Northbound Huskies

Baffin! 💞✨

He was the dog that taught me the value of all year round harness training.

He became a better sled dog by focusing on Dryland Mushing.

Winters up north are long, and our main focus was always winter activities. But Baffin showed me just how much more we can get out of our dogs by staying consistent year-round and focusing on activities beyond the sled season.

I remember having to load him. He was eager, but he couldn't pace himself and would tire out far too quickly.
He'd get tangled in the lines ALL the time, we couldn't use necklines with him.
He was also so strong and stubborn that he'd drag the entire team in the direction he wanted to go.

We had many frustrating moments .

Then we started focusing on one-on-one Dryland Mushing, and this dog transformed into the most incredible leader.
The kind of leader who would take a call even when there was no trail. We'd break trail together, and I knew he's got this—he'd get us through anything. He became the powerhouse with the brain we needed.

Baffin is my constant reminder that time and consistency can accomplish incredible things, and that it's important not to lose sight of that on the frustrating days.

Keep at it!

🙏 Just because someone only posts about their active moments doesn’t mean they don’t relax.

🙏 Just because someone enjoys harness sports doesn’t mean they keep their dogs isolated without proper care.

🙏 Just because someone doesn’t have a yard doesn’t mean their dogs’ needs aren’t met.

🙏 Just because a dog has a different lifestyle than yours doesn’t mean it’s a bad one.

🙏 Just because someone sets boundaries for their dogs doesn’t mean the dogs are unloved.

🙏 Just because you don’t see enrichment, training, downtime, or vet care online doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

😊 Friendly reminder that social media doesn’t show everything.

No, I don’t want your excited dog, who is pulling at the end of their leash ‘say hi’ to my dog.

Yes, I’ll run with a big Canicross group, including people& dogs I’ve never met before, ANYTIME.

IYKYK

😁

Canicross and “getting dragged down the road by my dog on a leash walk”- are not the same ☺️

💪 Canicross 🐶 (Running/Walking with proper harness sports gear)
-comfortable set up for both the human and the dog
-working as a team
-learning verbal commands
-working on ignoring distractions
-becoming stronger and more fit together
-hands are free
-🤩coming back happy and feeling good

😖Getting dragged down the road 🙉 (Dog pulls on a collar, 'loose leash walking' tool, 'anti-pulling' harness or slip lead, Human holds onto a leash with one or two hands)
-uncomfortable for human and dog
-risk of injuries for both human and dog
- no control
-learn…nothing.
-come back sore and frustrated

🙏 Please don’t let your dog pull you on a collar, slip lead or other “loose leash walking” training tools.

🥳It’s wonderful to have a dog who wants to pull and it can truly help with other activities and help with your training.

👉Use proper gear to avoid discomfort and injuries.
👉Use different types of gear depending on the activity - to make it easier for your dog to understand what you’re asking of them!

👏Canicross gear:
Comfortable belt - designed for pulling sports, for the runner/walker
Bungee line - to connect runner and dog, absorbs shock and makes it more comfortable for both team members
Harness for the dog - a harness that fits and is designed for pulling so your dog has free range movement and there’s no discomfort.

🙌Canicross is a fun activity for all fitness levels, all ages and all types of dogs.

Now that you familiarized yourself with the difference between bikejoring and biking with a springer, you probably wonder; can I do BOTH at the SAME time? 😜

We say YES but not right away! Build up to this slowly.

We truly enjoy both set ups, it gives us more opportunities to bike any dog, anywhere.

What’s your favourite way to bike with your dogs?

Springer bike attachment

Great for urban environments, campgrounds but also trails. The dog runs next to the bike, away from traffic and commotion.

Friendly reminder: use a SHORT pulling harness for the springer side attachment: the dog stays closer that way and there is less risk of them backing out of it (we all get surprised by their sudden stops some days to go 💩 😉).

We are resharing older posts to answer some frequently asked questions. Check out the last post to learn more about bikejoring.