Winter doesn’t need to be a synonym for tiredness and lying on a sofa in the comfort of your home. This year, there wasn’t much snow. However, this doesn’t need to stand between you and your dog’s walking outside and having fun.
Some winter dog sports can barely be done without snow, cross-country skiing or dog sled with mud is probably not what you’re looking for. However, there are other sports we can enjoy even without snow. If you like dogtrekking or canicross in summer, you don’t have to take a break in winter. Quite the reverse, this season is great to train endurance and strengthen the capacity of lungs and the heart. Tips on what to do to enjoy your time outside without undesired consequences are in this article.
After all, mushing is enjoyable even without snow. It doesn’t have to be a sled really, one or two dogs can pull a cart, a bike or a scooter. This sport can also be a whole-year thing in its varieties. Your dog doesn’t have to be draft breed to try mushing, all dogs who like pulling can do it and enjoy the activity. You can find a few tips on how to begin here.
If you’re lucky and you live in the mountains or somewhere else with snow, you can use the above-mentioned sled. If you don’t have the pack, don’t be sad. Skijöring is quite some fun as well. You can also harness your dog when going country-skiing. If you’re new in this sport, I recommend going to some less busy routes where stepping aside of the track from time to time won’t be such a problem.
Harnessing is not your thing but you need to occupy or exhaust your dog? You can try coursing – chasing a lure in snow. Even though the racing season is summer, training takes place in the course of the whole year. So, you can come across marked routes with stretched ropes and lures on fields in winter as well. A dog should chase the lure on the route and catch it in the end. With a lot of curves, the route can be even several kilometres long.
You can also enjoy simple fetching in snow. However, colourful fetching aids will be more useful than a typical tennis ball, frisbee or aerobie discs which leave a noticeable mark when they fall will be perfect.
Just don’t forget that a dog needs a special pulling harness for drafting. Another equipment for winter sports which should go without saying is active wear and potentially also shoes for your dog(s).
In terms of winter mushing events, 2022 is going to be very busy! If you are as mad about this sport as we are, get your diaries ready so you don't miss out on any of the upcoming events. What can you look forward to in the world of mushing?
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