Bike Trailers
A bike trailer is how a dog comes on a proper ride without having to run twenty kilometres to keep up, and how a short-nosed or heat-sensitive dog still gets out on a warm evening. These hitch to the rear axle of an ordinary bicycle, take everything from a terrier to a large breed, and several convert into a pram when you park, including 3-in-1 frames that also become a jogger.
Sizing the trailer
Measure the dog, then read the internal dimensions rather than the outside ones. Take her length lying down, from the chest to the base of the tail, and her height sitting up, from the floor to the top of the head, because a dog in a moving trailer sits far more than she lies. She needs to turn round and settle without pressing against the roof. The weight limit is the second thing to check, and it is the number most people misjudge: it is a structural rating for the frame, the floor and the hitch, not a fitting guide, so a stocky 20 kg dog can be inside the rating and still short of room. A spacious dog bike trailer suits medium breeds, while the premium bike trailer gives a taller dog the headroom to sit up properly.
Suspension and wheels
A trailer runs closer to the ground than you do and hits every kerb, root and pothole with no rider to absorb it. Suspension is therefore not a luxury on anything but a smooth cycle path. Look for a sprung rear axle, wheels of 20 inches or more with air-filled tyres, and a hitch that pivots in two planes so the trailer stays upright when the bike leans into a bend. Quick-release wheels matter more than they sound, because they are the difference between a trailer that fits in the boot and one that lives in the hall. The premium bike trailer is the one to look at for regular gravel, and the SEPNINE 2-in-1 for large dogs carries the heaviest loads here on a reinforced frame.
Getting your dog in
No dog learns a trailer at speed on a road. Start with it parked in the garden, doors open, treats and her own blanket inside, and let her walk in and out for a few days with nothing else happening. Then feed a meal in it. Then close the door for thirty seconds. Then push it a few metres by hand. Only after that do you attach it to the bike, and the first ride should be five slow minutes on a quiet path, not the shopping trip. Clip the internal tether to a harness rather than a collar, so a sudden stop cannot pull on her neck. A trailer with a wide front opening is easier for a hesitant dog to walk into than one she has to duck through, and a 2-in-1 trailer and pram lets you do the whole introduction in pram mode before a bike is ever involved.
Riding safely
Check the hitch bolt and the wheel pins before every ride, and fit the flag: it is what makes a low trailer visible to a driver at a junction. Ride slower than you would alone, take corners wide, because the trailer cuts inside your line, and remember that your braking distance is longer with twenty kilos behind you. Watch the heat, since a closed cabin sits low over hot tarmac and warms faster than the air around it, so ride early or late in summer, open the mesh panels and take water. Keep to cycle paths where you can. A 3-in-1 trailer with full mesh sides ventilates better than a solid-sided one. If you are driving to the trailhead first, secure the dog properly for that part of the trip with something from dog car seats and travel.
Trailers that convert
Most of the range here does more than tow, and that is usually the reason to buy one. The PawHut 2-in-1 bike trailer and pram swaps the hitch arm for a pram handle in a few seconds, so you cycle to the woods and push round them. The 3-in-1 adds a jogging wheel for running. The SEPNINE 2-in-1 for large dogs does the same on a frame built for weight. If pushing is all you need, the pram-only options live in pet strollers, and for a small dog or cat you can lift, see carriers and backpacks.
Petifo is a Swedish company and we ship across the EU with tracked delivery. Prices include VAT, with no extra customs fees on EU orders. If something is not right you can request a return within 30 days under our return policy, and our team is happy to help you choose before you buy.
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