk it up to experience and know that it's not for him. Only pursue having a canine passenger if the dog is enjoying the experience.