[Dailydrool] What I have learned from Drooler e-mails about basset wagons

[Val Brewer]

I have received so many helpful suggestions about considerations regarding push/pull basset carts. Many have been to my direct e-mail, so I wanted to share with all what I have learned.

Droolers seem to use primarily four different kinds of basset transport wagons:
 1. Children's pull wagons 
 2. Garden carts
 3. Bicycle or jogging strollers for children
 4. Pet strollers designed for animals

Each category of vehicle has its pros and cons.

1. Children's pull wagons. Several droolers find these quite satisfactory with a couple of caveats. It is easiest if the wagon has sides which fold down to load the rider into the wagon--WalMart carries a flexible flyer with this feature. The handle of the wagon should be very long so that the puller does not need to bend down to pull. Even with these two features, a couple of droolers noted that the twisting and imbalance involved in dragging a wagon is hard on the muscles and back. It was also recommended that any wagon should have holes or slits near the base so a harness can be strapped to the wagon to keep the dog from jumping out (or the fold-up sides should be tall enough to prevent escape, but see-through for the dog's viewing pleasure. The WalMart wagon is like this--red wagon on the bottom with wooden slat-like fencing on the sides and back which snap up into place).

2. Garden carts are a very similar alternative, with the added feature that they are generally larger than children's wagons, with bigger tires built for more rugged terrain. Some are awkward to haul, but others come in collapsible varieties. Lowe's carries one with snap down sides in a yellow metal mesh, that is big enough for two or three bassets and carries up to 600 lbs!

3. Bicycle/jogging strollers. These have the advantage of being designed to be pushed or pulled, generally with 3 wheels. Most can be towed behind a bike, or with a different attachment, pushed like a baby stroller. If a child version of these is used, the problem is usually that the seat is not deep enough to accommodate a long basset. A double stroller works because the dog can sit sideways.

4. Or, pet strollers are designed like the above jogging strollers, only with pets in mind. Often the stroller part is enclosed with mesh see-through sides so the pet can't jump out. A few have all-terrain wheels or sun-roofs that open so that the dog won't feel in a cage. Most pet strollers aren't nearly big enough for a basset depth-wise, even when they say they are for "big" dogs, so it is important to look at the inside dimensions of the stroller and also measure your dog. Beth sent me a great summary of pet strollers of all kinds on a site called www.JustPetStrollers.com There is a section on helpful hints to consider when selecting a stroller (length of dog, terrain to be traversed, weather expected, need for collapsibility or not, etc. etc.)

Prices of the above seem to range from a low end of about $80 new for some of the garden carts and children's wagons to a high of about $300 for some of the really posh jogging items. Interestingly, most of the vehicles in all four categories are about $100. (I was surprised at the consistency of prices across categories). E-bay carries a bunch of these items.

I am not sure what we will decide. We will be away for a couple of weeks at our son's college graduation and plan to tackle the hiking project when we return. I am also uncertain whether Bo, like Bev's dogs, will refuse to consider riding in anything or not--so we will see. Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my inquiry about recommendations. Val (P.S. I apologize for all the question marks that always dot my postings--if I make a typo and go back and correct it, there always seems to be a question mark at that spot in my posting. Clearly I am a lousy typist). 


      
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