Skijoring is a safe sport for
skijorer and dog when practiced responsibly. Because
skijoring involves the outdoors,
speed, and some uncontrollability, it is important to
understand the associated risks before beginning. We
encourage you to read the following safety tips,
and recommend visiting our
TEACHING YOUR DOG TO PULL
and BASIC COMMANDS
sections if you are new to the
sport. Good luck, we know you'll enjoy the beauty,
excitement and teamwork skijoring has to offer.
Learn to ski before skijoring. You should
be able to "snowplow" proficiently and feel
comfortable climbing and descending hills. We also
recommend learning to step corners, carve turns and
"hockey stop" (stopping sideways).
Understand how your skijoring equipment
works. In particular, practice releasing and
reconnecting your towline quick release several times
before hooking up your dog. (The quick release end
connects to the skijorer's belt.)
Wear a helmet if conditions warrant, for
example, when skijoring on a trail with downhill turns
and trees.
Avoid trails with motorized vehicle
traffic whenever possible. Wear bright clothing, a
headlamp and reflective gear (for you and your dog) in
low-light conditions. Identify blind spots on the
trail where motor vehicle operators may not see you.
Do not skijor on lakes, ponds or rivers
until you are absolutely certain the ice is safe.
Contact the DNR in your area if unsure.
Always tell at least one person where
you're going and when you expect to return. This is
especially important for backwoods skijoring.
Children should not skijor without adult
supervision.
Never wrap a towline, tugline or neckline
around your fingers, wrist, leg, neck, etc. An
excited dog will pull with surprising force and cause
injury to you.
Do not skijor with more dogs than you can
control. Even if you have two dogs, begin with one on
a flat, straight trail without obstacles. Beginners
should have someone present to help.
Ski the trail first without your dog to
assess the trail condition, difficulty and potential
for danger (for example, a steep downhill or road
crossing).
Do not attempt backwoods skijoring or
winter camping unless you are well versed in winter
survival and have all necessary gear.
Remember to always pack food and water for
you and your dog. Take an extra outer shell jacket
for yourself and a dog jacket for your dog if she has
a light coat. Always expect the weather to change for
the worse on extended outings!
Wear impact resistant eye wear to avoid
eye injury from branches, brush, etc., as well as snow
and ice kicked up by your dog.
Introduce your dog to skijoring gradually,
so your dog has fun gaining fitness and looks forward to
the next trip. Since skijoring is a workout for the
skijorer too, it is best to start with a good fitness
base.
Avoid skijoring with metal edged skis,
since they can injure your dog if contact is made from
behind.
If you're skijoring on a trail that has
pavement underneath, make sure there's adequate snow
pack to protect your dog's feet (to prevent excessive
pad and toenail wear).
Feel the snow on the trail with your bare
hands to test the consistency. If the snow has thawed
and frozen several times without being groomed the
trail may feel sharp and crunchy. In this case you
should put booties on your dog to prevent abrasions.
If you see any red snow behind your dog,
stop immediately and check your dog's feet for abrasions.
Always carry at least one bootie for emergencies.
Never skijor on an icy trail. Your dog
may pull a muscle and you may crash. As mentioned
previously, ski the course first without your dog to
assess the conditions.
Never leave your dog unattended while
harnessed or leashed, especially at a race.
Keep your runs short when the temperature is
above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and always have plenty of fresh water
on hand for your dog.
If snowplowing doesn't slow your speed
sufficiently to avoid hitting your dog from behind,
use the hockey stop, steer to either side or fall
down...avoid hitting your dog from behind at all
costs.
For thin coated dogs monitor windchills to
protect against frostbite.
Alert other skiers and skijorers when you
are about to pass.
