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Labs turned Sled Dogs - Videos

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Erin Lynes

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#7 ·
I was right there with ya, found myself braking and oh sh!tting when you almost ran over the first two!!
 
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#8 ·
How DO you stop the sled when the dogs check up???? I love this, but looks like I am going to have to wait a while to try or move more north! (nah, already too cold)
 
#11 ·
Thats awesome!
Now I know why huskies and other "sled" dogs have pointy ears....the drop eared dogs ears flap too much!
What a way to take advantage of winter. Looks like TONS of fun!
 
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Discussion starter · #12 ·
Carol - there is a brake on the sled, but it doesn't work too well on an hard-packed road. It works better on the snowier part of the trail.

Some people do a dryland version of mushing using a cart instead of a sled. They even have races in some areas. My family used to race competitive sled dogs, and we would hook them up to the ATV for summer training, but this is only a snowy-season hobby for me at this point. Labs have other things to train for when the weather is nice :)
 
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#13 ·
Thanks for the info! That just looks like such a blast. For sure if I lived in snow country like that, I would be finding new ways to have fun too. Thanks a million for posting that, improved my holiday spirits immensely:D
 
#14 ·
Erin ... that ALMOST makes me jealous that you have snow ... almost ;)
 
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#15 ·
It's been done on grassy surfaces. Sleddog folks do it on the off season.
Can you use your whistle to stop them.??
Know a guy that hooks his dog to himself while he's on cross country skiis.
Now there's a ride:shock:
Just make sure that the dog's all have harnesses.
Pulling with their whole bodies NOT just their necks.
FYI;-)
Have fun!!!!!!!!!
Sue
 
#16 ·
Sue Kiefer said:
Know a guy that hooks his dog to himself while he's on cross country skiis.
Now there's a ride:shock:
Click to expand...

We love to do this all winter ... called skijor. Works great with one dog pulling and I've used up to three at a time.

Serious skijor competitors have developed hybrid crosses attempting to optimize drive, speed and endurance characteristics specific to skijoring needs. Races are much shorter and loads much lighter than sled dog events.

Jim
 
#17 ·
I was told once by a veterinarian that Labs wouldn't make good sled dogs because they lack the stamina and endurance.

(I guess she didn't have to hold down my 70 pounder for hip x-rays. We had five people on him. He just balled up and pulled us all across the table. )
 
Discussion starter · #18 · (Edited)
I should confess that sledding is only new to these particular Labs. I've been mushing Labs since I was a wee little gaffer. Here's a pic of my first race :)

Image


Sue - I wouldn't even try to stop them with a whistle. If it worked, they would all be twisted around backwards in their harnesses :) I am trying to keep sledding separate from obedience and field work.

Zeus, I doubt Labs would make good long distance (Iditarod) type sled dogs as the ones I have trained don't know to pace themselves - but they make great sprinting dogs! The Labs I raced when I was younger won most of the races they were entered in, which were up to 20 miles long. Most of the time they ran in 4 or 6 dog races which were around 5 miles long.
 
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Sue Kiefer
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