Roller Blading with the dog!

I so wish I had a picture to post with this but let me tell you there was no way I was gonna get to do a self portrait while I was on wheels and my dog was on a leash!  A coworker of mine said she had seen on the dog whisperer that he would roller blade with the dogs to get all their energy out because that way he could let them run faster.  Ok sounds great in theory right!?  There are a few caveats to that however!

1.  Make sure you remember how to roller blade if it's been more than 5 years since you strapped a pair on, specifically, if you remember how to stop!  My roller blades don't have breaks on them so you do the whole T stop where you drag one foot side ways to slow down.  Later f asked me "Don't you know how to hockey stop?"  Not on roller blades maybe on ice skates but on roller blades wouldn't that just send you tumbling?

2.  Make sure you have a flat area to start on.  From my house we started on a downhill and let me tell you as soon as she got going and realized, hey there's no resistance I'm free! She went for it full speed ahead!!  I'd try to slow down but that's hard to do with a dog that is way stronger than she looks and with oncoming traffic.

3.  When you are finally going up hill and wouldn't mind her pulling is when she stops pulling.

4.  People in cars will slow down to laugh and stare and won't think to keep going so they are out of the way in case your dog decides to drag you in the middle of the street.


5.  The roller blades will freak her out a little at first and I should have worn pants not shorts because now I have some wonderful bruises and scratches from her jumping on me.

6.  Don't be afraid to let go, of the leash that is.  I had to let go 2 x on the downhill luckily when I called to her she actually came running back to me with the leash in her mouth.  She was probably thinking, come on mom do I really have to do this myself. 

Was it a success?  She was very tired so yes and in half the time it takes to walk her and not as challenging as on a bike.

Was it scary?  You bet!  I was so scared with her pulling me down hill and the possibility of a car coming and I knew I wouldn't be able to let go of the leash in that case.

Will I try it again?  Yes, I'm a little crazy and I tend to forget how scary something is until I try it again...

Lexi with her bff and partner in crime Lola