Any tips for walking your dog while pushing a stroller?

Darcie Elicia · March 2011

I have a small (25 lb) dog who gets a little nuts while taking a walk. She's pretty good for the most part but she has a tendency to walk wherever she wants and I'm afraid I will roll over her little toes while pushing a stroller. I've seen those poles that you can attach to your bike that puts distance between the wheels and the dog. Do they make anything like this for strollers?

What do you do? Thanks! Smile

leslie13510 · March 2011

LOL, I just don't. I actually made sure that we would have a house with a fenced yard because it would be pretty much impossible for me to walk either dog (much less both at once!) with the babies too.

Little Dog is terrified of all things on wheels, and just sits, shakes, and refuses to move if you try and put her anywhere near a moving stroller (or bike, skateboard, wagon, etc). Big Dog would just get too excited about showing off his babies and pull us all over the place.

Of course, I realize a fenced yard is not an option for everyone. Really, as long as your dog isn't afraid of the stroller you'll probably be fine. Just keep her on a short enough leash to where she can't get in front of the stroller, watch her carefully, and walk slowly enough to where she can't dart under wheels without you having time to stop her. I don't know if I'd bother with a bar to keep her away from the stroller. I think it would be more of an inconvenience than anything.

If it's really a problem you can always hire a dog walker to come by once or twice a day too.

LALASEPT05 · March 2011

I've walked both of my dogs and pushed the stroller. That said my dogs aren't really pullers and if anything stop and smell everything. I tie them on to the handle and I kind of wrap the leash around my wrist and hold my arm to the outside of the handle so that I'm kind of keeping the leash from rolling under the wheels. It seems to work fine for us...I keep joking that I'm going to get a triple stroller for one of my dogs who seems to be really lazy,

xilovenosx · March 2011

The gentle leader leash saved my life. Its safe and doesn't harm the dog at all. It takes a little practice, my dog hated it on the first walk we took, but now she understands that I lead and she follows. I havent walked and pushed a stroller yet, but I feel in control of her and which direction we are going.

Daisy's mom · March 2011

Daisy the boxer is about 70lbs but an awesome walker. I just tie her leash to the stroller handle and she walks beside it. It took us a few tries to perfect it (leash was too long, too short, she was getting in front of the stroller) but now it's perfect.

Give it some time, good luck.

schoolsoutbride · March 2011

Have you tried a gentle leader to teach her to heel?

doz&koz · March 2011

My dog also tends to pull. I put her harness on her before we walk (this helps a ton - get a harness if you don't have one), then wrap the leash around my hand so she doesn't have a lot of extra space to waunder (6 ft leash) and then put both hands on the stroller. I was afraid to tie her to the stroller because she's really strong and I don't want her to pull the stroller over. She figured out pretty quickly how to behave. I think she realized that if she wanted to go she was going to have to behave. She loves walks!

Soon2bMrs.NeilD · March 2011

I use a prong collar and wrap leash around my waist. We have a Husky and she loves to pull. There is no other way for me to do this without those two tips. Good luck.