Before we get to winter sports that you can do with your four-legged buddies it’s good to remember the care that you shouldn’t forget about in this period.
If your dog is short-haired, dress them for the outdoors in an adequate winter outfit – especially when the temperature drops to zero. If the dog’s paws come into contact with thawing salt, wash them with lukewarm water after you come home. You can also treat them beforehand with a special protective product.
And of course, give good consideration to the physical fitness of your furry friend, and if it’s not used to long training even at more favourable conditions, start with winter sports slowly. Rather do the sport’s activity several times a day for a shorter period of time than once for long. You can gradually increase the training time and take from its frequency.
Skijöring – you’ll stretch both your body and your dog’s body
At a cottage, on a mountain holiday... Just anywhere where the snow terrain allows it, try skijöring, that is cross-country skiing together with the dog. This sport belongs to the category of those, that strengthen the relationship of the owner and the dog, and at the same time, skijöring requires their coordination. It’s also a condition that the dog be strictly disciplined.
In skijöring, the dog runs harnessed in a special strap in front of its master, who is following it on cross-country skis. This winter activity will be appreciated not only by Nordic breeds, but also by hunting breeds. Summer equivalent to skijöring is the modern canicross, when dog and human run together. Also joined by a strap.
Mushing – sport for the demanding ones
Mushing, or dog sledding, is not something that you should do with your dog only once. It’s rather a long-term hobby that requires real discipline. You surely know pictures and videos from mushing: a harnessed dog pack carries a dog handler on the connected sled. Nordic breeds are best suited for this sport.
With a medium-sized, fit dog (or even a pack) you can try a version of mushing and perhaps harness them to a sleigh that you or your children will ride on. However, the dogs must be disciplined, obedient and trained.
What else can you do?
In winter, you can continue even with sports that you’re used to from the previous months. If your dog fell in love, for example, with dogfrisbee, indulge it in its favourite activity even in the snow. Do you set out for running together? You don’t have to stop even in the winter. Just make sure that you switch to doing sports at low temperatures gradually and that the dog’s paws don’t suffer from thawing salt.
Do you do sports in the winter with your dog? How much time do you spend outside?
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