I’ve been wanting to reach my golden retriever to do all of this. Thank you for the video! I definitely would’ve made the mistake of giving her treats for the commands.
I'm glad it was helpful 😊 Yes! Many people don't even realize that a verbal praise or attention from their humans in general is also a form of praise for dogs. I hope you and your pup have fun getting into these sports. Feel free to post here if you come across any specific questions.
You're welcome and thank you for the kind feedback. Yes, I figured if people already started training their dogs with directional commands using a different language, there really isn't any reason for them to start all over, the dog doesn't care what words you use. But I figured I'd mention the advantages of using the actual mushing commands for people to consider who are just starting out 😊
I've taught 2 dogs and my cat. My cat learned the fastest, also better retained calls. Just listening to your to your video... I saw my cat hearing your calls... Awesome ❤❤❤
Nice learned a good bit from this to add to my daily routine. I trained my service dogs to pull me up inclines. I use walk and hold for go and stop. Since we are not moving fast, I snap my fingers and point the direction to go. I don’t talk at all on my walks if possible and walk three dogs (Malinois) at the same time. Will add some of this into our routine. Thanks.
I'm glad it helped further fine-tune your routine 😊 What kind of service dogs are they if you don't mind me asking? And yes, so many people don't realize that they talk all the time at their dogs and that they will just tune out after a while, just like people 😂 Oh, Belgian Malinois are such pretty and athletic dogs. Happy trails to you guys!
@@huskytrails3654 Malinois are trained for mobility and I use them to pull me up inclines and assist on going up stairs on low energy day, open/close doors, turn on and off lights, carry things, notify me to take meds, notify me of some danger, as I don’t hear well, one has been taking my socks off for me for four years, they act as a holding point to stand up, two have been trained to recover me to my jet ski if I go in the water, at times they have acted as therapy dogs for other veterans. Probably a good bit more tasks that I haven’t listed. I got diagnosed with asbestosis 7 years ago and they have been keeping me active. During my morning walks they pull me along until I loosen up and start walking better. I always hear people say don’t let your dog(s) out in front of you and don’t hook them to you. I have walked my dogs in front of me for years and have used line pull with leash, hand signals and verbal commands. My dogs also know if I hand signal and give wrong verbal command to go off the hand signal. I’m not wheelchair bound, but got a wheelchair for training the pups to be around and I expose them to all things I can (large events with horses, dogs, people, little kids). My neighbors and friends say I have the Melbourne Dog Sled Team, as I walk three to four at one time. I plan to add in the verbal commands and then work on them pulling the wheelchair around the neighborhood. Who knows maybe we will think about doing some type of sport with them pulling me. Thanks again enjoying the videos and learning some new things from them.
@@irylljones2787 Thank you for your detailed reply. That is so fascinating and tremendously impressive. I am always amazed by how much dogs can learn, help us out in our daily life, and the incredibly close bond that can develop between dogs (especially dogs with a job) and their owners. I am so sorry that you were diagnosed with asbestosis but it sounds like your dogs are a great help to you both as companions and also by helping you navigate safely through your day 💜You must have put so much time, effort, and patience into training your dogs to have them be at that top level of support. Truly truly impressive 👏 Also, wheelchair mushing is actually a thing! There is a small but solid community out there. Small things about the setup are different, but it's overall extremely similar. If you're curious, you should definitely check it out. I bet your dogs would take to it super quickly. I wish you and your pack all the best on your future adventures and let me know if I can answer anything else (although it sounds like I can probably learn a lot more from you training wise ;))
@@huskytrails3654 Thanks, yes I have spent lots of time training and everyday I try to learn more. I started working a two year old Malinois with the commands and she’s responding well already. Thanks again, will see how they do later on and May try a sport out with one of them.
I've been looking for a way I can help my husky mutt get some energy out in a controlled way and took her out on a bike and she was immediately into it. Already did very good listening to house commands like leave it, let's go, while running ahead and pulling the bike. Obviously no mushing commands so I decided to look into teaching her some stuff and this video has made it very simple and straightforward, thank you!
I'm glad you found it helpful. That's awesome that you and your pup are getting into the sport and that your pup is taking to it so well. It's such a fun hobby to do together. If you find that your established commands work well for you two for bikejoring, then there is no need to retrain them really. Only thing to keep in mind is if you think there could otherwise be confusion for your dog or too much overlap with other activities or associations or anything along those lines. But feel free to post here if you come across any questions while training. Happy trails to you and your pup!
This was super helpful. Years ago I had a wonderful little village dog who couldn’t make it for the Iditaro but was a fantastic skijoing partner for me. After too many years, I am finally ready to start with a new dog but sadly not a husky. So far the retriever seems Interested and enthusiastic but as you mentioned, transitioning him from no pull to pull takes a bit. I am slowly adding my weight as resistance to the harness on walks and encouraging him to move out. I am hoping that the difference in equipment will aid in his comprehension. So far so good. This was a wonderful refresher video for me . Thank you! Now if I can only find my bungee leash and belt.🤦🏽♀️😂
Thank you, I'm glad it helped you refresh some things. What might also help you is to practice with someone who can walk ahead of you and encourage your dog to follow. What also works for a lot of people is to start by running with your dog (picking up speed helps many dogs). As soon as your dog starts moving ahead and pulling even the slightest, you can praise and pick up speed. I'm sure you guys get there. The journey is just as much part of the fun and experience. Happy trails to you guys 🐾
You're very welcome. I'm glad you find them helpful. I just got a husky puppy as well (she's actually already 7 months old now - they grow up soooo fast, take as many photos and videos as you can!!!). I'll be putting together a few videos on specifically raising a puppy with mushing in mind. That'll probably come in handy for you as well. I wish you a wonderful time ahead - they say waiting time is the hardest time, but waiting to pick up a puppy is also the most exciting waiting time ever 💜
@@huskytrails3654 I`m so looking forwart to these videos, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!! The puppies from this breeder are sooo cute I litteraly can`t wait to to hold MY puppy in my arms🐕😍🤩
@@huskytrails3654 Yes, please post those videos! I do not have a husky, but a smooth fox terrier, and I will go hiking with her in the mountains. I figure those commands will be so very helpful for her and I!
Great video! I’m curious- do you a separate “line out” command for getting them to tighten the line up? I’ve been told to do this but I’m having trouble getting my dog to understand it consistently since he likes to look back at me before we start
Hi, that's a great question! When I started out, I was told that as well and have honestly found that it's not really necessary. But it depends a little on your overall situation. If you only have one or two dogs and they're good at not wildly running around while you get ready in the back, you don't really need them to hold the line out straight. Line-Out is more important for larger teams that while the musher or handlers are hooking up the other dogs, they can rely on the line staying in place. It's more of a problem when you have many dogs and they're banging in their harness or starting to squirrel all over the place, then you'd risk them getting tangled up and lines crossing etc. and then you need dogs up front who are reliable with keeping the line in order. But I also know mushers with large teams who don't use the line-out command. They have simply taught their dogs to sit or stay in place until the whole show is ready to go. That's how I do it with my dog as well. She knows to stay up front and be calm until we're ready to go. Sometimes she sits down and waits and sometimes she steps a little to the left or right to sniff and look a little bit. But she stays up front and waits until we're ready. So I personally think it is more important to teach your dog(s) to stay up front and wait in place and then you really don't need the line-out command. The important thing is really that they don't turn around and come back towards you or create some sort of chaos. Hope this helped, happy trails to you and your pup 😊
I'm going to start training my Champ to pull a sled. He's always looking for a job, so this would be fun for him to do. Is there a specific harness and leash you recommend?
Nice! I'm sure your Champ will love working on something new with you. Any standard x-back harness should work. There are also half-harnesses (like the one we're using in this video), but if you specifically want him to pull a sled, I'd go with an x-back harness. You can google for mushing outfitters around you, you might have some local ones. I personally have had great experiences with Howling Dog Alaska (howlingdogalaska.com/collections/harnesses), Nooksack Racing Supply (nooksackracingsupply.com/product/standard-harness/), Mountain Ridge (www.mtnridge.com/HARNESSES_c_35.html), and Non-Stop Dogwear (www.nonstopdogwear.com/en/harnesses/). Nooksack and Mountain Ridge in my opinion have the fairest prices, Non-Stop is over in Europe and a little more on the pricey side. Another one many people use is Alpine Outfitters (www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/harnesses). They're all solid mushing outfitters, have great customer service, and will be able to advice you if you have questions with measurements etc. For the line, you can get a line with a built-in bungee section with or without an attached tugline. I'd go with a combined one and then you can be flexible doing activities with and without it. All of the mushing outfitters above will sell those as well. You can find them as "skijoring line" or "bikejoring line." Some outfitters also offer starter packs that come with a harness and line as a bundle. I have a video on a one-dog small sled setup that gives you an idea of what that all will look like (ua-cam.com/video/Qexb4AY0omU/v-deo.html). Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy trails to you and Champ!
What kind of dog do you have? It won't matter for the bungee line and belt for you. But most harnesses you get at mushing outfitters are sized towards more traditional mushing breeds (huskies, hound mixes). Since the bungee line is attached at a steeper angle for canicross, I'd recommend you get a half-harness (this also works great for hiking and bikejoring). One of the half-harnesses I use is Howling Dog Alaska's "Distance Harness" (howlingdogalaska.com/collections/harnesses/products/distance-harness ). Depending on how small your dog is though, this may not be a great fit for you and they don't do custom sizes unfortunately. I can also recommend Mountain Ridge (www.mtnridge.com/Padded-Tracking-Harness_p_38.html) and Alpine Outfitters (www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/harnesses/products/copy-of-urban-trail-adjustable-harness-half-back-shorty-custom-crafted ). They both do custom sizes and might work better for your pup. For the other equipment, you'll need a bungee line and a belt. The bungee line should be between 6-9 ft (also sometimes called skijoring or bikejoring line). Some may come with an attached tugline, but you don't need that for canicross. The belts come with and without leg loops and are sometimes called trekking belt or skijoring belt. Whether or not you want leg loops is totally up to you (without is typically a bit cheaper). All of the above mushing outfitters also offer belts. They sometimes also offer bundles or starter packs where you can already buy a line and belt (sometimes harness) set. Hope this helped. Feel free to post here if you have more questions. Happy shopping and happy trails to you and your pup 🏃♀🐕🦺
@@teddydiamondhoof7983 Oh cool, Podenco is something you don't hear every day. That sounds like a really cute mix. My girl is a Siberian Husky at 45 lbs and her harnesses are usually size small, sometimes medium-small. For some of the above recommendations, an xtra-small might work for you guys. But I'm still guessing custom might be the route to go. Hope you find a harness that works well for you 🤞
In general, if your dog already knows it and reacts well to "leave it," you can use that as well. There really is only a nuanced difference between the two in that "leave it" is often trained while the dog is stopped and the dog is often supposed to look away from the object or at you instead, for example when they're staring at food on the table. "On-by" emphasizes a bit more that the dog keeps moving and doesn't stop or veer to investigate something. So I'd say as long as your dog doesn't stop when you say "leave it," go ahead and use that one.
I really enjoyed your video.Your dog is so well behaved and you seem like a really good trainer!!. my dog and I are learning this with a motorised mountain board. Is there anything different you would recommend if my vehicle is motorised?
I've never heard of a motorized mountain board - is that like a beefy electrified skateboard? Or did you mean motorized mountain bike? Either way, you want to make sure your dog is used to the motor sound before you add mushing. So I'd just take your dog for walks with the equipment and rev the motor etc so that your dog is 100% used to its sounds and movements and you can be sure he doesn't get spooked by it. I know when running large teams with motorized ATVs, most mushers keep it in gear to add resistance but if you just have one dog, I would actually not do that because the board/bike with you will already be heavy enough. So for straight stretches, you can probably be out of gear, for downhill you wanna make sure you brake to be controlled, and uphill is probably the only time you would use the motor to assist your dog. Basically, the dog's pull should be more of a tug, if you feel the dog has to strain to pull, you need to assist. Hope this makes sense. Happy trails to you and your pup 😊
Hell yeah, life goals 👍While not sleds in snow, Rottweilers were also originally bred to pull loads. They called them the "butcher's dog" because way back in the day, they would pull little wagons with the butcher's meats to the town market. Super interesting breed!
@@driftkingofforzatrueameric991 Nice! I had a friend who was from Rottweil, cute little town. Have fun and safe travels, buy a cool souvenir for your dog!
Hi and of course! I have a couple of different harnesses, depending on what I'm doing. For activities with a steeper pulling angle (i.e. bikejoring, skijoring, hiking) I use a half-harness, some people also call them "shorties." They are still mushing harnesses though, so you can't use a regular pet store harness: - "Distance Harness" from Howling Dog Alaska (that's the one in this video): howlingdogalaska.com/products/distance-harness - "Padded Tracking Harness" from Mountain Ridge (they make custom sizes, HDA does not): www.mtnridge.com/Padded-Tracking-Harness_p_38.html X-back harnesses for activities with a lower pulling angle (i.e. sledding): - "Standard Harness" from Nooksack Racing Supply (they make custom sizes too): nooksackracingsupply.com/products/standard-harness?variant=45329929732262 - "Nansen Nome Harness" from Non-Stop Dogwear (they're on the pricier side): www.nonstopdogwear.com/en/product/nansen-nome-harness-5/ Line: - "Bungee line" from Nooksack Racing Supply: nooksackracingsupply.com/products/bungee-lines?pr_prod_strat=jac&pr_rec_id=a6a7839dd&pr_rec_pid=8118920052902&pr_ref_pid=8118994370726&pr_seq=uniform --> All of the above brands offer bungee lines (another good one is Alpine Outfitters www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/scootering-supplies/products/single-scooter-line-gl011 ). But as long as you get one from a mushing outfitter, they're essentially all the same. For a 1-2 dog setup, you'll need a 6-9 ft line with integrated bungee. The difference is that the companies may offer certain packages (for example, some offer their bungee lines with a panic snap, others have just the line). Hope this helps. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. Also, I have dealt with all of the above brands and they all have really good customer service and can help you out fine-tune for what you need as well 😊🐾
@@huskytrails3654 Thank you very much, I really appreciate it! My daughter has a 2-year-old Husky that I’m planning to train. I’m pretty good with dogs, but I’ve never tried anything like this before. Wish me luck!
@@jamaicanpunch That's a fantastic age to start with this because they're a little more mature and able to focus more. You also already have an established relationship and good foundation otherwise with training, which will make this step a lot easier. I'm sure you guys are gonna have a fantastic mushing journey together. Good luck 😊
Great video! Thanks for the tips! I started training ski joring with my Authie and he quickly learned these command. But He only walks when he's on the harnes. Is there any good training to make him run? He immediately start running around if I off leash him...
Yes, that's an issue that can come up with non-traditional mushing breeds sometimes. There are several options you can try. 1) Has your dog previously been discouraged maybe (if even slightly) to not pull on the leash? That's something many people face and if that's the case, it will likely just take some time for your dog to make the readjustment. 2) If you can find someone to go skiing with you, have that person go ahead and encourage your dog to keep up. For many dogs, having someone up front to chase is what makes the breakthrough. 3) Have you tested if it's the harness maybe? Would your dog run if you had him on his collar or other harness? You should use a proper pulling harness of course, but that could be a way for you to test if it's the harness itself. If that's the case, double check that it's sitting properly and your dog doesn't have any chafing or anything like that that would cause him discomfort. If everything is sitting alright, start smaller. Put your dog in the pulling harness and start on a hike. A hike is a great way to ease a dog into mushing because you can little by little build up to the concept of the dog being up front and pulling and you can increase speed by starting to walk faster and then jog. Usually, one of these methods end up working out. Play around with them a little bit and see if one of them works for you guys. Good luck 🍀
@ Yeah my dog is case 1 definitely! I trained him not to pull on the leash when we go for a walk. I will take some time for readjustment. Maybe I can teach him to pull with a command.
@@shomorimoto1801 Sorry, just saw that I never replied to you. Yes, it might just take some time then. Give your dog some leeway when you walk (like a very loose leash) and when he pulls even slightly, you can pick up the pace a little bit. That often encourages them to keep moving ahead. Yes, you can also teach a command. Most mushers use starting commands anyway. So you could use something like "Hike!" or "Let's go!" so that your dog starts associating that with being allowed to pull - just be careful, if you already use "Let's go!" when you're on a walk with your dog, then that might be confusing for him in your particular situation. Another thing that might help your dog is to only use the mushing harness for mushing and then a different harness for walks. Every dog is different, but some people tell me it has helped their dog associate a specific harness with a specific exercise. Give it a go and some time, I'm sure you guys will get there! Happy New Year 🎆🍀
my pup is. less than a year old and I am working with him a little - one thing he does a lot is turn and want to play with me - sometimes it takes 10 minutes or so to get him to continue on the trail - he can play rough like a husky does - I try to ignore and also find some distraction like a stick...what do you recommend for this
I think that what you're describing is really mainly because of your pup's age. That's the age when they're in their super curious and in their "teenager" phase (just as a heads-up, that phase can last for another year). They're quite literally rewiring their brain and figuring things out. They can be very scatter brained, have only short attention spans, and be easily distractible. It's absolutely normal. You just gotta stick with it. 1) So time and patience would be my first recommendation. Try to be patient with having to repeat things and keep the shorter attention span in mind. You could try to practice regularly overall but in shorter time segments. 10 minutes for example at a time could quite possibly simply be too much at a time for your dog at the moment. Ten minutes can feel longer than it sounds! So maybe break the training down into smaller segments. 2) What might also help your pup is having a structure or routine that you stick to. So you could for example have a specific area on your walks where you take a play break and then the rest of the walk is "work time" where you're asking your dog to focus on the task. I wouldn't introduce playing with a stick or anything else when you're in the middle of your training segment. Being consistent and consequent is important in this phase. You want your pup to clearly understand the distinction between play time and training/focus time. Again, just keep in mind that at this age, the training segments have to be fairly short and you need to give him ample play time. The older he gets, the more you can balance them out and eventually switch them to being longer on the training/work segment. I know this isn't really a nice and short quick fix answer but mushing training (and dog training in general really), especially with a young pup like this, just is a long-term game. Trust me that whatever extra time and patience and repetitions you invest now will be paid back later big time! I hope this helped and I wish you good luck and enjoy this time with your pup!
Some dogs respond better to really enthusiastic praise. Try ramping it up, like your dog just win the lottery. Most people use praise that’s too low key. Another thought if your dog is more food motivated is to get them to associate praise with food. Such as say “good dog!” Quickly followed by a treat. Same idea is used with clicker training, it’s called “loading the clicker” but you’d be “loading” praise. Re pulling, not sure but maybe try getting the dog to pull only light weights at first and went they do pour on the praise. Might also help to have a person or dog run in front to get them motivated to run. Hope that was helpful.
Hi, sorry for my late reply. The other reply here was great, so I'm not going to repeat that and just add another thought. I'm sure your dog understands when you say "Good job!" or whatever you use at home. As already mentioned by the other commenter, you can say it a bit more enthusiastically/emphasized. Positive attention from people is always understood as praise by dogs (many people actually overly reward with treats; often, a verbal praise is totally enough for the dog). Another way you can reassure your dog he did the right thing is by picking up the pace a bit upon correct command execution. Introducing a bit more dynamic works especially well with husky breeds typically. As for the pulling, if your dog doesn't naturally go ahead and pull, you could hook him up with a dog that does if you have that available to you. Many dogs find it very motivating to walk together with other dogs. But if this isn't an option for you, see if you can find another human do go on walks with you and have them walk in front of your dog and motivate him (not necessarily with treats if possible) to go forward. Often with husky breeds, doing this at a faster pace makes it easier for the dog. So you could do this at a light jog possibly. Has your dog been discouraged in the past to not pull on the leash? If so, that could be what's holding your dog back. But it is reversible, it would just take a bit longer because your dog has to essentially work up the courage again to do that and then get used to it again. If this is the case, you and everybody who walks your dog will have to let the dog pull a bit on the leash on walks and not discourage that. I know it's counter to how we usually want dogs to behave on a normal leash walk, but if your dog is hesitant with pulling, it has to be the same all around (at least until he fully understands the difference between mushing activity and walks). The last thing I can think of is the harness. When you try to practice this on walks with your dog, what kind of harness do you use? If you use a type of "no-pull" harness or walk your dog on the collar (where pulling is uncomfortable), then I would start by buying a proper pulling harness. Otherwise, it could also just be that your dog is physically uncomfortable with pulling. Many little things to try. I hope one of them will work for you. Good luck to you and your pup!
Your girl appears to be as calm as ours. Does she have the drive to pull or is more like pretty meh about it? because ours will only run if has not been on a proper run/walk for maybe 3 days. shes 2.5 yrs old if that makes any difference.
Yes, I definitely think these kind of activities help foster a calm and even temperament. Laika has always had a desire to pull. She was about three years old when I got her and she was such a strong leash puller that sometimes even my husband and I together couldn't hold her. That's actually how I got into mushing in the first place. As far as speed goes, I did focus more on trotting from the get-go. We didn't train for racing competitions, so there was really no need for us to do mushing with a focus on sprinting. In general, if you don't want to compete, there is actually no good reason to train mushing for a full-on sprint. Trotting is over time better for their joints and preferred for distance mushing. That said, Laika has also slowed down over the years of course. She is 10 years old now and we are taking it at a more relaxed pace. I take my cues from her, if she feels like breaking into a sprint, she can and still does from time to time (also depends on the temperature and trail conditions). But mostly, we mush at a more relaxed trot these days. But if you look at my rollerblade mushing video for example, you can see that we sprinted more when she was younger. So I would say, unless you're training for racing competitions, trotting is actually better and just take it at whatever pace your dog seems to enjoy and have fun with this activity 😊 Happy trails to you and your pup!
@@huskytrails3654 thanks for the reply! Our girl isnt the stereotypical husky that is always on the "LETS GOO" mentality where she goes from 0-100 in 0.1s. Shes very chilled and relaxed and wont go at max speed just cus you told her. Would she pull in a team? Yeah sure but she doesnt have that drive that i see other huskies have. Her sister does and is very steteotypical husky that i described before. Not sure where im going with this. I guess what i wanted to ask was whether a husky with this sort of temperament can still be trained to pull solo?
@@kkvasas I think I know what you mean. Yeah, every husky is different and there are huskies who simply don't like to pull at all. This is difficult to say because I don't know your husky of course. But if you feel she has the drive to pull, even if not always "full steam ahead," you are probably still able to do this. Hooking her up with your second dog might be an option. Sometimes for dogs who are so-so on the pull, hooking them up with a stronger puller gives them motivation to work harder as part of the team. This is something you would just have to test. Just watch out that it's not a situation where she just gets dragged along. If that's the case, then you might have to run her solo at her own pace. There are still enough mushing activities that you can do even though your dog is not a consistent strong puller, for example bikejoring and skijoring because it's very easy for you to support. The only activity that I'd say might not go so well with a dog that doesn't pull much is sledding or scootering. I wouldn't be too concerned with an inconsistent puller, you can simply adapt to that. I think the more important test with your girl would be if she's good being up front (possibly by herself) and take on the leader position. For example, I don't do much sprinting full speed with my girl and she's an inconsistent puller because we take it easy these days. But she nevertheless has a very strong drive to be up front, take responsibility, and work with me as a team. Pulling is trainable (to a degree) but taking lead position is more of a temperament thing. You might just have to test a few things out and see what works best in what combination with your girl.
I taught this to my first GSP very quickly. I already used a bike to get his energy out, so I just started adding commands to what we were doing and he had it solid in a few bike rides. My current GSP however isn't picking up on it at all. Googling instructions hasnt been very helpful, but watching you display what the results were saying is making all the difference! Sometimes seeing someone else do something that is a bit common sense shows that we (I) am over complicating something because it can't be that easy. It is, though. It was very easy with the first dog, so why am I trying to make it harder for this one? I want to take him right back outside for another session. I might (not on a bike; haven't even shown him a bike yet.). Sort of fighting the urge 😂 Thank you for this!
Exactly! That was one of my main goals for making this channel, to give people who are interested in mushing sports a sort of "one stop shop" with information - and to show people that this isn't rocket science and that anybody can do this really. Like you say, a lot of it is common sense. It is more that people need to keep a few things in mind and follow some steps to set themselves up for success. So I'd say it's maybe complex to an extent, but not complicated. But information about this on the Internet can be spotty or confusing or even contradicting and I think many people are overwhelmed or confused and don't know where to start. And like you say, sometimes it just comes together better when you can watch it being demonstrated. I'm glad this helped you get back into it 💪 What an exciting journey to embark on together with your new pup. GSP sounds like the perfect energy bundle to do this with too 😊
Absolutely! Laika was already 3 years old when I got her and started training with her as well. This is a case where the proverbial "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is totally untrue and just a stereotype. In fact, I think your dog is actually at a great age to get into mushing. Fully grown, out of the trickier "teenage" phase where you can expect your dog to focus on things now for longer time periods and can task them with a job and some responsibility 👍 The only slight drawback can sometimes be that whereas you can teach a puppy intended behavior from the get-go, adult dogs can already have formed some habits that might take you longer to undue. For example, if a dog has been taught their whole life not to pull on the leash, then starting mushing training with that dog will probably take a bit longer and a bit more patience for the dog to be confident to pull again. Or a dog that has been encouraged for many years to chase after squirrels and rabbits might take longer to learn "on-by." Just keep that in mind when starting your training. Happy trails to you and your pup 😊
@@huskytrails3654 thank you! And luckily this dog still hasn’t grasped the “no pull” habit so that’s gonna help lol. He does get distracted easily so I will work on On-by. To make the walk fun does it work to let him sniff and once he moves on say On-By so he associates ignoring a distraction with moving on?
Hi @@thatequestriangirl13 , sorry for my late reply. I would actually not train the "on-by" that way. The problem with that is that you would let the dog decide when to ignore something. From the dog's perspective, it would be like this: "Oh, this is interesting. I'm gonna sniff it and check it out. Ok, that was interesting, but I'm done now. Let's move on. Oh, and my human said something." The problem with that is that, worst case, it doesn't actually teach the dog the "on-by" command because the dog has already processed and is already done with the distraction, the command would be more of an afterthought. The command has to be given as soon as the dog has decided that something else is interesting now and veers off course. They can still look and sniff as long as they keep walking, but as soon as they make the decision to check it out, that's where you give the command. I hope this makes sense.
That's awesome. Does it mean anything or was it just a random word you used? Ah, the spitting back out part on command, master class 👏 Wished that worked reliably with mine 😂
Yeah, they get confused a lot. There are also a lot of husky-malamute mixes out there. It's difficult to tell sometimes. A pure bred Siberian Husky is surprisingly small. Alaskan Malamutes are also among the OG sled dogs though. I'm sure you'll have a blast with them 😊
@@huskytrails3654 I've had my fur baby girls 3.5 years; I've got stories and it's never a dull moment.. rescued as previous owners couldn't handle malamute/ timber wolf mix. I'm very patient with them; they're spoiled rotten
i did the same with my first husky i teach him on the walk with my second i tied her to him with a neckline and he showed her i have 2 babies just over 1 year old now and theyre just learning to run with me now i have not taught any commands apart from lets go and whoa mostly because the boy is very nervous and panics when hes training outside of my garden so im trying to just run so he focus on moving forward and not on scary stuff xD
That's awesome. Having a husky that is already experienced to show a newcomer is such a great way to do it. It's like you're sharing the training load 😊 Yes, that's a good point. Dogs have vastly different personalities and some are more confident than others, which of course influences the training. Your strategy sounds great, doing the bulk of training where you know he's comfortable and with fewer distractions and then having him focus on the run when outside. Forward movement/work mode is always a great trick to boost focus. Thank you for sharing that!
I know the intro is a bit long in this one. But those are all relevant pieces of the puzzle IMO. These are questions I get asked a lot and it emphasizes some basics people should keep in mind to set themselves and their dogs up for success down the road. And yes, often things in dog training are "common sense," but keep in mind that many people are unsure, overthink things, are confused by conflicting information they find etc. So it can be very reassuring to see that activities that seem complex and scary are doable by taking small steps that can be easily achieved with their dogs.
If the dog doesn't like it he will not pull I have seen it and they ain't beating them to make em run no spurs or whips like horses... this is dogs exercising with their owners and having fun... make your opinions based on facts next time 😉
@lowerydj They get conditioned under the harness, how about making them exercise with less weight. Yes, they like to run but not conditioned under someone's dictating how long they run. I invite you to watch online the barbaric treatment Ryan Redington gave to innocent dogs on the stupid Iditarod event. He should be in jail.
@@yolandawilliamson5988 Working dogs *have* to work. If they aren't given mental stimulation, they get very stressed and depressed, or destructive and likely rehomed. There's a very big difference between a dog having a job and a dog having exercise. Huskies are bred to have this job in their genes, just like how Border Collies and Aussies are bred to herd and work livestock. They legitimately LIVE to do this and if you can't get them this outlet they will suffer for it. I don't condone mistreatment of a dog to do a job of course, but to generally say mushing should not exist is ignorant. Put a husky in a standard house with no outlet, and that husky will go absolutely insane from mental and physical neglect.
Stop painting everyone who uses these commands with the same brush and learn a little bit more about working breeds and their fulfillment please. @@yolandawilliamson5988
I thought the same as you until I started being with dogs that enjoy mushing. They seem eager and delighted to mush and seem disappointed when we stop.
I’ve been wanting to reach my golden retriever to do all of this. Thank you for the video! I definitely would’ve made the mistake of giving her treats for the commands.
I'm glad it was helpful 😊 Yes! Many people don't even realize that a verbal praise or attention from their humans in general is also a form of praise for dogs. I hope you and your pup have fun getting into these sports. Feel free to post here if you come across any specific questions.
Really thorough information! Thank you for giving explanations for the choices you've made about things like the traditional commands.
You're welcome and thank you for the kind feedback. Yes, I figured if people already started training their dogs with directional commands using a different language, there really isn't any reason for them to start all over, the dog doesn't care what words you use. But I figured I'd mention the advantages of using the actual mushing commands for people to consider who are just starting out 😊
I've taught 2 dogs and my cat. My cat learned the fastest, also better retained calls. Just listening to your to your video... I saw my cat hearing your calls... Awesome ❤❤❤
Haha, that's awesome! So do you walk your cat outside sometimes and then you've trained her to listen to the directional commands?
Nice learned a good bit from this to add to my daily routine. I trained my service dogs to pull me up inclines. I use walk and hold for go and stop. Since we are not moving fast, I snap my fingers and point the direction to go. I don’t talk at all on my walks if possible and walk three dogs (Malinois) at the same time. Will add some of this into our routine. Thanks.
I'm glad it helped further fine-tune your routine 😊 What kind of service dogs are they if you don't mind me asking? And yes, so many people don't realize that they talk all the time at their dogs and that they will just tune out after a while, just like people 😂 Oh, Belgian Malinois are such pretty and athletic dogs. Happy trails to you guys!
@@huskytrails3654 Malinois are trained for mobility and I use them to pull me up inclines and assist on going up stairs on low energy day, open/close doors, turn on and off lights, carry things, notify me to take meds, notify me of some danger, as I don’t hear well, one has been taking my socks off for me for four years, they act as a holding point to stand up, two have been trained to recover me to my jet ski if I go in the water, at times they have acted as therapy dogs for other veterans. Probably a good bit more tasks that I haven’t listed.
I got diagnosed with asbestosis 7 years ago and they have been keeping me active. During my morning walks they pull me along until I loosen up and start walking better. I always hear people say don’t let your dog(s) out in front of you and don’t hook them to you. I have walked my dogs in front of me for years and have used line pull with leash, hand signals and verbal commands. My dogs also know if I hand signal and give wrong verbal command to go off the hand signal. I’m not wheelchair bound, but got a wheelchair for training the pups to be around and I expose them to all things I can (large events with horses, dogs, people, little kids). My neighbors and friends say I have the Melbourne Dog Sled Team, as I walk three to four at one time.
I plan to add in the verbal commands and then work on them pulling the wheelchair around the neighborhood. Who knows maybe we will think about doing some type of sport with them pulling me. Thanks again enjoying the videos and learning some new things from them.
@@irylljones2787 Thank you for your detailed reply. That is so fascinating and tremendously impressive. I am always amazed by how much dogs can learn, help us out in our daily life, and the incredibly close bond that can develop between dogs (especially dogs with a job) and their owners.
I am so sorry that you were diagnosed with asbestosis but it sounds like your dogs are a great help to you both as companions and also by helping you navigate safely through your day 💜You must have put so much time, effort, and patience into training your dogs to have them be at that top level of support. Truly truly impressive 👏
Also, wheelchair mushing is actually a thing! There is a small but solid community out there. Small things about the setup are different, but it's overall extremely similar. If you're curious, you should definitely check it out. I bet your dogs would take to it super quickly. I wish you and your pack all the best on your future adventures and let me know if I can answer anything else (although it sounds like I can probably learn a lot more from you training wise ;))
@@huskytrails3654 Thanks, yes I have spent lots of time training and everyday I try to learn more. I started working a two year old Malinois with the commands and she’s responding well already. Thanks again, will see how they do later on and May try a sport out with one of them.
This is a very good, well thought out video. EXCELLENT
Thank you for your kind words 😊 I'm planning to post a new one soon that will show how important training commands is.
Thanks for the video. Very helpful.
I've been looking for a way I can help my husky mutt get some energy out in a controlled way and took her out on a bike and she was immediately into it. Already did very good listening to house commands like leave it, let's go, while running ahead and pulling the bike. Obviously no mushing commands so I decided to look into teaching her some stuff and this video has made it very simple and straightforward, thank you!
I'm glad you found it helpful. That's awesome that you and your pup are getting into the sport and that your pup is taking to it so well. It's such a fun hobby to do together. If you find that your established commands work well for you two for bikejoring, then there is no need to retrain them really. Only thing to keep in mind is if you think there could otherwise be confusion for your dog or too much overlap with other activities or associations or anything along those lines. But feel free to post here if you come across any questions while training. Happy trails to you and your pup!
Such a helpful video, thank you!
Nice job 😊
This was super helpful. Years ago I had a wonderful little village dog who couldn’t make it for the Iditaro but was a fantastic skijoing partner for me. After too many years, I am finally ready to start with a new dog but sadly not a husky. So far the retriever seems Interested and enthusiastic but as you mentioned, transitioning him from no pull to pull takes a bit. I am slowly adding my weight as resistance to the harness on walks and encouraging him to move out. I am hoping that the difference in equipment will aid in his comprehension. So far so good. This was a wonderful refresher video for me . Thank you! Now if I can only find my bungee leash and belt.🤦🏽♀️😂
Thank you, I'm glad it helped you refresh some things. What might also help you is to practice with someone who can walk ahead of you and encourage your dog to follow. What also works for a lot of people is to start by running with your dog (picking up speed helps many dogs). As soon as your dog starts moving ahead and pulling even the slightest, you can praise and pick up speed. I'm sure you guys get there. The journey is just as much part of the fun and experience. Happy trails to you guys 🐾
Thank you sooo much. My puppy is coming to me in June and I´m looking for good trainingsvideos for huskys, so your video helpes a lot!!!!
You're very welcome. I'm glad you find them helpful. I just got a husky puppy as well (she's actually already 7 months old now - they grow up soooo fast, take as many photos and videos as you can!!!). I'll be putting together a few videos on specifically raising a puppy with mushing in mind. That'll probably come in handy for you as well. I wish you a wonderful time ahead - they say waiting time is the hardest time, but waiting to pick up a puppy is also the most exciting waiting time ever 💜
@@huskytrails3654 I`m so looking forwart to these videos, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!
The puppies from this breeder are sooo cute I litteraly can`t wait to to hold MY puppy in my arms🐕😍🤩
@@huskytrails3654 Yes, please post those videos! I do not have a husky, but a smooth fox terrier, and I will go hiking with her in the mountains. I figure those commands will be so very helpful for her and I!
Excellent video. Thank you!
This video is great. Thanks a lot for doing this!
Of course 😊 I hope it helps.
Great video! I’m curious- do you a separate “line out” command for getting them to tighten the line up? I’ve been told to do this but I’m having trouble getting my dog to understand it consistently since he likes to look back at me before we start
Hi, that's a great question! When I started out, I was told that as well and have honestly found that it's not really necessary. But it depends a little on your overall situation. If you only have one or two dogs and they're good at not wildly running around while you get ready in the back, you don't really need them to hold the line out straight. Line-Out is more important for larger teams that while the musher or handlers are hooking up the other dogs, they can rely on the line staying in place. It's more of a problem when you have many dogs and they're banging in their harness or starting to squirrel all over the place, then you'd risk them getting tangled up and lines crossing etc. and then you need dogs up front who are reliable with keeping the line in order. But I also know mushers with large teams who don't use the line-out command. They have simply taught their dogs to sit or stay in place until the whole show is ready to go. That's how I do it with my dog as well. She knows to stay up front and be calm until we're ready to go. Sometimes she sits down and waits and sometimes she steps a little to the left or right to sniff and look a little bit. But she stays up front and waits until we're ready. So I personally think it is more important to teach your dog(s) to stay up front and wait in place and then you really don't need the line-out command. The important thing is really that they don't turn around and come back towards you or create some sort of chaos. Hope this helped, happy trails to you and your pup 😊
I'm going to start training my Champ to pull a sled. He's always looking for a job, so this would be fun for him to do. Is there a specific harness and leash you recommend?
Nice! I'm sure your Champ will love working on something new with you. Any standard x-back harness should work. There are also half-harnesses (like the one we're using in this video), but if you specifically want him to pull a sled, I'd go with an x-back harness. You can google for mushing outfitters around you, you might have some local ones.
I personally have had great experiences with Howling Dog Alaska (howlingdogalaska.com/collections/harnesses), Nooksack Racing Supply (nooksackracingsupply.com/product/standard-harness/), Mountain Ridge (www.mtnridge.com/HARNESSES_c_35.html), and Non-Stop Dogwear (www.nonstopdogwear.com/en/harnesses/). Nooksack and Mountain Ridge in my opinion have the fairest prices, Non-Stop is over in Europe and a little more on the pricey side. Another one many people use is Alpine Outfitters (www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/harnesses). They're all solid mushing outfitters, have great customer service, and will be able to advice you if you have questions with measurements etc.
For the line, you can get a line with a built-in bungee section with or without an attached tugline. I'd go with a combined one and then you can be flexible doing activities with and without it. All of the mushing outfitters above will sell those as well. You can find them as "skijoring line" or "bikejoring line." Some outfitters also offer starter packs that come with a harness and line as a bundle. I have a video on a one-dog small sled setup that gives you an idea of what that all will look like (ua-cam.com/video/Qexb4AY0omU/v-deo.html).
Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy trails to you and Champ!
Whats the best equipment/harness for a small dog if you want to start canicross?
What kind of dog do you have? It won't matter for the bungee line and belt for you. But most harnesses you get at mushing outfitters are sized towards more traditional mushing breeds (huskies, hound mixes). Since the bungee line is attached at a steeper angle for canicross, I'd recommend you get a half-harness (this also works great for hiking and bikejoring).
One of the half-harnesses I use is Howling Dog Alaska's "Distance Harness" (howlingdogalaska.com/collections/harnesses/products/distance-harness ). Depending on how small your dog is though, this may not be a great fit for you and they don't do custom sizes unfortunately.
I can also recommend Mountain Ridge (www.mtnridge.com/Padded-Tracking-Harness_p_38.html) and Alpine Outfitters (www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/harnesses/products/copy-of-urban-trail-adjustable-harness-half-back-shorty-custom-crafted ). They both do custom sizes and might work better for your pup.
For the other equipment, you'll need a bungee line and a belt. The bungee line should be between 6-9 ft (also sometimes called skijoring or bikejoring line). Some may come with an attached tugline, but you don't need that for canicross. The belts come with and without leg loops and are sometimes called trekking belt or skijoring belt. Whether or not you want leg loops is totally up to you (without is typically a bit cheaper). All of the above mushing outfitters also offer belts. They sometimes also offer bundles or starter packs where you can already buy a line and belt (sometimes harness) set.
Hope this helped. Feel free to post here if you have more questions. Happy shopping and happy trails to you and your pup
🏃♀🐕🦺
Thank you! I have a Miniature Pinscher x Podenco. She's wolesome❤
@@teddydiamondhoof7983 Oh cool, Podenco is something you don't hear every day. That sounds like a really cute mix. My girl is a Siberian Husky at 45 lbs and her harnesses are usually size small, sometimes medium-small. For some of the above recommendations, an xtra-small might work for you guys. But I'm still guessing custom might be the route to go. Hope you find a harness that works well for you 🤞
Thanks!❤️
Thank you this is just what I was looking for..
Awesome, I'm glad it helped. Feel free to post here if you have any questions. I'll be uploading new content again soon as well.
Great video thank you. Can we use " leave it" as opposed to on by or is it better to have separate commands for mushing and walking? Thank you
In general, if your dog already knows it and reacts well to "leave it," you can use that as well. There really is only a nuanced difference between the two in that "leave it" is often trained while the dog is stopped and the dog is often supposed to look away from the object or at you instead, for example when they're staring at food on the table. "On-by" emphasizes a bit more that the dog keeps moving and doesn't stop or veer to investigate something. So I'd say as long as your dog doesn't stop when you say "leave it," go ahead and use that one.
I really enjoyed your video.Your dog is so well behaved and you seem like a really good trainer!!. my dog and I are learning this with a motorised mountain board. Is there anything different you would recommend if my vehicle is motorised?
I've never heard of a motorized mountain board - is that like a beefy electrified skateboard? Or did you mean motorized mountain bike? Either way, you want to make sure your dog is used to the motor sound before you add mushing. So I'd just take your dog for walks with the equipment and rev the motor etc so that your dog is 100% used to its sounds and movements and you can be sure he doesn't get spooked by it. I know when running large teams with motorized ATVs, most mushers keep it in gear to add resistance but if you just have one dog, I would actually not do that because the board/bike with you will already be heavy enough. So for straight stretches, you can probably be out of gear, for downhill you wanna make sure you brake to be controlled, and uphill is probably the only time you would use the motor to assist your dog. Basically, the dog's pull should be more of a tug, if you feel the dog has to strain to pull, you need to assist. Hope this makes sense. Happy trails to you and your pup 😊
@@huskytrails3654 Thank for getting back to me so quick =) big beefy skateboard yea.
This is good advice thank you so much!
I started teaching my rottweiler sled dog commands cause some day I'm gonna move to Alaska
Hell yeah, life goals 👍While not sleds in snow, Rottweilers were also originally bred to pull loads. They called them the "butcher's dog" because way back in the day, they would pull little wagons with the butcher's meats to the town market. Super interesting breed!
@@huskytrails3654 why thank you for the fun fact on rottweilers
@@huskytrails3654 next summer I'm gonna take a trip to the rottweiler ancestral home Rottweil Germany
@@driftkingofforzatrueameric991 Nice! I had a friend who was from Rottweil, cute little town. Have fun and safe travels, buy a cool souvenir for your dog!
I'm gonna bring her with me@@huskytrails3654
Nice video! What harness and leash are you using? Can you post it please? Thank you
Hi and of course! I have a couple of different harnesses, depending on what I'm doing.
For activities with a steeper pulling angle (i.e. bikejoring, skijoring, hiking) I use a half-harness, some people also call them "shorties." They are still mushing harnesses though, so you can't use a regular pet store harness:
- "Distance Harness" from Howling Dog Alaska (that's the one in this video): howlingdogalaska.com/products/distance-harness
- "Padded Tracking Harness" from Mountain Ridge (they make custom sizes, HDA does not): www.mtnridge.com/Padded-Tracking-Harness_p_38.html
X-back harnesses for activities with a lower pulling angle (i.e. sledding):
- "Standard Harness" from Nooksack Racing Supply (they make custom sizes too): nooksackracingsupply.com/products/standard-harness?variant=45329929732262
- "Nansen Nome Harness" from Non-Stop Dogwear (they're on the pricier side): www.nonstopdogwear.com/en/product/nansen-nome-harness-5/
Line:
- "Bungee line" from Nooksack Racing Supply: nooksackracingsupply.com/products/bungee-lines?pr_prod_strat=jac&pr_rec_id=a6a7839dd&pr_rec_pid=8118920052902&pr_ref_pid=8118994370726&pr_seq=uniform
--> All of the above brands offer bungee lines (another good one is Alpine Outfitters www.alpineoutfitters.net/collections/scootering-supplies/products/single-scooter-line-gl011 ). But as long as you get one from a mushing outfitter, they're essentially all the same. For a 1-2 dog setup, you'll need a 6-9 ft line with integrated bungee. The difference is that the companies may offer certain packages (for example, some offer their bungee lines with a panic snap, others have just the line).
Hope this helps. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. Also, I have dealt with all of the above brands and they all have really good customer service and can help you out fine-tune for what you need as well 😊🐾
@@huskytrails3654 Thank you very much, I really appreciate it! My daughter has a 2-year-old Husky that I’m planning to train. I’m pretty good with dogs, but I’ve never tried anything like this before. Wish me luck!
@@jamaicanpunch That's a fantastic age to start with this because they're a little more mature and able to focus more. You also already have an established relationship and good foundation otherwise with training, which will make this step a lot easier. I'm sure you guys are gonna have a fantastic mushing journey together. Good luck 😊
Great video! Thanks for the tips! I started training ski joring with my Authie and he quickly learned these command. But He only walks when he's on the harnes. Is there any good training to make him run? He immediately start running around if I off leash him...
Yes, that's an issue that can come up with non-traditional mushing breeds sometimes. There are several options you can try.
1) Has your dog previously been discouraged maybe (if even slightly) to not pull on the leash? That's something many people face and if that's the case, it will likely just take some time for your dog to make the readjustment.
2) If you can find someone to go skiing with you, have that person go ahead and encourage your dog to keep up. For many dogs, having someone up front to chase is what makes the breakthrough.
3) Have you tested if it's the harness maybe? Would your dog run if you had him on his collar or other harness? You should use a proper pulling harness of course, but that could be a way for you to test if it's the harness itself. If that's the case, double check that it's sitting properly and your dog doesn't have any chafing or anything like that that would cause him discomfort. If everything is sitting alright, start smaller. Put your dog in the pulling harness and start on a hike. A hike is a great way to ease a dog into mushing because you can little by little build up to the concept of the dog being up front and pulling and you can increase speed by starting to walk faster and then jog.
Usually, one of these methods end up working out. Play around with them a little bit and see if one of them works for you guys. Good luck
🍀
@ Yeah my dog is case 1 definitely! I trained him not to pull on the leash when we go for a walk. I will take some time for readjustment. Maybe I can teach him to pull with a command.
@@shomorimoto1801 Sorry, just saw that I never replied to you. Yes, it might just take some time then. Give your dog some leeway when you walk (like a very loose leash) and when he pulls even slightly, you can pick up the pace a little bit. That often encourages them to keep moving ahead. Yes, you can also teach a command. Most mushers use starting commands anyway. So you could use something like "Hike!" or "Let's go!" so that your dog starts associating that with being allowed to pull - just be careful, if you already use "Let's go!" when you're on a walk with your dog, then that might be confusing for him in your particular situation. Another thing that might help your dog is to only use the mushing harness for mushing and then a different harness for walks. Every dog is different, but some people tell me it has helped their dog associate a specific harness with a specific exercise. Give it a go and some time, I'm sure you guys will get there! Happy New Year 🎆🍀
my pup is. less than a year old and I am working with him a little - one thing he does a lot is turn and want to play with me - sometimes it takes 10 minutes or so to get him to continue on the trail - he can play rough like a husky does - I try to ignore and also find some distraction like a stick...what do you recommend for this
I think that what you're describing is really mainly because of your pup's age. That's the age when they're in their super curious and in their "teenager" phase (just as a heads-up, that phase can last for another year). They're quite literally rewiring their brain and figuring things out. They can be very scatter brained, have only short attention spans, and be easily distractible. It's absolutely normal. You just gotta stick with it.
1) So time and patience would be my first recommendation. Try to be patient with having to repeat things and keep the shorter attention span in mind. You could try to practice regularly overall but in shorter time segments. 10 minutes for example at a time could quite possibly simply be too much at a time for your dog at the moment. Ten minutes can feel longer than it sounds! So maybe break the training down into smaller segments.
2) What might also help your pup is having a structure or routine that you stick to. So you could for example have a specific area on your walks where you take a play break and then the rest of the walk is "work time" where you're asking your dog to focus on the task. I wouldn't introduce playing with a stick or anything else when you're in the middle of your training segment. Being consistent and consequent is important in this phase. You want your pup to clearly understand the distinction between play time and training/focus time. Again, just keep in mind that at this age, the training segments have to be fairly short and you need to give him ample play time. The older he gets, the more you can balance them out and eventually switch them to being longer on the training/work segment.
I know this isn't really a nice and short quick fix answer but mushing training (and dog training in general really), especially with a young pup like this, just is a long-term game. Trust me that whatever extra time and patience and repetitions you invest now will be paid back later big time! I hope this helped and I wish you good luck and enjoy this time with your pup!
Thank you so much!!!!!@@huskytrails3654
So how do a praise a husky mix that really doesnt care about verbal praise? And how do i make her want to keep pulling?
Some dogs respond better to really enthusiastic praise. Try ramping it up, like your dog just win the lottery. Most people use praise that’s too low key. Another thought if your dog is more food motivated is to get them to associate praise with food. Such as say “good dog!” Quickly followed by a treat. Same idea is used with clicker training, it’s called “loading the clicker” but you’d be “loading” praise. Re pulling, not sure but maybe try getting the dog to pull only light weights at first and went they do pour on the praise. Might also help to have a person or dog run in front to get them motivated to run. Hope that was helpful.
@@naterouillard3965 thanks its worth trying 🫡
Hi, sorry for my late reply. The other reply here was great, so I'm not going to repeat that and just add another thought. I'm sure your dog understands when you say "Good job!" or whatever you use at home. As already mentioned by the other commenter, you can say it a bit more enthusiastically/emphasized. Positive attention from people is always understood as praise by dogs (many people actually overly reward with treats; often, a verbal praise is totally enough for the dog). Another way you can reassure your dog he did the right thing is by picking up the pace a bit upon correct command execution. Introducing a bit more dynamic works especially well with husky breeds typically.
As for the pulling, if your dog doesn't naturally go ahead and pull, you could hook him up with a dog that does if you have that available to you. Many dogs find it very motivating to walk together with other dogs. But if this isn't an option for you, see if you can find another human do go on walks with you and have them walk in front of your dog and motivate him (not necessarily with treats if possible) to go forward. Often with husky breeds, doing this at a faster pace makes it easier for the dog. So you could do this at a light jog possibly.
Has your dog been discouraged in the past to not pull on the leash? If so, that could be what's holding your dog back. But it is reversible, it would just take a bit longer because your dog has to essentially work up the courage again to do that and then get used to it again. If this is the case, you and everybody who walks your dog will have to let the dog pull a bit on the leash on walks and not discourage that. I know it's counter to how we usually want dogs to behave on a normal leash walk, but if your dog is hesitant with pulling, it has to be the same all around (at least until he fully understands the difference between mushing activity and walks). The last thing I can think of is the harness. When you try to practice this on walks with your dog, what kind of harness do you use? If you use a type of "no-pull" harness or walk your dog on the collar (where pulling is uncomfortable), then I would start by buying a proper pulling harness. Otherwise, it could also just be that your dog is physically uncomfortable with pulling.
Many little things to try. I hope one of them will work for you. Good luck to you and your pup!
Thanks l like you video. l Have 3 Alaskan malamute
Nice! That's a lot of dog power 💪 Do you do any sort of mushing with them?
Your girl appears to be as calm as ours. Does she have the drive to pull or is more like pretty meh about it? because ours will only run if has not been on a proper run/walk for maybe 3 days. shes 2.5 yrs old if that makes any difference.
Yes, I definitely think these kind of activities help foster a calm and even temperament. Laika has always had a desire to pull. She was about three years old when I got her and she was such a strong leash puller that sometimes even my husband and I together couldn't hold her. That's actually how I got into mushing in the first place. As far as speed goes, I did focus more on trotting from the get-go. We didn't train for racing competitions, so there was really no need for us to do mushing with a focus on sprinting. In general, if you don't want to compete, there is actually no good reason to train mushing for a full-on sprint. Trotting is over time better for their joints and preferred for distance mushing. That said, Laika has also slowed down over the years of course. She is 10 years old now and we are taking it at a more relaxed pace. I take my cues from her, if she feels like breaking into a sprint, she can and still does from time to time (also depends on the temperature and trail conditions). But mostly, we mush at a more relaxed trot these days. But if you look at my rollerblade mushing video for example, you can see that we sprinted more when she was younger. So I would say, unless you're training for racing competitions, trotting is actually better and just take it at whatever pace your dog seems to enjoy and have fun with this activity 😊 Happy trails to you and your pup!
@@huskytrails3654 thanks for the reply! Our girl isnt the stereotypical husky that is always on the "LETS GOO" mentality where she goes from 0-100 in 0.1s. Shes very chilled and relaxed and wont go at max speed just cus you told her. Would she pull in a team? Yeah sure but she doesnt have that drive that i see other huskies have. Her sister does and is very steteotypical husky that i described before. Not sure where im going with this. I guess what i wanted to ask was whether a husky with this sort of temperament can still be trained to pull solo?
@@kkvasas I think I know what you mean. Yeah, every husky is different and there are huskies who simply don't like to pull at all. This is difficult to say because I don't know your husky of course. But if you feel she has the drive to pull, even if not always "full steam ahead," you are probably still able to do this. Hooking her up with your second dog might be an option. Sometimes for dogs who are so-so on the pull, hooking them up with a stronger puller gives them motivation to work harder as part of the team. This is something you would just have to test. Just watch out that it's not a situation where she just gets dragged along. If that's the case, then you might have to run her solo at her own pace. There are still enough mushing activities that you can do even though your dog is not a consistent strong puller, for example bikejoring and skijoring because it's very easy for you to support. The only activity that I'd say might not go so well with a dog that doesn't pull much is sledding or scootering. I wouldn't be too concerned with an inconsistent puller, you can simply adapt to that. I think the more important test with your girl would be if she's good being up front (possibly by herself) and take on the leader position. For example, I don't do much sprinting full speed with my girl and she's an inconsistent puller because we take it easy these days. But she nevertheless has a very strong drive to be up front, take responsibility, and work with me as a team. Pulling is trainable (to a degree) but taking lead position is more of a temperament thing. You might just have to test a few things out and see what works best in what combination with your girl.
I taught this to my first GSP very quickly. I already used a bike to get his energy out, so I just started adding commands to what we were doing and he had it solid in a few bike rides. My current GSP however isn't picking up on it at all. Googling instructions hasnt been very helpful, but watching you display what the results were saying is making all the difference! Sometimes seeing someone else do something that is a bit common sense shows that we (I) am over complicating something because it can't be that easy. It is, though. It was very easy with the first dog, so why am I trying to make it harder for this one? I want to take him right back outside for another session. I might (not on a bike; haven't even shown him a bike yet.). Sort of fighting the urge 😂 Thank you for this!
Exactly! That was one of my main goals for making this channel, to give people who are interested in mushing sports a sort of "one stop shop" with information - and to show people that this isn't rocket science and that anybody can do this really. Like you say, a lot of it is common sense. It is more that people need to keep a few things in mind and follow some steps to set themselves up for success. So I'd say it's maybe complex to an extent, but not complicated. But information about this on the Internet can be spotty or confusing or even contradicting and I think many people are overwhelmed or confused and don't know where to start. And like you say, sometimes it just comes together better when you can watch it being demonstrated. I'm glad this helped you get back into it 💪 What an exciting journey to embark on together with your new pup. GSP sounds like the perfect energy bundle to do this with too 😊
Can I still train a 4 year old dog to learn mushing commands?
Absolutely! Laika was already 3 years old when I got her and started training with her as well. This is a case where the proverbial "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is totally untrue and just a stereotype. In fact, I think your dog is actually at a great age to get into mushing. Fully grown, out of the trickier "teenage" phase where you can expect your dog to focus on things now for longer time periods and can task them with a job and some responsibility 👍 The only slight drawback can sometimes be that whereas you can teach a puppy intended behavior from the get-go, adult dogs can already have formed some habits that might take you longer to undue. For example, if a dog has been taught their whole life not to pull on the leash, then starting mushing training with that dog will probably take a bit longer and a bit more patience for the dog to be confident to pull again. Or a dog that has been encouraged for many years to chase after squirrels and rabbits might take longer to learn "on-by." Just keep that in mind when starting your training. Happy trails to you and your pup 😊
@@huskytrails3654 thank you! And luckily this dog still hasn’t grasped the “no pull” habit so that’s gonna help lol. He does get distracted easily so I will work on On-by. To make the walk fun does it work to let him sniff and once he moves on say On-By so he associates ignoring a distraction with moving on?
Hi @@thatequestriangirl13 , sorry for my late reply. I would actually not train the "on-by" that way. The problem with that is that you would let the dog decide when to ignore something. From the dog's perspective, it would be like this: "Oh, this is interesting. I'm gonna sniff it and check it out. Ok, that was interesting, but I'm done now. Let's move on. Oh, and my human said something." The problem with that is that, worst case, it doesn't actually teach the dog the "on-by" command because the dog has already processed and is already done with the distraction, the command would be more of an afterthought. The command has to be given as soon as the dog has decided that something else is interesting now and veers off course. They can still look and sniff as long as they keep walking, but as soon as they make the decision to check it out, that's where you give the command. I hope this makes sense.
Whenever my husky gets distracted I say "chit-chit" he even throws out whatever is in his mouth immediately, idk where he got that from tho haha
That's awesome. Does it mean anything or was it just a random word you used? Ah, the spitting back out part on command, master class 👏 Wished that worked reliably with mine 😂
I thought i was given 2 huskys by a friend of mine; it turns out that i have 2 malamutes 😮
Yeah, they get confused a lot. There are also a lot of husky-malamute mixes out there. It's difficult to tell sometimes. A pure bred Siberian Husky is surprisingly small. Alaskan Malamutes are also among the OG sled dogs though. I'm sure you'll have a blast with them 😊
@@huskytrails3654 I've had my fur baby girls 3.5 years; I've got stories and it's never a dull moment.. rescued as previous owners couldn't handle malamute/ timber wolf mix. I'm very patient with them; they're spoiled rotten
Some get confused easily with those but you got 2 bigger dogs so you should sled easy 😆
I use yip to stop and easy to slow down. I am actually just starting training with my girl.
i did the same with my first husky i teach him on the walk
with my second i tied her to him with a neckline and he showed her
i have 2 babies just over 1 year old now and theyre just learning to run with me now i have not taught any commands apart from lets go and whoa mostly because the boy is very nervous and panics when hes training outside of my garden so im trying to just run so he focus on moving forward and not on scary stuff xD
That's awesome. Having a husky that is already experienced to show a newcomer is such a great way to do it. It's like you're sharing the training load 😊 Yes, that's a good point. Dogs have vastly different personalities and some are more confident than others, which of course influences the training. Your strategy sounds great, doing the bulk of training where you know he's comfortable and with fewer distractions and then having him focus on the run when outside. Forward movement/work mode is always a great trick to boost focus. Thank you for sharing that!
@@huskytrails3654 yup yup its so helpful
Wow. She finally starts talking about it at 6:10 and the commands are basically common sense.
I know the intro is a bit long in this one. But those are all relevant pieces of the puzzle IMO. These are questions I get asked a lot and it emphasizes some basics people should keep in mind to set themselves and their dogs up for success down the road. And yes, often things in dog training are "common sense," but keep in mind that many people are unsure, overthink things, are confused by conflicting information they find etc. So it can be very reassuring to see that activities that seem complex and scary are doable by taking small steps that can be easily achieved with their dogs.
Mushing should not exist...it's nothing but animal cruelty.
If the dog doesn't like it he will not pull I have seen it and they ain't beating them to make em run no spurs or whips like horses... this is dogs exercising with their owners and having fun... make your opinions based on facts next time 😉
@lowerydj They get conditioned under the harness, how about making them exercise with less weight. Yes, they like to run but not conditioned under someone's dictating how long they run. I invite you to watch online the barbaric treatment Ryan Redington gave to innocent dogs on the stupid Iditarod event. He should be in jail.
@@yolandawilliamson5988 Working dogs *have* to work. If they aren't given mental stimulation, they get very stressed and depressed, or destructive and likely rehomed. There's a very big difference between a dog having a job and a dog having exercise. Huskies are bred to have this job in their genes, just like how Border Collies and Aussies are bred to herd and work livestock. They legitimately LIVE to do this and if you can't get them this outlet they will suffer for it. I don't condone mistreatment of a dog to do a job of course, but to generally say mushing should not exist is ignorant. Put a husky in a standard house with no outlet, and that husky will go absolutely insane from mental and physical neglect.
Stop painting everyone who uses these commands with the same brush and learn a little bit more about working breeds and their fulfillment please. @@yolandawilliamson5988
I thought the same as you until I started being with dogs that enjoy mushing. They seem eager and delighted to mush and seem disappointed when we stop.