Smudge-dog-rides-11-000-miles-Europe

Smudge, who travels on the bike
attached to Rob in a leather pouch, has seen everywhere from the French
Alps to the Czech Republic.
Not
to be outdone by her human counterparts, the punky pooch even dons a
pair of 'doggles' when she hits the road to protect her eyes.


Seasoned biker Rob, 50, from Hull,
has been taking Smudge biking with him since she was a puppy.


He said: 'Smudge loves being on the
bike, and it's a bit more fun for her than getting stuck in kennels for
a month while I'm away.


'She
took to it like a duck to water. I don't know how she does it, but she
knows how to ride a bike.


'She knows how to lean in when we go round corners, and she's
got great balance.


'I
used to work as a lorry driver, and I took her with me as a pup for a
bit of company in the cab. She was with me 24 hours a day.


'It
seemed a shame to leave her behind when I went out on the bike, so I
thought I'd try her on the bike. Luckily, she loved it.' 


Ron's
wife, Lyn, often joins the pair on their European rides but is forced
to ride alongside on her own bike, rather than jumping on the back of
her hsuband's machine.


Biking
for
hours at a time can take it's toll on a little dog's bladder - but
Smudge has a system for letting her best friend know when nature calls.



The
little dog will raise a paw and tap Rob on the elbow as the pair are
speeding through the countryside - and doesn't take her paw off Rob
until he's pulled over to a suitable stratch of grass.



Rob,
who has been biking since he was a teenager, said: 'It was something I
was slightly concerned about the first time I strapped her onto the
bike, but I had nothing to worry about.


'I'm probably the only biker that has to carry
a roll of plastic bags in my leather jacket though.'
Smudge's unusual form of transport has
sparked interest from other bikers - who all think Rob is barking mad. He said: 'We always get a lot of attention
wherever we go, from other bikers and members of the public.

'Smudge must be one of the most popular dogs
in Europe. We've been invited to visit fellow bikers in countries all
over the world by people we've met on our rides.


'So far, Smudge and I have ridden through
Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy and the Czech Republic -
and we're not stopping anytime soon.


'Everyone thinks Smudge is great, but they all
say there's no way they'd ride with a dog strapped to their chest.'