DOG SAFETY
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June 25, 2007
Morning Mark. Good outfit! It came saterday. You overengineered! LOL But it is great, buying American instead of this constant China crap!!  Sitka did great, right off. My wife helped like you suggested and he never flinched once. We took our first trip down to the lake today, 2 miles total. Thats's enough for a pup. We did walk a lot too. I really like the wide foot board.
I will send some pics or video for the website if you want. I am cutting out the business cards you sent to give out.
Once again... thanks from this 62 year old Vietnam Vet who is fighting Agent Orange and Diabetis. Your creativeness is helping to save this old man's life!
Gary T.

Sept. 5, 2007
The leash pulling was an immediate "go", as was the harness... it was 10:30 pm when i arrived into town, and Matthew had gotten the holes drilled locally (kickbike floor board). This too, was immediate, my first kick was a startling thing for her, but that is all.. we were off immediately. I have been talking up the scooters, I think so many people have bothersome dogs, simply from not giving them what they need. Red is a Lab/Chow mix, about 35 lbs. maybe more now, as she has leaned out and muscled up...  we are out every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times.
Red loves the harness (as a seatbelt anchor in the car as well)
Will try to do a photo thing. I wonder if a link through as adopt site or vet's site is possible??  The spin of satisfied pet = better behaved pet or ... overweight pets enjoy new lease on life with increased movement (which is easy on owners) of a heart attack rehab site, promoting health for people, with dog. I just want you to succeed, this is the
highlight of my day.. and Red's!
Barb W.

August 25, 2007
I wanted to let you know how marvelously things are going with your dog powered scooter system,  and my dog Red!!  OH SO HAPPY ARE WE TWO!!
For about 10 days prior to having the system in place, Red and i were daredevilling down the streets via kick bike and leash attatched to the center pole (i know, one would think i was a 12 year old) As each day passed, Red became stronter and I became increasingly worried about the frequency of knee banging events and bike around tree/squirrel adventures.
We test-drove the system at 11 pm last Tuesday night... even then, my best buddie Matthew reported (from behind, on a separate bike) "Barb, its so adorable, her tail is wagging and the two of you are just GOING!!"
And we've been going ever since. Red's distractability has diminished a lot (surprisingly, the bike wheels NEVER bothered her, and the semi trailer/trucks in and out of a neabye silica palnt, have never phased her) I think the squirrels were invented JUST to taunt dogs.
Peole in this heart of IL. town have been rolling down their windows, as we roll along, asking where we found such a thing.. I am passing along your info.
Thank you so much!!  Red and I are closer every day, her needs being met and all !
Barb W.

October 7, 2007
The scooter arrived and so did the harness system. I brought the entire thing to the local bike guy- who said it is a very high quality product! I should have the harness assembled tomorrow or Monday. Can't wait.

Yasmin LOVES the scooter. She cries when she sees it and knows where to stand to get strapped in. The first day she was a bit cautious and sometimes went to the side. By the third day she was pulling straight, trotting and sometimes running. Her first run of the day is always the fastest. (we go up and down our block in a long oblong shape around a grassy island) And when she runs from the beach to our house (about 7 hourses) she always picks up the pace.  So far she has taked my dad, my cousin and me.
Bettina
November 5, 2007
I love my dog powered scooter! I have 3 labs. 2 of them , the girls, are young enough and fit enough for it. My old boy has bad hips so he can't.
Check out my video on YOUTUBE.COM
The scooter has been helpful in dealing with one of my labs reactivity towards other dogs when she's on leash. When she's on the scooter we just keep scootering forward and onwards so she doesn't get time to get herself all wound up about others dogs!
It didn't take long to get them used to it- about 10 minutes using positive reinforcement. Mark actually sent some pretty goo instructions with the scooter. My husband assembled mine in the living room. So the dogs had all afternoon to see the "beast" come out of the box and be put together in front of their eyes! I think that helped. They totally checked out every component.
It depends on the dog how fast you go. My girls go flat out and I have to use the brakes a lot to slow them down. A more sedate dog with a steady pace would be a real breeze!
I always give the dogs a treat when putting them into the the bracket of the scooter and they just stand there perfectly still waiting!
I would say that you don't need to be particularly fit to use the scooter- especially if your dog is crazy and charges along at 15 mph like mine! I hardly ever have to put a foot on the ground except for stopping. I don't do much work on it thats for sure.
Kathrine (dog trainer and member IAABC)

May 9, 2007
I imported a Beauceron puppy and was totally unprepared for a breed of intelligence, energy and power. I was beside myself as to how to handle him. Then, over a year ago, I got a dog powered scooter from Mark,. It has not only made a huge difference in the exercise I am able to provide the dog, but it has also had the wonderful side effect of bonding in a way that would have never happened if he had remained purely a pet dog. I'm not putting down pet dog owners, its just that this dog is a working dog and is most happy when he has worked.
The reason I like Mark's dog powered scooter so much is that it is the safest way i have found to exercise the dog. Attaching a dog to a bicycle would not be safe with my dog. Neither would tying the dog to the front of the scooter. My dog wants to go, go, go but I have control of when he starts and stops due the powerful V-brakes on the scooter. I have contol of whether we go left or right. If the dog wants to go in a direction I don't want, I just redirect that energy by steering.
A dog does need to be trained to pull the dog powered scooter. It is my opinion that this is something that is better done by more than just the rider. After accustoming my dog to the scooter, I had private lessons in which a professinal dog trainer helped me to  do the actual pulling of the scooter in harness. It is important that the dog has a good expereince or the process will actually take more time. In the long run, it is my opinion that slower is faster.
My vet thinks it's great! I also went and saw an orthopedic vet that thought it was fine in moderation; my dog has displastic hips. The vet actually thinks it is good for him since he needs good conditioning to keep his hind quarters from collapsing.
Probably the most important thing is that the dog loves it. I have a prolapsed mitral valve and we are both able to go out, have fun and get the exercise we need.
Renata

January 7, 2007
The scooter arrived this morning (pulling system last week). So we just got it assembled and walked up to the gas station to fill up the tires and tried Jake out on it on the way home. He was a little nervous with the cotnraption to begin with, but after a bout 5 minutes was really getting into it. On the way, 3 people asked about it... one being the executive editor of the BMGroup!  Firstly becasue he has dogs himself and secondly from the media perspective because he'd never seen anything like it before. He asked me to contact him once I've had it for a few weeks and let him know how it's going!
Anyways, we're going for another longer walk with it tonight and will take some photos during the week to show off!
Myanna

DOGPOWEREDSCOOTER.COM  IS INVENTED & PRODUCED BY MARK SCHUETTE   
marksch@bendnet.com   722 SE CENTENNIAL UNIT #2   BEND, OREGON 97702   541-383-3845