# Walking dogs with mobility scooters



## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

This happened today in the park. Me playing ball with my two, woman goes by on a mobility scooter with a corgi running alongside. The corgi lunged at my dogs, but because it was on lead and the scooter still moving, it ended up face first into the back of the scooter. The woman asked if my dogs were OK as she could see blood on his mouth, but on examination it was his blood, he'd knocked a tooth out. We found the tooth on the track and the bleeding soon stopped. I've often seen people exercising dogs from mobility scooters, but not seen an accident like this before.


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## 688peterl (Jan 7, 2010)

thats cruel imo


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Ouch, poor dog. Hope she takes him for a check up and pain killers.

I'm always amazed when I see people out with scooters and dogs at how accomodating/well trained the dogs are. Fortunately I've not seen anything like this either, hopefully it's a rare event. 

I spotted a curly lead in a pet shop recently (looks like a telephone cable) that is intended to give the dog a bit more room to manoeuver with a jogger or cyclist. Perhaps this would be an option for her, if you see her again?


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## 688peterl (Jan 7, 2010)

i feel quite guilty for saying that now its not her fault


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

It's a good idea to give a dog the exercise it needs if the owner can't walk very far. I hope the dogs ok the biking leads might be a good idea


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

I do it in my wheelchair... Only had a couple of incidents that involve the dog getting infront of the chair and getting "clipped" by the foot plates... bit of a squeal in shock but touch wood, no injuries


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

That's really sad.... there are a lot of diabled and elderly people where I live and lots of them have scooters + dogs.

It's common to see a small dog riding in his owner's scooter basket on the front, or hitching a ride at their feet.

One of my neighbours across the road is disabled but he has owned German Shepherds all his life... Every day three times a day I would see him set out with Zena, bred by his brother, he saw her being born! - trotting alongside, and at the park he would do several circuits with her - it's a big park! - before returning home. Sadly she died last year from age related and general GSD health issues. he now has his nephew's dog a staffy cross, who chooses to ride along on his lap... I can tell he misses his GSDs a LOT.

Another neighbour has just got a scooter so she can now take out her dog rather than relying on other people.

My mum's at an age now when she should really have one - she's a bit wary of spending out on one as where she lives they are twice the price to here, but I couldn't get one to her if I found a bargain here as I don't drive. 

Hopefully she is coming round to the idea - when I visit, I said, you will be able to come out on walks with me & Merlin to the park... just think, you can throw the ball for him, you can take his lead if you like.... Her own old dog died about 18 months ago and she doesn't want another, but fingers crossed she will seriously think about getting a scooter and I can't wait, I can see a lot more than she can, how it would change her life.


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## slakey (May 9, 2009)

How is it cruel? The dog could just not get exercise at all, surely that would be more cruel?

People cycle and put the dog on the lead to run along side, nothing wrong with it.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

My neighbour takes her collie out off the lead. He is trained to dive on the grass verge and lie down every time a car comes by. It takes her a long time to get anywhere cos she pulls in and stops too but it seems to work. I have one as well just for on the farm and Candy sits at my feet because I kept running into her if she was on the ground. I dont need it that much so she is usually walking!


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## WoodyGSP (Oct 11, 2009)

Do disabled people still pick up their dogs poo? Are they excused from the law? How do blind people pick it up? Just wondered, not having a go. 
As long as the dog is under control and they are still in control of the scooter I don't mind mobility scooters.


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## moboyd (Sep 29, 2009)

Actually I have been looking at little scooters to continue taking my dogs out for a run, usually they run next to my cycle, but as I have once again had surgery on my back I am thinking a scooter will be an easier option, these are the ones I have been looking at.
Very Fast Electric Scooters, Super Turbo 800, Revo, Mach 1

I dont think its cruel to run your dog next to a bike or a mobility scooter, the dog is getting important exercise, I would rather have that than the owner not getting the dog out, I have never heard of anyone falling off their scooter doing this, I guess its just as easy to trip while walking the dog.

There used to be a lady that showed her own dogs in my breed that used a mobility scooter to go round the ring, I cant see why people that have to use these, not enjoy having fit and healthy dogs?

Mo


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## dobermummy (Apr 4, 2009)

as long as the dog and owner are happy then i dont see any problem with this. i think if it give the person the freedom to enjoy their dog fully and the dog is getting the exercise it needs then it can only be a positive thing. 

my dobermann is scared of mobility scooters, always has been. he used to bark madly at them and try to get to their tyers but thankfully now he is a bit better and will just run to me and hide behind me


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Youch poor doggy, just sounds unlucky!

When I was walking Baron one time on the sea front, he got his foot run over by a mobility scooter  Dogs certainly need time to be more aware of how much space they have around the scooter I think, particularly the smaller ones.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

moboyd said:


> There used to be a lady that showed her own dogs in my breed that used a mobility scooter to go round the ring, I cant see why people that have to use these, not enjoy having fit and healthy dogs?
> 
> Mo


I can remember seeing a lady on a mobility scooter showing a boston terrier at Crufts, and the dog seemed perfectly happy and performed just as well as any other dog in the class; and none of the dogs seemed to be fazed by the scooter in any way. I remember thinking how good it was that she was not letting her disability (or illness) interfere with doing something she and her dog loved.

As the arthritis gets worse it's probable that I will have to end up buying a mobility scooter, and, whilst I appreciate that my dogs would need some training to be safe around the scooter, I would hate to think that it would mean I could no longer walk them - in fact, the whole idea in getting a mobility scooter would be so that I could continue to walk them!


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

Years ago when Ben did junior handling at shows there was a disabled girl who showed a poodle from a motorised wheel chair. He was taught to jmp on her knee and on to the table then the same to get back down again.

An elderly gentleman regulary goes past our house in a motorbility scooter with a staffie x the dog seems to love it and happily trots along by his side. I also know a woman who has whippets and greyhounds who uses a motorbility scooter. She's not had it long she used to use a whell chair but it meant some one had to push her. She's easily taught the dogs to trot along at her side. The whippets are cheeky and keep jumping onto her knee for a ride she says she just hopes the greys don't catch on to the same idea.


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## CarolineH (Aug 4, 2009)

It is possible to use a bicycle attachment for exercising dogs attached to a mobility scoooter which keeps the dog not only under control (using a harness) but a safe distance from the scooter itself too.  Trouble is though that not many pavements are wide enough to accomodate both dog and scooter as well as passers by.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

The woman said the dog would hop onto the footplate for a ride when it became tired, or on hills.

I was once at an agility competition, and saw someone handling in the ring from a mobility scooter. Well, there's no rule against it!


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## vixtory (Mar 27, 2010)

WoodyGSP said:


> Do disabled people still pick up their dogs poo? Are they excused from the law? How do blind people pick it up? Just wondered, not having a go.
> As long as the dog is under control and they are still in control of the scooter I don't mind mobility scooters.


Yes we do, or at least i do... i wouldn`t dream of leaving my dogs mess about for anyone to walk through! I can`t walk well but i can still use my arms and hands and i don`t struggle too much to bend down and pick it up!

I use a scooter sometimes but i`ve never injured or run into my dogs whilst walking them lol.. poor dog, hope its ok! x


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## canuckjill (Jun 25, 2008)

I would think a seeing eye dog is probably trained to go potty in their own yard and not to poo while on duty so to speak. There may be the occasional accident but it wouldn't bother me if a blind person didn't pick up but it sure bothers me if a abled body person doesn't...Jill


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## stephwiggy (Nov 23, 2009)

canuckjill said:


> I would think a seeing eye dog is probably trained to go potty in their own yard and not to poo while on duty so to speak. There may be the occasional accident but it wouldn't bother me if a blind person didn't pick up but it sure bothers me if a abled body person doesn't...Jill


whilst i dont know about seeing eye dogs specifically - assitance dogs are trained to doo doo in the garden ! I am very lucky as my doggie does this :thumbup:


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

stephwiggy said:


> whilst i dont know about seeing eye dogs specifically - assitance dogs are trained to doo doo in the garden ! I am very lucky as my doggie does this :thumbup:


I know a blind person and this conversation once came up and he told me that his dog was trained to go on command in certain places allowed. His gaden usually.


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