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Canicross at AthleticDogs.com

Canine + Cross Country = Canicross!!!

Canicross is cross-country running with dogs - canine plus cross-country equals canicross! The sport originated in Europe as a way to train mushing (sledding) dogs in the off-season. In recent years, canicross has become very popular as a sport in its own right. While it is most popular in the United Kingdom, it is quickly gaining loyal participants across North America as well.

Similar sports to canicross are bikejorring, in which athletes bike with their dogs, and skijoring, in which the dogs run alongside a cross-country skier. While participants in sled dog and skijoring are the most common canicross athletes (using canicross as off-season training), many long-distance runners (marathoners) have adopted the sport as well.

Canicross is the best introduction to pulling sports. You have better control over the dog as he is learning the basics, and the starts and stops of training are much easier to manage on foot (rather than on a bike, cart, or sled). Once your athletic dog masters the essentials of the pulling sport through canicross, he will be ready to try out any of the other taut-line sports as well.

Canicross can be run with one or two dogs wearing harnesses attached to the runner by a waist belt and bungee or elastic line. The use of regular leashes can be dangerous to both the dog and runner when the dog pulls. While huskies and malamutes were the original canicross dogs, now all breeds have joined the sport. Breeds from small terriers to large rottweilers and poodles are now running canicross...and loving every minute of it! At the end of the day, all dogs can run, it’s good for them, and most dogs enjoy it.

Running with your dog might sound like an easy sport to pick up, but really it takes some work to get it right. The pull of the dog can increase the runner’s distance per stride and can be a big help up steep hills...or it can yank you off your feet and drop you on your face! It is absolutely essential that you and your dog work well together and that he or she is able to follow basic directions like stop or sit. The idea of canicross is to harness your dog’s natural desire to pull into a teamwork effort for both of you.

People of all ages and abilities have picked up canicross. It is a great, inexpensive way to keep both dog and human fit and healthy!

Canicross Versus Regular Running

Running with a dog is not particularly unusual, but the bonus of canicross is that the dog is actually helping to propel the runner along. For regular running, the dog is generally trained to remain at heel, running right next to the runner. The regular runners often use a regular leash and collar. In canicross, the runner is attached to the dog by three pieces of equipment – a belt for the runner attached to a bungee or elasticized cord attached to the dog’s body harness. The dog is trained to pull the runner as they go.

Recreational runners have shaved minutes off their best trail-running times. Olympic caliber long-distance runners have found they can run 5% to 10% faster with a well-trained canicross dog! Many of the world’s best runners compete in the popular European canicross events simply to enjoy another aspect of their sport.

Voice commands are used to tell the dogs when to turn, stop, and go using esoteric Nordic commands like gee (right), haw (left), and on-by (leave it – ignore the distraction). The dogs are trained to stay ahead and pull steadily, keeping the line taut at all times. The line is elasticized to reduce the sudden jerks of starts and stops for both the dog and runner.

Most people who run with dogs simply use a loose-leash training style where the dog stays near the runner and never pulls on the leash. In canicross, the pull is the whole point, so safer equipment is required for both the dog and runner. The dog needs a snug, comfortable harness and the human requires a sturdy waist belt harness. Between the two is an integrated shock cord (elasticized tow line) of variable lengths. The runner should also carry a pack with incidentals and plenty of water. Placing a pack on the dog can be an extra burden that wears them out too soon.

While any dog can adapt to loose-leash running, many dogs have a natural pulling instinct. The assumption that the biggest dogs are best for canicross is misleading – very big, very fast dogs will have trouble learning the pace of running with their humans.

The amount of weight being pulled is an issue as well. In general, most dogs are comfortable pulling an amount equal to their own weight. Those dogs bred for pulling can handle twice their bodyweight or more, but smaller dogs might not even be able to drag along their twin! Be careful to work up to the appropriate weight for your dog and be alert to any signs that a weight is too difficult to pull.

Most canicross experts believe that midsize working dogs are the best choice (a 40 pound husky, for example). Huskies, malamutes and pointers are common choices for pulling sports, but canicross and other dryland athletes have been successful with labs, greyhounds, weimeraners, retrievers, and even border collies.

Need equipment for canicross? Check out the best products available in canicross equipment at the AthleticDogs.com store!