dog & sport international 01/2015

01 | 2015 October - January | 9,90 € international 

dog & sport 01 | 2015 October - January 

dog & sport 

canicross | bikejoring | scooter and more 

Leire Fernández Abete 

The new generation 

Lena Boysen Hillestad 

The 23 times world champion 

Preview IFSS Dryland 

World Championships Bristol, Canada

Editorial 

Finally! The inaugural issue of dog&sport international 

is out. We start our new journey with the 23 times 

world champion Lena Boysen Hillestad and the new generation 

Leire Fernandez Abete. We would like to 

grow our magazine about harness dog sports around 

the world together with you. Not only follow us, but 

also become part of our journey. Tell us what interests 

you, what you would like to read: From interviews of 

interesting athletes, about races and events, to equipment 

tests and new products. Help to design our 

magazine. 

One of our biggest aims: To connect the world of harness 

dog sports. We would like to find out what happens 

across the globe in our sport. How popular is the 

sport in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Australia and Europe? 

Which harness dog sports dominate or grow the fastest. 

There is so much to find out, to discover and to 

learn. 

The first issue gives an insight into our new big journey 

around the world of harness dog sports. 

Be connected 

Annick Busl 

Editor 

dog&sport Canicross Bikejoring Scooter and more 

dog & sport | 1

Contents 

Foreword 4 

By Hugh Neff 

Weronika Jurek 5 

"Our way of life" 

Command Training Part 1 6 

That sounds strict 

Canicross Part 1 12 

The first training steps 

Lena Boysen Hillestad 18 

The Interview 

Harnesses 22 

Which one is the best one? 

Summer Camp in Norway 24 

Fun for young mushers 

Mark Mazzucca 28 

Bikejoring with William 

4 Our way of Life 

12 The first training steps 

24 Summer Camp 

2 | dog & sport

29 Canicross in Scotland 32 Preview IFSS World Champs 

40 Young and energetic 

44 Enhancing the dog-human partnership 

Canicross Scotland 29 

From mushing to Canicross 

IFFS Dryland WC 2015 32 

A Canadian dream 

Canicross running belts 35 

3 belts tested 

Canicross sport in the Netherlands 38 

A nation relatively new to the sport 

Leire Fernandez Abete 40 

Young and energetic 

Tellington TTouch 44 

Enhancing the dog-human partnership 

Harness dog sports in Switzerland 48 

Introducing the Swiss 

About us 49

Foreword 

Running dogs in harness is 

a beautiful sport and lifestyle 

People all over the world treasure the opportunity to 

travel, race and most importantly play with their loved 

ones – the dogs. They are such unique, beautiful and 

tough animals. As musher it’s an honor to be caretaker 

for such lovely creatures. I’m also honoured to promote 

our unique lifestyle and am excited to be part of the 

first international magazine focusing on harness dog 

sports! Happy trails fellow dog lovers. 

Hugh Neff 

4 | dog & sport 

Hugh Neff, also nicknamed 'the gypsy musher', is an Alaskan long-distance 

sled dog competitor who has so far competed in 14 Yukon Quest and 

9 Iditarod races. He became Yukon Quest Champion in 2012.

Weronika Jurek 

My name is Weronika 

Jurek, I’m 22 years old 

and have been doing 

Canicross for 5 

years now. 

A few years ago my sister bought a 

Siberian husky and I wanted to provide 

him with the physical exercise 

he needed, because walking was 

not enough for him. My friend 

asked me if I wanted to take part in 

a Canicross event she organised. At 

first I wasn’t sure if it’s a good idea, 

but she managed to convince me. I 

tried and immediately fell in love 

with this sport. I’m amazed by the 

dogs that are taking part in such 

championships, especially by European 

Hounds, because of how smart 

and eager to work they are. In 2011 

my biggest dream came true. The 

moment when I got Kira (European 

Hound) has changed my life. Every 

time we take part in a sport event, 

it is very emotional for both of us. 

Every championship is different and 

we are still learning from each 

other. I’m always concerned about 

the race, and I know that she is, too. 

When we are about to start, she 

waits nervously for me to say “go”. 

But once we run, we try to leave 

those feelings behind us and work 

together as a team. The trust that 

we have for each other is extremely 

important in this kind of sport. At 

present, we start in the categories 

Canicross and Scooter. We take part 

in national as well as international 

championships, European Championships 

and World Championships. 

Every little success is very important 

for us. 

This sport has become our way of 

life. 

© Weronika 

© picures: Anna Kawala Konik 


Kommandotraining - Teil 1 

Command training 

- that sounds strict 

But it is fun and an important part of training dogs 

to work in harness. Particularly during the warmer parts 

of the year, where due to higher temperatures only 

little training on the trails is possible, it provides an 

opportunity to work on communication and their 

all important routines. 


Command training - Part 1 

Command training is about 

teaching dogs and people the 

processes that are needed for a controlled 

and safe experience working 

dogs in harness out on the trail. This 

applies equally to recreational 

sports people and competitive athletes 

and is particularly important 

when we are training in groups or 

taking part in races, where other 

teams are out on the trail at the 

same time. But what exactly is it 

about? 

Go - the command to start 

Easy - slowing down 

Stop – coming to a halt 

In this part we look at these first 

three commands. They are an important 

basis for each run and already 

taught when dogs are started out 

for the first time on a straight trail. 

Therefore, they form the basics. 

How a dog learns 

Before we go into the practical 

training for these commands, we 

make a brief excursion to find out 

about learning theory, which from a 

biological perspective explains how 

dogs actually learn. 

First off: We often hear that the increased 

"anthropomorphism" of 

dogs is a big problem and doesn’t 

do their nature justice. This is certainly 

correct and frequently is the 

case in our verbal communication 

and the social requirements through 

humans, which many dogs are supposed 

to cope with. 

Nevertheless, humans and dogs are 

highly sophisticated animals (at 

least from a biological point of 

view) with many similarities in their 

genetic makeup. It is becoming increasingly 

clear from exciting discoveries 

in neurosciences that there 

are many interesting similarities in 

the behaviour and feelings of humans 

and dogs. Even an expert 

could hardly tell apart the brain 

cells of humans and dogs under the 

microscope - we have the same 

"hardware". Therefore, if you investigate 

how a dog learns, you will 

also find out a lot about yourself. 

A little shoptalk 

Dogs learn from experience. Dogs 

learn by association. Dogs get 

conditioned. What do all these academic 

wordings mean? A dog experiences 

his environment, continuously 

and without a break, even 

when he is asleep, his sensory or- 

gans and brain are still active. The 

brain processes the effects of the 

environment and pays constantly 

attention to unknown situations as 

they could prove useful or dangerous 

to it. If deviations larger than 

normal occur, the brain directs its 

attention there. As humans we call 

it: We become aware of it. 

The brain now quickly tries to assess 

whether the deviations are good 

for us or not. For this, similar experiences 

from the past are searched 

for. If the brain can remember a similar 

situation, it will repeat a reaction 

that paid off last time. However, 

if the situation is completely 

novel the brain has to improvise a 

new reaction. 

In addition to current environmental 

influences and daily constitution, 

the personality of the dog also 

plays a role: There are problem seekers 

and problem avoiders, risk takers 

and risk averse - just as in humans. 

In each case it is being 

analysed in detail whether the new 

reaction resulted in an advantage 

or disadvantage. If there was a disadvantage, 

next time something else 

will be tried out. And if there was 

an advantage the dog will remember 

his reaction carefully and try it 

again next time. He has learned! 



Theory and practice 

What sounds quite theoretical 

here, is very much alive in a 

training situation, for example: A 

dog is sitting in a field. He wears an 

unfamiliar harness which has a line 

connected to it. Onto the line something 

heavy is connected and if 

he tries to run it holds him back. He 

feels a little uncomfortable. Now 

his owner calls him and waves with 

a reward. If he tries to run to him 

the weight on his harness holds him 

back, it only inches forward and 

makes strange sounds in the process. 

He is unsure of what to do and 

finds it scary. But his owner encourages 

him repeatedly and becomes 

very happy every time that thing on 

his harness moves. Something must 

be great about this and this mood 

transfers. He tries to overcome the 

resistance, but the thing behind follows 

him. He wants to get away 

from it and the place he feels most 

secure is with his owner. So he really 

tries hard. All along his owner 

draws the corners of his mouth upwards 

and makes inviting body movements, 

which is always a good 

sign. All will be fine. When he finally 

arrives, there is a big reward - 

wow, that was worth it. Short 

break, enjoy the success, it was not 

too bad. ... and then the same 

again. He will now do it again the 

same way, becomes more skilful 

pulling into the harness, getting 

used to the noise and that he is 

being followed – and soon only the 

reward counts. 

The Daily Miracle 

This may all sound obvious to us, 

but from a biological point of 

view it is a fascinating and complicated 

process: Learning – trial and error 

and success. Whenever we (and 

our dogs) get into an unknown situation 

and make a right (or wrong) 

decision based on our experiences, 

we learn something new. None of 

us would exist if this miracle of nature 

would not continually happen. 

Dogs don‘t learn 

through languague 

and they don’t plot 

any plans. 

In an unfamiliar 

situation they will try 

something that has 

worked previously in a 

similar situation and 

then they see what 

happens. If it was 

good they will repeat 

it the same way, if it 

wasn’t they will look 

for another 

opportunity. 

In the picture apprentice Watson's body language clearly 

shows that he isn't quite sure about his follower. 

But with our support he finds a solution - which is 

rewarded! 



What does this now mean for our 

training? 

It means that we put our dogs into 

new situations they don’t know. 

They then have to make decisions 

and as animals they are intend to 

make decisions in a way that they 

are not getting harmed. If the dog 

made a decision that paid off for 

him, then he will always repeat it 

this way. But if he had a bad experience, 

then he will rather avoid this 

decision for the future. It is therefore 

our most important task in training 

to help our dogs with making 

correct decisions and make sure 

these decisions are worthwhile. 

Then they learn what we want from 

them. This has very practical consequences 

for the training development. 

Since we cannot talk our 

dogs through the training situation 

beforehand, it is our task to think 

BEFOREHAND which reactions they 

may show, which of them we want 

and how we show these to them in 

a way that they don’t even need to 

consider any other options. The easier 

we make their decision for the 

right behaviour, the faster they will 

learn. Since many training situations 

are very complicated for a dog 

at first and in addition every dog 

brings its own personality into play, 

the matter is then not as easy anymore 

as it first seemed. 

Conclusion 

All training situations should be 

set up in a way that the dog is 

motivated to do a certain behaviour 

and will receive a reward for it. 

Then he will learn to show this behaviour 

in this situation again, because 

rewards are just great. The 

type of reward depends on the dog 

(praise, food, play, etc). Although it 

is common knowledge, but you 

cannot repeat it often enough, 

dogs just do not learn from human 

verbal explanations. 

Go - the command to start 

Go! is probably the most well 

known command from the sleddog 

world and synonymous with 

happy dogs and long hanging out 

tongues. But what does it really 

mean? It means for the dog: You are 

ALLOWED to pull now and you 

SHOULD pull now. This command is 

taught from the very first training 

session. Whenever the load on the 

• The scooter is lying on the ground 

with a laid out line in travel 

direction. 

• Your dog is led to the end of the 

line and the harness is hooked on. 

• Then go to the scooter while 

securing the line with one hand, 

so that your dog cannot run off 

with the scooter. With strong 

dogs you may want to walk on 

the line to the scooter. If your dog 

follows you to the scooter, take 

him back every time or get help 

from someone else. It is essential 

that your dog learns to wait in 

front of the scooter. 

• When you straighten up the 

scooter get hold of the brakes 

immediately, again so your dog 

cannot run off. 

harness of the dog is released, it receives 

the Go command. It does not 

matter whether the dog is still working 

on a small load (car tyre) or already 

on a vehicle. The owner ensures 

that the load will not move before 

the command Go has been given. 

Only after the command the load is 

released and the dog can move. With 

a dog scooter it may look like this: 

• If the dog does not keep the line 

taut on its own accord push the 

scooter backwards until the line 

has some tension. This avoids a 

jerk that starting with a slack line 

would give. 

• If your dog does not pull on its 

own accord yet, now starts the 

motivation to pull (through an 

assistant), until the dog is clearly 

oriented in the pulling direction 

(before this there is no Go). 

• Now in a regulated way open the 

brakes and give the command 

"Go!". It is important that 

immediately after the command 

has been given the dog actually 

pulls. 



If your dog does not pull on its own 

accord yet, it should now be encouraged. 

For beginners you may require 

two assistants: One who holds 

onto your dog in position ahead of 

the scooter and a second one who 

encourages pulling motivation. 

There are several methods for this, 

which are ideally learned with your 

own dog by participating at a workshop, 

to individually suit each dog 

and their owner. We will further 

deal with the subject of pulling motivation 

in another article. 

Easy – slowing down together 

From an experienced dog we expect 

that he works independently 

against the resistance. 

If the ground is difficult or it goes 

uphill, he should increase its performance 

and adjust to the change of 

load. Most dogs do this automatically 

because over time they develop 

a special sense for the right pace 

and their own performance. However, 

when braking or stopping we 

do not want this – quite the contrary. 

It is the job of the human to slow 

down the team to stop where we 

want to stop. The dogs shall not 

work against the brakes, but be slowed 

down by us. 

Yet – and this is very important - 

"Easy" does not mean that the dog 

is stalling or stopping, because that 

would be dangerous, but it means 

that it will run intentionally at a slower 

pace. To train this, you may 

structure your training as follows: 



• You are out on the trail, the team 

is in motion (or runs) 

• Look for a point 10-20 meters 

ahead on route where you want 

to stop. Use a clear marker, a 

tree, a rock or make your own 

marking point. 

• Start now to brake slowly and 

gently. At the time when the 

tension in the line increases 

noticeably, give the command 

"Easy" (your dog has no idea 

what this means - that's okay, he 

is allowed and should keep 

pulling). Now increase the 

braking repeatedly and give the 

command "Easy" every few 

seconds. Give the command in a 

calm tone of voice, it is only an 

information for the dog. Brake 

now in a way that you exactly 

come to a halt where your 

marker is. Then you call once 

energetically "Stop". 

Repeat this sequence, now together 

with the command "Go" repeatedly 

on exactly the same route and 

with the same marker for starting 

and stopping. Dogs always learn 

place specific at the beginning. 

They find it much easier if the 

framework between repetitions 

does not change too much. Find a 

route where it is not teeming with 

other dogs or wildlife. Each distraction 

will impede your dogs‘ learning. 

If it works well, then do not 

go somewhere completely different 

straight away, but move the marker 

slightly by a few meters, then even 

further. Only then try a different 

route and practice it there in the 

same way until gradually it works 

everywhere. Dog training is about 

patience - because dogs have time! 

Targeted braking and stopping at a marker is important. 

For this the right feeling for the brakes is required. 

It is best if you practice this first without 

dog. Find yourself a marker and try from different 

speeds to come to a halt with your front wheel right 

up to the marker. When you try this on a steep 

downhill then you will also do something for your 

fitness when pushing back up! You could also learn 

this in a training workshop. 

Stop – coming to a halt ... no more 

and no less 

At the end of the braking process 

comes the command "Stop". 

Always do it this way at first, so 

your dog learns that with "Easy" it 

will get gradually slower and then 

you want to stop. The refinement, 

e.g. after "Easy" no "Stop" but 

back to normal pace, comes later 

on. From there it continues with 

precise processes and steps: 

• Reduced the pace with "Easy" 

and you going slowly. 

• On your chosen marker give the 

command "Stop" and fully 

engage the brakes until they 

lock. 

• Place the scooter on the side and 

immediately walk forward to 

your dog. If your dog tries to 

come to you, send him back. At 

this point be strict with your dog, 

because it can be very dangerous 

if your dog moves out of the stop 

position by itself, for example 

when other teams try to pass you 

or you stop to cross a road - besides 

you can quickly get tangled 

lines. Therefore, after the "Stop" 

go quickly to your dog. If he is 

still trying to pull or excited, you 

may want to walk on the line, so 

that he doesn’t run off with the 

scooter. Once you arrived with 

your dog, unhook the line from 

the harness and take him to a 

safe place where you can let him 

free – and of course give him a 

really good reward!!! 

This process is as important as an orderly 

disembarking from a car and 

serves the safety of you and your 

animals. Practice this under easy 

conditions accurately so it works 

correctly under difficult conditions 

(stopping at the roadside, within a 

group or in a race situation). 

Summary: 

Dogs learn best through regular 

repetitions under the same circumstances 

for rewards. Dogs have 

time and are nearly always in a 

good mood. The more accurately 

you practice at the beginning, the 

better it will work later on. It is 

about having fun. Now then, we 

have talked and theorised enough. 

Time to go out 

with the dogs, 

and GO! 

© Robert Gaiswinkler, Annick Busl 


Canicross Part 1 - The first training steps 

The fifirst training steps 

for owner and dog 

Canicross means canine cross country or trail running. 

In Canicross owner and dog 

work together on several levels. 

In the process the dog pulls his partner and 

supports powerful running performance. 


Before you decide to try cross 

country running with your own 

dog, there are some important 

things to consider. In the following 

three parts about training preparation, 

training methodology and 

competition everyone can find valuable 

information and tips, which 

you may also get taught at training 

workshops about “cross country 

running with dogs".


What am I capable of - and what is 

my dog capable of? 

am frequently asked by dog owners 

whether their dog is suitable 

I 

for the sport of Canicross. This can 

be answered quickly. If the dog is 

healthy, any dog regardless of their 

breed can take part in running cross 

country with their owner. If we 

work with our dog and demand 

work performance from him we 

have a particular responsibility towards 

our partner. To avoid sports 

accidents, injuries and overexertion, 

careful considerations about 

your training partner are neededand 

this should be before each workout. 

We start with the assessment 

of our dogs’ current performance. 

This includes in particular: 

• Genetic predisposition to run 

• Age 

• Health status 

• State of trained strength and 

endurance 

• Nutrition 

• Water intake 

• Temperature sensitivity 

• Running enjoyment and 

motivational resources 

• Regenerative capacity 

The dog and its genetic 

predisposition to run 

In the well known developmental 

lines of dog breeds an underlying 

trend for the preferred suitability of 

dogs can be derived. Without going 

into the individual characteristics 

and personality of a dog, there are 

breeds which are capable of running 

long distances of one hundred kilometres 

on ice and snow in a day. 

These ultra runners run rhythmically 

in a wolf’s trot at up to 18 km/h. The 

physical requirements and the irrepressible 

desire to run long distances 

is given these dogs from birth and 

can usually be conditioned. 

In the fast middle distances a different 

level of strength and stamina is 

required. These dogs are generally 

slightly smaller and work with a 

strong impression at a constant high 

speed. These middle distance dogs 

run their trails with an average of 

well over 20 km/h. 

In the European Canicross elite in 

sprint or rather short distances are 

now mostly muscle strong large 

sprinters represented on the podium. 

These dogs are able to powerfully 

"tear" their partner with high 

speed over the entire short distance 

even on the most difficult trails. 

Runners and dogs in this performance 

league achieve incredible 

cross country running times. 

This rush of speed is only reserved to 

few teams as the high speed quickly 

brings runners to their physical 

limits. 

Us hobby runners with our dogs who 

just enjoy to run start more moderate 

and after some training will be 

able to manage distances between 2 

km and 8 km. These distances should 

every healthy and trained dog in 

middle age easily trot while free 

running. During Canicross training a 

new, energy-consuming task, the 

"pulling the partner", is added. And 

this new way of running needs to be 

build up over many workouts. 

At the beginning of training the dog 

doesn’t have conditioned muscles 

for pulling. The pulling load should 

never overwhelm the dog. Not only 

does constant excessive strain lead 

to poor posture, severe chronic muscle 

injuries and tendon inflammation, 

but even worse to conditioning a 

painful experience, which permanently 

can inhibit the dog’s enjoyment 

of running. 

Age 

Puppies are prepared for the sport 

in a playful way. This includes in 

particular relationship building, 

obedience training, training of the 

directional commands, training of 

taking in food and water and toileting 

on command. 

Getting used to the harness can follow 

at the age of 9 months when 

the harness is put on gently and 

with lots of praise. The first gentle 

pulling into harness should take 

place in young dogs only between 

the age of 12 and 18 months. 

Young dogs have a tendency to give 

full uninhibited pulling power. If at 

this time the dog owner gets too 

ambitious in training, we can potentially 

see a young dog collapsing 

on the trail. That’s why it is important 

to methodically build up the 

dog from little to more load. 

At the age of 2 - 4 years a Canicross 

dog is fully trained and conditioned 

ready at the start line. During this 

period we are working specifically 

towards challenges for selected 

competitions and develop individual 

training plans. It is the peak 

season in sport for our running 

partner. Thereafter, the performance 

curve is starting to slowly go 

down. For the dog owner this means 

now more than ever to work 

responsibly with the dog’s remaining 

resources. In our daily team 

training we have taken some older 

dogs from the sled dog team and 

trained them in Canicross. These 

dogs are happy about their ideal after 

assignment and use their existing 

skills superbly. 



Health status 

Before you start training your dog 

in harness, a health check at the 

vets and/or physiotherapist is recommended. 

Only they can determine 

if the cardiovascular system 

shows any abnormalities or any current 

diseases are present. 

In addition, observe your dog before 

each training session for any abnormalities 

in the behaviour of the 

dog. Non-sufficient water and food 

intake, inactivity and an off-colour 

type expression can be warning 

signs. If the dog is in "a good 

mood", then we can start. 

State of trained strength and 

endurance 

There are many ambitious sports 

people who got themselves a 

dog and now would like to train together 

with them. It often happens 

that the dog owner completely misjudges 

or overestimates the performance 

ability of his dog. In this connection 

I recommend for beginners 

to consider their already achieved 

running activities. 

If the owner can run 5km easily and 

the dog can come along free running 

easily too, that's already a 

great training success. 

But when we start Canicross training 

we begin both owner and dog 

with significantly shorter distances. 

You should assume that your dog 

will experience pulling a load as 

very exhausting and that in his muscles 

lactic acid will build up after a 

few minutes already and micro 

tears will develop in many muscle 

fibres. Also the owner can be a 

great 10 km runner, but it’s completely 

different if he runs for the first 

time in resistance training with the 

dog! A lot of my two legged protégés 

have unexpectedly after their 

"first time" such severe muscle pain 

that the next day we had to help 

them back up from the toilet. 

Therefore, we need to develop the 

training plan sensibly step by step. 

We push but we don’t over push. 

Nutrition 

There are even dog commands 

for eating, drinking and toileting. 

Why? It can be important to 

prepare dogs optimally for a specific 

competition. A short and tough 

sprint at 9am won’t be run well by a 

dog with a full stomach, full bladder 

and bowel compared to a optimally 

prepared dog. 

What are the foods that provide access 

to instant and long lasting 

energy to prepare the dog? Surely 

every dog sports person has their 

own concept. But what should be 

practiced by every dog is eating, 

drinking and toileting on command. 

The principle for dog owners 

should be not to feed a main meal 

up to four hours before a run to 

prevent the risk of bloat, and also 

not to affect the dog’ s willingness 

to perform or compromise its blood 

supply. 

Daily hard training performance 

oriented dogs require a higher 

energy demand and a nutritious, 



with protein enriched and easily digestible 

food. Energy available 

from food is the basic building 

block for excellent sports performance. 

Together with adapted feeding 

times major challenges can be 

mastered. Our dogs at grassroots 

level are however not affected by 

this. Just give them a balanced basic 

diet, and in addition healthy treats 

and affection at the end of their 

day. 

Water intake 

Even more important than feeding 

dogs is their water intake. If 

the dog didn’t drink enough water 

before training or competing, he 

tends to collapse quickly when 

worked hard. We need to avoid this 

at all cost. If you feed your dog dry 

food and place a bowl of water 

next to it, he may only drink a little 

but not the necessary amount of 

water required. If you want to up 

the amount he drinks, give the desired 

amount of water in a bowl together 

with his food. 

Approximately 1-2 hours before 

competition or training provide 

your dog a tasty dog soup so you 

are "watering" the dog. Thus, the 

water requirements are dealt with 

and the mineral content is replenished. 

Drinking from stagnant water 

that may have germs lurking in there 

should be avoided as much as 

possible. 

Temperature sensitivity 

The body temperature of a dog is 

slightly higher than that of a human. 

Dogs don’t have sweat glands 

to regulate body temperature. They 

regulate their body temperature 

mostly through the feet and their 

breath. Therefore, it is a lot harder 

for them compared to humans to 

run a course or train at all on a 

warm day with high humidity or direct 

sunshine. The performance loyalty 

of a dog paired with the ambition 

of a wholehearted sports 

person has cost some dogs’ lives. 

Without warning signs a dog can 

collapse and break down. 

Extremely low temperatures can 

also be very dangerous for dogs. A 

husky can due to his physical makeup 

and energy-rich foods compensate 

a lot for this, but even huskies 

experience at very cold temperatures 

exhaustion much faster and reserves 

dwindle quickly. Thus, when 

you start you must consider the factor 

outside temperature. 

One thing is certain if the dog seems 

exhausted, disoriented or wobbles, 

instantly stop and help support regulating 

the body temperature 

from the outside. 

Regenerative capacity 

Just like the human sports partner, 

a dog requires a reasonable 

change of performance and rest, 

stress and relaxation, inhaling and 

exhaling. Ideally, the dog takes 8-9 



hours of rest and sleep after a hard 

day's work and before a strenuous 

competition. After every training 

session you should check over the 

dog’s muscles for tightness and 

knots und if necessary treat them. 

The paws should be examined for 

cracks and injuries. Through hard 

pulling stresses the paws can easily 

get hurt. Especially tarmac, gravel 

and stone and icy snow should be 

avoided if possible or put booties 

on the dog. Booties should be carried 

in every dog handler’s First Aid 

kit anyway. 

Running enjoyment and motivational 

resources 

well rested and well nourished 

A dog is usually active, attentive 

and willing to play or rather perform. 

Now we can give him tasks which he 

readily takes in and implements. The 

game Canicross means "pull your 

partner", with the basic requirement 

being that the given task is connected 

to a command and he does understand 

it. In order to understand 

the task only repeated practice, step 

by step, will work. At the beginning 

as a training aid for pulling may be to 

run in a group environment with 

other dogs. The dog understands 

through copying and group dynamics 

very quickly what is required from 

him. 

Dogs with strong herding or hunting 

drives learn the job of "pulling" quicker 

by running behind others. For 

this, the dog owner runs ahead of his 

dog while the dog is attached to another 

person’s belt. Other dogs learn 

through the game "get to the food" 

very quickly. For this, together with 

the dog we put a little food down on 

the floor and step 5-10 meters back 

and get into the starting position. On 

command the dog pulls his partner to 

the food and receives praise. The distance 

is then gradually increased until 

the command of "pulling" is learned. 

Of course the first practice 

sessions should be easy and done 

with much praise and enjoyment. 


© Kevin Donegan


What about the self evaluation of 

the sports person? 

Canicross is a type of running with 

specific running technique, 

which requires targeted and effective 

practice from you in order to 

move safely and smoothly on the 

trail. For this not only common distance 

runs are important, but also 

intervals, hill running and tempo 

runs. Also weight training should 

be part of the training programme. 

The supporting muscles of the ankles, 

calves and thighs need to be 

built up and most importantly, the 

supporting muscles of the torso/ 

lumbar region must be newly redefined 

in newcomers. A Canicross 

run with dog over 5000 meters is in 

no case comparable to a 5000 meter 

road run. 

The running stride is lengthened 

through the dog’s pull and the average 

speed is increased. This unusual 

way of running stresses the musculoskeletal 

system many times 

more than normal jogging and 

lactic acid builds up quickly in the 

muscles even in experienced 

runners. 

Untrained this leads quickly to fatigue 

and the risk of injury increases. 

Much like a triple jumper in 

athletics, we teach ourselves gradually 

the new running technique. 

Top Canicross runners are pulled 

cross country by their strong dogs 

with average speeds reaching more 

than 20 km/h. 

That equals the performance of an 

Olympic champion in the 5000m 

run without dog. 

With this knowledge, you start with 

your training. Begin gently with the 

basic training. Take at least 2-3 

months to get used to this kind of 

training. 

Canicross equipment 

The sport of Canicross has a great 

potential for development. This 

has motivated equipment suppliers 

to bring new products to market. 

There are now excellent trail shoes 

and trail running apparel on offer. 

For power walking and running a 

Canicross belt should be worn. 

It should consist of breathable tear 

resistant material. Underneath the 

belt no moisture should collect, 

which excludes the use of a belt 

made of neoprene. Suitable belts 

are made of ultra light but robust 

synthetic fibres on the outside and 

breathable mesh materials for padding 

and moisture wicking. The 

belt must fit well and securely. 

Pay particular attention to the leg 

straps and strap adjusters respectively. 

They should not slip or even 

open while running with your dog 

attached. The belt width must be at 

least 7 cm at the back and spread 

the pulling pressure across the lower 

lumbar region. The latest belt 

developments such as the Canicross 

nappy belts lower the pulling point 

further and pull more the bottom 

at the level of the hip bones 

forward. 

This hugely supports the runner’s 

running technique for Canicross. 

However, for wide pelvic bones and 

strong legs this can be uncomfortable 

as the thighs can get strongly 

compressed. For those who don’t 

have such difficulties, a nice nappy 

belt is advisable. Try the belt of 

your choice under full pulling pressure 

over a longer running distance. 

If then the belt still sits comfortably 

and everything is ok the 

belt should be right. Then you need 

a panic snap which is attached to 

the belt. In dangerous situations 

you can release yourself from the 

dog. The panic snap must be connected 

permanently to the belt not 

the line to prevent the metal carabiner 

from shooting into the dog 

when the stretched line is 

released. 

The Canicross line is 2 meters long 

with incorporated shock absorber. 

This serves to absorb any jerky movements 

protecting runner and dog 

from injuries. The line is hooked 

into the harness at the base of the 

dog’s tail. 

For dogs the harness comes in many 

designs and qualities. In the sport 

of Canicross particularly so called 

Faster harnesses are popular. The 

Faster harness is a very light harness 

with maximum freedom of movement 

across the back and flanks of 

the dog. The dog is connected to 

the line level to the base of the tail 

to prevent any interference by hitting 

the dog’s back or his tail. The 

few but perfect points where the 

harness is connected to the body offer 

a very good power transmission 

and prevent poor posture and injuries. 

The dog’s harness should be 

individually fitted by an expert. 

With the knowledge on what is important 

before a Canicross training 

session, we can begin with the start 

position in the next Canicross Part II 

Training Methodology. 

© Ingo Babbel 

canicross-outdoorsports 

www.canicross-nrw.de 



Lena Boysen 

Hillestad 

Per Sverre Simonsen 

23 x World Champion 

15 x European Champion 

26 x Norwegian Champion 

Pulka 

Skijoring 

sled and dryland rig 4-dog (6-dog) 

scooter 



We spoke to Lena Boysen Hillestad, 

the most successful 

sprint musher in history, to hear 

about her passion for sleddog sports 

and how she is passing on her incredible 

successes to the young generation, 

to secure the future for our 

sports. 

Did you grow up with dogs? 

Lena 

Yes, I got my first German Shorthaired 

Pointer as a Christmas present 

in 1975. 

How and when did you get into 

sleddog sports? 

Lena 

Because I got “Nusse” and my father 

started to race when I was 

about 6-7 years old. 

Did you have a mentor when you 

first started out in the sport? 

Lena 

That must have been my father. 

Which categories do you race in 

and which is your favourite? 

Lena 

I started out in Pulka 1-dog. I like 

action and trails where the athlete 

must have skills to “survive”. Scooter 

2-dog is fun. Sled on a difficult 

course is fun, and Pirena was fun 

(skijoring for me). 

Do you prefer to run dogs on snow 

or dryland? 

Lena 

I prefer snow, but the trails in sled 

classes are too boring. So I have to 

say dryland. 

What was your first race? Do you 

have fond memories of it? 

Lena 

In 1979 Pulka class. I was young and 

small, and fell off on the first hill. 

What was your favourite race? 

Lena 

Pirena. Vindelälvsdraget. And of 

course all the races and memories I 

have from the championships I won. 

What was personally your biggest 

success in the sport? 

Lena 

To be a world champion 23 times 

over period of 25 years (1991 – 2015). 

When did you decide to become serious 

about sleddog sports and 

have your own kennel? 

Lena 

From the start I guess. 

When did you breed for the first 

time? And why Greysthers? 

Lena 

I don’t remember, but the first 

Greysthers were born in 1986. My 

first Greysther from that litter was 

Turboprinsen. 

How do you juggle family life and 

training/racing sleddogs? 

Lena 

All the family are doing the sport 

too. But you need structure. 

Do you still work or are you a fulltime 

athlete and mother? 

Lena 

I sell about 170 Kickbikes every year, 

and I have one or two litters of 

puppies. 



How has training and racing sleddogs 

changed for you since you 

had children? 

Lena 

Not much. It is just more planning. I 

also had help from my mother (and 

father) when the children were 

small. But our children are coming 

with us a lot. 

Why do you think you have become 

so successful in racing 

sleddogs? 

Lena 

I like to train a lot, because I see the 

value of being very well prepared. I 

like to compete, and I love my dogs. 

I have a very good relationship with 

all my dogs. They are a part of our 

family. 

How do you train your dogs? Do 

you have a specific training 

system? 

Lena 

I train almost no speed, but long 

runs. 

How has your training changed 

over the years? Do you think you 

have found a prefect training system 

for your dogs or do you still 

vary and try new things? 

Lena 

How I train is depending on my life 

situation. Small kids, work, where I 

live etc. The most important thing is 

to believe in what you do, and have 

enough self confidence to follow 

your “stomach feeling”. It is always 

good to hear what others do, and 

learn from others. But don’t do the 

changes in the middle of a racing 

season. 

Per Sverre Simonsen 



How and with what do you feed 

and hydrate your dogs? 

Lena 

Troll pellets and Provit tripe and 

meat. 50% of each. I feed in the 

morning and in the night. In the 

middle of the day I give about 0.8 l 

of thin soup. They have always fresh 

water available. I give oil and vitamins 

every day. 

Do you have your dogs regularly 

checked by a physiotherapist or 

chiropractor? 

Lena 

Yes, I use a chiropractor. But only 

when I feel it is necessary (and that 

is quite often ;-)) We have a very 

good vet/chiropractor. 

How do you train yourself? 

Lena 

I used to train like a x-country skier, 

but now I only run and do some 

strength training every now and 

then. But I like physical work, and 

do a lot of things around the house 

(chopping wood, clear snow and 

heavy grass). 

Do you also train at the gym? 

Lena 

Not much, but I really like that. 

Strength training is fun! 

How do you recover? 

Lena 

TV, easy entertainment. Sitting at 

the veranda heated by our fireplace 

is something I really like. And I have 

the nicest kids ever, and a husband I 

enjoy spending time with 

What is your opinion about doping 

in sleddog sports? 

Lena 

Zero tolerance. You should be punished 

hard! In Norway doping is a 

really big issue, and something we 

really hate and not do. 

What is your motivation to keep racing 

after the many successes you 

already achieved? 

Lena 

That is hard actually. I guess the nice 

travels, where I meet many old and 

new friends. And I really like to 

compete. But I think our kids will do 

more competing in the future, and I 

will do less. 

With the many successes you already 

had in your mushing career do 

you feel more relaxed or pressured 

when you compete nowadays? 

Lena 

I feel pressured. People only judge 

me by my earlier results, so if I get 

second place they always ask “what 

happened ??”. When I win they are 

acting more like “who cares”, and I 

feel I have to do something extra 

ordinary to impress people. BUT I 

guess that is normal. No hard 

feelings. 

What do you still want to achieve 

in sleddog sports and in life? 

Lena 

I think I am finished achieving 

things in sleddog sport, but I hope 

our sport will be a part of the Olympic 

family some day. I like to see my 

kids have success in whatever they 

choose to do. I like to travel, so I 

hope I can keep on doing that. 

How important is it to you to support 

youngsters getting into the 

sport? 

Lena 

Young people are our future, and 

the whole existence of our sport is 

based on the kids. I work a lot with 

kids, and that gives me so much 

back. I lend out dogs, and have visitors 

for training. I always tell all 

ages how I train and give advice. I 

am a leader of a one week summer 

camp in Norway, and I really enjoy 

to be around kids. 

Have you ever tried Canicross? 

Lena 

Only for training, but not much. I 

like it uphill. 

What do you do in your free time 

away from dogs? 

Lena 

We play a lot of golf, the whole family. 

Our daughter Julie is starting 

at a golf school this fall. 

What else do you love? 

Lena 

Travelling and being “outdoorsy”. 


Das Zuggeschirr 

Harnesses 

Every owner 

would like to get 

the best harness 

for their dog! But 

which one is the 

best one? 

Everyone wonders 

about this. 


Harnesses 

large variety of different types 

A of dogs take part in Canicross, 

Scooter, Bikejoring etc. Every owner 

would like to get the best harness 

for their dog! But which one is the 

best one? Everyone wonders about 

this. 

Many providers offer good and well 

processed materials and each product 

has its own correct fit. Looking 

at different shapes of dogs’ bodies 

it’s clear that there is no one product 

that fits every dog. Therefore, 

the right harness is certainly not 

brand dependant. 

• The chest webbing runs along the 

breastbone and divides, seen in 

profile, behind the fore limbs. 

The padded webbing runs along 

the chest to the base of the tail. 

• The webbing along the upper 

part of the chest runs from the 

withers to the lower webbing 

and reconnects, again seen in 

profile, in the position of the thoracic 

and lumbar vertebra. 

• A sticking point is the slipping of 

the chest webbing to the side. If 

it moves to one of the sides, it rarely 

moves back in its original 

and correct position, causing 

painful rubbing and restricting 

the dog’s freedom of movement. 

• This leaves us with contemplating 

about the x-back harness or 

one with an open back! In both 

types the following muscle areas 

are utilised: Trapezius, latissimus 

dorsi, obliquus externus abdominis. 

In order to condition these 

muscle areas well, there is the 

possibility to use both types of 

harnesses in training. 

In general the following should be 

considered: 

• The neck opening should have a 

tendency to be on the big side, 

ideally the padded webbing runs 

right above the breastbone into a 

V shape in front of the shoulder 

blades along the neck and reconnects 

at the withers. This fit ensures 

good freedom of movement 

of the shoulders; and in this position 

strong muscles protect the 

windpipe from getting damaged. 

Although there is a comprehensive 

variety of good harnesses, there are 

dogs which don’t fit into a standard 

sized harness. Therefore, in addition 

to our standard sized harnesses 

we offer custom made harnesses, 

which are with our many years of 

experience specially fitted to each 

dog and produced in our sewing 

studio. 

www.tier-und-sport.ch 

© Guido Weilenmann 


Summer Camp in Norway 

A summer camp for 

young mushers aged 

13 – 20 years old 

If I could describe this camp in a few words 

then I would say: 

amazing, friendship, adventure, passion 

Amazing, because of all the 

opportunities they have in this 

great country; I have never experienced 

such a free lifestyle before. 

Adventure, because of the crazy 

activities they can offer to the kids 

out in nature that may only be 

possible there. 

Passion, because every single 

person out there on this camp was 

there because of the same passion…working 

together with dogs! 


Sommer-Camp Kjorerskolen 

The Sommerhundekjorerskolen is 

a great concept that can only 

take place thanks to the enormous 

support of the NHF ( Norwegian federation) 

. Their goal is to motivate 

more young people into sleddog 

sports (because as you know, they 

are the future). This year the IFSS 

was invited to take part with 10 

young mushers from all over the 

world. This camp made it so much 

easier for kids from all over the 

world to connect with other young 

foreign mushers, make friends, and 

make it easier to talk to each other 

at championships or other important 

races in the future. I was amazed 

by the ability of the kids to all 

speak English and to interact with 

each other, they maybe were a little 

bit shy in the beginning, but after a 

few days they were all interacting 

and having fun! 

The accommodation where the kids 

and leaders stayed for the week 

was splendid, we could use three 

big blocks with some very nice and 

cosy ski apartments which contained 

a bathroom, living room, bedroom 

and a kitchen (all dogs were 

allowed in the room in their kennels). 

The surrounding area was 


also worth it, we looked out onto a 

small mountain where in winter 

people can go skiing. In the main 

building we were able to go for 

three meals a day, the food was really 

outstanding for a summer camp 

I have to say. There was also room 

for hanging out and playing some 

games such as table tennis, etc… 

Outside the main building there 

was a nice BMX – bike track where 

they could ride with their Kickbikes 

and mountain bikes. 

The activities were super fun; the 

timetable was loaded with about 3 

activities/day. I guess it was hard, 

but these kids are really tough and 

were almost never complaining, 

just happy and enjoying every 

moment. 

Each morning the kids could train 

with the dogs right before breakfast 

when temperatures were a bit 

cooler. There were some amazing 

activities during the week, such as 

interval training up the ski slope, 

biking trip (that got a little extra 

long thanks to leader Kristoffer ;) ), 

a 4h hike through the Norwegian 

mountains with the dogs and their 

backpacks (with some pretty amazing 

views), Kickbike training 

around a magnificent lake and a 

short swim in the lake afterwards, 

rollerski training, a real Canicross 

relay race up the ski slope, swamp 

football (read “mud wrestling”, 

think they lost the ball out of sight 

after 2 minutes), First aid seminar, 

making dog lines, lots of games and 

small competitions, pranking and 

water wars, another relay race with 

all kinds of fun and crazy parts (such 

as biathlon, drinking a “special 

tasty drink”, Canicross, Kickbike), 

some presentations about other 

mushers such as Brigitte Naes, myself 

and some of the kids from camp 


and last but not least THE night 

game, which I guess a lot of the kids 

really liked so much so that we had 

to do it twice! For the people that 

have never been to Norway in summer 

(as myself) this was quite funny, 

as there is almost NO darkness at 

this time of the year! The night 

game included dropping the kids off 

in groups blindfolded somewhere, 

and they had to make it back to 

camp, the leaders were cruising 

around in their vans and cars on the 

roads, whenever we spotted the kids 

we took them back in the van and 

put them out even further so they 

had to stay low radar in order to 

make it back to the camp. And I have 

to say they all played the game very 

well! The second night of the night 

game we made some kind of haunted 

house in the basements of the 

main building and scared the hell 

out of some of the kids, but as I already 

said I guess they really liked it. 

I would like to say many thanks to 

Lena Boysen Hillestad and Kristoffer 

Grotan Olsen (and all the other 

leaders) who made this possible 

and put all their time and effort in 

organising! 

A massive thank you to the NHF for 

supporting such an important event 

and Arild Eidsvold from the IFSS for 

arranging everything for the foreign 

kids. I think it was a huge success 

to unite Norway with the rest 

of the world through this camp. 

Keep up the good work, I have never 

experienced such a great camp 

in my life. 

I would definitely not mind to be a 

leader again next time, many 

thanks for the invitation ;) 

Fotos: © Lena Boysen Hillestad, 

Arild Eidsvold, Simon Cipro, Kristoffer 

Grotan Olsen 

Text: © Tessa Philippaerts 


IFFS WM Dryland 2015 

© Victoria Rock 

Mark Mazzucca 

Since I was a boy I have always enjoyed 

two wheeled sports. From 

my youth through to adulthood 

Motocross was my first love. I enjoyed 

the unpredictably of the terrain, 

combined with the often wet 

weather conditions it made it more 

exciting than track and tarmac racing. 

I also exhibited a lack of fear 

that sometimes gave me an advantage 

but very often meant I raced 

faster than my ability to my cost. 

I’ve always lived with dogs within 

my family environment and could 

continually be seen with a dog by 

my side. My first taste of Bikejoring 

was back in 2009 while supporting 

my wife Kim’s career in Canicross at 

an event in Belgium. The opportunity 

arose for me to enter Bikejoring 

with our Whippet x Oki, a mass 

start as I remember, so thrown in at 

the deep end, but how exciting and 

I was hooked! 

William (so named as he was born 

on the Royal Wedding Day!) is a 

purpose bred Scandinavian sled dog 


or 'Eurohound' being 57% Alaskan 

husky and 43% Pointer. He came to 

us from his breeder in Scotland as a 

8 week old puppy, and when he was 

12 months old, Kim ran Canicross 

races with him (winning all of 

them!). 

Will and I developed a very close relationship 

very early on. This was 

mainly due to the fact just a few 

days after Will arrived I had an unfortunate 

tumble while bike training, 

sustaining a broken collar 

bone. Being a builder, I was unable 

to work for several weeks, so spent 

almost 7 weeks at home playing 

with puppy dog Will - and so the 

bond was sealed! 

Will and I work well together on 

the bike, a useful and very important 

factor as it is a very intensely 

fast sport! We have experienced 

some fantastic times together and 

achieved so much, racing across Europe 

meeting fantastic people and 

making lots of new friends from all 

backgrounds. Being crowned twice 

the ECF MasterII Bikejoring champion 

will always be our greatest 

achievement as was competing in 

Italy in the IFSS world championships. 

But we also run in Canicross 

together and take part in our local 

club runs on a Sunday morning and 

it’s equally enjoyable. 

William is an amazing dog with 

huge character and is great to live 

with. All our dogs live in the house 

with us as part of the family. 

We now have two more young dogs 

and I guess they are our future, one 

originating from Germany with more 

Pointer blood in him to hopefully 

partner up with Kim, having the focus 

and strength of mind needed in 

the fast and often chaotic mass starts 

in Canicross and the other one being 

related to William also having an incredible 

character, who I hope to 

continue in the sport with, while exploring 

new fresh challenges.

Canicross in Scotland 

Canicross in Scotland has been 

active for over 12 years beginning 

with a small amount of mushers 

canicrossing older or spare dogs 

not running in teams at sled dog 

races within the beautiful forests 

across Scotland, such as Ae Forest 

in Dumfries, Devilla Forest in Fife 

and Culbin Forest in Moray. 

My husband being one of these 

avid mushers would kit himself 

out in an old rock climbing harness, 

some spare rope he had from gang 

lines and with a dog that wasn’t in 

his competing team and would run 

round the forest for some fun, competing 

against friends. 

Needless to say the sport never excelled 

during these years, as it was 

really an add on or a side line to 

bigger classes such as 2/4/6 dog cart 

class. 

Eventually in 2010 a small group of 

keen Canicrossers from Scotland 

who all either competed at events 

with Canix in England or at Sled 

dog races across Scotland decided 

to get together and form a community 

group. With canicrossers from 

all over central Scotland meeting 

up to go for runs and adventures 

together with their dogs, the group 

soon grew to welcome and encourage 

other dog owners to take part 

in the sport. 

With the ever growing hobby of Canicross, 

Scooter and Bikejoring I 

personally saw my private life and 

spare time being taken over by the 

love of being outdoors, on new 

trails, beautiful scenery and meeting 

new like minded people. So 

much so, I decided to give up my career 

as a college lecturer and start 

my journey on my dream job. 

2011 saw the birth of Cani-Fit, a fitness 

company training people how 

to get fit with their dog through 

harness sports such as Canicross, 

Bikejoring and Scooter. In the past 4 

years Cani-Fit has seen a massive 

rise in clients all over Scotland now 

attending our group classes, coming 

to our races/events and buying 

our equipment online. 

The past 4 years has not only been a 

great success for Cani-Fit but the 

sport in Scotland as a whole. With 

Cani Sports Scotland hosting nearly 

8 Canicross races a year for the past 

3 years, Cani Sports Edinburgh hosting 

an annual local event with 

healthy entry numbers and various 

Sled Dog clubs including Canicross 

in their schedule. Competitors in 

Scotland are now spoiled for choice 

in the winter months for events to 

attend. 

Whether your first choice is faster 

forest tracks to whizz around or 

technical singletrack undulating 

courses to navigate you are spoiled 

for choice in Scotland with surfaces, 

scenery and type of courses you can 

run with your dog. We now have 

events like Ruff Dugger, which are 

trail, mud and natural obstacle courses, 

a play on the ever popular Tough 

Mudder races, where keen adventure 

runners can enter with their 

dog or teammate, giving a new and 

different twist to Canicross. 



Whilst events and the competition 

side of things are on the increase, 

the biggest impact to Scotland the 

sport has made is getting people, 

who perhaps before would have 

not attended a running club/gym or 

venture to the great outdoors alone, 

out, fit and doing it with their 

dog. People are enjoying being active, 

being outside in all weathers, 

getting muddy and working hard 

on personal goals, using their dog 

as a positive excuse to keep their 

new fitness routine up. 

Scotland is often criticised for being 

a nation with high statistics of unhealthy 

people. Obesity is on the 

rise, people have less time, working 

more hours, and social media is 

being swapped for real lives. However 

Britain as a whole is a nation of 

extreme pet lovers, a third of 

Britain’s households own a pet dog 

and most regard the dog as part of 

the family. This is a fantastic combination. 

We have a nation of people 

needing motivation, people with 

no time, but people who truly love 

their pets. Kill 2 birds with the one 

stone! More and more people are 

now seeing the huge benefits in including 

their dog in their quest to 

getting fit. 

We are seeing better socialised pets, 

better control of exercising dogs, 

people training in safety of numbers 

of a group, and utilising some 

of the world’s most beautiful 

landscapes. 

One thing Scotland does not lack 

and that is rain, lots of it. With the 

encouragement and motivation of 

groups that have formed over Scotland 

most won’t mind about going 

for a run in the rain. They certainly 

know their dog won’t be bothered 

by it. 

Scotland has clubs or training groups 

in almost every district. With the 

help of social media people are forming 

together to meet up and go 

training out on the trails with their 

dogs. 

Cani-Fit at present being the only 

formal training class, where we 

teach from complete beginners, to 

mixed ability and advanced athletes 

wanting to compete at a high level. 

Cani Sports Edinburgh formed the 

first official club status with lots 

more local groups looking at following 

suit. 

Cani Sports Scotland were the first 

Scottish company to host a canicross 

based race, now in their third year 

and hosting almost a race a month 

in the racing season. 

Thanks to the influx of training classes, 

clubs and events we are seeing 

more and more juniors take part. 

From almost no children competing 

in Canicross to over 20 at each event 

now is a positive step for the future 

of the sport as a whole. 

Scotland Canicross leaders have 

been looking at ways to keep the 

sport positively moving forward 

and in the next season 2015/2016 

will be introducing the first Scottish 

Canicross Championship. With 

thanks to Cani Sports Edinburgh, 

Cani Sports Scotland and Cani-Fit 

hosting the 5 championship races 

throughout the season, we will see 

our first drive for a true Canicross 

Champion in Scotland. 

All groups, clubs and races are very 

novice and beginner friendly with 

runs adapted for lower level of fitness. 

These aspects of the sport are 

what makes it that more inclusive, 

not only is Canicross in Scotland all 

fitness ability friendly but all dog 

breed friendly too. We see more 

Border Terriers, Border Collies and a 

mix of rescue dogs compete than 

perhaps a traditional sled dog. 

With the growth of the sport more 

in the pet owner community than 

say the sled dog community a need 

for a mix of courses are growing. 

Competitors like to see ever changing 

scenery, twists and singletrack 

trails to keep dogs interested. With 



Cani-Fit eXperience events we have 

been looking at different venues in 

private estates to offer a course to 

suit all. The last Cani-Fit eXperience 

event included an equestrian water 

feature for dogs to run through, 

which added a good fun, safe and 

cooling down section for the dogs. 

As the sport grows its is becoming 

apparent that traditional flat forest 

commission paths are not quite as 

popular as more “technical” labeled 

courses. 

The race calendar in Scotland is expanding 

with official Canicross races 

starting from September until 

April, with additional events such as 

Ruff Dugger in later months in the 

lighter evenings. This coming 

season the first Canicross, Bikejoring 

and Scooter race kicks off in 

Scotland in Ayrshire September 11- 

12th, closely followed by a race in 

central Scotland, Coalsnaughton 

held by Cani Sports Scotland. October 

will see Scotland host their first 

ECF European Championships, held 

at Bowland Trails, Blairgowrie. 

This years ECF Championships will 

be sure to get the heart racing on 

the rolling hills in Scotland’s 

Perthshire “Gateway to the Highlands” 

country side trails – Bowland 

Trails. With stunning scenery, wildlife 

and nature it will take your 

mind off the climbs and turns. For 

the first time, in addition to the ECF 

established championship disciplines 

Canicross and Bikejoring, a trial 

of the 1dog Scooter discipline will 

be held. 

I have had the pleasure of being 

able to race all over Scotland, various 

locations in England, Wales, 

IFSS World Championship in Italy, 

ECF in Switzerland and France. I can 

honestly say no trails, or event has 

yet matched up to the warm, fun 

and friendly atmosphere you get at 

a Scottish event, and I am yet to see 

better scenery. Do not be fooled by 

the media portrayal of Scottish people, 

the Canicross community are 

strong, fit, hard working and fast, 

but more importantly they are forward 

moving, positive and pro active 

for the sport. 

Do not hesitate to enter a Scottish 

event, you will not be disappointed. 

You may even learn a new lingo 

“Just dae it” 

Lindsay Johnson of Cani-Fit 

Pictures: Paulina Soltysiak 

Links www.cani-fit.com 

www.facebook.com/ 

caniftexperience 

www.facebook.com/ruffdugger1 

http://canisportsscotland.com 

http://canisportsedinburgh.co.uk 

https://sleddogassociationofscotland.wordpress.com/web-links/ 


IFFS WM Dryland 2015 

IFSS Dryland World 

Championships 2015 

Endless vastness, log cabins, pine forest and a sociable 

trapper lifestyle at the bottom of river Ottawa in 

Canada. Hundreds of mushers and their dogs from 

across the globe will be guests in the small town 

Bristol, Quebec. This is what the dreams of many 

mushers are made of, longing for space and 

wilderness with their dogs. 


IFSS Dryland World Championships 2015 

Legendary local musher Denis Rozon, 

who hosts the championships, 

grew up in Val-d'Or, Quebec 

amongst working dogs and already 

as a child he hooked up his pet Cocker 

Spaniel and neighbours’ dogs 

to a sled and hit the trails. At an official 

race he then watched the typical 

Husky races and was immediately 

hooked and started sled dog 

racing himself. Into a 40 year mushing 

career he still has got the racing 

bug until this day. 

Since 2008 Denis has been operating 

a sled dog training centre, Timberland 

Tours, which is popular 

with mushers from around the 

world. Timberland Tours also created 

the opportunity for everyone to 

experience sled dog sports on its 

guided tours. Denis created an ingenious 

trail that loops through the 

woods. The sandy soil is well compacted 

and ideal to drive in all 

seasons. A trapper's cabin and a 

homemade wooden stand make 

the start/finish area a nostalgic 

sports arena. 

With much pride, Denis tells his 

guests that in 2015 he will host the 

IFFS World Dryland World Championships 

at Timberland Tours. From 

28th October till 1st November the 


IFSS Dryland World Championships 2015 

best mushers from around the 

world will be on his trails and compete 

for the title of world champion. 

Here mushing is at home believes 

Denis rightly. 

Although the federations around 

the globe had to get past the typical 

travel-time-money problems 

first, many national top athletes are 

being sent to Canada. The official 

Race Marshall for the championships 

Rüdiger Bartel is flying over all 

the way from Germany. 

From a sporting point of view it will 

be very tight amongst the top competitors 

and the form on the day 

will decide. The teams’ material resources 

and the performance of the 

participating dogs are top class. 

Sled dog sports have long been professional, 

working with carbon, ideal 

alignment and the fastest tires. 

Training times of Bristol teams suggest 

a great deal of high-speed can 

be expected during the Dryland 

World Championships 2015. In direct 

comparison, the American and 

Canadian teams don’t drive slower 

than the teams of the rest of the 

world. But whether this will be 

enough to push off the reigning 

World Champions from their thrones 

in the many different categories, 

is what we will have to wait 

and see. In addition to the strong 

4,6 and 8 dog rig teams, the mono 

dog sports Canicross and Bikejoring 

as well as 1- or 2-dog Scooter are 

highly attractive for spectators. We 

are looking forward to the trails at 

Timberland Tours and the many 

sporting greats of the sled dog 

world. 

© Ingo Babbel 

Pictures: © Cindy Lottes Photography 

Further Information: 

www.sleddogsport.net 

www.canada-mushing.ca 


Canicross belts tested 

3 Canicross belts 

tested 

Since Canicross has become more popular continually new models of running 

belts are coming to the market. The first belts used to be just wide belts with 

measurements taken from Skijoring. However, a lot has changed in recent times. 

More and more suppliers develop their own models and apparently involve more 

Canicross runners in the development. 

In this test, we tested three different models from different companies: The high 

end priced model by Non-stop Dogwear, a mid range model by Zero DC and the 

most affordable running belt from Italian manufacturer Neewa. 

As already mentioned above, the market is booming. It is worthwhile to try out 

different models and to think in advance what the belt is used for, e.g. primarily 

for running, hiking, skijoring etc. Further, the pulling power of the dog plays a 

big role. Some belts slip when there is less pulling at times. The development of 

new Canicross belts is certainly not over yet and it will be exciting to see what 

else is going to come onto the market in the near future. 



Manufacturer Non-stop Dogwear Zero DC 

Model Running belt Canicross Waist Belt 

Description 

Workmanship 

Principle of a climbing harness. 

The wide padded belt goes over the pelvis and narrows in towards the line attachment 

point. The upper narrow strap is fixed at the level of the hip, both are connected 

by two elastic bands. The leg loops are rounded on one side to prevent 

cutting in. 

Neat stitching, Edges hemmed, Padded back panel, Heavy use areas sewn multiple 

times. 

A wide well padded belt, 

column and tapers at the 

insert ensures good ventilation. 

the belt is closed with a plastic 

big loops with a rope tied on 

Workmanship looks very neat, 

padded in the middle. The 

Entry 

At first glance many straps and loops. 

Is put on like a pair of trousers, a plastic buckle closes the hip strap. 

The belt is put on like a pair 

belt. 

Adjustability 

Fit 

Pressure points 

Both the pelvis belt and the hip strap can be adjusted to the left and right of the 

line attachment point and buckle respectively. The leg loops can be adjusted on 

the pelvis belt, as well as the distance between hip strap and pelvis belt. 

Due to the many adjustment options excellent for individual fitting. It doesn’t 

move position even if there is no pull at times. Ideal for heavy pulling. 

The main pressure is on the pelvis which prevents slipping into a hollow back and 

allows a free run. 

The leg straps are adjustable on 

adjusted individually. The front 

to vary the length. 

The leg straps need to be 

worn on the iliac crest. The 

spine, where it fits snug. 

If the belt is worn level with 

the pressure lies. 

Line attachment 

point 

The extension of the wide padded belt narrows into a strap in which a ring is incorporated 

for attachment of the line. 

The rope on which the line is 

ends. 

Additional 

Features 

Small pocket on the back 

A small ring and a loop for 

Price Approx. 70€ Approx. 50€ 

Suitability For ambitious runners with strong dogs. A relatively heavy belt ideal 

+ A light weight, very well made belt which can be adjusted to individual body shape. 

Keeping to the essentials, a true sports device. 

Well padded, very well made. 

- When putting on the belt focus is required. The pressure is on the lumbar 

time with strong pulling dogs 



which is highest at the level of the spinal 

sides, where the leg loops are sewn on. A mesh 

Along the back of the belt runs a belt strap, 

buckle. To the left and the right there are two 

where the line can be attached to. 

the seams are sewn neatly. The leg straps are 

seals make an impression of high quality. 

of trousers, a single plastic buckle fastens the 

Neewa 

Canicross Belt 

Principle of mesh pants. A wide mesh piece sits on the iliac crest, which finishes 

with an upper and lower strap. The upper strap closes with a plastic buckle and 

fixes the belt in place. The leg straps are attached to the upper and lower straps. 

The lower strap extends to the fixing of the line. 

The leg loops are very narrow and sewn on both sides, the risk of cutting in is very 

high. The stitching frays after a short time and is in parts not very well sewn. 

The straps are thin and slip quickly despite retaining loops. 

The belt is put on like a pair of trousers. The fastening waist strap secures the fit. 

both sides, the length of the waist belt can be 

rope is secured with knots which can be opened 

adjusted well to retain position of the belt if 

way it is cut it sits more level with the lumbar 

the lumbar spine, this is the area where most of 

attached to is fixed by knots at the two outer 

attaching e.g. a treat bag or similar 

The fastening of the waist belt can be adjusted on one side. The leg straps can be 

adjusted on the lower belt strap. The length of the pulling strap can also be 

adjusted. 

The only way to adjust the seat height of the belt is to adjust the leg loops. If they 

are tight they can cut in uncomfortably, if they are loose the belt can go 

wandering. 

The upper strap takes on the majority of the pull, the rest is distributed over the 

mesh piece. 

The lower strap on the mesh piece is also the strap where the line is attached to. 

For this purpose a ring was incorporated. The distance to the body can be adjusted 

individually. 

Small pocket on the back. 

for use on longer runs. 

Approx. 40€ 

If the belt doesn’t fit perfectly, the straps cut in very quickly with strong pulling 

dogs. 

A very light belt which is well ventilated by a mesh piece. 

Good value for money. 

spine which can be very uncomfortable over 

and weak muscles. 

The workmanship of the belt is not high standard. 

There are little options for adjusting the belt optimally. 

© Birgit Kostbahn 


Canicross sport in the Netherlands 

Canicross sport in the 

Netherlands 

We started to introduce Canicross in 

the Netherlands only in 2009 with a 

few Canicross teams, from there the 

total number of teams doubled year 

after year. 

used to run with my German 

I Shorthaired Pointer through the 

woods, free running for him and on 

the lead when needed. How wonderful 

it is running with your dog 

out in nature. 

In 2008 I noticed by coincidence the 

sport of Canicross in Belgium. I borrowed 

some equipment and tried 

for the first time Canicross with my 

GSP. Wowww how cool it was, we 

ran so fast, I knew for sure I had to 

share this feeling and promote the 

sport to as many as possible. 


Canicross sport in the Netherlands 

We started a training group and a 

website www.CanicrossNederland. 

nl, and then organised our first Canicross 

Nederland race in Amsterdam, 

followed by Hilversum. At first 

with quite some Belgian teams. We 

counted 50 Netherlands Canicross 

teams. Trying to reach as many people 

as possible via the media 

(newspaper, radio and television) to 

promote this wonderful sport. 

We did research for the right equipment 

and started a shop to provide 

the best advice and equipment via 

www.CanicrossGear.nl 

Although we were not yet a member 

of the European Canicross Federation, 

The Netherlands participated 

with a small team at the ECF 

European Championships in Belgium 

(Spa), it felt very special to participate, 

with an official ceremony 

etc. We were delighted with a silver 

medal for Marianne v.d. Linde. 

At the IFSS EC Borken 2011 (Dryland) 

we succeeded with a full Canicross 

Dutch women’s podium (Marianne, 

Carlien & Bianca). 

As Canicross became more popular I 

couldn’t handle it on my own anymore 

and since 2012 it was time to 

start an official association “Canicross 

Nederland” with a board of 6 

members. 

People are very enthusiastic about 

the sport, they are very keen to become 

a member, so we tried to 

make it more interesting at the 

time we had about 100 members. 

The first official Canicross & Bikejoring 

Dutch Championships were in 

2012 in Zundert. 

Bikejoring was introduced, rather 

difficult, very fast in combination 

with technical trails, who dares? It 

grew slowly, but in this sport if you 

like to bike and have a dog, why 

not bikejor. In The Netherlands we 

also have a special rule when you 

want to bikejor or scooter with your 

dog. It doesn’t matter if it is in training 

or competition. The Dutch 

Government only allows 5 appointed 

breeds to work without a license. 

Those breeds are: Alaskan Malamute, 

Eskimo Dog, Greenland Dog, 

Samoyed and Siberian Husky. For 

other breeds we need to get a license 

from the Dutch Government. 

Also the dog needs a check up by a 

veterinarian and fill out a special 

form that your dog is able to pull. 

But when you manage to get a license 

that is valid for 1 year, then 

you can bike with your dog. The 

number of people who bikejor in 

competition organised by Canicross 

Nederland is mostly 15 starts. But 

with international competitions 

such as the AAA event in Amerongen 

last March we had 64 starts 

over the two days. So that is fantastic, 

we welcomed competitors from 

France, Belgium, Germany, United 

Kingdom and the Netherlands. 

At the ECF European Championships 

2013 in Porrentruy (Switzerland) 

the Netherlands won it’s first 

Gold medal in Bikejoring on a very 

technical (mud) trail by Jessica Gommers 

and Gandja. 

2015 and future. 

Since 2015 Canicross Nederland 

has an official pet food sponsor 

“Prins Petfoods”. 

With a real “Prins Challenge”, a 

competition during the year with 

over 12 – 14 races. 

Throughout the Netherlands we 

have already 22 training groups 

and this is still growing weekly, so 

every new team can train with their 

dog. You can join a group free of 

charge. We noticed the teams get 

more motivated when running in 

groups and actually it’s also nice to 

share your experiences. The dogs 

are tired for the day after the workout. 

;o) 

Dog Scooter is introduced in 2015 

as a demo year and in 2016 within 

official European Championships. It 

seems that scootering is getting 

more popular than bikejoring, 

many feel more secure on a scooter 

compared to a bike. In September 

we have our first dog scooter race 

in Ermelo. For this we also have to 

get a license from the Dutch 

Government to participate. 

It’s not a sport to do easily, first your 

dog needs to learn the commands 

and you need to learn to read your 

dog, also it’s best to start with Canicross 

first and then think about 

Bikejoring or Scootering. 

A current estimate of teams for Canicross 

in the Netherlands are +/- 

1000, for Bikejoring +/- 75, and for 

Dog Scooter +/- 250 (dog scooter 

has been an official category for years 

in the sled dog world). 

There are a few sled dog organisations 

in the Netherlands. Canicross 

Nederland will stick according to 

ECF rules to 1 dog sports in Canicross, 

Bikejoring and Dog Scooter. 

Also something obvious, at first 

people start to Canicross with their 

current dog (all possible breeds are 

seen) and then… after they are infected 

with the Canicross virus, 

many competitors are looking for a 

second or even third dog and what 

kind of breed are they looking for? 

A strong sportive kind of dog (most 

of all bigger breeds, like the German 

Shorthaired or English Pointer). 

Also the Greyster (see www. 

Greyster.nl) or Hound are getting 

more popular in the Netherlands. 

Bianca Koole 

Jessica Gommers 

Pictures: www.kika-at-work.nl 


Leire Fernandez Abete 

I am 

Leire 

Fernández Abete 

I am 17 and live in Errenteria, a city 

in the Basque Country in the north of 

Spain, near France. 

At the moment I have 2 dogs: Bolt 

and Guly. Bolt is 6 years old and I have a 

special bond with him. He teaches me 

how this sport works; and Guly is a puppy 

who we want to be taught from the master 

(Bolt) for next season. 


Leire Fernandez Abete 

In the beginning 

have very much liked dogs since I 

I was born, but I never owned one. I 

remember when I was 14, I was doing 

mountain races and I saw near 

my city that a Canicross race was organised. 

So I took part with my 

friend’s dog (Txanpi). Since then I 

haven’t stopped practicing it. And 

after that race Txanpi stayed with 

us and I kept doing Canicross with 

him. 

In spite of the problems I had to 

compete at the time, because I was 

very young and the rules did impede 

me to take part, I was sure that I 

wanted to learn more. And that I 

wanted to grow and go on in this 

sport. 

After this, my father also wanted to 

take part in Canicross and Bolt became 

part of our family. 

I am still young. So I have to learn, I 

have to live, I have to see, I have to 

make mistakes… and I want to experience 

all that. Bolt is my teacher 

and he shows me the values of this 

sport: “I am nobody without my 

dog”. 

Training 

don’t have a coach and I don´t follow 

any training programme. Neit- 

I 

her do my dogs. 

I run feeling my sensations, the way 

I like in the moment, or as is best for 

my dogs. For example: When I go 

running in the mountains, the dogs 

always come free running with me. 

During the summer they don’t compete, 

but they do many kilometres 

and climb in the mountains. They 

are always free, running up and 

down. 

And during the Canicross season, I 

am at school, so during the week I 

do my homework and we normally 

go for a short run on Wednesdays 

and on the weekends we do Canicross 

competitions or skijoring, and 

we teach them anything they don´t 

know or they still have to learn during 

the races. So we don’t do many 

kilometres, but we do more speed. 

We have never done intervals or planned 

training. We only go to the 

mountains, run and enjoy. While I 

am running, I speak and play with 

them. In my opinion it’s very important 

for their mind. They have to be 

motivated. When they see the harness, 

they need to want to run. That 

is incredible! 

Competition 

What I have achieved with Bolt? 

I go to Canicross races really very 

happy and comfortably with Bolt 

(my leader). Because he doesn’t 

make mistakes, he is a great worker, 

and he has something which transmits 

real thrill. 

I don’t like to speak too much about 

the races we have won. We have taken 

part in Spanish and International 

Canicross races. And what I like 

most isn’t the victories. What I like 

the most is to be a partner with him 

and share with him the moments 


Leire Fernandez 

2015 

TDM Champion 


ECF European Champion in Toulon sur Arroux 

IFSS European Championships Silver in Lamotte 

Spanish Canicross Champion 

Spanish Skijoring Champion 

TDM Champion 


Spanish Canicross Champion 

ECF Champion in Switzerland 

IFSS World Champion in Italy 

TDM Champion 

when he shows what he is capable 

of. I enjoy these moments very 

much and I will remember them in 

the future. The titles I will forget. 

The worst memory 

It was in the summer of 2013. We 

were doing the Trophee des Montagnes 

in the Alps and Bolt got a cut on 

his pad on the sixth stage and couldn’t 

put his foot on the ground. I didn’t 

know what I could do. I thought that 

the TDM was finished for us, but we 

were lucky and the seventh stage was 

cancelled due to bad weather. So - 

Bolt had 24 hours to rest his foot. 

We spoke to Michel, the vet, and 

put on a bandage. Let´s see how he 

was feeling. He still wasn’t very well 

the next day (eighth stage) and we 

decided to let him rest. So I did that 

stage with Harpo, my other dog. 

Then, we continued treating Bolt. 

It was incredible. One day later and 

with his bandage he could do the 

ninth stage without problems. So 



he could also do the last stage and 

finished like a champion! 

It was awesome to see 

how he was pulling me. It 

didn’t bother him, he 

pulled up, down, on the 

flat. He has a capacity that 

characterises him. Really, it 

was a fascinating experience. 

And like this, he doesn’t stop 

surprising me until today. 

What do I like most about this 

sport? 

love the mountains, I love running, 

I love my dogs. And if I can 

I 

join all these things, I feel happy, 

free, fulfilled. I very 

much like this sport. I 

love running with my 

leader (Bolt), ski with 

him. And when I compete 

with him, I see 

that he gives everything 

for me, he does 

all he can, he looks to 

me to see if I am well, 

he looks after me, he 

worries about me. 

And when I see what 

he is able to do for me 

- it makes me happy! 

He makes me happy! 

Future planning 

don’t know… for the moment I 

I think to go bit by bit. At the moment, 

I am going to do some mountain 

races and prepare my dog for 

the Trophee des Montagnes where 

we are going to in August (Editor's 

note: By the time you read this, 

Leire has completed and won her 

third consecutive TDM). And then 

I will continue doing some mountain 

races until the Canicross 

season starts. 

We are also teaching Guly. He is 

learning from the leader (Bolt). He 

is 5 months old. And we want that 

this season he can learn and next 

season he will compete. 

The last year I have learned to 

do cross-country skiing. So 

then I did skijoring with Bolt. 

He won the Spanish championship 

of skijoring. He drags me 

until the finish line, jajaja. And 

this winter I would like to do 

some skijoring competitions 

with Bolt and maybe also with 

Guly because he also has to learn 

what a competition is. 



What is Tellington TTouch? 

The misconception about Tellington TTouch is that 

it is just another form of bodywork. TTouch is so 

much more than that. It is a respectful and 

forward thinking method of working with and 

training animals. TTouch has a wide range of 

applications, from creating greater co-operation 

and ability to learn new tasks, to maintaining 

good physical health and condition. TTouch is not 

a healing modality, it does not require special gifts, 

it is something that can be used by anybody to 

enhance the dog and human partnership. 


Tellington TTouch 

Emotions and physical posture are 

deeply entwined. An animal’s 

body stressed by injury or excessive 

tiredness can become less effective 

and more vulnerable to situations 

that would not normally concern 

him. On the other hand, the posture 

of an animal suffering from emotional 

trauma is affected by the 

tightening of certain muscle groups. 

This can become habitual posture 

so a vicious circle can develop, the 

emotional state feeding the physical 

state and visa versa. The light, 

non-habitual movement of TTouch 

body and groundwork exercises 

create the potential for improvement 

and change in posture and 

emotion. 

The Tellington TTouch was founded 

and developed by Linda Tellington- 

Jones, closely supported and documented 

by her sister Robyn Hood. It 

was a progression from Linda's study 

of the Feldenkrais Technique, a 

system of mind-body integration 

for humans. This technique increases 

an individual’s awareness of 

their body and movement, enhancing 

their ability to learn how to 

achieve their mental and physical 

potential. Impressed with the effects 

on herself and her riding students, 

Linda began to wonder how 

this work could be translated into 

helping animals who do not have 

the human ability to follow complex 

verbal direction to the nonhabitual 

movements and thought 

processes of Dr Feldenkrais' work. 

She began to experiment and the 

Tellington TTouch was born, breaking 

through that communication 

barrier to create similar possibilities 

for animals by using non-habitual 

movements of the skin and slow 

groundwork exercises. 

How might TTouch apply to Sport 

Dogs? 

It is well known that although a 

fulfilling lifestyle for many working 

breeds, the work of a sport 

dog can be physically and emotionally 

demanding. Periods of waiting 

in the van, bursts of physical 

activity or long runs, tracks or 

searches in difficult conditions and 

sometimes inclement weather. In 

these special partnerships, the dog 

and handler give the best that they 

can give, sometimes to the point of 

exhaustion. 

If a dog has a good awareness of his 

body and how to move in balance, 

there is greater confidence and ability 

to take on board the new tasks 

required. TTouch enhances the 

dog's agility and ability to move 

over obstacles and difficult terrain 

safely. The other great bonus is that 

TTouch can help to cement a new 

partnership and bring close working 

co-operation more quickly. 

If a dog has suffered a physical injury, 

TTouch can be used alongside 

veterinary treatment and veterinary 

physiotherapy to help with pain 

relief and to aid recovery. During 

recovery, some dogs learn to move 

in a habitual way to 'guard' the old 

injury. Stress is put on other parts of 

the body, posture is affected and 

the dog may lose some emotional 

confidence as a result. Body and 

groundwork exercises at this stage 

can help the dog to return to it's 

full physical and emotional 

potential. 

TTouch Bodywork 

TTouch uses light movements of 

the skin to influence the nervous 

system and is not a deep muscle 

massage or manipulation of the 

skeleton. The skin is moved in a 

clockwise circle and a quarter or 

gentle lifts or a combination of the 



two. There are many variations of 

these basic touches, dependant on 

what part of the hand or fingers are 

used. TTouch can be used all over 

the body from the head to the tips 

of the toes and tail. It is used to relieve 

body tension, bring awareness, 

warm up before and down 

after exercise or simply as a way to 

connect with an animal and enhance 

the relationship. It is important 

to remember that TTouch is something 

that we do FOR an animal 

not TO him. He will never be told to 

‘stay’ and accept it – if one TTouch is 

uncomfortable for the dog there 

are so many others that may be 

more acceptable to him. 

TTouch Groundwork 

The leading and groundwork 

exercises show both dogs and 

people how to move slowly and 

with awareness, over, around and 

through simple objects on the 

ground. The gentle movements 

show the body it’s possibilities, 

rather than it’s limitations and help 

improve proprioception. Moving 

over different surfaces, incorporating 

simple turns and balance exercises 

can really help puppies to develop 

both physical and emotional 

confidence. The continued use of 

groundwork exercises improves 

performance. As the dog ages it 

helps him to adjust to the inevitable 

changes in his body and 

movement. 

Ear TTouch Can Be a Life Saver 

Post trauma shock can claim life as 

quickly as the injury or incident 

that precipitated it. If you take 

nothing else away from this article, 

please accept the gift of a TTouch 

that could help to save the life of an 



animal or person who is in danger 

from this condition. It gives something 

positive to do in a situation 

when you may feel helpless as you 

wait for emergency medical assistance. 

During shock the circulation 

begins to break down, this particular 

TTouch has been used successfully to 

alleviate the effect of shock and stabilize 

the patient. 

• Stabilize the head with one hand. 

Hold the opposite ear with thumb 

on the inside and first finger on the 

outside, or vice versa. This depends 

on the angle and what is most 

comfortable for you. 

• If you are working with an animal 

with upright ears, stroke in an 

upward direction. If the ears are 

floppy support at the base and work 

horizontally. Human ears, work 

from the centre outwards. Avoid 

pulling the ear out of the natural 

range of movement. 

• Stroke quickly from the base of 

the ear, right off the edges. Repeat 

until you have worked over the 

whole ear. Change hands and work 

the other ear. Keep alternating until 

medical help is at hand. 

Ear TTouch can also be very calming 

and help dogs to wind down after 

hard exercise. Follow the instructions 

above but instead of using quick movements, 

stroke the ear slowly from 

base to tip. It is also beneficial to use 

the circular TTouch around the base 

of the ears and on the ear itself. 

How to Learn More About Tellington 

TTouch 

There is an ongoing Practitioner 

Training Programme in the UK 

and in many other countries around 

the world. 

For more information about the UK 

Practitioner Training Programme, 

contact details for a local Practitioner 

plus a wealth of other information 

visit our TTouchTTEAM Office 

UK – www.ttouchtteam.co.uk 

© Marie Miller 


Harness dog sports in Switzerland 

The origins of sports such as Bikejoring 

and Scootering came from 

sleddog sports from the Nordic style 

classes (Pulka and Skijoring). The 

present-day activities Canicross, 

Bikejoring and Scooter or dryland 

rig races, used to be seen as preparation 

during the snowless times of 

the year. 

The reason for the large movement 

in Canicross, Bikejoring and Scooter 

is easy to understand. Unlike sleddog 

sports which can only be performed 

when there is snow during 

the winter months, dryland activities 

provide, temperature dependant, 

more opportunities to be active 

with dogs year round. 

For some time now not only federations 

but also private organisations 

provide harness dog sports. In Switzerland 

there are a number of private 

providers active where harness 

dog sports can be learned. Most of 

them offer a conscientious service 

including a large part of theoretical 

knowledge which shouldn’t be underestimated. 

For more advanced 

sports people and their dogs there 

are also training groups which meet 

regularly and prepare together for 

competitions. 

The SSV (The Swiss Sleddog Sport 

Federation) is also very active. Two 

experienced mushers, Johanna 

Hungerbühler and Luzi Bernhard 

have worked out a concept for seminars 

and workshops called „Better 

Mushing“ for both leaders and 

participants, with the aim to pass 

on knowledge from experienced 

mushers. After all it’s first and foremost 

about the dog’s welfare. 

The company Tier und Sport GmbH 

values the current movements in 

harness dog sports and supports organisations 

that provide conscientious 

services. 

Corresponding partners and links 

can be found at 

www.tier-und-sport.ch 

© Guido Weilenmann 


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dog & sport international 01/2015

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