Cycling and dog walking, how common is it?

[flickr]photo:2473977896[/flickr]

This story is about cycling to the dogs, not cycling with dogs, but I thought it was a fun photo. By Kerry Lannert. 

AJ LaTrace, who writes Chiboulevards, interviewed the manager of and dog walker with Chicago Pet Sitters, Jared Honn. A lot of the interview focused on how Honn cycles to the dogs he walks. Oh, and how Honn races cyclocross and has tips for cycling in the winter. Do you think this counts as a “bike business”?

Check out Honn’s comments about owning a car and cycling. Do other people feel guilty doing both? I know several advocates of a better environment for cycling in Chicago also owns cars. I don’t think there’s a dichotomy in this situation:

I biked every day for my job for the first two years. I still bike predominantly. Only recently did I get a car, which I purchased so I could get out to bike races in the suburbs or to the velodrome in Northbrook. I’ll use it for work every once and a while when my body is feeling beat up, or if I need to transport dogs. As a cyclist, I feel plenty of guilt and mixed emotions when I’m driving.

Read the full interview. One more excerpt, though:

Biking in the correct clothes is about 99% of winter cycling, from what I’ve experienced.

I couldn’t agree more. If you’ve lived in Chicago for at least one winter, then you already have all the clothes you need.

[flickr]photo:764015219[/flickr]

Everyone deserves a break. Photo by Incandenzafied. It turns out there’s a group on Flickr with 441 photos featuring biking with dogs

2 thoughts on “Cycling and dog walking, how common is it?”

  1. I occasionally see people riding with their dogs (running dogs, that is) – in my neighborhood and elsewhere.  I have a few friends who do it.  It seems better suited to large dogs than smaller ones.  I also know several people who use bikes to carry their dogs – whether in a trailer or in a crate on the back of the bike.  Seems to be a growing trend.

    I’d be curious to hear about how many pet sitters use bikes to get to their gigs.

    1. Jared is not the first dog walker I’ve heard of who bikes to clients’ homes. 

      I know at least one guy, with a bakfiets, who carries his dog from place to place. 

Leave a Reply to AKA60643 Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *