[Dailydrool] Cart suggestions

[Elizabeth]

Young Charlie has a Burly Tail Wagon, https://www.burley.com/product/tail-wagon/. It’s the first basset buggy I’ve purchased, and it’s not one I’d buy again for Charlie. I might buy it for another hound, but it turns out Charlie needs to have one that zips up all the way around. He’s figured out that he can push his nose through the side openings, under the bottom edge of the back flap, and make the little bungee loops stretch enough on their hooks for him to squeeze out between the buggy and its flaps. He tries to do this when he sees another dog or someone he’s positive will want to pat him. Young Charlie has never met a stranger, and he doesn’t intend to let a basset buggy stop him from doing so. Some time ago Donna Lindy posted a photo on Facebook of her Sunny riding in a doggy stroller that looked more Charlie-proof. It looked as if it could be zipped up on all sides. Perhaps she might be able to give you more information about it?

The first wheeled conveyance I bought for Charlie was one of those folding yard cart things you can buy from Amazon for $70 (seventy dollars). It fell apart the first time I used it, dumping Charlie onto the ground. The company sent me replacement parts that didn’t work and then a whole new cart. But I couldn’t trust it after that ad gave the cart to a friend to use in her yard. In contrast, the Burly Tail Wagon is extremely well made. Charlie’s had his for three years now, and it’s just as strong and sturdy as it was the day I bought it. Nothing has fallen off, frayed, or broken. Charlie weighs about 40 pounds, and the Burly’s bottom can handle that weight just fine.

I especially like the fact that its tires are inflatable, which makes for a much smoother ride for Charlie. The inflatable tires absorb so much of the bumps of the ride. Regardless of what brand of basset buggy you buy, I highly recommend buying one with inflatable tires. I also recommend buying a small air compressor because inflatable wheels generally need to be topped up before you use the buggy each time. But it doesn’t take but a minute to do this, and I feel the ride Charlie gets is well worth it.

If you decide to go with a Burly Tail Wagon and are not mechanically inclined, I suggest buying one from a bike shop because they arrive with “some assembly required.” An independent bike store ordered one for me, put it together for me, and showed me how to fold it up so it would fit in the back of the car. You can also buy replacement parts from Burly, which I had to do when I discovered that accidentally rolling over broken glass will indeed puncture a tire. Because the Tail Wagon is a bike trailer, you’ll need to buy the stroller kit, which has the handlebar and front wheel extension. I also made a foam bed for Charlie to lie down on. It does come with a pad, but it’s rather thin.

Good luck with your decision!

Elizabeth