Home | Dog Sports | What’s New | About | Contact | Store | Links

Agility | Conformation | Disc Dogs | Dock Diving | Earth Dog Trials | Flyball | Herding | Field Trials & Hunting | Lure Coursing  Obedience | Rally- O | Schutzhund & Protection Dogs | Therapy Dogs | Tracking | Pulling Sports

Pulling Sports Equipment and Training!

As with all athletics, it is essential that both you and your dog be prepared before training for pulling sports. Cross-country running, skiing, and long-distance biking are not events most humans can do without training, and the conditioning and basic skills of your dog must be in order to become a successful pulling competitor and partner as well.

Basic dog training ensures that your dog will respond to your commands and be able to work through environmental distractions. In any pulling sport, you must be confident that your dog will stop when told to do so and be able to work with you. Your dog will need to learn to move continuously, smoothly, and consistently without distraction. Start by training him or her on a loose leash such that the dog stays with you whatever action you take – you stop, the dog stops, you speed up, he or she does too. Some basic commands, including heel, will be of particular use in the partner pulling sports (canicross, skijoring, bikejoring). Yes, you want your dog to learn to take the lead and pull, but on steep downhill trails, you will be grateful the dog still knows how to heel!

Be sure the dog only pulls in certain situations, such as when the leash is attached to the harness but not when the leash is attached to the collar or head harness. Dogs are smart and can easily learn to distinguish between the two attachments. If you and your dog have never attended basic obedience courses, it is probably a good idea to start there. A knowledgeable trainer will be able to help you develop the specific habits a pulling performance sport dog needs and help identify any particular motivators and issues with your dog.

For dogs who have a solid foundation in loose leash walking, encouraging them to pull at all might be the hard part. The ideal solution to this is to run along with an experienced canicross or skijoring team or with a cart pulling dog...your dog will be tempted to keep up with a dog slightly ahead of him, and you can encourage that behavior. Working together in canicross will build an even stronger bond between you and your dog. You will be better able to communicate and a working dog is usually a happy dog!

The equipment required to participate in pulling sports include:

Waist Belt: For the handler in canicross or skijoring, the right belt should be secure and comfortable. Some include leg loops to keep the belt securely in place.

Bike Attachment: For bikejoring, there are a number of different styles of equipment to attach the lead or line to your bike, and the best option is generally based on personal preference. Whether the attachment connects to the handlebars or lower on the bike will impact the handler’s center of gravity.

Line or Lead: All pulling sports use a line made of hollow poly rope with a heavy duty bungee cord integrated into the core of the rope. One end typically has a snap to attach to the dog’s harness and the other a loop to attach to a bike or cart attachment or waist belt (canicross, skijoring).

Harness: Pulling dogs use an X-back harness with an attachment loop located near the tail of the dog. Walking harnesses have the attachment in the middle of the back, which would not work for pulling. The X-back style allows the dog full range of motion in their legs and expands to accommodate the dog’s breathing.

Pack: You will need a number of items on hand, especially for longer 5 to 10 mile excursions in bikejoring, skijoring, and canicross. It is essential to bring sufficient water and a basic first aid kit, at a minimum, to ensure you are prepared for all possibilities on the trail.

Paw Protection (optional): Off-road or on-road, the ground can be rough on your dog’s paws. Be sure to have plenty of supplies on hand to take care of any injuries or to protect his paws from danger.

Other Equipment: Whichever pulling sport you spursue, it is essential that the related equipment be of good quality and condition as well. That is, don’t use a cheap mountain bike for bikejoring, or an old broken down cart for cartjoring. Using poor quality or ill-fitting equipment can be dangerous for both you and your dog.

Check out the AthleticDogs.com store for equipment and accessories for each  pulling sport – Canicross, bikejoring, cart pulling (cartjoring), skijoring, and weight pulling!

Pulling Sports Equipment & Training at AthleticDogs.com