Sledders!

[Roxy's CD]

I got my sled today! *dun dun dun*

A real sled! There's a man just a few minutes away from me, who was *THE* man who brought sledding down in the area I live in. Good ole' Tom. Been doing it for over 30 years.

He's a little rough around the edges if you know what I mean

Let's just say his dogs don't have doggy bed, winter coats or go the vet's when it's time to go...

So my sled! It's a typical sled, it has the basket in the front, then the little plastic things where you stand. (My terminology isn't very good as you can see!)

I paid $200, and from what I'm told, for a hand made sled is a deal.

I've got a question about how to hook them up.

The past few times we've gone out, I've had them running side by side with about a half a foot coupler on their flat buckled collars.

Well, I can't do that anymore.

Yesterday they fought constantly. As soon as I put the harness on Hades, he went into terrier mode. He just wanted to pull, pull pull!

Roxy kept correcting him, and since they couldn't get away from each other it just kept getting worse.

Tom told me to put the best puller in the front, Hades. Then have a line coming off the main line and put Roxy there. So, the idea is, Hades will pull the sled by himself pretty much AND Roxy, until she figures out what's going on.

So do I have the long main line, and mid way through tie an O-ring in there?

I'm a little confused here...

Thanks in advance.

 

[oc_spirit]

That''s awesome!!!! I love ""Good ol' Boy"" dog people!!! they deffinately have the best sense of whats good or bad for a dog and how to bring out the best in every dog. None of this ""frou frou dog"" stuff. Congrats on your new sled!!!

I know the hook up hes talking about, I used to do it with the boys to build Ronan''s confidence and because OC was such a jerk in harness when he was younger (still is at the start but he''s a lot better). You take a 4-dog dog gangline set up and then you just attach both lead dog tug lines to the dog in front and both wheel dog tuglines and necklines to the dog in the back. Does that make sense? I can get a picture if you need it. It saves you from having to tie knots into your gangline and works perfectly fine.

Is your sled a full basket or 1/2 basket? And BTW the things you stand on are called your runners What kind of races does Tom do and with what kind of dogs?

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

$200 is a deal for a sled! Congrats on it! And the plastic things on the runners are called footboards. I think thats what she was refering too. And must see pics!
Yep, need a 4 dog gangline. Except I just take off extra tuglines and neckline. (Which I shouldnt do, because I'm always losing my necklines, but oh well)

 

[Roxy's CD]

OK guys, I need some very descriptive pics, maybe once I re-read it, I'll get it, but as of now I don't! LOL

I was going to head out today, but after Hades fungility lesson, I've decided against it. Plus I want to give ROxy a few days off because of her leg from our last time out.

Will this way minimize their legs getting tangled?

They both get tangled every now and again, but I think the reason Hades hasn't hurt himself, is because he just starts moving forward and works his legs out of it.

Roxy on the other hand, gets all tizzicked and starts looking around and moving awkwardly, instead of just moving forward and pulling her legs out of it.

With this hook up minimize them getting tangled?

I'll try to get pics later on today of just the sled. Their harnesses' are at my parents house from the last time we went out.

I would say, just from the size of it, that it's probably a full basket.

It's around, I'd say, 4 feet? Is that about right?

It's been used, but it looks pretty darn sturdy. The man said if anything went wrong with it, to bring it back and he'd fix it too.

OK, I just re-read your post Ren. So both of the hook ups are going to the BACK, and nothing on the collars? I think I get it.

Darn it! THe man asked me if I wanted a 4 dog line thingy, and I said nope, I could just rig one up myself! Looks like I should've taken it! LOL

OK, I'm gonna go take some pics of it, and upload them!

 

[Roxy's CD]

And I don't know exactly what he used to do in racing, but he used to have a kennel of 35 Sibes.

He had all sorts of trophies! More than a hundred trophies and uncountable plaques!

He's pretty old now and only has two dogs, but his mind is a steel trap when it comes to dog sledding.

 

[Roxy's CD]

OK, so here are the pics! I just took them now:

Going out there and looking at it again: The pic of the underside, do I attach my lines to the O-ring that's attached right to the sled?

Or the rope that runs all the way through the bottom of the sled, and is now tied to the side?

I asked about the rope on the side, and they called it the quick release.... Is the rope where I attach my lines? Or the ring that's right on the sled?

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

Nice lookin sled! Yep, its a full basket one.
I'll go out and take some pics for you, I'll have them up in about 30-45 mins or so. Now, for the questions:
As for the leg tangling, it might help, How are they getting tangled up?
As for your sled, you want to hook your lines right to the rope that runs under your sled. Kinda hard to tell from the pics, but the ropes that run of either side, should have a loop on the end. You'll want to hook them there. The quick release line is to tie them off with. Have a quick release snap attached to a rope, loop that rope around a solid object, attach quick release to O-ring. When you're ready to go, you pull back on the quick release, and off you go!

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

Ok, here's the pics:

4 dog gangline.

(Just imagine there's dog hooked up. They were going nuts enough just seeing the lines. Would have been too difficult to actually hook them up) This is the set up Ren was talking about.

And this is how I do it.

 

[Roxy's CD]

OK, so the black lines in the middle are necklines for the wheel lines right?

I don't need those?! Yes? LOL

OK, so in the pic of the underside.

The black rope, is the rope that runs under the sled, and you can just see the O ring on the right hand side of the picture.

So I have all my lines, and using a caribeener clip it to the O ring?

dogstar, that line looks really long for two dogs!! Is it just the angle of the pic?

How long should it be?

I just spoke to a man who said he might have the line I need, and if not he'll make it for me apparently.

It's a little old and raggedy, but sometimes I like things that look like they've been battered around a bit! Shows that it can take it! ROFL

We're not going to be competing or anything, I just want something that'll old up for awhile, and maybe for some trips through the bush, while they get used to it!

I've already been told to hold on tight, and duck often in low branched areas! ROFL

I can't wait!

I just need to get this line, the man said tomorrow if he has it, and a few days if he has to make it.

I kinda wanna give Roxy a few days off anyways for her leg.

Now, as for how they're getting tangled.

While we're not moving, they jump about, turn and what not, tangling the ropes and sometimes even the harness.

I'll just fix one, and the other'll get messed up and vice versa. Hades just slowly starts pulling and works himself out, but Roxy, the princess that she is, get's all worried, and ends up tangling herself up even more.

Now by this time, Hades is all ready to go and pulling, hurting Roxy.

Make sense?

 

[dogstarsleddogs]

Yep, black lines in the middle are the necklines. You can do without them, but I always use them. It keeps the dog(s) close together, so they dont stray off, or get tangled. From what you've described on how they're getting tangled, it will probably help. Maybe also have someone help you and hold them still? (Or atleast hold the one whos the worst)
As for the lines under your sled, when they come together (from each side), is there a loop at the end? Or is it just the rope with the O-ring? If there's a loop, you'll want to attach them to that. If not, use the O-ring.
The total length of those lines is 12 foot. The tuglines are 4 foot, and the main line is 8 foot. This is the "standard", but you can get them longer or shorter depending on your needs.

 

[oc_spirit]

Cadence, I would use the neckline on Roxy for sure!!! It will keep her in the proper position, not let her fall back and stop pulling or wander off to the side. Basically it''ll help her grasp the concept faster. I used to work without a neckline when i was first figuring out the whole concept of dogsledding (what works, what doesnt and why) but as soon as I started using it there was an immediate improvement!

Roxy knows ""stay"" doesnt she? Maybe just give her that command so she''s not hopping around until you are ready to go. I understand her not wanting to be still when Hades is going nuts next to her but if he is in front and she is behind then she may be happier about being still. Try leaving a 6ft leash on her when in the backyard for a bit of time during the da while you watch her. She will get used to the feeling of the leash between her legs and start figuring out how to untangle a dead line. Do you ever tie her up? This will also help her figure things out. If she gets mildly tangled dont help her, only guide her into untagling herself. When on walks if she gets tangled do the same thing. OC was such a wuss when he would get tangle and would just stand there looking pathetic (he was the king of hog-tying himself). Doing what I described above really helped and now he can get himself out of a lot.

Since Megan already covered the lines I wont bother touching on that

 

[Roxy's CD]

OK, so the neckline is attached the gangline right?

I'm still waiting to hear back from this man, I should see him tonight. He may have the line, or he may tell me that he's going to make one.

Telling her to stay is a good idea. Usually I put their harnsess' on inside anyways and I just need them to stand still for a minute or two while I clip them to the sled.

As for tying her, she's never tied up outside.

And if she ever gets tangled on leash on walks, she's pretty sissy about it.

She usually stands still and painstakingly slow tries to untangle herself by lifting up the entangled paw and shaking it ever so slowly! ROFL

Whereas, Hades, just keeps going! If it gets untangled great! If not, who cares! LOL

Alright, thanks for all the info guys! I think you covered everything!

Now I just gotta wait on this line, and hopefully we'll be out soon!

I'm dying to go for a rip! LOL

 

[oc_spirit]

The neckline is attached to the gangline EXCEPT for the case of the lead dogs. Their neckline is only attached to eachother.

I''d also recommend hitching Roxy last, that way there''s even less time for her to get tangled.

Another thing you could do is while on walks clip an extra lead to her collar and let it drag around her feet. Ignore her when she gets slow and finicy, just keep up a strong pace that you set and let her figure out how to work her own paws. You may want to only do this in a remote area unless you dont mind people giving you really strange looks LOL