How old should a dog be to pull a sled? A Comprehensive Guide

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Get the Puppy Used to Pulling Something

When the puppy is about four months old, he is ready to pull a lightweight object that does not bounce around as it goes over the ground. Many mushers use a track from a snowmobile for this purpose. Another example would be a lightweight board or a log.

  • First find a suitable place for them to train. The surface must be appropriate for keeping their feet and joints in good condition. Dirt or grass is an option, or gravel. Avoid concrete, roadways, and pavement.
  • Attach a “drag line” to the puppy. This is a long leash from 15 to 20 feet in length. This line is hooked to the harness and tied to a stake.
  • Encourage the puppy to run pulling the item and once he seems to understand the task, add in your cue word when he takes off. “Hike” is commonly used, but you can use any word you like as long as are 100 percent consistent with it.
  • You dont want your puppy to over-exercise themselves so do this step in small sections of about 50 feet. Call out your stop word and put your foot over the drag line. Many mushers use “whoa” for this word but again, you can use another word but use it consistently.
  • Some puppies take off with glee during this exercise; others may take some coaxing and patience. It is best to move slowly during this part of training.
    • If your dog doesnt have a natural inclination to pull or move away from you, try encouraging them to move forward with something they like, such as a toy.
    • Use an excited, happy tone of voice and encourage them to pull forward. You may need to stand in front of him for this until he understands what you want.
  • If the puppy is frightened while pulling, he may be ruined as a sled dog prospect. You can use positive reinforcement to acclimate him to pulling and move at a slower pace to accommodate the dogs personality. Realize not every dog is suited for sledding.
  • Do this pulling exercise until the pup seems comfortable pulling something behind him and keeping the line taut.
  • When your puppy is running with the weight behind them happily, you want them to start to run ahead of you.

    • Before you begin teaching your dog to pull, you should have a plan for which verbal cues you are going to use for each behavior. You can always use your own, or go with commonly used commands. Other sled dog trainers tend to use the following:

  • Gee – Make a right turn
  • Haw – Make a left turn
  • Come Gee or Come Haw – Make a complete 180 degree turn left (haw) or right (gee)
  • On By – Keep going (ignore distractions on the trail)
  • Easy – Slow down
  • Whoa – Stop moving
  • Line Out – A command to the lead dog to move in a direction away from the sled
  • Hike – Start moving

    • Once the pup is listening to his basic obedience cues reliably and is doing well with his harness training, you can start to train the behaviors he will need to know as a working sled dog.

    The commonly used cue words for making turns are “gee” for a right turn and “haw” for a left turn.

  • Start out training in a low-distraction area. Lure the dog around your body with a piece of food in both directions. You can also lure them around something, like a chair or garbage can in front of you.
  • Reward them for following your hand each time with the food treat.
  • Now do the same luring motion with your hand but without the food in it. Reward the dog for continuing to follow you left or right.
  • Add the cue word in when the dog is following your hand.
  • When the dog is doing well, take them to a more distracting area, such as outside in the yard or around other dogs and gradually build up their following the cue word reliably.
  • Attach the dog with a harness to your pulling object or sled and work on them slowly with following the cue.

    • Dogs can get distracted as theyre running by objects like a squirrel or deer in the woods, or by another dog team going by. They need to learn a cue to ignore these distractions and keep going. The cue for this is typically “on by.” A similar cue is “leave it,” which means to leave an item alone if, for example, your dog does wander off to begin investigating a squirrel. Some people teach these separately or just use one cue since its a similar behavior.

  • To train a dog to leave it, present them with a tasty treat in your hand and then close your fist.
  • Have treats ready in your other hand behind your back.
  • The dog will bump at your fist trying to get the treat. When he moves away from the hand, even if its just a few hairs away, praise him (or click) and give him a treat from your other hand.
  • Repeat this process until the dog “gets” the game. Now add in the cue word “leave it” and repeat the process.
  • Eventually work up to putting the food on the ground and asking your dog to leave it.
  • Once the dog is doing this reliably, take them outside where there are more distractions, and build up the cue using other objects they might want, such as going to see another dog, chasing after a squirrel, or a toy.
  • You can then add in the harness and sled and practice this behavior. Its easiest to do this with another handler who can be in front of your dog to reward him while you monitor from behind with the drag line.

    • Before your dogs come to a full stop you want to teach them to slow down as well as at other times where going slow is better for the track. The word used most often for this is “easy.”

  • This is best taught with the dog pulling a light object and with a handler to help you.
  • The handler will be out in front and as the dog runs to them, you want to pull back gently on the drag line.
  • As the dog slows down, the handler can walk to them and reward with a treat.
  • Practice this and once the dog learns tension on the leash means slow down, add in the cue word.
  • Repeat and gradually vary when your handler assistant gives a food reward and slowly phase it out.

    • Can 1 dog pull a sled?

    A kicksled is a light, upright sled that can take 1-2 dogs. … A dog weighing 40-50 lbs can pull a human on a stanchion (basket) sled on a level without difficulty.

    Can a husky pull a cart?

    Newfoundlands, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Huskies, and many other breeds have been pulling carts for centuries, but small dogs can get in on the action as well. … Generally dogs can pull 2-3 times their body weight. If you’re going to be going uphill or on some rough terrain reduce the load as needed.

    Training my Dog to Pull a Sled | BOOT GIVEAWAY w/ HAIX |

    Luna Lobos Dog Sledding is a family-owned dog sledding operation based in Peoa, Utah. Owners Fernando and Dana Ramirez believe that dog sledding is a work of art, and that all the pieces have to work together to create a successful team. Fernando has raced professionally, competing in both the Pedigree Stage Stop Race and the World Championships, the dog-sledding counterpart of the world series. His dog sled team comprises an interesting mix of professional racers as well as rescues. Below, he shares his experience in training a dog to mush.

    Sledding is an incredible way to bond with your dog. Working together to get down a trail builds a rewarding relationship based on trust and loyalty. The one thing you cannot teach a dog, however, is the drive and passion to want to run. If your dog is active, high strung, and charges out of the house, congratulations. That’s eighty percent of your battle. You cannot make a dog run if they don’t want to do it, and they will make that very clear.

    Starting out, you’ll want to buy a sled dog harness and a basic set of tug lines, the rope that connects your sled to your dog’s harness. You can purchase any dog sled equipment on websites such as AdanacSleds.com.

    Then work on commands. In the mushing world, the commands “Gee”, and “Haw”, used for turning right and left are most common. One of the most important commands is “On-by”, or “Leave it”, running past distractions or rogue squirrels racing past you. Racing as a young boy, I gave my dogs commands in Spanish, so choose what works for you! Remember, consistency is key. Stick to the commands you plan to use and reinforce them with your pup, even on daily walks. Praise your dog for following through with what you asked. It is so important they know they are doing a good job. We constantly shout praise throughout our run.

    Foot care is also important. Trim those nails properly. A broken nail can lead to serious injuries. Before and after a good run, massage ointment into their pads to prevent cracks in their paws. We typically use Emu Oil or Bag Balm, and both work amazingly well.

    Note: Every dog I’ve had hates booties! I only use dog booties only if the dog is prone to stress in their feet or if trail surfaces are rough. In most cases, you will be fine without them for runs of ten miles or less.

    Sledding with your dog for the first time can be a little intimidating, but both you and your dog will learn by trial and error. You will soon find out how to work as a team. When hitching your dog to a sled or a bike, ask a family member or a friend to help you by running in front, encouraging your dog to chase, giving them the motivation to pull. In this way, you are able to stand on your sled or control your bike, cheering your dogs on as they pull.

    Use your commands to strengthen their skill. Do not feel discouraged if your first run did not go perfectly. There is always room for growth – both for your dog and you as a dogman/dogwoman. And remember, dog sledding is a work of art and a lifestyle – not a hobby.