Sled Dog Training 101

Pulling seems to be second-nature to some sled dog pups. In my experience with training sled dog puppies, most of the time they know instinctively what to do when they're first put in harness.

Our best breeding to date has produced some great-looking pups, and two of them are already harness broken: Perry, who has four hook ups and is running like he's been doing it for ten years already, and his sister, Rasta, who ran in lead next to her dad on her very first hook up. You can see a video of that first hook up here.

Of the puppies from this litter, Perry, Tosh and Rasta, are very outgoing and affectionate. But one pup has been "different" right from the beginning. Louder and more needy than the other pups, he cried and clamored for his mother's attention with loud barks and seemingly constant whining. So naturally, from our themed-name choice of "the Reggae litter," this pup's name was a no brainer: Wailer.

Wailer at nine months

Even though Wailer has been socialized just like his siblings, he is extremely shy and skittish. It's no wonder: both his parents, Yeti and Tak, were painfully shy when I first got them. Over time and with consistent work, Yeti and Tak have emerged from their shells.

Wailer is still loose in a kennel pen rather than on a tether like the others. Until recently, anytime I would put a collar on him, he would somehow manage to chew it off. Several times I have tried working with him on a leash, and he bucked wildly like an untamed horse. Sometimes he even cries out - such is his panic.

Tonight, after free running all the other dogs, I worked with Wailer individually on sled dog training 101. I hooked him up to a long lead rope, and initially, he bucked like a wild horse. Slowly, he calmed down until he just stood next to me.

Lots of praise.

Then I started walking. He took a step, then leaped into the air as if he was trying to fly instead of walk! Finally, after a couple of attempts, he began walking normally on the lead rope.

Lots of praise.

After just 20 minutes of working with Wailer, he was walking around our "puppy paths" on a lead rope like a champ!

Training sled dogs is achieved by the same basic principles as training a pet dog to sit. With patience and lots of praise, they learn their job.

Our first step was walking on a lead rope, and I suspect Wailer maybe be a bit challenging. But once he gets the hang of pulling in harness (and I don't think it will take long), I think he has a ton of potential just like the other pups!

As always...

Harness breaking the future athletes

Harness breaking puppies is fun. It's exciting to see future athletes take flight and fulfill their birthright as sled dogs. It's exhilarating and always makes me smile.

But mostly, harness breaking puppies is pure chaos and requires a lot of patience.

Last July we welcomed our best breeding with the union of Tak and Yeti, my main leader, in the Reggae Litter.

It's difficult to believe yesterday was their eight month birthday.

I begin harness breaking - or getting the pups used to being and working in harness - around eight months with light pulling and short runs of 1-2 miles. Tak's pups have been more than ready. On our free runs in the evenings around our property, the pups have become absolutely breath taking: all legs, loping like lightning and jumping through the pastures like long, graceful merry-go-round horses.

I decided to run the pups with their daddy and my all star leader, Yeti, on my light weight peddle cart rather than my four wheeler. It was a little chaotic. I put Rasta, the only remaining female I kept from the litter, up front in lead with her dad, and while standing waiting for take off, she began bucking wildly like a horse. Perry, the biggest of the males, I put in back, and he immediately became tangled. Meanwhile, Rasta started eating her neckline.

Sigh.

Patience.

I unhooked Perry, re-situating him and called "ready?!"

Then, I grabbed my camera, jumped on and hit record. The following video is what followed! We finished a two mile run, and aside from a few shaky moments in the beginning, they got it on the first run.



*the music in this video is a song by Sean  Hayes, called, "Alabama Chicken."