Would you like to practice sled dog racing? You don't necessarily have to live in the North Pole to do this, just have a dog willing to tow! Many dog breeds have been selected to perform this task, and sleds, carts, bicycles, scooters, skis and inline or roller skates can be used to move around. Anything that allows you to slide on the ground can be fine, the most important thing is that the dog is happy while running.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Equipment
Step 1. Get a dog
Don't pick just any one, but one that you love to pull things along. Training a dog requires a lot of patience, a lot of affection and a certain amount of money. If you are about to buy one and plan to train it for towing, choose a suitable animal for the purpose. Fast, sturdy dogs are best suited. Consult the "Tips" section to get an idea of the most suitable dog breeds.
Step 2. Get the necessary equipment
Buy harness, gang line (main tow line), tug line (tow line that joins the gang line to the harness), neck line (rope joining the collar to the gang line) and booties (waterproof foot protection boots of dogs). For your safety, buy some protections (helmet, knee pads and so on) and, as a means of transport, get a scooter or a sled (if you want to run on the snow).
As for the choice of breed, huskies, such as the Alaskan husky and the Siberian husky, are excellent sled dogs. If you live in a temperate region, you can opt for a pointer or hunting dog who are generally willing to tow. The sled dogs seen in professional racing are often crossbreeds between huskies and hunting dogs. Any dog that loves to tow can prove to be suitable for the purpose, even those of small size which, to tow a certain weight, will have to be more numerous
Part 2 of 4: Training
Step 1. Choose the harness
The pet shop in your area may not sell quality ICS harnesses, in this case contact an online store (check the size before purchasing). The harness should be equipped with good copper buckles.
Step 2. Harness the dog
For some dogs, the fact of being harnessed does not give the slightest discomfort, this helps immensely during training. When the dog seems comfortable, hook one end of the leash (or gang line) to the harness and attach a light weight to the opposite end (use a bottle of water or an old tennis shoe). Lead the dog (or dogs, but it is always better to train one animal at a time) outside with the harness on and the leash fastened. At first, the animal may seem annoyed, but it will soon get used to it.
Step 3. Teach him the commands
- While towing, tell him GEE (pronounced like the letter G of the alphabet) when you want him to go right and HAW when you want him to go left. If the dog has been trained to walk alongside his owner, teaching him to tow can become problematic; while he is trolling, it will be necessary to stay behind him, accustoming him gradually.
- The dog must also learn the stop command (WHOA). To teach him to stop, get him to stop suddenly from time to time and reward him when he behaves properly.
- It will be necessary to teach him the ON-BY command to call him back to order when he is distracted. Always reward him when he obeys.
- Another important command is LINE OUT (which is given to the lead dog to make him stretch the rope and keep the whole suit in line). To teach this, tie the gang line or leash to a pole and tell the dog LINE OUT. He should arrange himself so that the string is taut, with his nose facing forward (he should learn to do this even when you are behind him). Reward him if he does the exercise.
Step 4. Increase the weight of the object to be towed, up to that of a light tire
It is important that the dog is happy to tow. Change the type of object, so that the animal gets used to different noises, smells and so on. If the dog responds to all commands regardless of the weight being towed, you are ready to move on.
Part 3 of 4: Alternative Training
Step 1. If you prefer, attach a leash to the dog's harness and one to the collar
Use two leashes that are approximately the same length. Walk the dog making sure that the leash attached to the harness is kept under tension. Use the leash attached to the collar to guide the dog. Teach him the same commands explained in the previous steps.
Part 4 of 4: Tying the Dog to the Scooter / Sled
Step 1. Attach the dogs to the sled (if you want to run in the snow) or to the scooter
Wear elbow and knee protectors. If the dogs don't move or seem doubtful about what to do, have them chase something - a friend on a bicycle can help you out. Make sure they keep the tow line taut and run in an orderly formation. Always keep one hand (or foot) on the brake.
Advice
- There are different types of scooters suitable for dog scootering, the "summer" version of dog sledding. You can use an off-road scooter, equipped with tires and good brakes.
- Bring water for the dogs with you.
- Make sure the dogs have fun.
- It may take more than one dog to travel long distances. Make a comparison between the weight to be carried (including yours, of course) and the weight of the dogs: if the weight to be towed exceeds the weight of the dogs plus forty-five kilos, you will have to attack an extra dog.
- Be patient during the training. Know that when dogs don't understand, it's your fault, not theirs. Punishing animals doesn't help, it just confuses them.
- Do not run on the sled until the dogs have learned all the commands. If dogs don't do what you ask, you could get really hurt.
- The alternatives to dog scootering and dog sledding are innumerable. There is skijoring (on skis) and bikejoring (by bike); if you are good at skating, you can get towed by going rollerblading. You can also run on a sulky (a two-wheeled gig) or a cart (three- or four-wheeled cart). You can specialize in just one type of business or more than one.
- Teach your dog to respond to commands from a young age, but don't let him tow anything until he's an adult. When he is one year old, take him for a run (for a kilometer and a half or less); gradually works on its endurance.
- If you practice dog sledding, you will need, in addition to the sled, a bag, a hooked anchor and booties. Also take some bungee cords with you, they can always be used to tie something to the sled. To get the equipment, go to a sports shop or search on an Internet site. You will also need a means of transport to move the sled and dogs. Generally, three dogs are ideal for practicing dog sledding, but you can let yourself be towed by more animals if you deem it necessary.
- Read manuals. Learn about everything related to sled dog racing, look up information on the Internet.
- Skijoring can be practiced with one or two dogs maximum. In speed racing, two-dog skijoring teams achieve approximately the same speed as teams competing in four-dog categories (assuming the animals have the same skills).
- Always carry a first aid kit with you. The kit should include salt (to force the dog to put back in case of need), bandages, and hemostatic medications. Bring a blanket with you to wrap and transport injured dogs. If an injured animal wants to keep running, absolutely do not allow it! If you are a musher (sled driver), ask your vet if he can give you painkillers and sedatives to keep injured dogs calm during transport.
- Never practice sled dog racing in areas that are too busy. A beautiful country path is ideal.
- The dogs most used in dog sledding are: Siberian Husky, Alaskan Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Chinook, Eurohound (a cross between Alaskan Husky and Pointer), Canadian Eskimo Dog, Greenlander, Samoyed, Sakhalin Husky, Tamaskan, Utonagan, Seppala Siberian Sleddog, Mackenzie River Husky. Among these dogs, the Alaskan Husky is considered the fastest and most resistant.
- Strong arms and a firm grip are needed, brakes alone are not enough!
- If you like competition, take part in competitions. You don't have to run the Iditarod, there are also short race courses, under seven kilometers.
Warnings
- Never let an injured dog run, even if they are willing to. The animal will be too excited to stop and the wound will inevitably get worse.
- Sleds and scooters can tip over, so wear protective gear. To prevent abrasion, wear gloves and wear a helmet to protect your head from bumps. To avoid fracturing your elbows, wear padded protectors.
- Dogs under one year of age should not drag weights, it could negatively affect skeletal development.
- Make sure dogs understand commands and obey, that's really important!
- If the weather conditions get worse, don't be caught off guard. Even on sunny days it happens that the weather changes suddenly, be careful!
