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Comprehensive Guide to Skijoring With Dogs

Haley photo

Haley

March 29, 2022

Dog Enrichment

Comprehensive Guide to Skijoring With Dogs thumbnail

Adventure is out there, and our dogs make it better.

Did you know there’s an activity that combines the thrill of high-speed snow skiing with the joy of walking your canine companion? (No, we promise it’s not too good to be true.) This sport is called skijoring, and it’s growing in popularity throughout the United States!

Here’s your ultimate guide to skijoring with dogs: What is it, who might enjoy it, and how do you and your best friend get started?

What is skijoring?

At its simplest, skijoring is a winter sport where a skier is pulled by a horse, dog, or even a motor vehicle. It combines the velocity of downhill skiing with the more approachable terrain of its cross-country counterpart.

The history of skijoring

Skijoring has roots in dog sledding traditions, though no one is sure exactly how it all began. Here’s a high-level timeline of some important moments:

  • Canada, 1000s: Archaeologists believe dog sledding was invented by natives in what’s now modern Canada. It spread to other winter climates throughout the world from there.
  • China, Yuan and Ming dynasties: Some historians believe that a form of skijoring where dogs pulled a person on wooden boards originated in China between 1200 and 1644.
  • Scandinavia, 1850s: Natives returned from trips to the western United States, where they had witnessed dog mushing. They made modifications (skis instead of sleds, fewer dogs) and popularized dog skijoring as a way to cover long distances.
  • Stockholm, 1901: Skijoring behind reindeer debuted on a track at the Nordic Games, a predecessor to modern day equestrian skijoring.
  • Europe and North America, 1910s: By this time skijoring with horses was well known in France and Switzerland – it appeared in New York in 1915 and in New Hampshire the following year.
  • United States, 1976: Denver, Colorado listed skijoring as an exhibition in their Winter Olympics host city bid. While it never came to fruition, the sport had become recognized around the world.

What skijoring looks like today

You can find pet-owner teams enjoying modern dog skijoring in any environment that gets enough snow.

Recreational skijoring

Many hobbyists have embraced skijoring for a few reasons:

  • The barriers to entry are relatively low (athletes in the right climates for skijoring often already own cross-country skiing equipment).
  • Dogs are increasingly involved in our modern lives. Skijoring is the perfect way to work them into winter fun!
  • The sport can be as intense or low-key as an individual wants. It’s perfectly okay to move slowly in open, remote areas – or to take things up a notch in busier spots.

Recreational skijoring typically uses a classic skiing technique (similar to walking) that might vary from team to team. There are no hard-and-fast rules to casually enjoy the sport!

Dog skijoring competitions

Dog skijoring competitions, on the other hand, are more structured environments where teams race around a track. Here’s what they look like in the United States:

  • In American skijoring, skiers use a skating technique as opposed to the easier classic approach, making for higher speeds.
  • Dogs are more carefully conditioned. Many teams work closely with vets and canine physical therapists to ensure their pullers are in top shape.
  • More training is required. While there’s wiggle room for a few errors while skijoring casually in a public park or along a deserted snowy street, a race track requires dogs and owners to work as a careful unit. Clear communication can help prevent collisions and delays.
  • Participants are passionate! While competitive environments can sound overwhelming, most teams are there because they love it.

The purpose of skijoring

While skijoring originated as a means of quickly covering long distances between mining sites or hunting traps, it’s now mostly about having fun with our canine companions.

Anyone who has ever loved a dog can tell you how magical it is to spend time with these amazing animals – and cooperative activities allow us to feel even more connected.

Set goals – and adjust along the way

Many owners skijor just for fun

Today, most dog owners start skijoring simply because it’s something new to do with their companions. If your goal is nothing but fun, that’s fantastic!

Some dog-owner teams want to compete

You might be interested in actually entering a skijoring competition, though, and that’s really cool too. They’re the cousins of sled dog races: high-speed cooperation between human and dog with more of your own power added in.

The best thing you can do before committing is spend some time at competitive skijoring events (without your dog at first). This will help you see if you and your pup would enjoy the environment – and give you the opportunity to chat with people invested in the sport!

Fun should come first

What matters most is enjoying the time we get to spend with our pets.

It’s okay to adjust our goals over time. Maybe your dog will be a complete natural – and you’ll realize competing would be a blast! Or maybe you’ll scrap your skijoring race dreams because they feel like too much pressure. (After all, while competing together can be a great joy, it’s good to remember our pets have no concept of track awards or prize pots.)

But what if there isn’t any snow where I live?

If you don’t have access to frozen terrain but love the idea of skijoring, don’t worry – you can still experience the thrill!

Consider similar sports like canicross (your dog pulls you while you run) or bikejoring (they pull you on your bike). These are great fun on their own and make perfect skijoring practice in the off season. If you ever do find yourself in the ideal winter environment, you and your best friend will be ready to go!

Similar equipment and health needs apply to canicross and bikejoring. You won’t need skis, but you’ll still need a harness that’s safe for your dog to pull into – and if you opt for the bike route, you’ll want to make sure your setup is secure.

As always, it’s important both you and your dog are feeling physically and mentally ready to tackle a new adventure.

Skijoring is popular for a reason – get out there and have fun!

If skijoring has piqued your interest (and pricked your dog’s ears) there’s no reason to hold back. With the right knowledge, attitude, and just a few pieces of equipment, anyone can give it a go!

Remember these top tips for a successful skijoring experience with your furry best friend:

  • Focus on enjoying each other first!
  • Don’t be afraid to take things slow (for you and your dog).
  • The right equipment can make a world of difference.
  • You can never be too prepared – but remember to keep training sessions short.
  • Regularly check how your dog feels (and don’t forget about your own wellbeing, too).
  • Did we mention to have fun?

Trainer that reviewed this article

There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers. The trainers that review our content are reviewed by other trainers to ensure that we have the best quality filters on our content. 

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Kaia Wilson
CPDT-KA, Owner - Dogspeed Training 
kaia.dogspeed@gmail.com
dogspeed.dog
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Haley photo

Haley

March 29, 2022

Dog Enrichment

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