Abby Sunshine

This weekend, I tried dog skijoring! The good news is that it was a blast. The bad news is I had neither my camera nor Abby Sunshine with me. Nonetheless, it’s worth talking about. . .

Skijoring with a dog is a sport in which a dog (or dogs), assist a cross-country skier. From one to three dogs are commonly used. The cross-country skier provides power with skis and poles, and the dog adds additional power by running and pulling. The skier wears a skijoring harness, the dog wears a sled dog harness, and the two are connected by a length of rope. There are no reins or other signaling devices to control the dog: The dog must be motivated by its own desire to run, and respond to the person’s voice for direction.

Many breeds of dog participate in skijoring. The only prerequisite is a desire to run down a trail and pull, which is innate in many dogs. Small dogs (less than 35 pounds) are rarely seen skijoring, because they do not greatly assist the skier; however, since the skier can provide as much power as is required to travel, any enthusiastic dog can participate. I’m not sure if it would be ideal for Abby. She is about 35 pounds.

Hmmm, I think Abby Sunshine ought to give it a try. . .What do you think?