My Tips for Rollerblading with Your Dog for Exercise!

Hey guys!

I’ve been skating my dogs for about a year now and not only is it great exercise for them but it’s so much fun for me! It’s a win win and some of you guys were interested in doing the same so I thought I’d write up my tips and tricks to skating your dog.

This one is obvious but you have to get confident in your skating skills before you start. Maybe you haven’t skated since the 5th grade and you need to brush up- but whatever you do - practice getting comfortable over bumpy side walks, crossing intersections, slowing down and breaking.
I highly recommend getting a prong collar if your dog PULLS and isn’t trained to heel. Even Simba still gets excited and likes to walk in front me. But you have to remember you are the master and YOU have to set the pace. If they decide to walk ahead of you, the prong collar is there as a TOOL so you can correct them. One POP (quick pull up) and your dog should know what they did was wrong and to walk next to you. Timing is super important when correcting so I would consult a professional trainer if you want help with this. I DID! Also it is more likely that they will not PULL you or go chase a squirrel if the prong collar is on because there will be a consequence. It will change the way they walk with you almost immediately. In nature, mothers and other dogs correct behavior by a nip on the neck, it basically mimics that and does not hurt the dog. Disclosure: I am not a dog trainer but I watch all of Cesar Milan’s shows, have gotten 30 day training with a professional and my boyfriend Nate is a dog trainer and this is a tool that worked for me!
Before you put on your skates, take your dog on a casual walk so they can do their business before you start. This avoids them to have to poop and pee every other tree in the middle of the skate.
Pack a fanny pack with poop bags, treats, and any other essentials so that you have easy access to them while you skate. The last thing you want is to have to scramble to get something and fall. Fanny packs are my best friend for all dog parents Imo : )
Start on a wide-open residential street or empty parking lot that doesn’t get much traffic. Even if that means having to drive to a different location that isn’t conveniently your neighborhood to practice. That way you don’t have to worry about cars and people.
Don’t do what I do but I don’t wear protective gear but for the sake of this blog post, especially if you’re a beginner, I recommend buying knee pads, gloves, and a helmet. Because if you were my daughter or son and just starting out I would want you to be safe ha ha ha
Don’t stop for your dog every time they want to smell a tree and pee. Especially if they already did their business in the beginning. Remember this is their work out time not F*k around and sniff every tree and mark territory time. Leave that for their casual walks with you.

I skate Simba and Juno at least 2 miles every day and it takes 15 minutes or so. It’s such a great exercise to build up their appetite and run their energy out first thing in the morning. They love it so much and look forward to it every day. Hope you found this blog post helpful and I will link everything again below!