I Want to Learn Rollerblading

[eilenej1]

For those of you who rollerblade with your dog, do you have any recommendations on how to learn the sport? I am thinking I'd like to rent and try them out to see if I even like it, before I purchase some and can't stand it. Sound like good logic?

If yes, how do I find out where to rent them from? I don't even have a clue where to start.

[LoveThatPom]

I really have no idea where you can rent rollerblades. Do you have a skating place near you? You can rent them at most rinks I believe. Or, you could always pick up a gently used pair and give them a try. It's been a while since I rollerbladed, but if you can rollerskate or ice skate it's no problem.

[MixedBreed]

I think you can probably rent them from Sportchek or SportMart (if you have such things near you). The thing to remember about rollerblading is dragging your toe or 'sideways stopping' is NOT recommended ;) Emergency bailouts onto grass are your friend if you are going too fast for your own comfort.

The quality of rollerblades makes a HUGE difference. Make sure whatever you try it out on is a decent pair, otherwise you will be miserable and working way harder than you have to. The wheels should keep spinning for quite some time on their own after you've spun them. I have some Salomons that I paid about $250 for, but they've been great for over 5 seasons now.

Oh, and this probably goes without saying, but practise without the dog first ;)

[MyDogShelby]

I rollerblade with Shelby, so I can give you some tips :)
After you get your blades, whether you rent or buy, make sure they fit as well as a comfortable shoe...the wheels, as MixedBreed said, should spin for quite awhile, that is good sign that the blades have good bearings. Get a helmet and knee/wrist/elbow guards, because if you've never been on skates or blades, your probably going to have a fall or two.
Do you have good balance? Well, that's a positive for you then, because the acquisition to roller blading will be smoother for you. ;)

Put the blades on, and practice balancing on them, have someone near by to catch/assist you...or try them out in your house and stay close to things in your house till you gain a natural balance.

Once you are able to glide a few feet without falling, go outside, practice in your driveway (somewhere where the ground is level, so your not flying forward or backward out of control).

Get used to using the brake, your going to need to stop quite a bit your first couple of sessions on blades.

Don't use stiff arms, swing your arms in a smooth motion, don't flap around wildly...just go real smooth forward and back. This will keep you in balance too...now later down the road, when you are feeling balanced and not falling...you won't have to swing your arms very much if at all.

Now for roller blading with Max...if he isn't wild during a walk or hard to control...then roller blading will be an easy transition.
If he is easily scared of things, make the introduction to the blades slowly. You don't want to frighten him. I had a dog that didn't like the sound of the blades on the street, and I wasn't able to roller blade with her...fortunately Shelby isn't like that, she loves the speed! She loves to run..and I can keep up with her easily on blades...taking her for a walk on roller blades is like me not walking at all, LOL (and I don't mean I let her pull me, I mean just taking a few strides and coasting on the blades is enough to keep up with her pace, she has nice little jog/trot).

Put Max on a short lead, and go up and down your driveway slowly with him by you. Does he know the Stop command? or something similar? Because there will be times when you need to stop and this is a good command for him to know. If he doesn't know it, practice it during your walks. Say "Stop" and give a light tug on the lead, have him Stop and praise him :)

As you progress from roller blading up and down a few times in the driveway, head to the streets. Since your a beginner, the less distractions the better, so go at a time when the streets aren't busy with dogs/people/cars. That is if Max is easily distracted...otherwise, if you feel comfortable, go ahead and blade.

That's pretty much the extent of starting to rollerblade for a beginner. I think you'll find that its easy once you get the hang of it...and that its enjoyable for Max and you! Like I said, it makes walking a dog effortless. ;)

[eilenej1]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'll try a rink.

Max is still too young to rollerblade, so I'll have all summer to get used to it before trying it with him. I may have hubby walk Max several paces behind me for awhile so that he gets used to the sound. And I'll start working on the stop command now - great idea.

Oh - I'm excited! ;)