What is Skijoring?
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
If you love the outdoors, enjoy winter sports, and want to find a sport both you and your pet can enjoy, then skijoring may be just the sport for you! Skijoring combines two winter sports, dogsledding and cross-country skiing into one exciting and purely fun event.
Skijoring first originated in Scandinavia and Alaska, but is becoming a very trendy winter sport around the country. It is one of the fastest growing winter sports today. You can compete in many organized competitions during the winter, or you can simply enjoy a quiet walk in the woods with your favorite pooch. Either way, skijoring is a winter sport you may want to check out.
How do I Get Started?
Getting started is relatively easy. If you already own cross-country ski equipment, you're halfway there already. Most experts recommend using cross-country "skate" or "classic" skis for skijoring. Don't use downhill skis, they don't have the right edges, and their edges are sharp, they can cut your dog if you fall. You'll also need a skijoring belt to help protect your back.
Besides your ski equipment, you'll need to outfit your dog. Purchase a dog harness like those used in dogsledding. Your dog should also have a "tug" line. It should include some bungee cord that will take up some of the shock of sudden stops and starts. Your dog should be at least 40 pounds or over to work in skijoring.
Some Basic Commands
Before you first hit the skijoring trail with your dog, you should make sure he or she understands the basic commands used in skijoring, and responds to them. "Hike" means to start or begin. Some people use "Let's go." "Whoa" means stop, and stop now! "Gee" means a right turn, and "Haw" means a left turn. "Easy" means slow down, and "Line out" means stand still. Finally, "On-by" tells your dog to run by another team. Since your dog controls where you go on the trails, it's imperative that your dog understands these commands before you begin skijoring.
Once you have learned the basics, you may be ready to join in a competition. As this sport catches on, more and more skijoring competitions are popping up all around the country. Check your local cross-country ski resort to see if they sponsor a skijoring competition, and have fun!