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doglike · 08-16-2010, 02:38 AM

I decided it was not the best idea to let my dog enthusiastically choke himself while running/pulling in a collar (which might be a bad long-term thing). You know, the big pet shops around here seem to have a nice selection of equipment which is not very good for running a dog (usually designed to cripple the poor pulling pooch). So I'm looking online at sport harnesses, and finding a few variations between ski-joring (driving) and snow-sledding harnesses. Where the sledding ones are typically longer, and the joring ones allow for a steeper leash angle. Sports wise there are numerous activities people use those two styles for.

I guess I'm closest to the sport of "cani-cross", which seems mostly popular in the UK. I ruled out the sledding harnesses for this, because I also need to do some occasional pulling (as the dog will stop arbitrarily, or wander in dangerous directions), and those are really uni-directional designs.

[Image: category2.jpg]

Likewise, the joring harnesses are meant for just the dog pulling, but some are designed so they won't slip off in any direction.

I read an interesting article which mentioned a Swedish "buggy harness" by Bjorkis (I guess they're popular in Japan too). There seems to be one distributor in the USA, which I'm inquiring with.

[Image: bj003_4.jpg]

There's also a general purpose harness (by Ruff Wear) which I plan to check out in a local specialty shop, but it appears to cost twice as much, and may be more bulky.

[Image: web-master2-large.jpg]

So I guess its between those two at this point. Speaking of two, I'd like to get a harness for each dog and see if they want to run me together (that could be fun).

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tase · 08-16-2010, 01:47 PM

My fiance does ski joring with both dogs at the same time and separately Smile

In the summer he builds up their stammer jogging and running with them.. He has ski joring harnesses for them with leads that connect to a belt around the bottom of him stomach!

doglike · 08-16-2010, 02:39 PM

That's cool, I watched some vidoes of skijoring on YT (it looks like fun).

Looking at the ruff wear harnesses today, I remembered (having tried a pack a couple years ago) that they can slide sideways when pulled on. So hopefully the other store will respond to my email about buying buggy harnesses (which do not look like they slide)...

Then again I just found an American knock-off of the Bjorkis called a comfortflex sport harness. Maybe I can actually order that one... Wtg

tase · 08-17-2010, 01:31 PM

I wish you lots of luck with harness hunting Smile

please let me know how you guys get on with training then Smile

doglike · 08-17-2010, 07:13 PM

Thanks, the harnesses are being shipped as we speak. Maybe I should set up a video camera and run past it, then play it back in slow motion to the theme of Chariots of Fire... Hail

I'm sure that's never been done before! Lmao

Seriously, I hope Lilly can run again after a long vacation (from limping). She used to follow me to the point where I was pulling her at times, while Pacey pulls me half the time and is always leading. I'm going to hook their collars together with a neckline so they stay together in front of me. We'll see...

Brandon M · 08-17-2010, 07:29 PM

You should probably get Lilly back into running shape alone before strapping her to Pacey. If she's been out for awhile due to injury.

doglike · 08-17-2010, 09:46 PM

I think she's always up for a leisurely 10k with a water break halfway (every other day). I suppose she was injured playing frisbee and the distance running compounded that. So it's really a question of whether the two dogs can have fun mushing (but not moshing).

tase · 08-17-2010, 11:10 PM

I hope Lilly will be ok and up for it Smile

We've had bad luck when it comes to injuries..our lab almost lost his one paw pad just over a yr ago..it took 6 months to get better..cut it outside on something..even now we don't know where the cut came Sad

and then our BC when his paw got stuck under the door last winter..touch wood now they've been fine and Arttu's old break has mended well Smile

doglike · 08-17-2010, 11:57 PM

Its nice to know that they healed eventually. My own toes are kind of questionable! But I constantly scan the ground in front of the dogs and steer them around hazards like broken glass (which is the biggest problem around here). I've changed my courses to avoid rougher terrain. The dog booties have never looked feasible to me.

doglike · 08-24-2010, 09:58 PM

So I got the comfortflex harnesses today, and ironically I was the one who was injured and limping this week! Anyway, I couldn't help but take both dogs for a walk in their new gear. The harnesses are narrower than they look in that picture (on a miniature stuffed dog), but are seemingly well made.

The double neckline hookup I tried didn't work out (since they twisted it into a pretzel). Neither did attaching their harnesses horizontally with one leash connected upward to me (I couldn't turn them around with the one leash). So I hooked up two 4-foot long leashes from my own harness to theirs to control them individually. That was acceptable, but not so great when they crossed paths. I also tried using some swivels on the leash loops but that only made the leashes twist out of shape more easily (and wide enough swivels were really heavy).

By then my injured leg was warmed up, so I took them out for a provisional run. After a couple kilometers of crossed leashes and Lilly falling back farther than I wanted, I stopped and changed things by disconnecting Lilly's leash from my harness and then looping it from her harness to Pacey's. That 2-foot loop actually worked perfectly! We ran 10 kilometers with both dogs comfortably in front of me. Lilly stayed on either side of Pacey who usually led her by two-thirds of a body length.

Pacey can easily pull both of us at double cruising speed when excited, but he was actually calmer than normal for most of the run, and Lilly appeared comfortable as well. This arrangement seemed to do the job of keeping them occupied with each other, instead of me having to play puppet master. I was elated, because it was even easier to run with two dogs this way than with one dog directly in front of me (since I can go on either side or between them). So I'll probably use something more suitable than a doubled over leash to connect their harnesses on a regular basis.

doglike · 08-25-2010, 05:19 PM

We ran again today. This time they were chained together with two feet of swiveling stainless steel. I think that should do it.

Brandon M · 08-25-2010, 05:24 PM

cool

got any pics?

doglike · 08-26-2010, 04:15 AM

(08-25-2010 05:24 PM)Brandon M Wrote: cool got any pics?

Not really, but I might make a diagram and inventory the equipment. Sound exciting? Eusa_dance

tase · 08-26-2010, 12:26 PM

Sounds like you're having fun with your new sport..thats great Smile

doglike · 08-29-2010, 09:45 PM

Yeah its something else to run in a real pack! I'd like to put it on video, but will wait until we all get back in shape. Drinking29

After a few days of using those harnesses, I'd say they rate 4 out of 5 stars. The loop on top where the O ring moves around needs to be thicker so it won't wear down (or break). I'm going to try reinforcing it with extra material, and contact the manufacturer with that suggestion.