A Few Words of Introduction to Dog Sled/Cart Training
Welcome to the Mush Larose Association. You are about to join the ranks of what we think are the luckiest dog owners in the area – those that run sled dogs. Your first training session is free to try it out; after that, you will be expected to become a member or associate member of the club, which helps pay for insurance, grounds fees, grooming fees and other expenses.
Our training sessions differ greatly from an obedience class. The dogs and trainers all work closely together as a team, as opposed to one dog, one handler. There’s a relaxed fun attitude. There are a number of informed members that enjoy sharing their knowledge of sledding and handling dogs, and new members are encouraged to ask about the sport.
We can lend your dog everything they need for the first day (harness and flat collar). There is also equipment you can borrow from other members to try things out and see what suits your situation best. Once you have decided the sport is for you and your dog, a proper fitting running harness can typically be purchased for $20 to $40. Collars with plastic clips have a tendency to break in cold weather. Wide, flat sledding collars with large rings for easy handling with gloves on are ideal. Choke collars are not suitable for a running dog.
The day to day running of the class is done by the members of the Club, bound by the rules of the International Sled Dog Racing Association, but your input and ideas are always welcome, especially around the care of your own dog. You know your pet best, so let people know how comfortable they are with the other dogs, and their overall level of fitness. The amount of socialization your dog has had, and their basic temperament, will determine how readily your pet will be accepted by the pack, where a pecking order exists.
You will be expected to help to manage your dog and the team they are with, so it is to your advantage if you are in good physical condition. As mushers will tell you, we often work as hard, or harder, than the dogs. There is no such thing as a free ride on the back of the sled. Short runs are used for training sessions. So the driver and team changes are frequent and each dog owner is expected to help with their own dog. You may be introduced to other dog owners with similar dogs, so we can put your dog in a team to try it out. You may be encouraged to ride a scooter, cart or sled behind, or in front of, your dog.
At six months old, your dog can join a team for very short and fun runs, but don’t overdo it. As much as they want to run, they are still developing, and the last thing you want to do is to discourage or strain a young animal. Once your dog is a year old, and is in good shape, you can expect them to be able to work from 5 to 15 km in a day depending on their enthusiasm, and level of fitness. If your dog is older – not to worry – most older dogs are still excited to get a chance to run in a pack, we’ve just got to start them slowly, and convince them to do it our way.
Older children are welcome to bring their dogs to practice, and can participate in many ways: they can be lightweight passengers on the sled or gig and assist the driver with dog tangles. They can be excellent watering crew, a task that is very important for the dogs; and they can reward the dogs with attention and pats to reward them for their hard work. Children must closely follow the instructions of the driver, and their parent must be available at all times to supervise them. Be aware that the wheel dogs (the two closest to the cart/sled) can kick up gravel/snow; hence, eye/face protection is required. Lastly, all children are required to wear a helmet to protect against injury in the event of a fall.
Check out our training day schedule for an opportunity to get started. Come on out and share in the fun!
