One of the many perks of dog ownership is always having a workout buddy.
Never do my dogs turn down the opportunity to go for a walk, hike or bike. It's almost like they sleep with one eye open expecting me to put on my hiking boots or running shoes any moment. Funny creatures they are. However, my running shoes don't get to pound the pavement or trails much as I am not a runner anymore. In fact, if I was being honest, I'd say I never was. I hate running. It hurts. I should really be calling my running shoes "fast walking shoes" just to be fair.
I'm still on an eternal quest to find interesting fitness activities for my dogs and myself, but now these activities tend to be of the lower impact variety. So I was delighted to come across an activity called canicross. Canicross is akin to the summer version of skijoring, which is basically cross-country skiing with dogs. Canicross is cross-country running with dogs.
This is a bona fide sport that originated in Europe as an off-season training regimen for sledding dogs. It has now become a popular activity throughout all of the U.K. and is slowly gaining popularity in North America.
In the sport of canicross, either one or two dogs are attached to the runner via a bungee cord leash meant to reduce shock when the dog pulls. This bungee cord is attached to specially designed harnesses on both the runner and the dog. The runner's harness sits around the pelvis, similar to a rock climbing harness, and the dog's harness resembles a sledding harness. Both are meant to distribute weight and pressure evenly across the body.
For anyone who is an avid trail runner with their dog, this is an ideal activity. I especially like it because the dog is tethered to its human. This keeps the dog safe and managed along busy trails, preventing potential problems with off-leash dogs on leash-mandatory trails. Besides being a great cardio exercise for dogs and people, canicross is an activity that allows dogs that like to pull an opportunity to express that desire.
This does not mean a dog that is not a puller will automatically begin to pull if it participates in this activity. When it is time for canicross, a dog will recognize the harness, bungee cord and commands used only during this activity. You would not use a canicross harness and leash if you planned on going for a casual stroll down the street.
As mentioned, I am not a runner any longer, but people like myself can still participate, albeit on a different energy level. The human harness and bungee cord can actually make use of the dog's forward motion to help the human's forward motion. Hikers and walkers can use their dog's energy and strength to make their hikes easier, especially uphill. It's kind of a win-win. Dogs get extra exercise hauling us around and we get the benefit of an assisted hike.
Any breed of dog designed and bred for physical activity can participate, the higher the energy and athleticism of the dog the better. Dogs that are bred for more sedentary lifestyles are probably not the best candidates for this challenging activity, although they could probably participate in a slower paced walking version.
I went skijoring with my German short-haired pointer Piper a few years ago and we both had an absolute blast. Now I am quite excited about trying canicross with my border collie cross Raider. You won't see me cross-country running with him, but you might see me cross-country hiking with him. If this activity interests you, Google "canicross" and a plethora of information and photos come up, including a detailed description of the activity, the design of the harnesses and bungee cords used, and where to order them online.
Contact Joan Klucha through her website: k9kinship.com
