Dog-sledders, help me??

[Amalthea]

I very much want to start Moro dogsledding for fun this winter..I'm always trying to think of ways that we can go faster, faster, faster when we go out on a walk or a run... the rollerblades work really well when my husband runs her on them, but I'm not quite brave enough and steady on my feet to take her rollerblading like he does!!! I just have to stick with jogging for now, and I get tired of jogging a LOT faster than Moro does, haha. I've biked with her before but found it really hard to control the bike and her at the same time I'm thinking of buying a scooter (not the rail-thin kind, the old-school kind that actually had a flat surface to stand on) and seeing if it would be difficult to zoom around with her on that. I know she'd be great at pulling a sled too, though it would be just for fun and so we would need something light, and easy, for a beginner.

I know there are a few chaz people who know a lot more about doing this than me... Can you give me any advice on what type of harness, sled, etc. I should be looking into to get her started? Brand names and everything are appreciated, it will at least give me an idea of what to look for. What kind of a store would I be able to buy this equipment in? Is there such a thing as a 'land sled' with wheels for when it isn't snowing, or are the only types sold for in the snow? My husband and I had even talked about building a sled with wheels for running her on land....but I'm not sure of the cost of that, or it we'd even get it right trying to build it ourselves

She has a need for speed like none other, I'm just trying to come up with creative solutions to give her the kind of run she really wants when we go out!

 

[chinchow]

Here's a site that can help you. :-D

I do some sledding with my Chows, it's great fun for you and the dog!
http://www.sleddogcentral.com/

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

First of all, Sled Dog Central is a ultimate resource for dogsledding/scootering/skijoring, etc!!!
As for equipment, all of my lines and harnesses are from Alpine Outfitters. (www.alpineoutfitters.net.) All of thier harnesses are custom made, and for a extremely reasonable price. ($15!!) For one dog, you just need a single skijor line. Has the bungee built right in. Booties are also a good idea. Either fleece or cordura, both work great.
As for a sled, you will probably need a kick sled. Or a light weight sprint sled. (Dont really want anything over 25 pounds,) Most kick sleds are in the $150 dollar range, while sprint sleds are around $500.
As for scooters, check out www.dogscooter.com. I dont know anything about scooters, so I cant really help you there.
Unless you live in a heavily musher populated place, your not going to find dog sledding equipment in a store. Gotta order online. Again, check out Sled Dog Central. Has tons of equipment suppliers. You do not want to use any of the harnesses you get at the pet store. Then can cause a great deal of harm when used for pulling.
And yes, there are such things as land sleds. They called bikes, scooters, and ATVs.
Feel free to email, or PM me with any more questions you might have, or if you need further explaining on anything. I'll be glad to help!

 

[oc_spirit]

TAke a look at this article I wrote up, it should give you a start to dogsledding

http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18901&highlight=equipment+for+dogsledding

 

[Amalthea]

First of all, Sled Dog Central is a ultimate resource for dogsledding/scootering/skijoring, etc!!!
As for equipment, all of my lines and harnesses are from Alpine Outfitters. (www.alpineoutfitters.net.) All of thier harnesses are custom made, and for a extremely reasonable price. ($15!!) For one dog, you just need a single skijor line. Has the bungee built right in. Booties are also a good idea. Either fleece or cordura, both work great.
As for a sled, you will probably need a kick sled. Or a light weight sprint sled. (Dont really want anything over 25 pounds,) Most kick sleds are in the $150 dollar range, while sprint sleds are around $500.
As for scooters, check out www.dogscooter.com. I dont know anything about scooters, so I cant really help you there.
Unless you live in a heavily musher populated place, your not going to find dog sledding equipment in a store. Gotta order online. Again, check out Sled Dog Central. Has tons of equipment suppliers. You do not want to use any of the harnesses you get at the pet store. Then can cause a great deal of harm when used for pulling.
And yes, there are such things as land sleds. They called bikes, scooters, and ATVs.
Feel free to email, or PM me with any more questions you might have, or if you need further explaining on anything. I'll be glad to help!

lol, thank you! I remember OC spirit posting some pics of one of the dogs getting set up in the harness for sledding, I will definitely look into those websites. And on the land sled haha yes, scooters are definitely something I want to look at... what I wondered is if there was something more along the lines of a traditional sled/sleigh on wheels, hubby and I each liked the idea of building one so much that we each drew a design for one in his notebook... I don't know if we'll end up doing that or not, but it would definitely be a unique activity to see if we could come up with something that wouldn't fall apart But in the meantime I might be placing some orders on those websites come Christmas time