Dry-land dog sledding

Dog sledding has become a popular pastime for recreation and competition in northern climates. Dryland training, where a dog or team in harness pulls a vehicle on dirt or pavement, is a way to keep going even after the snow melts. Dryland training also introduces dogs to the sport of sledding or keeps them in shape throughout the year. Dryland training is an activity for dogs who love to run, and people who love to run with them.

Types of Dry land Training

The forms of dryland training are distinguished by the vehicles the dogs pull:
Bike-joring is when a dog or team pulls a bicycle.
Scooter, or scooter-joring, involves one or two dogs pulling a two-wheeled unmotorized vehicle, while the driver rides, pushes or runs alongside.
In canicross, a dog is harnessed directly to a runner; the dog's object is to help the person run faster without pulling her off her feet.
Carting uses three- or four-wheeled vehicles, known as carts, gigs or rigs, pulled by teams of up to six or eight dogs.

Equipment

The most important piece of equipment is a proper harness made specially for the sport. X-back harnesses do not restrict the dog's shoulders or chest. Sled dog equipment outfitters help fit a dog with a harness. The typical harness in pet stores is made for walking, not pulling, and should not be used for dryland training.

Other equipment includes: A tugline attached to the harness connects a dog to a person or vehicle. With multiple dogs, the tugline attaches to a gigline or dogline. A neckline links pairs of dogs to keep them running together. A shock cord runs between the gigline and the vehicle for shock absorbtion. Dogs may need booties if running on pavement.

For canicross, the runner wears a special harness that attaches to the tugline and allows him to run hands-free. For bikejoring, a mountain bike with knobby tires and good brakes is essential for trail riding. Scooters are generally less expensive than mountain bikes. They vary in size and weight; off-road scooters work for trails. Lighter models are better for one or two dogs, while heavier models make it easier to control a team. Carts, homemade or manufactured, vary in size, weight, design, type and tire size, suspension system and brakes. Some carts are literally sleds on wheels, while others resemble three-wheeled chariots or tricycles. Trainers need helmets and eye protection for bikejoring, scooters or carts.

Beginning Dryland Training

As the International Sled Dog Racing Association points out, sled dogs are born and raised to run, and training can harness those natural impulses. While serious training for weight and distance shouldn't start until dogs are at least 1 year old, puppies as young as 6 months can start becoming accustomed to wearing a harness, learning how to pull and learning basic commands.

The musher also needs time to become acquainted with her choice of training method and vehicle. For bikejoring or scooter, beginners may want a human partner playing the role of a canine until the musher learns how to control a bike or scooter while maintaining a constant pull on the tugline, especially while traversing rough ground or going up or down hills.
Dryland training, while not confined to snow, is still weather dependent; the American Dryland Musher's Association recommends against running thick-coated dogs, such as huskies, in temperatures above 55 degrees for their safety and comfort.

Racing

Dryland dog races have become increasingly popular. The racing season is longer than for traditional dog sledding, and the races don't depend on a supply of snow that unreliable due to climate changes. While traditional dog sled races can be lengthy endurance contests---the best-known being Alaska's 1,161-mile Iditarod---dryland races are generally shorter, usually only a few miles. The largest dryland competition in North America, the East Meets West Dryland Championships sponsored by the International Sled Dog Racing Association, has races as short as 0.6 miles for canicross, up to 3 miles in the Rig category.

These guys are going to find out all about Dry-Land Sledding soon

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Sam McArthur, 53, enjoys his hobby of dry-land dog mushing almost as much as he loves the five German shepherds that lead him through the trails in the Apalachicola Forests or the Alford Greenway.

Sam McArthur prepares his “Bigfoot” rig for a ride with the dogs. It is equipped with ATV wheels and go-kart brakes that allow total control over the rig

It is instinct for the dogs to love to run. Sam McArthur tries to take his dogs out for runs everyday in the cold winter mornings. They often run through the Apalachicola Forest or the Alford Greenway.

Sam McArthur built a 10-foot “hamster wheel” for his dogs to excercise when they are not mushing. The dogs learned on their own how to get the wheel moving and to stay out of its way.

Here's another type of rig called a ' Sulky ' which can be used to exercise your dog or simply give him some duties associated with a working dogs life.