• See General Precautions.
• If you are new to the sport, make sure your dog gets approval by a veterinarian.
  • Any dog with hip dysplasia, slipped stifle, patella luxation or any arthritic conditions should not participate in any weight pulling type of activities, as this will only exacerbate their condition.
  • Any dog showing any type of discomfort should not be allowed to pull weight, cart, or hike.
• Make sure your dog warms up and cools downs as appropriate.
  • A nice walk prior to starting will warm up the muscles.
• Puppies/dogs should be well socialized, especially bully breeds that may more often be seen in the weight pulling competitions.
  • Take your puppy or dog to many different environments and introduce them to the sports listed.

Breed type and/or Body type: Endomorphic/bull breeds.

• Weight pulling competitions were originally designed for sled dog breeds.
  • Now it has expanded to not only the bull breeds, but most breeds can participate, even if they are less than 30 lbs.
  • There are different weight classes, so any size dog is welcome in the competition, although I believe there are some breeds, such as the Italian Greyhound, that are not made to pull weight due to their fragile bones.
• There are several competitions with different rules, but for the most part there is a rail pull, a wheeled cart pull or a sled pull on snow for about 16 feet.
• An example of the rules can be found on the Tri State Alaskan Malamute Club http://www.tsamc.org/forms/Rules.html or The International Weight Pull Association http://www.iwpa.net/Rules.html .
• Before starting, it is best to attend a weight pulling competition without your dog so that you can observe and talk to individuals that are competing.

Weight Pulling Competition Restrictions

• Dogs are not allowed if they are less than one year of age.
• They also need to be up to date on vaccines, and have proof of rabies vaccine.
• The dogs cannot be in heat or pregnant and cannot be considered to be vicious (which is always based on individual dog and not breed characteristics or reputation).
• Dogs will not be allowed if they show signs of aggression towards the handler, judge, any person or other dogs.
• Abuse of the dog will not be tolerated.
• If the dog cannot complete the pull, a ‘no-pull’ will be assigned, although the dog will be allowed to finish with less weight for his ‘ego’.

TRAINING

• No heavy weight training should begin until most dogs are 1 1/2 to 2 years old, especially larger breeds.
  • Puppies need time for their bones to grow properly.
  • A puppy that is pushed too hard at a young age will have a very short run at this sport and will cause joint problems at a young age.
  • A dog that is trained at two years and older has more of a chance to continue this sport until they are 10-12 years old, as opposed to a retirement age of 3 with early training.
• You can start your puppy early with introducing the harness and basic commands.
  • You can also have them pull light objects to get used to the feel and sounds of something dragging behind them.
• Getting used to the harness may be different for each dog.
  • If you originally trained your dog walking with a harness instead of a collar, this should be easy for you.
  • For others, take it slow.
  • First let them smell the harness and play with it so they do not fear the object.
  • The first time you put it on, make sure you associate it with something pleasant, like food or playing with them to distract them.
  • Only have them wear it for short periods of time, and then take it off, eventually increasing the time.
  • DO NOT make a big deal or baby the dog while wearing it, as you will just encourage fear.
• Depending on the age and the size of the dog, once the dog is used to the harness attach a water jug for them to pull, eventually adding coins or gravel to get them used to the noise when dragging the object.
  • You may attach this by a long rope or cloths line, approximately 15-20 so they are not too spooked at the beginning.

COMMANDS

The basic command you will give to your dog is ‘pull’, ‘work’ or ‘come’ – it can also be a hand signal, like touching your finger to the ground.

• You can either stand in front of the dog (in competition, this would be at the finish line and call the dog).
  • The other place is in the rear or side and ‘drive’ the dog forward.
• It is best NOT to use food while training your puppy or dog, as this is not allowed in actual competition.
  • Dogs have also been known to snap secondary to stress during competition when food is used as bait.
• You can start your puppy off with an X back harness having him pull small objects, such as an empty children’s sled, until he is mature enough to start actual pull training.
• When your dog is mature enough to start training, most people will start by adding a foot or two of chain to the harness. To make it harder, have the dog go over grass, which will cause more resistance.
  • You can then advance to a lightweight pull sled, and increase to a rubber tire.
• Vary your training to every other day, and change your pull distance frequently.
  • Heavy short distances are better for building muscle mass.
  • Lighter and longer distances build endurance.
• Core training, balance, endurance training with running and strength training should all be incorporated into your dog’s fitness routine.
• The biggest advice is to make it fun.
  • Give plenty of praise.
  • If you reduce your dog’s confidence, chances are he will not pull for you.
  • This is not a sport that requires heavy handed training.
    • Stop your training sessions while your dog is still having fun before he gets too tired or bored.
• If your dog is going to compete, it may be beneficial to practice pulling bags of dog food.
  • Some companies sponsor the events and have the dogs pull bags of dry dog food, which may be a part of the prize to the winner.
  • Have the dog practice with this ahead of time so that they will not be distracted by the smell if they enter a competition with food used as the weight.

EQUIPMENT

• Harness:  Freight harness.
  • There are several types of harnesses available, including rolled, leather, and nylon.
  • It is important that you do not get a racing harness, and that the front is highly padded.
  • The harness should have room to be hooked up below the tail.
  • If you have a dog with a thick coat, you may need more than one harness depending on the season.
  • It is best to have the harness custom made to fit your dog.
• Spreader Bar: A spreader bar goes between the back sides of the harness.
  • This is a dowel that holds the straps apart so the dog can extend his legs when pulling.
• Sled or cart to pull: This will really depend on what type of pulling you want to do. See appropriate organization for more info.

Breed type and/or Body type: Endomorphic, Giant Breeds and Mesomorphic (over 35 lbs).

• Other breeds can participate if not pulling people or heavy items in the cart (see below).
• Unlike weight pulling, Carting or Draft Work is pulling a wheeled vehicle, and can be with a ‘driver’ (human) in the cart controlling the cart, wagon or sulky.
• Carts have two wheels; wagons have 4 wheels; sulky’s can have two wheels with the driver standing.
• You will follow the same basic instructions as weight pulling, but with carting, you are not adding weight.
• You also will need to have your dog learn some basic commands, as they are not going in a straight line as with weight pulling competitions.

Precautions:
• See General Precautions and Precautions above in addition to following:

• Dogs should be over 35 lbs if pulling a human.
  • There are smaller carts for miniature dogs, but obviously you would not want to be driving the cart.
• As with other dog sports, if you are traveling on pavement, you may look into booties for your dog to protect his paws.
• Unlike weight pulling with bull breeds who arch their backs and ‘dig in’ for pulling short distances, dogs that pull carts over long distances should pull with a level top line (shoulder to tail should be flat along the spine) to prevent back injuries.
  • Some sight hounds have normally arched backs and German Shepherds tend to have a sloping top line.
• ***Be careful if you are using sight hounds to pull – not only are they anatomically not made to be pulling heavy weight, but they are also more apt bolt if they see a fuzzy little rabbit crossing the road. 

TRAINING

• See Training under Weight Pulling above.
• If you are going to be pulling a driver, the total load of vehicle and driver should not weigh more than 3 times the dog’s body weight.

COMMANDS

o GEE – Turn Right
o HAW – Turn Left
o BACK UP – Back Cart Up
o START OR LET’S GO- To Start Pulling Cart
o WHOA –Stop
o STAY OR WAIT – Dog Needs to Stay
o EASY – Slow Down
o PULL – Lean into the Pull Harder
o FASTER OR GO – Speed Up
o Go to Dog and Human Sports for additional commands/training.

• Start your training BEFORE getting into the cart.
• Make sure your canine friend has all the orders down before hitching up as well.
• Here are some more website that have some great information: Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada

EQUIPMENT

• Harness: This really depends on the type of vehicle you are going to pull or generally preference.
  
  • Parade Harness: This harness has a padded strap across the chest, which attaches to straps or poles.
    • This can be made of leather or nylon.
    • The downside is that this type of harness can be constricting.
    • OK for light loads.
  • Draft Harness: Looks like a horse harness.
  • Siwash Harness: Preferred. Similar to the Weight Pulling Harness without the spreader bar.
    • This harness leaves the shoulder assembly open to increase free range of motion of the front legs.
• Break Band: Attached to the harness and brake on the cart to keep the cart coming forward and hitting the dog if they are going downhill or stopping fast
• Cart:  This will really depend on the purpose for pulling.
  • As above, there are 2 wheeled, 4 wheeled, Sulkies, and even a Travois, that has no wheels and is used mainly for dragging items over rough terrain. 

Breed type and/or Body type: Mesomorphic (over 30 lbs) and breeds that can endure cold weather.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: Mushing:

‘Mushing is a general term for a sport or transport method powered by dogs, and includes carting, pulka, scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. More specifically, it implies the use of one or more dogs to pull a sled on snow. The term is thought to come from the French word marche, or go, run, the command to the team to commence pulling. “Mush!” is rarely used in modern parlance, however; “Hike!” is more common in English. Mushing can be utilitarian, recreational, or competitive. Mushing as a sport is practiced worldwide, but primarily in North America and northern Europe. Racing associations such as the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) and the International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) are working toward organizing the sport and in gaining Olympic recognition for mushing. It is the state sport of Alaska. Although dogsled racing gets more publicity and is seen now as the primary form of mushing, recreational mushing thrives as an unorganized sport providing healthy outdoor form of winter exercise for families. Mushing for utilitarian purposes includes anything from hauling wood or delivering milk or the mail to rural travel and equipment hauling’. Wikipedia: Mushing

Dry Land Mushing – See Carting, Bikejoring and Scootering for Training and Equipment.

Sledding – Sledding can be done with as little as one dog, although to compete, the minimum is 3 depending on the competition. See Carting for Training suggestions.

• Several types of sleds can be used depending on what you are transporting (see equipment below).
• This is a very expensive sport to compete in, but can be very rewarding for a hobby if you have 1-2 dogs that love to pull and enjoy the snow.

TEAM – If you decide to go into this sport to compete, here is what your pack will be made up of.

• ‘Dog team members are given titles according to their position in the team relative to the sled.
• These include leaders or lead dogs, swing dogs, team dogs, and wheelers or wheel dogs.
  
  • Lead dogs steer the rest of the team and set the pace.
  • Swing dogs or point dogs are directly behind the leader (one dog if the team is in single hitch).
    • They swing the rest of the team behind them in turns or curves on the trail. (Some mushers use the term swing dog to denote a team dog.)
  • Team dogs are those between the wheelers and the swing dogs, and add power to the team
  • Wheel dogs are those nearest the sled, and a good wheeler must have a relatively calm temperament so as not to be startled by the sled moving just behind it.
    • Strength, steadiness, and ability to help guide the sled around tight curves are qualities valued in “wheelers.”’ Wikipedia: Mushing
      Terminology from The Official Site of The Iditarod 

EQUIPMENT

• Sled: Generally a Basket type for shorter distances or Toboggans for longer distances over un-groomed trails.
• Harness: Siwash or X back Harness in Nylon material is the most popular. See Carting above.
  • There is also an H-back harness that works well with distance mushers.
• Gangline: This is made up of several components, including the Towline, Tugline and Neckline (for more than one dog).
  • These three lines are generally made from arctic-grade polyethylene and are used to attach the dogs to the sled.
  • You will also need a shock cord or bungee cord to protect from hard jolts that acts as a shock absorber.
• Snow Hook: Anchor for the sled when it is stopped.
• Sled Bag: This is useful in carrying equipment.
• Snub Line: Line for securing the sled and team while you are stopped or hooking up other dogs.
• Booties – As above in precautions.
• Coat: Depending on the breed of the dog, a coat may be needed.
  • Make sure YOU are wearing the proper snow gear as well.

Sled Dog Racing
Breed type and/or Body type: Mesomorphic (over 30 lbs) and breeds that can endure cold weather.

• Sled dog racing goes beyond the scope of this website.
• Sled Dog Racing is a winter sport that is a timed competition which uses a team of dogs to pull a driver that stands on a runner.
• Races can be relatively short sprints from 4>25 miles and as long as 200>1000 miles.
• If this looks like something you would like be a part of, check out local clubs or attend some races to see what is involved.
  International Sled Dog Racing Association: ISDR  and The Official Site of The Iditarod

Pulka or Nordic Style Dog Mushing
Breed type and/or Body type: Mesomorphic (over 30 lbs) and breeds that can endure cold weather.
Definition by Wisegeek.com – What is pulka:

“Pulka is a type of winter sport popular in Scandinavia which has recently spread to other parts of the world. Pulka can be great fun, and involves a high level of cooperation between people and animals for success. It integrates dogs, a sled, and a skier. Pulka can be done with one dog or multiple dogs, depending on the amount of weight being pulled. In addition to being a competitive sport, is also used by some winter adventurers to move supplies.
Pulka begins with the dog or dogs, which are put into a harness attached to a small sled called a pulka. . In competition, the pulka is loaded with a set weight, which is around 40 pounds (20 kilograms) for male dogs and 33 pounds (15 kilograms) for females, who tend to be smaller and less able to bear heavy loads. When used for recreation, the pulka may be left unloaded, or used for gear and supplies. The skier attaches him or herself to the pulka using a strap. Technically, the skier is not being pulled by the dogs, although flat terrain provides an opportunity to rest. The skier must work with the dogs to succeed, contributing on uphill climbs rather than acting as dead weight. Pulka requires more coordination than traditional dog sledding, because in addition to handling the dogs, the skier must also stay upright and in control of his or her skis.
Pulka is most popular in Scandinavia, and is not as well known in the United States where dog sledding and skijoring are more common winter sports with dogs. Pulka is recognized by the International Association of Sled Dog Sports as a sport, and competitions are regulated by that organization as well.

EQUIPMENT

• Pulk (Small Sled): The sled or Pulk is approximately 16 lbs for a commercial grade.
  • This can be pulled behind the skier instead of between the skier the canine.
• Shaft: “If the Pulk is being pulled behind the skijorer, a longer shaft needs to be attached, which are attached to a modified skijoring belt.
  • When the pulk is between the skier and the dog, the dog is hooked to the pulk with ridged shafts.
  • When the skier is between the pulk and the dog, the ridged shafts for the pulk are attached to the skier. “(MUSH! A Beginner’s Manual of Sled Dog Training, by LaBelle, Charlene – editor)
• Skijoring Belt: (modified if needed), and other equipment listed in the Skijoring section.

Sledding / Mushing

Ski Spot Run by Haakenstad and Thompson for lots of information on skijoring and more.

MUSH! A Beginner’s Manual of Sled Dog Training, by LaBelle, Charlene – editor for Sierra Nevada Dog Drivers, Inc.

Tri-State Alaskan Malamute Club Weight Pulling Rules  http://www.tsamc.org/forms/Rules.html

Snowpaw Store https://snowpawstore.com/

Iditarod – Official Site https://iditarod.com/#

Wikipedia: Sled Dog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sled_dogs

Wikipedia: Sled Dog Racing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sled_dog_racing .

Weight Pulling

International Weight Pull Association – http://www.iwpa.net/Rules.html

Pull Doggies – Weight Pulling 101 –  https://pulldoggies1.wixsite.com/pulldogies/training

American Kennel Club – Can your Dog Pull his Weight? – https://www.akc.org/canine-partners/can-your-dog-pull-his-weight/

Whole Dog Journal – Competitive Canine Weight Pull – https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/training/tricks_games_sports/competitive-canine-weight-pull/

Training Wheels Lug Nut Program (No Longer Active)

Carting/Drafting

Fun with Draft by Phil Chagnon http://www.bmdcc.ca

Carting with your Dog http://www.cartingwithyourdog.com/cfaq.html#Commands

American Kennel Club – More Sports for All Dogs: Drafting & Carting – https://www.akc.org/canine-partners/more-sports-for-all-dogs-drafting-carting-2/

My Brown Newfies – Carting with your Dog 101 – https://mybrownnewfies.com/2017/12/18/carting-with-your-dog-101/

Pulka

What is Pulka? Sports N’ Hobbies https://www.sportsnhobbies.org/what-is-pulka.htm