Try This: Skijoring

Now that the weather is getting a little colder, we must be more creative about how to exercise the dogs. Since the weather is too cold to let them swim at the beach, we have to find other activities that can tire out working breeds. Winter exercise for dogs can be just as difficult as it can be for people. We don’t normally let our dogs pull while we walk them, but skijoring is a great exception to that rule.

What is skijor?

Skijoring is a creative combination of dog mushing and cross-country skiing. It’s just like dog sledding, but with the person as the sled. One or more dogs are attached by special harnesses to a belt around the human’s waist. The dogs help pull the human through the snow. This has the double benefit of tiring the dog out faster while also making it a little bit easier to be on the other end of the leash.

Getting Started

While skijoring can be enjoyed by dogs that aren’t normally sled-dogs, there are some general rules on getting started.

Dogs should be:

At least 30 pounds
Healthy- in good shape and not overweight
Able to hear and respond to verbal commands
Able to see the trail and to quickly respond to any hazards

These rules ensure that the dog can safely start pulling weight.Dogs that are too light or out of shape are at high risk of injury. If your dog needs to lose a few pounds before they can safely start training, you can always work on getting him used to the equipment and commands you want to be using once you are underway. While there are many fun sports you can try with special-needs dogs, for their own safety skijoring should not be done by any dogs with special needs.

Two husky dogs in mushing harnesses pull a gangline attached to an unshown person as a skijor team — These dogs are showing the teamwork needed for a good skijor team

Equipment

Mushing harness– Not a regular dog harness that you may use to walk your dogs. A mushing harness is specially designed to give the dog ease of movement and not put pressure on the wrong parts of their backs while they move. It allows them to safely run and pull weight.
Gangline with clip– This connects the harness the dog wears to the belt around their person’s waist. The gangline is a long rope,usually about 8 feet long, with a stretchy bungee inside. Ideally the bungee will be tied and not sewn in; this makes it much stronger. You don’t want your gangline breaking and your dogs running down the trail without you! The clip allows you to quickly detach the dog if you crash or become tangled. The most high quality ganglines have brass hardware as it is resistant to breakage at extremely low temperatures.
Skijoring belt– The belt goes around the waist and attaches to the gangline by a clip in the front. Some styles also have leg straps for extra security. When picking a belt, make sure it is both thick enough to not dig into your back and is strong enough to stand up to your dog’s pulling. It’s a good idea to ensure that it’s stronger than you think you may need.
Ski gear– Essentials include cross country skis,ski poles, boots, and a helmet (snowboarding helmets are preferred because they give better protection). Dressing warmly for the cold in multiple layers will make sure that your trips are both safe and comfortable. Eye protection for you and your dog is also a good idea. The sun reflecting off of the snow can cause temporary blindness- definitely not a fun part of a winter outing!

Since this does involve ski equipment, it does require a bit of an upfront investment before you can even get started. Ruffwear sells a combination harness/gangline/belt option called Omnijore for $169.99. The good news is that once you have the equipment, the actual skijoring activity does not require a lot of extra expenses. If you live in an area that gets snow for much of the year, this would be even more affordable once you portion out the costs per hours spent having fun.

Benefits

Why skijor? You may want to try skijor if you:

Want to cover more ground than you could by walking
Need to give your dog a great workout
Enjoy winter weather
Have always fantasized about running the Ititarod
Your favorite movie as a kid was Balto

Husky puppy stands on a field of snow looking towards the camera — He’s still a little young for skijor, but a pup can dream!

Learn more

If skijoring sounds like a good time to you, make sure you connect with experienced mentors. Sled Dog Central has many good resources for those getting started and those that have been involved with the sport for years.

Skijor USA is spearheading a campaign to get skijor included in the winter Olympics. If you are interested in competing, this is an excellent place to start.