The Reluctant Skijor

Skijoring is a sport that combines dog-mushing and cross country skiing. A dog, or dogs, depending on how brave/stupid you are, is harnessed and connected to you by a "towline." In the best case scenario, you are pulled at a controlled speed along the trail. Mostly due to my aversion to dogs, I don't think I will be participating in the sport of Skijoring any time soon. There are benefits to the sport, however, and for someone who loves exercising with their pets, it could be just the thing.

The sport originated in Scandinavia and is popular on the trails of Oslo. Some of the skier/dog combinations are so good that my interest in the activity was sparked. Their dogs are trained for the sport, know where to run and how fast, listen to their owners and respond to unexpected events on the trail.

I'm not going to talk about those dogs today, because, let's face it, not all hounds are created equal.

Some dogs just love to smell. Who can blame them? Sniffing seems more natural for a K9 than dragging their owner on snow. These “sniffers” seem to have no concern for their human-in-tow, stopping abruptly at a whiff of any interesting scent.

Others are too enthusiastic. The excited pup crisscrosses the trail, dragging their owner with them on their rampage.  They have no sense of the traffic patterns and just want to run with reckless abandonment. Needless to say, it isn’t wreck-less: The scenario usually ends badly, with a few near collisions, a yelling owner, a confused dog, and very upset trail users. Let’s throw a few crying babies in there for dramatic effect.

Some dogs, quite simply, don’t have the natural inclination to PULL. They are too old, bored, or generally uninterested. The roles of “puller” and “musher” seem to be reversed, and skijoring turns into dragging your reluctant dog down the trail behind you. This version of the sport is not quite as appealing.

My intention is not to rag on those who take part in the sport, but instead to explain that not every dog is cut out for the job. See you on the trails!