Totally newbie here, but I'm kinda interested in trying this out. And we finally have snow now.

Kenzi is a smaller dog, about 35#. But she can pull like a freight train. How much weight could I safely ask her to pull?

What harnesses work best? skis? what other equipment is needed?

Any good online resources you can point me toward?

My favorite is the x back harness. I skijored with airedales. But we have little snow this year where I live. I am sure a dog that size can pull weight. My cross country skis work for me.I have a harness that fits around my waist,attaches to a bungie line with a quick release. I bought the equipment from halls sleds but the owner has since passed away.

I'm no expert, although I also want to get into skijoring...

But I think one of the advantages of skijoring is that you can "help" the dog, so even dogs that would be too small for sledding, can skijor.

Where is Kiersten?!?!?!? I'll PM her, to get her attention next time she's on, but I'm sure she won't miss a thread with Skijoring in the title.

Thanks for the PM Kelly, I missed this somehow.

Mara, the general 'rule' for skijoring is the dog should be at least 35 lbs. But there's no real cut-off weight because, like Aaron said, you are helping the dog so you are not a dead weight. Just with a smaller dog you need to 'help' more.

Many people skijor with border collies.

I use an X-back harness, a $15 climbing harness (REI) for me, a skijor line with bungee built in and a carbiner to attach the line to my harness. I used to use the heavy quick releases, but they tend to release when you don't want them too. I've stopped using them. Someday I'll buy a better quick release, like this one: http://www.skijornow.com/skijornowhome.html. Good overview of quick releases: http://www.skidogs.ca/index.html?n=SkidogDrivers.EquipmentQuickReleases

The best on-line resources are: skidogs.ca at http://www.skidogs.ca/index.html?n=GeneralInfo.GettingStartedSkijoring, good information and a message board, the group is based in Ottawa. And sled dog central http://www.sleddogcentral.com/, which has links for places to buy equipment, information about races, and a chat board.

For books I like 'skijor with your dog' by Hoe-Raitto and Kaynor. Really great book, written by two avid skijorers from Fairbanks. One runs border collies, I think. Also 'ski spot run', but this is less comprehensive, and not as useful for the average pet dog owner, in my opinion. A good read, though, with more information on bikejoring and scootering as well. If I were to buy one it would be 'Skijor with your dog'.

I have both the standard X-back harness (http://www.nooksackracing.com/harnesses.html), and the manmat distance 'shortie' harness: http://www.howlingdogalaska.com/index.php?page=ldharnessinfo. The manmat harness is supposed to be good for skijoring, but I don't think so. It tends to ride up on the trachea and choke the dog if he's pulling hard. I use manmat for canicross (running with pulling dog), but not skijoring. The manmat works best for Iditarod distance dogs, who, individually, are not pulling super hard, and mainly trot/lope.

There's also this cool harness: http://store.skijornow.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SN&Product_Code=1111200&Category_Code=DH, which I'd like to try someday.

Commands to start are fairly simple. Line out, lets go, and whoa. Then left and right (haw and gee). On-by for passing distractions and other dogs. There are more, but those are good starters.

Be sure to keep sessions short and fun. Border collies may not have the best feet for snow running, so a few booties may be good to have on hand. You can buy some at any mushing supply place online pretty cheaply.

Also, it's really helpful if you already know how to ski fairly well. It's not too much fun for the dog if you keep falling. There are many ski areas that offer lessons, and some skijor clubs have ski-only practices as well.

I use skate skis, but classic skis work fine too.

Enjoy!

Oh, I forgot to add, that the absolute best way to get your dog started is to go out with an experienced dog and skijorer. Dogs learn best from each other, and usually love to chase. Depending on where you live, there may be a mushing/skijor club in your area. Sled Dog Central is a good resource for this.

Thanks for all the info, Kiersten!!

Now to start reading and saving up for more dog gear. At least this gear isn't too expensive.

THis looks sooo awesome!!! I definitely want to give this a try sometime in the future. Maybe when my pup is not a pup anymore.... : )

I do have a question or two actually. I weigh in at 190 lbs, would this be too strenuous for an 70-100 pound lab? Would one require a second dog? Also, I'm an avid alpine skier and have all the gear for this, but would I need to get a xcountry set of skis and boot/binding? I've never tried xcountry skis but I'm sure I can manage on them...just not sure what would be easier on the dog.

Anyways, thanks for the cool topic and this looks like soo much fun for both human and dog!

Kevin

I just got a Pawtrekker - should arrive today! I can't wait to try it out! Also, Nooksacracing.com has (imo) good equipment.
Here are some training tips: http://www.alaskan-husky-behavior.com/how-to-train-your-pet-dog.html

The outfit linked below (howling dog)has excellent human belts, bungeed lines, and harnesses of all types.

I use the "distance harness" with my beauceron.

I usually run my 8 year old girl side by side with a friend's well conditioned 4 year old male german shepherd. With the distance harness I don't need neck tether and given the angle of the tow line from waist height down toward the dog's back the distance harness is the better design in my opinion. I find that if I need to reel in the dogs close the distance harness is a good set up compared to the x back. I also plan to use it instead of a leash on next pup to permit "leash pressure" work in early stages.

http://www.howlingdogalaska.com/index.php?page=supplies

In the Greg Derrett Foundation training video for agility, he shows how to teach "side" and "close" for agility directions. I used a modification of this approach to train "gee" and "haw" with my herding dog using a tug as a reward. This is a training option most sled dogs would not respond to and has worked well for me. What you do is get the dog to spin clockwise and counter following a tug, then name the behaviours.

With an athletic pup in my future and my wife musing about a border collie, a pawtrekker is in my future as well. For the pawtrekker with low point of attachment (like on a dog sled in height) an x-back harness is a good idea.

I converted a fanny pack to a tow belt and made my own bungeed tow line, but I note the following: the hip mounted belt from howling dog alaska that I have tried is very comfortable and secure with low centre of gravity. If you intend to spend some time with this, you'll enjoy the good gear. If you have any history of lower back problems or poor skiing skills, then invest in a proper skijor belt, ie not a waist belt.

I recently had these two dogs hooked up to the front of my mountain bike while towing a couple of little tikes (son and nephew) in the Chariot bike trailer behind. What fun, but keep in mind I'm a former mountain bike racer with very good bike skills and a readiness to "make a tripod" with a quick foot down. The dogs can shift the front wheel at certain angles (in my case 150 lbs of 2 well-conditioned dogs). the boys were tickled with the outing. I can down these dogs while I tend to the boys, which is a nice real world benefit of the B.H. that each of these dogs recently attained.

I coach 10-12 year old cross-country skiers and at one recent pole running workout, in which the boys were leaving some dispirited girls behind on the hill work, I hooked up my dog in harness to each of the girls in turn, and we proceeded to "beat the boys", with Blue matching my pace at the front. The girls thought it was great.

In conclusion there is something very satisfying and exciting about skijor for human and dog, that words cannot express. It is definitely fun.



have fun, andrew