Winters in Maine are the best. As a girl from the County, I grew up playing in the snow and started cross-country skiing as soon as I could walk. As a kid that also happened to find her way into trouble, I would take out my dog with me to the trails, sometimes even getting pulled and wrapped up in trees.
Come to find out, this is an actual sport!
Skijoring is done worldwide and it doesn't have to include a dog. The sport originally comes from Sweden. Traditionally, the skier would be pulled by a reindeer. In today's world, you can find many types of skijoring, including equestrian and motorized.
While my friend's husky, Mia, and I are not the pros, we have a lot of fun. She's still learning, but with just a little more training, she and I will be hitting the trails in no time.
Safety Tips
If you're going to give it a try, keep these things in mind:
- With a dog, use a harness, not a regular leash. This will prevent the dog from straining and possibly injuring their neck.
- If you have a large dog that listens well, this could be the sport for you! Leave the tiny dogs home and train your dog to listen to commands for this activity.
- Do not do this activity near roads.
- If you're younger than 18, bring a parent. Dogs can be very excitable and a very strong dog could pull you into a dangerous situation.