Many years ago someone challanged another with "my dog can pull more than your dog". And the birth of weight pulling was started. Proper nutrituation, training and conditioning are vital. Most weight pulls in Alaska are held either on a wheeled cart or when snow permits on a sled.
Basic obedience is important. It helps when you tell your dog to come, they do. Conditioning is also high on the list. You wouldn't run a 16 mile marathon without working up to it so don't ask your dog to pull major weight without training/conditioning. Start out gradual and work up to it. And praise, praise, praise. You like to hear that you've done a good job, right ?
Once they are use to the harness we add a slight drag(example a small tire). When that is easy we start adding bigger tires for more drag. We are very firm believers that conditioning is very important. We start out close, with lots of praise, a happy dog = better results.
Weight pull advice
Getting Started...
I don't even put a harness on a dog until they are 14-16 months old, depending on how much obedience they have, because the most important thing with weigh pulling in my opinion is the recall, or their desire to come to you when called.
I let them walk around with just the harness on getting use to feeling the spreader bar on their hocks. I like the harnesses a little long, as I feel the ones that ride right on the rear of the dog impede their ability to actually stretch out their rear legs and push, again my opinion.
Once they are use to the harness I add a slight drag. What we use is a small tire , no actual weight. I just walk them around with the tire dragging behind them, getting them use to something behind them. If they stop to sniff the tire I let them, I want them to understand that what is behind them is not the "boogieman" and that they don't have to be afraid.
Once I have them fine with the harness and the noisy drag we go to a bigger tire. I take them for long on leash walks dragging the tire (1/4 to 1/2 mile). It serves to condition them, and after a while they have to put their head down and actually start to work as they get tired. So I use distance rather than high weights to start teaching them the correct form for pulling. Higher weight come later.
Then about 18-24 months of age I start adding bigger tires for more drag. I am a very firm believer that conditioning is very important, so as I said earlier I use distance rather than heavy weights for conditioning and lots of off leash running with no harness to improve their cardio, as the weights get higher at a pull, and the dogs start dropping out you will be pulling sooner and sooner between pulls, and your dog needs to be in good condition.
When you feel that you have your dog to a comfortable state with regard to harness, drag and conditioning, then we start training them with heavier weights. So far everything I have done has been on leash, except for the off leash cardio training.
These are just guidelines, you have to know your dog and be able to read them to know when they are ready for the next step. The worse thing you can do is try to rush your dog, because you want them to start pulling. Take your time training, and you will reap the rewards in the end.
