Dogs help skiers pick up the pace

People who think cross-country skiing is slow paced and boring haven't tried tethering themselves to their dog and careening through the woods at high speeds. In other words, they haven't tried skijoring.

With the assistance of a 55-pound husky at the helm, a skier can cover nearly twice the country, zipping up the hills and sailing through the trees, all while getting exercise and keeping the dog healthy and happy as well.

It's enough to get Rachel Cheyette out of bed at 5:30 in the morning some weekdays so she can join her husband and their two dogs on the trail.

"The more we skijor, the less we ski," Cheyette admitted. "I find it more fun, because you go faster and you can go farther."

And while it may look easy, as if the skier is merely standing still while the dog does all the work, Cheyette said it is actually a great workout.

"It's more aerobic," Cheyette explained. "Some people think it's not because the dog is pulling, but actually it's almost skiing at a sprint the whole time, and you go a lot farther." When she's on skis alone, she said she'll cover maybe five miles compared to the eight or 10 she can ski when she's with her dog.

For those who have cross-country skies and dogs who like to run, the only thing keeping them from the fast-paced thrill of skijoring is a harness, the nerve and, this year, snow.

The snow is bound to arrive eventually. Cheyette is counting on it. As for the equipment, Cheyette said she recommends only those who have skied for a while without their dogs to try skijoring.

Because of the fast pace of skijoring, Cheyette recommends skate skis. Track skis are designed for a slower glide, while skate skis allow the skiers to kick off and keep up with their dogs.

Skate skis, however, work best on well-groomed trails. When venturing onto less maintained trails or completely off trail, skiers will need the classic backcountry ski. These wider skis have a greater surface area to help keep the skier afloat in the snow, and the skis are built to be tougher. There is a downside, however, in that these skis have metal edges than can cut a dog if the skier accidentally runs over them. The metal edges are forbidden in skijoring races, but they can be maintained so as to not cut flesh, according to the Web site for the North American Skijoring and Skipulk Association.

Just as important as a good pair of skis is a dog that is the right size and temperament for the task.

"Most dogs will pull," Cheyette said. She and her husband ski with two mixed-breeds, one a husky and Akita, the other a mix of chow and German shepherd. Cheyette said occasionally a large breed such as the Bernese mountain dog will be resistant to the idea of skijoring, but she said for the most part dogs enjoy the sport and will get to the point that they will jump with excitement when they see the harness.

"Ours are pets turned skijor dogs," she said. "That's more common … our dogs sleep on our beds." She said most of the people she knows who skijor consider their dogs both ski partners and pets, and the animals are brought inside at night.

Competitive skijorers are opting more for fast breeds such as the German shorthaired pointers, but because of their short fur they need coats when they are outdoors and not running.

But Cheyette said she's seen a wide variety of breeds at the front of a skijoring team, including tiny dogs that are just out for the fun. Ideally, she said, a skijor dog is around 45 or 55 pounds.

With a good pair of skis and enthusiastic dog ready to go, the equipment list becomes quite short -- a harness for the dog, a tether line with a section of Bungee cord and a wait belt or climbing harness for the skier. Cheyette said all this can be bought for around $50 at shops that sell mushing equipment and other dog supplies.

Once all this is covered, only one thing is needed -- the nerve. Cheyette admits when she first started skijoring, she feared her dog would go running off the trail and end up pulling her through the trees. But in fact, she said, most dogs are good about sticking to the trail.

"They might look at something, and we command then to go on by, but knock on wood they've never gone chasing after something," Cheyette said.

The NASSPA has a simple recommendation for beginners: "Start slow. Keep it fun."