Unwritten Rules of Conduct

Dog Sledding/Carting/Scootering Unwritten Rules of Conduct:

1. Never let go! – Of the sled/cart/scooter/bicycle, of a dog, of the team

2. Remember # 1

3. Never run more dogs than you can safely stop

– If you cannot stop and snow hook in (or tie off) a 4 dog team then you shouldn’t be running 4 dogs. Run 2 dogs until you are comfortable with that and then add dogs as you can handle them.

– We all started out with small teams and worked our way up to 4, 6, 8, 10 dog teams.

– Please note that if running 8 or more dogs there are usually 2 people on the sled.

4. All dogs MUST wear a flat buckle collar or a sledding collar when running.
NO dog is to run with a choke collar or prong collar.

5. Remember # 1

6. All sleds must be equipped with a working brake and a snow hook. You should also have a snub line (or leash) on the sled/cart to tie off the team if needed. The snub line in your pocket does not work for the person catching your team if it gets loose.

7. All children 12 years old and under should NEVER be alone on a sled with 2 or more dogs. We also recommend a helmet for all under 18 years old. If you want to give an older child the experience of driving a team you can sit in the basket of your sled while the older child drives, or tie a second sled(no dogs) to the 1st sled so that the child is driving his/her sled behind you.

8. Those people who have a current membership in the Mush Larose Association are covered on Training Days for liability. When giving rides to anyone, do you also have insurance if that person gets hurt?

9. Remember # 1?

10. All dogs must be connected with a neckline on training days for your dogs’ safety and the safety of on-coming teams.

11. It is your responsibility to control your dogs on the trail.
If your team does not pass or be passed well, stop, snow hook in or tie off and stand by the head of your team to correct any aggressive movements while telling them to “leave it”. This way they will learn that they must ignore passing teams.

12. When overtaking a team ahead of you learn to call “TRAIL” and then give the team ahead a minute or so to be ready for you to pass. This is protocol in races so might as well learn it so it is automatic.

13. And, finally:
NEVER LET GO!!

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