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Ask Lulie
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How do you hook up two dogs?
Where do I buy gear now that Rae's is closed?
Jeff
Submitted
February 10, 2008
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How to hook up two dogs......The best way is to have a
handler.....But, when you don't. Get a line between 4 to
6 feet long with a good snap or quick release at one end
and a loop at the other end....A mushing tug line works
very well.....So that when you go to hook up, you can
wrap this line around a post or conveniently placed tree
at the trail head. Snap the line into your skijoring
line where the two tug lines connect to the main skijor
line.( so that they are not jerking the main line
that connects to you) Then connect your dogs. They can
jerk around but it won't effect you while you get your
equipment on. (don't forget to attach yourself to the
skijor line) Then when you are ready you unsnap
the skijor line from the stationary line and take off.
You are leaving the stationary line behind, so don't
make it real pretty. I haven't had anybody steal one
yet, though I have forgotten to pick it up when I come
back.
Equipment: You can get harnesses and skijor lines from
Alaska Mill & Feed in Anchorage. The ASC also sells
skijor lines at our events. Look on the Alaska Skijor
web site for places to order from in Fairbanks. Animal
Food Warehouse (It's called something else now, I forget
what) in Wasilla has stuff and so does Underdog Feed
out side of Wasilla on the Parks Highway. Lulie
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Now that Rae's Harness shop has gone out of business, where
are people buying their set up?
Thanks for your time.
Katie
Submitted April 3, 2007
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Katie,
Alaska Mill and Feed have a few supplies and should be able
to set you up. Hopefully, they'll get more in next year.
Otherwise, the next best place is
Animal Food
Warehouse in Wasilla, on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.
The very best place and largest supply is from Fairbanks,
Coldspot Feeds
and Howling Dog
Kennels, and both of these have good websites.
Hope this helps...this is a bad time to look for supplies as
they aren't replenishing. I was just at Animal Food
Warehouse yesterday and they have belts, lines, and some
harnesses....I've heard the lines at Ak. Mill & Feed aren't
so nice....the ones in Wasilla and fine. Let us know how it
goes......Lulie
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Dear Lulie:
How do you draw your (hesitant) or non skijoring spouse into
the sport? Especially if you have one dog who's mostly
game? Do you find different responses from the dog with
either the male or female skijorer? Thanks Trina
Submitted Oct. 20, 2007
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Trina:
The skijoring dog will usually do best for the one who
spends the most time with him and feeds him. My husband and
I have 8 dogs, he feeds in the pm and I feed in the am.
However, we still have his 4 and my 4. I exercise mine and
take them to dog classes, walks, etc. He does the same. If
we go somewhere together, his dogs will not go for me, in
front of him or away from him. In other words, they won't do
anything for me when he's around and vise versa.....However,
they will go for me when he is not present......So, I don't
know if this answers your question.
I do not find different responses as to male or female
skijorers, it's just whoever the dog considers as his owner.
If it's mostly equal, I imagine, that the dog might be
reluctant to leave either one of you....which means that one
can't ski while the other skijors, unless one of you is an
extremely fast skier and the dog can chase.....
To get your spouse involved. First, you must get him to
learn to ski and enjoy it.....then talk him into getting a
dog for himself, to be his dog and not yours....... I think
men don't like having to have their wife leading them
everywhere, so if he has his own dog, it will go where he
wants to go, you'll have your dog to go where you want to
go, and you can maybe go out together.....However, the dogs
may still want to stay together and you'll hopefully find
one that wants to lead. There are other couples in the club
and I wonder how they've done it......Good question......
Lulie
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Lulie:
Which trails have the fewest
loose dogs?
How do I train my dog to
ignore loose dogs?
How should I behave when
people think they are above compliance with leash laws?
Kristen
Submitted Feb 22, 2007
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Dear Kristen:
The worst trail in town in my experience is the Tour Trail,
around the Campbell Airstrip area, Mi. 1, going up toward
Service High and down towards Tudor. The area around
University Lake is all loose dogs...... I would say the best
areas are where the trails are near roads and traffic, as
people don't tend to let their dogs run loose in these
areas. I find the Chester Creek area, access at Goose Lake,
going up to Russian Jack or towards Westchester Lagoon. I
don't do the Coastal Trail often, but haven't had many
encounters there from the Sewage treatment plant towards
Kincaid.
Don't let your dog ever visit another dog when he's in
harness, even when you are just standing around visiting, no
sniffing even....when joring on the trail, I find that the
best method is just to ignore it, as best you can, keep on
skiing forward, and drag your dog with you until you are
past......if your dog is huge, this may not work....And
depending on what sort of problems you encounter while
trying to pass. If there is a dog up ahead, blocking the
trail, obviously waiting to visit you or coming at you, you
won't be able to ski by.....Slow down, don't act mad or
frightened, start squeeking in a happy voice, oh a friendly
dog, blah, blah, whatever, and try and go on by as best you
can. Don't try and scare the dog away as your own dog will
join in, and you don't want a dog fight.....To keep my dog
from visiting other dogs when I am passing......I pull up
the line until I am beside my dog and hold him either by the
harness or right where the line starts and ski on
by.....This can be tricky, works well if your dog has enough
speed to keep you going without skiing. There are millions
of situations, above all, what you are trying to do is just
keep moving on down the trail anyway you can.
As for people being compliant with leash laws, save your
breath...I don't waste my time.....If they've caused me a
big problem....like falling down really hard, I tell them,
and sometimes not too nicely....which is really a wasted
effort, that when they see others coming to grab their dog
until the other dogs get by.....Remember you catch more
flies with honey.....Lulie
That happy voice is called "motherese." The tone is
actually an octave above normal speech. Humans use
motherese to talk to children, and human children are
programmed to respond. Humans reward canine behavior
by speaking motherese. Dominant dogs express
displeasure by lowering the pitch and volume of their
voices. One would presumably have much better command
of his dog by talking more softly and with a lower pitch.
Remember that dogs and people respond to the dominant
leader, so take command: the loose dogs and the loose
masters are most likely to follow your lead. AFF |
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Now that Rae's Harness shop has gone out of business, where
are people buying their set up?
Thanks for your time.
Katie
Submitted April 3, 2007
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Katie,
Alaska Mill and Feed have a few supplies and should be able
to set you up. Hopefully, they'll get more in next year.
Otherwise, the next best place is
Animal Food
Warehouse in Wasilla, on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.
The very best place and largest supply is from Fairbanks,
Coldspot Feeds
and Howling Dog
Kennels, and both of these have good websites.
Hope this helps...this is a bad time to look for supplies as
they aren't replenishing. I was just at Animal Food
Warehouse yesterday and they have belts, lines, and some
harnesses....I've heard the lines at Ak. Mill & Feed aren't
so nice....the ones in Wasilla and fine. Let us know how it
goes......Lulie
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