In the first part of the interview with the Slovak musher Katarina Vigodová, we talked about how to prepare for a skiing trip with your furry friend. Today we are going to hit the skiing trails with Katka. What commands should the dog know? Why are a reflective vest and a small shovel indispensable?
What commands should the dog know before you decide to go skiing with him?
Direction commands can be useful at crossroads or when overtaking people on the trail. We should be able to tell the dog which way we want to overtake the particular person, instead of giving them a turbo ski lift. (laughter) On steep descents, we can let the dog off the lead, but of course, we must make sure he doesn't put anyone at risk. Commands such as "behind", "heel" and others are useful when you don't want to get in the way of other people and also for keeping everyone safe.
So is it better to let the dog off the lead when descending? Should he be made visible to others?
That can be very individual - it depends on the situation, terrain, number of people, condition, level of obedience. Everyone should be able to judge this by themselves. For example on steep descends, it's better to let the dog off the lead so we can both choose a suitable pace that's safe for each of us. We also like to use reflective vests for dogs. In some parts, we let them off the lead knowing that we can see them well and so can other people. Don't forget to attach a small shovel to your belt as nobody wants to be skiing on a brown trail.
How to teach the dog not to walk on the track? Is there a simple trick?
We should think about the track and try to avoid it as much as we can. Mutual respect is important and we don't want to lose those tracks where we can ski with dogs, by destroying them with paws. Direction commands, which we use for turning left or right, can also help us with navigating the dog on a wide track. Our dogs can distinguish between Gee = turn to the right and Gee Trail = run on the right side of the track. Dogs are also very responsive to a tug on the leash and usually try to run in a straight line. When I see that my dog reacts to it, I can try directing him by pulling on the bungee leash.
Are dogs allowed on ski slopes - whether going up or down? Are there any rules in the Czech Republic?
Each resort will have its own rules and prohibitions, which need to be respected. And most importantly, the situation has to be evaluated and adapted to. A ski slope full of skiers isn't an ideal situation. We need to be careful and have the dog on the lead and under control.
What about dogs on ski lifts, for example when a cross-country skier wants to get closer to a trail on the ridge?
From our own experience, the majority of ski lifts don't have a problem with it. But you need to have a muzzle with you.
Which area would you recommend here in the Czech Republic for cross-country skiers with dogs?
We have our favourite trails around Nové Město na Moravě, which are maintained by the Horník hotel, who prepare them, especially for sledding and skijoring for a small fee, providing the snow conditions are favourable. Another popular area for sledding are Horní Mísečky and Lesná in Krušné Hory. It's good to get informed in advance because dogs can be banned from some cross-country skiing trails. We follow an unwritten rule and try to train either early in the morning or late at night when the "traffic" is less busy and we have more space.
Katarina, thank you very much for the interview and we wish you a lot of success in your racing!
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