The first pedal on the roadthe second running on the pavement. In Châteaubriant (Loire-Atlantique), the duo formed by Benjamin Plumejault and his dog Django, a golden retriever, leaves no one indifferent. “More people have it already stopped to ask me questionsespecially when they meet me at a roundabout”, confirms the father of the family.

“Generally we take the green roads. We used to go too by the ponds of Choisel ” says Benjamin Plumejault. “Each excursion represents approximately ten kilometers, or an hour’s ride, approximately,” he adds.

Evening tours

The idea of ​​taking your dog out while cycling when the weather is good,and rather in the evening to prevent it from getting too hotcame to him while watching canicross races.

It is an athletic sport involving a runner and one to two dogs, linked together to perform the same physical effort. “I wanted to try this on a mountain bike, that worked quite well . »

To ride with his pet, the original Castelbriantais “puts a pole” to the saddle of his bicycle. Django is then suspended using a harness. “It’s quite simple”, slips the original Castelbriantais.

“Many say it’s dangerous”

Django has that on his side learned to run on the pavement“from a very young age. Now eight years old, the animal “understands very well that you have to get up, down and run” on the pavement. “Many say it is dangerous,” admits Benjamin Plumejault.

But with the length of the cord, Django cannot pass behind or in front of the bike. And then we don’t go very fast and he obeys quite well.

The cyclist “never fell” with his dog, but he already had to “brake.” a bit abrupt . »

This physical effort, which is more like “a walk” rather than a “run”, allows the dog to exercise. “At first, Django will go fast. So you have to channel it because ultimately it’s up to me to shoot it (laughs). Therefinished walk,the animal, “well tired”, recharges its batteries before setting off again for a new round.

Alexandre BROSSAIS, with Guewen RENARD (student)

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