We’re letting the dogs out

Whether it is in the city or in the middle of the forest, as a professional athlete or a stay-at-home parent, our raison d’être is to enable you to live a fully integrated life and to simplify your access to the outdoors. No more hesitating whether to bring your bike on that trip, your kids on that jog, or your laptop on that ride. The answer should be an easy yes. This is what we summarize in our motto “Bring your life”.  

This year, we’re taking this philosophy even further. Some of us would argue that, if we’re to bring our life anywhere, we’re bringing our dogs too. A sturdy, sleek, and compact crate, Thule Allax will turn your car trunk into your dog’s new favorite place. If you are more a cyclist than a driver, Thule Bexey, a durable and comfortable dog bike trailer will transform how you move around with your pooch.

Sharing our life with a canine companion can sometimes be the catalyst that forces us outside. And what is good for dogs is generally good for humans. Exploring, playing, getting fresh air, experiencing new environments, smells, and sights, all of this amounts to a good dog life.

Scratch that: To a good life.  

Meet Sweden’s favorite dog coach

Fredrik Steen, Sweden’s favorite dog coach, couldn’t agree more. As far as he can remember, he has “never lived one day without a dog by [his] side.” From training his neighbor’s pet to having his own show on national television, Fredrik has built his life and career around his love of the canine world. “The best thing I can do is go out to the forest with my dogs”.  

Driving to the most remote places and spending a week alone with his dogs in the wild means a lot to Fredrik. It doesn’t take long for all of them to get back to their essential callings. Both man and dogs start seeing the world with wider eyes, noticing things they haven’t before. The needs for verbal orders, control, time keeping, organization, fall to the side and the pack finds a rhythm of its own. “After four days, we don’t have to talk to each other. We understand each other”. The way Fredrik interacts with his dogs out in the forest is how he tries to live with them in general.  

1. Relationship

“The main thing is to have a good relationship, that the dog trusts you and you trust them. Your dog respects you and you respect your dog. It’s not about winning over another person, it’s about cooperating.” 

 A good relationship, nurtured from infancy, is the first step in Fredrik’s life with his dogs. Mutual respect and trust are the foundation of any healthy relationship.

2. Communication

“It's very good that you, your dog, can sit down on the on the command sit. But it's even better if the dog can sit down because you just show it.” 

It is relatively easy to teach a dog a few commands. The real challenge, and the real reward, is being able to communicate with your four-legged friend in a deeper, more organic way. Fredrik takes his dogs to the forest as he takes them to a club in downtown Stockholm. The bond he shares with them is such that they know when it is time to sit by his side, introduce themselves to the crowd, or explore their surroundings.  

3. Right of decision

“Sometimes, I have to decide. “No, you cannot do that. We have to do it like this.” But The dog also has this right, “No, I don't want that. I want to do this.” […] It's the same in a normal family. We are not enemies, you know? It's a part of respecting each other.”  

Applying the right of decision to dogs as we do to humans might be controversial, but for Fredrik, it makes complete sense. To a reasonable extent, his dogs have a say in the things they do and how they do them. As long as the situation allows it, where everyone is safe, and man and dog have an understanding, Fredrik respects it.