Can I Train My Dog To Tow?

Yes, all dogs love to tow. Without proper lead training most dogs will want
to pull you down the footpath. Even a dog that, for some years, has been trained
to walk to heel can learn to tow on command or when they are in a harness. And
any breed can tow. They don’t have to be a Husky, Malamute or Samoyed.
Go to any CaniX event today and you will see a wide variety or breeds running
and bikejoring, from Jack Russells and Cockers to Labs and Ridgebacks, with
the new up-coming stars being the pointers or pointer crosses.

You can start to get your dog used to wearing a harness and towing light ‘drags’
from around 6 months. Keep this part of the training fun and only for short
periods. Your dog needs to learn that running and pulling in a harness
is fun. At the same time careful lead collar/training is recommended so that
your dog learns that pulling is only allowed when wearing a harness.

To allow your dog to get used to the commands when out on an everyday walk,

whenever you make a turn left or right use a command. These can be as simple
as left or right, or the standard commands of ‘Gee’ – right
and ‘Haw’ – left.

What age should you start training?

It is recommend for a dog to start wearing a harness from around 6 months and
then start to introduce some very light pulls for very short periods. Always
remember to keep this part fun. You want your dog to learn that running and
pulling is all good fun. Keep it all short and fun, and stop before the dog
gets tired. When the pup gets to 9 months you can then progress to pulling you,
but still keeping it fun and taking regular rests. By 1 year old the dog will
be ready to work as part of a team or to do lighter work like canicross.
Our running/jogging pace is easy for any active dog.

An older dog, even on that has been trained to walk to heel and not to pull,
can be introduced to harness work and pull. There are a couple of methods you
can use to achieve this. Firstly attach the dog to and anchor point and stand

in front, encouraging the dog forward and calling ‘line out’. This
will become the command to maintain tension on the line before you start off.
If you have another dog that is used to towing then you could couple the dogs
together and get running. If you don’t have a second dog then building
on the ‘line out’ work attach the dog to a bike or waist harness
and have someone else ride on a bike or run ahead encouraging the dog forward,
always giving a command from you to ‘Pull’ or ‘Hike’
to go faster. The dog will soon learn that when wearing a harness it is okay
to pull.

The Training

Once you have the dog pulling then the next aim is to really hone the commands,
this way having full control of the dog when out on the end of a line, passing
by distractions and take the correct turns. Another command that you can use
whilst on a daily walk is the ‘on by’ command, training the dog
to leave the distractions; other dogs, scents etc.

Then it’s on to working to dog on the end of the gangline. This is where
the ‘line out’ command you’ve been working on from the early
days really comes in to its own. When out scootering, canicrossing, bikejoring
or sledding this command will prevent the dog from turning and running back
to you and getting tangled in the gangline. Next is the ‘on by’
command to ask the dog to move post distractions; other dogs, runners, scents.

The dog will also begin to learn that the moment the harness is on and the
gangline attached this is time to work, which means no sniffing or peeing or
any other distractions. Start by attaching the dog to a drag and have the dog
pull this with you along side on a lead. Gradually drop further back behind
the dog. If your dog is used to walking to heel then this may be a little confusing
to begin having you walk behind it, but with but bear with it.

When you first start out on a scooter or bikejor
choose a track that is well defined so that the dog instinctively follows the
route. If you can have a person riding on a bike up ahead this would be a great
way to encourage the dog to move on forward too but dogs will follow the path
of least resistance so a good trail will help. Also help the dog forward by
pushing or pedalling, don’t expect the dog to do all of the work straight
away. Now whilst working the trails use the direction commands and speed control
commands.

Once your dog begins to realise that this game is a huge amount of fun and
a release you will have one happy and enthusiastic dog.

Commands

Ready – Stand up, ready to work

Line Out – Hold the gangline tight, facing away.

Gee – Turn Right

Haw – Turn Left

Wait or Whoooa – Stop

Easy – Slow down

Hike – Go fast

Hup hup – Go faster

On by – Leave a distraction/overtake

Leave – I mean it, LEAVE

Walk – Slow the pace right down

Home time – Prevents you from getting lost.

Of course these commands are the convention but it doesn’t mean you have
to use these you can just as easily train the dog to your own set of commands
which will work just as well. The dog simply learns to recognise a work in relation
to an action.

Happy trails!!