# Question for all you mushers out there...



## farmertom (Jan 24, 2016)

Hi all,

I am just getting in to dog scootering and bikejoring but have a question. My 14 month old lab pulled like mad on a lead, and he is built like a tank so i decided to try a sport that involves him pulling me. And he took to it like a duck to water, no training need to pull and already knows left and right etc.

But this is where my question comes in. On a lead he knows that 'go' means 'run', 'steady' means 'walk' and 'wait' is 'stop'.

But when he has his pulling harness on, he has one speed... Fast! It doesnt bother me, but what im worried about is him pulling a muscle.

Do you guys warm up your dogs before you let them pull you?

I never go out first thing, so he has been moving around the house etc. Its not get up and go. 

I remember in Norway when i did some sledding, the dogs were in their pens, then hooked up and off straight away in super cold temps! Maybe a dog warming up before exercise is not as important as a human? 

Thanks very much for any advice. It will be much appreciated.

Tom.


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## FeelTheBern (Jan 13, 2016)

I'm meeting some mushers and trying it when I go to Finland next week, I may be able to get back to you with some tips after I do it.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

I don't do mushing, but do agility. And I always warm the dogs up. That can be just doing fast heelwork, tricks, spins and twists, stretches. Anything that gets the dog's muscles loosened up and working.


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## MiffyMoo (Sep 15, 2015)

@SLB will probably be able to help here


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

Hello, I'm here. 

Where abouts are you based?

The first port of call is to transfer his commands to harness, the easiest way is to do that by repetition and consistency. I would also take him off any kind of wheels until he understands the word "Stop"; my dogs can top a speed of 23mph on really good days! 

Start off canicrossing - yes it's running and it's work for you but you need to get those commands accurate before you add the speed. I can't run for toffee but that means my dogs learn stop and steady a lot as I need to get my breath back and not die! 

I do a pee/poo walk with mine - as they aren't huskies, I have them offlead to do their business so they naturally warm themselves up too. I also do twirls and spins, I have "Bow" on command with one of them so I get him to do that and he'll naturally lead himself into a stretch. Sometimes I'll hide treats up a tree for them to stretch up and get them. 

Then I do a mile run as a warm up, if I'm at the training grounds, if I'm elsewhere then a quick walk or short canicross warms them and me up. Then I do whatever routes I have planned. Yesterday we did 1 mile of Hill sprints which we did a short warm up for. Today we did 1 mile warm up after stretches etc. Then I did mile sprints. Rest day tomorrow and then we'll do longer runs later on in the week as we have a race the weekend after this. 

I don't always do a cool down but occasionally I'll let them have some free run time just to warm down. After just having one of my dogs needing treatment for a pulled abdomen muscle, I now believe it's more important to warm them up and down. 

You will find different people will give you different opinions and advice but really, it's your dog that should tell you what suits. Check out K9 Trail Time's blog. Emily is chock full of amazing advice regarding canicrossing, bikejoring and scootering. She also is a retailer of most things in the sports.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

https://k9trailtime.wordpress.com/


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