Training your dog to pull for sledding or skijoring
It is recommended that your dog be at least 12 to 18 months of age and over 30 pounds.
The "Lingo"
"Hike/Let's go" to go forward
"Whoa" to stop
"Stay" useful while getting ready, or if you fall
"On by" lets your dog know it is expected to keep moving forward past something
"Easy" to slow your dog down, useful going down steep hills and when crossing roads
"Gee" to turn right
"Haw" to turn left
1. Pick A Suitable Dog To Work In Harness
• A dog that is going to be used for sledding or skijoring should typically be at least 30 pounds in weight or greater. Breeds that are well suited to pulling, especially where it is cold, are Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds, and Greenland dogs, just to name a few, but many types of breeds have been used in harness to pull a sled, a cart or a person on skis.
• It is recommended that your dog be at least 12 to 18 months of age before allowing him to pull any significant weight. However, you can start to train him on commands as early as 4 to 6 months, without using any weight.
If you take the time to train your dogs before hooking them up, you will enjoy your initial outings much, much more. Failure to prepare your dogs often ends sessions in total frustration or even injury.
2. General info on training and conditioning
• It is a good idea to start by practicing all the commands on leash until you are confident that your dog knows what you expect from him. If you find that your dog seems to know and then forgets, always go back a step in your training and build up again until you are sure that he has learned the command. Remember dogs, not unlike people, can only learn so much at a time. Make your training sessions fun and short. Practicing ten minutes daily is much better than a one-hour session once a week.
•Always start out with a command that your dog has mastered and put the difficult commands in the middle. End each session with another command that your dog knows very well. (Or even re-practice the one you started with.) The point is to make sure that you end all sessions on a positive note. This will ensure that your dog learns to like pulling for you!
•Start out only learning one or two commands and build up to the rest gradually. Also, weight and distance should be increased gradually, your dog needs to condition and build up just like you do.

Once your adult dog is consistently following the commands you give him, you should be able to start sledding or skijoring. It almost always makes it easier if your first time out you can follow another team. Most dogs are competitive enough that they will "chase" the team ahead. Just be prepared that they may even want to overtake the other team, but once they do they will immediately slow down! So don't pass unless you are sure you can maintain the lead.
Ultimately, with trained dogs, if you "run" your dogs every other day you will be able to build up from one mile to two in a few weeks or less. By 3 or 4 weeks you should be able to cover 5 miles with out too much difficulty, IF, you train faithfully. If you can't sled them every other day you can also use a two days on, two days off, training schedule. However, after any more than three days off in a row, you will pretty much be back to where you started.
3. To Train Your Dog To Pull METHOD ONE
Step:
1. Put him in the harness to get the feel of it. Let him wear it while you walk him on leash the first time. Do not leave a young dog unattended with a harness, they have a tendency to chew through them!
2. Next, let him try dragging an object behind him, by tying the object to the harness while you walk him on a leash, attached to his collar. This allows him to get the feel of some weight on the harness, but you will have control to make corrections. Start by dragging a light, noisy branch or a long thick rope. Be sure that the object is several feet behind the dog so that it won't bump his rear legs. If he accepts this, then, gradually you can increase the amount of weight he pulls. (Try a small piece of wood, working your way up to an old tire.)
3. Once he doesn't mind the tire, then start training him on the commands:
• Start by working beside him, on leash. Gradually, as his ability to respond correctly to the commands increases you can work further and further behind him, until eventually you are working from behind the tire. Initially your dog may look over his shoulder lots, but once he gains confidence this should stop.
• To begin training for turns, start by first giving a command and then directing the dog where you want him to go. For example. If you want to turn gee, then give the command gee and immediately pull your dog to the right. Practice this several times, then test the dogs understanding by giving the command but do not pull him to the right. If he does not immediately respond, make him, by pulling him to the right. Eventually he should respond and turn on his own.
• "On by" is a very important command. "On by that cat!" On by is also used when you are faced with an intersection and you want to go straight through. This one can be practiced indoors too. Try setting out your dog's favorite toys on the floor and a few dog cookies to boot! Now walk him right through the middle of them! When he goes to grab something give him the "on-by" command and follow through by pulling him away from the object. DO NOT stop walking, continue at a brisk pace. Do it again right away. The next time through if you were quick to correct him the first time, he won't be as persistent. Do it a third time if you did not see an improvement on the second attempt. Just remember it is not permissible, when in harness to stop, unless he's been given the command to do so. When done pick up the toys, do not allow him to go and get them. You can hand him one to play with as a reward for a job well done.
• Practice "whoa" by saying it and then immediately coming to a complete stop. Upon stopping also give the "stay" command, and then be prepared to hold the dog in this spot until you give the command to "hike".
• Stay should also be practiced separately from roadwork. With your dog in harness, ask him sit and then to stay, then walk a very short distance away. If he does not stay correct him, with a firm "NO" and then replace him in the sit position immediately. Get used to only ever giving a command once and then enforcing it. Do NOT get in the habit of repeating commands.
If you get into this habit you will never be sure what command they will listen to. (Will it be the first, the second, the third?) Gradually build up to 6 to 10 feet away, and return to your dog by walking around behind his back. (He should not get up and turn around!) Using a hand signal is also useful. Although you will only use voice commands on the trail, the hand signal will allow you to practice a very useful method for training stay. Place a flat open palm in front of your dog's eyes and keep it there.
Do not touch the dog, then say "stay" and then pull on his leash with your other hand. If he moves, release your tension on his leash and repeat the command stay, then pull again. Continue this until you can actually feel the dog pull away from you. Then praise the heck out of your dog! DO NOT try this method until you are sure your dog can stay off leash for at least 2 minutes without breaking. Eventually practice the stay in the stand position!

4. To Train Your Dog To Pull METHOD TWO
• Another technique that works well for training the dog to get used to having something behind them is; have one person stand a distance of 15 or 20 feet away from a second person. While the first person is holding the dog back (dog should be in harness with tire tied behind) have the second person call the dog enthusiastically, then the person holding the dog releases him and yells “hike.” Once the dog arrives at the second person reward him with praise or even a cookie. This exercise gets the dog running full out with the weight behind him, yet looking ahead instead of behind him, it also helps him to understand “hike” means run.

5. Once you feel he has mastered the commands you can remove the lead from his collar and attach it to the end of his harness. BE PATIENT! Dogs are like people in the sense that some learn quicker than others. Do not try to progress too quickly. Always be sure you dog has mastered one thing before asking him to learn more.

6. Another very important aspect to your training is incorporating praise! Be sure to say "Good dog" every time you see an improvement while practicing. This is extremely important!

Once you have confidence that your dog will respond to your commands, only then should you attempt to sled, cart or skijor with your dog. Otherwise sessions may end up in frustration for both you and your dog.
Once you have trained your first dog, often you do not need to spend as much time training your second dog. Pups should still be given the opportunity to pre-train pulling in harness and build up to a tire first. After that however, many of the other commands can be learned on the trail if they are paired with a trained dog. If, however your first dog does not have the confidence to "lead" the other dog you will have to spend more time working with each dog individually.
7. On your first outing
It often makes your first session more enjoyable if you have help hooking up your dogs. Have someone hold your team while you walk around to the back of the sled or go put on our skis. If you are alone you should hook your lead dog's collar to a short line on a fence post or some solid object. This helps allow for a clean start. However, you will still have to walk up and remove that line just before heading out. Often dogs lacking in confidence or who are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing will turn around and follow you. This is when it really helps if your dog understands the "stay" command.

Start with simple things. The best choice would be a path that is straight, with no cross paths, or an oval track. Then begin with "hike", as you briskly step forward. Keep the dog moving at a steady pace. When sledding it may mean running behind the sled instead of riding in the beginning. If skijoring and the line slackens, give a quick hard tug on that line and praise the dog when he picks up his pace

Have someone ready to help you at the end of your session or tie off your lead dog again, so you can unhook your dogs without any run aways! Remember to make initial training sessions fun, interesting and short.
8. Once each session or "run" is completed you should:
Inspect your dog's feet for injuries
Remove his harness and rub him down
Praise and reward him for a job well done
(maybe give him a cookie?!)
Let him cool down slowly
After this give him a drink

If you take the time to prepare your dogs for sledding, skijoring or carting it can be an exhilarating experience and often even quite addicting! So, good luck and happy trails!
See you out there!

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