Dogs - Dryland Mushing

Red Goodman

For mushers in the North Country, there was a time when dryland sports were just a way to train dogs before the actual mushing on snow began.

Today that is no longer the case.

or, "What the Heck is that Dog Pulling?"For mushers in the North Country, there was a time when dryland sports were just a way to train dogs before the actual mushing on snow began. Today that is no longer the case. There is a dryland racing season, which race organizing bodies in the Northeast are extending into December, a month more traditionally used for training and racing on snow. This may be due partly to global warming, but some of it may also be that dryland training is fun in its own right and offers considerably more options than mushing on snow. Here in Vermont, this is usually done in the fall and early winter. Some mushers extend the season by running in the early spring when the snow is gone, but many are ready to hang it up by then and, besides, around here, spring is usually a muddy mess.

The Vermont Mushers Association defines "mushing" as any dog-powered sport. Mushing on snow is only a small fraction of the sport in general, as it consists only of running dogs pulling sleds and skijoring (dogs pulling people). Dryland mushing, on the other hand, comprises dogs pulling bicycles, scooters, carts, wheeled rigs, skate boards, in-line skates, roller skis, or pretty much anything that rolls, and running - people that is - along with the dogs. A combination of six running legs is called cani-cross. Although I have had a dog slip over the gunwale of our canoe into the water and pull us by swimming, I'm not sure this can be called "dryland" and we know of no organized "canoe-joring" races.

Any willing and able dog can participate in dryland mushing sports. If your dog weighs at least 35 pounds and pulls your arm off while walking on a leash, consider hooking it up to a wheeled contraption. Your dog should, of course, be mature and healthy, and, as with any athlete, work up slowly to longer distances.

One of the cardinal rules for mushing is to not overheat the dogs. As important as it is to be careful of this during winter, it is more so in the warmer months. Always have water available for your canine friend and do not run in excessively warm temperatures. Consider training only in the cooler morning or evening hours. We use 40 degrees Fahrenheit as a maximum temperature for our double-coated dogs. Many mushers training with lighter-coated dogs use 50 degrees as their cutoff. Pay attention to how tired your dog appears to be and do not allow it to work too hard.

For any successful mushing, some command training is necessary. You should learn, then teach your dog, verbal commands used in the sport. This is best done before you actually have your dog pull you at top speed down the middle of a crowded sidewalk. Using the commands every time you walk the dog is a good way to start teaching. Be patient, consistent, and use lots of praise when the dog does it right. Never forget, though, that even the most well-trained dog won't always respond to your commands. It is one thing to have a dog on a leash pull you off the path to chase a leaf or a squirrel—and quite another when you yourself are on wheels.

Cani-cross, or running with your dog ahead of - yet attached to - you is the simplest of the dryland sports. All you need for equipment is a harness for each of you and a shock-absorbing line to make the connection. The same equipment you would use for skijoring works well. As for all the possibilities listed here, your dog's harness should be the kind mushers use, designed for pulling and carefully fitted to your dog, not the chest or walking harnesses sold in pet stores.

Next in complexity are those activities where a single dog is capable of pulling a wheeled vehicle. Examples of this are bike-joring or scootering, or pulling a human on a skateboard, roller skis, or in-line skates. As fun as these are, if you decide to try it, be careful. It is possible to seriously injure yourself. The bare ground is much harder than a blanket of snow and it comes at you very quickly. Stopping a dog who is running flat out can be difficult even on a bicycle with good brakes. Imagine the possibilities for disaster with you, on a wheeled something or other, hooked to a dog capable of pulling you at 20 mph.

For years mushers have used bicycles for training. If you wish to try it, it's pretty simple. Attach a shock-absorbing line from your bike to your dog and say "Woo-hoo!" Of course a helmet is a good idea, and consider the elbow and kneepads you'd use for in-line skating. I have come back from some training rides wishing there were a way to pad my entire body. There is also bicycle jogging equipment that allows your dog to run alongside your bike and minimizes the pulling. Although less like bike-joring and more like running with your dog, this may be an alternative to consider, especially in an urban setting or on a crowded bike path.

Many mushers these days are also turning to non-motorized scootering. Although essentially the same as bike-joring, the scooter seems to be a bit safer in that you are not as "attached" to it as a bicycle. It is relatively easy to hop off if necessary.

One thing I have not tried, but have always wanted to, is to have a dog pull me on in-line skates. I have seen some junior mushers in the Northeast doing this at fall trade fairs. I have also seen a video of some Californians skateboarding with their dogs pulling them on paved recreation paths. Both seemed like a blast, but I have yet to try it, as my in-line skating skills are not up to the strength of my dogs. If you try this, remember that the going part is mostly always easy, the stopping part is where it can get tricky. In the California video, the mushers were holding onto the line rather than having it attached to their own harness. I cannot let my Siberian Huskies loose, so this option is out for me. If you try it, let me know how it goes, but don't blame me for any road rash you pick up.

At the top end of the spectrum of complex activity for dryland training are devices that it takes multiple dogs to pull. These run the range from carts to rigs to ATVs to cars, from homemade contraptions to expensive German devices, and are beyond the scope of this article. If you want a taste of what these are like, check out the video on the web in the Resources sidebar.

More Info

There are many resources available on the web and in Vermont. Atii Sled Dogs in the Mad River Valley is one such resource, offering skijor lessons and gear. www.AtiiSledDogs.com.

A fantastic video of a Norwegian training cart in action is on the web at www.webhunt.no/~webhunt/webhunt/produkter/
sacco/sacco_generelt.html. Once on the page click on the link: "Klikk her for a se video av vognen i bruk!"

There are no books solely on dryland training that this author is aware of. The books Skijor With Your Dog by Mari Hoe-Raitto and Carol Kaynor and Ski Spot Run: The Enchanting World of Skijoring and Related Dog-Powered Sports by Matt Haakenstad, however, have many tips for skijoring and dryland mushing, including commands. Both books are available from Atii Sled Dogs.