All dogs are smart as long as they understand one's words.

@@MsEpicArt I do believe they told us that she was in heat. Nope, there aren't many alternatives to demonstrate Hip Dysplasia. Ask these guys that know her better than I am able.

I found that her owner and trainer actually said she was in heat.

The other 'tell' is she is placed at the very back so she doesn't cause a distraction for the boys.

Love your handle! Love to hear how and why...you came up with Sammy Sours. My son I named, Sam Sampson has worked very well for him. Anyway, I am dying to talk with others in our same position of learning to dryland mush. Got a kick bike to start with, brakes (matt black yumm), got the urban harnesses from Alpine in Bend Oregon, 25 miles from where we live and the fishing pole rod/bungee cords. Gotta get X back harnesses later. Please let me know how you are doing?! Please? Put both of them on a toboggan type sled this last winter and for about 500 yards tried the best I could to sit upright but wow. On the bike we've gone farther but my hubby pooped out running beside the dog, holding the other one on a leash. Confusion massive. These boys are so STRONG! So handsome!! Massive chocolate labs with a curled husky like tail they got from their blue heeler dad. Jack and Zip. Stay in touch Sammy Sours.

wonderful hobby! i wish i lived in a region where dog sledding is possible

Always Alpine in Bend Oregon! for harnesses!!

I'm training mine to pull really small (like the ones kids play with) wagons and stuff

Me too! How are you doing? Scooter, Kick bike?

StarBright pahleese write back and tell us how learning to dog scooter turned out!!

Stormy Sampson Shiloh did really well. My scooter is a sit down scooter with brakes. I haven’t run Shiloh for a long time now. He had one mishap, no one was hurt, but his harness broke in one place, a plastic piece. I really haven’t run him since. We mostly hike now. I might try him again now that it’s getting warmer so we can’t hike. But we could scooter in the mornings or evenings.

@@StarBright1976 How 'trained' was Shiloh before you hooked him up to pull? Our boys have learned how to NOT pull until they decide to take off and drag us (including hubby) face down in the trail. I've trained (my dog) Jack to heel and then 'lead on' without dragging me through the dirt, pine needles and brush; he understands Ghee and Haw and (whoa I can't spell the word I use, have used with my horses...Hauyut! Something like that). So my question is how much control do you have with brakes? I cuddle with both of them individually at night, what sweeties, but release them from their pen during the day? They are literally blur on our 5 acres. We have cats, kittens, bunnies, baby bunnies everywhere and I just hold my breath. So much fun to watch them RUN. We need to finish fencing this property, about 300 feet is left, that only leads to pencil jack pine maze...but they've yet to encounter the electric fencing of our horse paddocks. We've hooked them up, ONE at a time for now, and the other one of us is on their leash. The other boy is in his inside kennel. Kinda confusion. I want to just hook one for now up to my kick bike and 'control' or emphasize commands using the brakes. Hey, I am older and physical mistakes last a lot longer to heal. Tell me more about where you are in this process. Not to mention I've read all the books the videos I've found on this subject. I want someone who is doing the same thing! Shiloh sounds like a together, mature dog. Our boys are getting there. Nobody warned us about getting two males (you betcha they are neutered...we waited for a year before the chop chop) but HIGH PREY drive doggies we got! 120 pounds belongs to Jack. Zip is closer to 100. We watch and subscribe to Robert Cabral who doesn't do much with mushing but damn is he GOOD. Stay in touch?

I thought it was the rear ones that are supposed to obey command the best. Seems counter-intuitive, but i swear that's what i heard.

@@TheCorrectionist1984: lead dogs lead the way, they are the ones who need to know the commands best but it sure helps when all of your dogs know the commands.

@@TheCorrectionist1984, the back dogs as far as I'm concerned are usually the strongest dogs with the most endurance, the front dog is the dog that leads.

Seeing as it's really popular to do skijoring, bikejoring, etc. with one dog, I would say yes. I've seen people driving one dog on a sled.

@@ParrotVolancy thank you! I’ll be sure to do more research on the topic to be safe!

Really? Well, I am going to have to start using those verbal commands with mine...tired of the bridle and saddle stuff anyway! How long have you been using these commands with your horses?

@@stormysampson1257 Mine were taught that way when I got them! One is a KWPN from The Netherlands and the other I currently have is an Irish connemara. Both were taught H and G. They are 7 and 12. It's great for when you want them to go somewhere. I'd suggest nudging them left and right and saying G and H. They are pronounced "Gee" and "Haw" like the cowboy "yeehaw" almost :D It's mostly used for those that ride western, they have the "wooow" slow down too. I ride English.

IronToDiamond ' p

and? :D

It's pretty normal for bitches in heat to kinda waddle like that :)

Haw

That foot brake

zmanstrong41 alot

Quite a lot, but it's worth it in terms of reliability, and it's extremely difficult to keep other pulling animals up there like horses etc. With our horses you can get hay for next to nothing all year round, but with constant snow etc, having to buy hay would skyrocket compared to meat you can freeze and store for your dogs. So while expensive, they're the least expensive animal all around to keep.

It makes pulling the sled as easy as possible for the dogs so their stamina lasts longer.