# Would you let your dog pull a child on a sled? (in snow, of course)



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Have you ever had your GSD pull a sled in the snow?


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> Have you ever had your GSD pull a sled in the snow?


We don't have snow, but we used to have a competition where Jäger pulled people on a plasma cart after someone with a sleeve a hundred yards away. Whoever stayed on the longest was declared the winner.

Plasma cart:


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Oh I plan to!!!! I'm getting a dog sled for Kyleigh, and as soon as the snow comes to Ottawa, I'm going to start training her!

My nephew is 6 and he is soooo looking forward to it!!!

BUT ... my nephew will be sitting on the chair, and I'll be standing behind the chair ... so he won't be alone, and I won't be letting Ky run full tilt!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I've had dogs pull little red wagons with our children in them. We had a goat we trained to pull a wagon as well. Not as successful as the dogs, but it was great fun. I've had dogs lead little ponies around the pasture with children riding the ponies. 

As long as your careful and the kids / dogs are supervised, I see no problem with it at all.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

I've let my dogs pull my younger siblings in sleds and wagons but only with me walking them on a leash. I didn't trust them to not take off after a squirrel with my 5 year old sister attached :wild: The only caution I would take is pay attention to if your dog truly likes pulling... I had a couple that seemed really confused and anxious if I asked them to pull anything, although I blame that on them being older (4 or 5) and having had years of training to NOT pull


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Anthony8858 said:


> Have you ever had your GSD pull a sled in the snow?


When you say "sled" do you mean a sled for kids to go sledding on or a real dog sled? Also how old is the child?

I have had my last GSD pull my kids in the snow, but they were over the age of 13 and were in an area that was clear of trees, etc...


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

after working with Bruce Langmaid a professional competitive sled dog racer , Iditarod and Yukon Quest, I bought his gorgeous hand crafted Quebec artisan made sled which he was retiring to get a more high tech, lighter weight sled for competition.
I would be invited to my sons primary grades school and the kids all got rides around the perimeter.

It takes training before - sound on go and stop , directions left right, and turn arounds .

Very important is that the dog is physically sound . That the equipment be correct so that the dogs pulling effort is correctly distrubted , and that the dog be of a temperament to enjoy it .

Control is necessary . You can not have a dog bolting , especially with a child on the ride.

These same dogs were trained to pull a wheeled cart also.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

That's the only thing I don't know yet ... will she like it? I'm hoping she'll love it because I really need something that gets us out in the winter (since I hate winter, and can't ski to save my life!)

The guy that is building it for me is awesome - He asked me a million questions about Kyleigh - height, weight, physical fitness, etc. I should have it by mid-December! It's a chair on skis with a place for me to stand behind the chair. This way my nephew has somewhere to sit, while I control Kyleigh ... 

If it doesn't work this year, there's always next year. Certainly don't have to worry about not getting snow in Ottawa (mind you it's +5 and raining today LOL)


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I would, but I'd get a proper pulling harness instead of letting the neck take all the pressure with a regular flat collar.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

Kyleigh said:


> That's the only thing I don't know yet ... will she like it? I'm hoping she'll love it because I really need something that gets us out in the winter (since I hate winter, and can't ski to save my life!)
> 
> The guy that is building it for me is awesome - He asked me a million questions about Kyleigh - height, weight, physical fitness, etc. I should have it by mid-December! It's a chair on skis with a place for me to stand behind the chair. This way my nephew has somewhere to sit, while I control Kyleigh ...
> 
> If it doesn't work this year, there's always next year. Certainly don't have to worry about not getting snow in Ottawa (mind you it's +5 and raining today LOL)


Just out of curiosity, can one dog really pull an adult or even two people? I've just always seen multiple dogs used to pull people.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

From a different thread when I first posted about it:



Powell said:


> A GSD is larger than a Siberian Husky. Sled dog notes: 1 dog can pull 1000 pounds, a 16 dog sled team can pull 33,000. I tested my 2 Mickey the "Silly Sibe" and Jolene the GSD / Sheltie / Husky mix ( dark sable) with me and an adult pedal cycle at Tractor Supply. Nothing happened....they just trotted along side until I passed them, and then WARP drive cut in. I went to the end of the large parking lot ( place was a K Mart in a previous life) turned around and we raced back to the door. I was afraid I could not stop in time or have to use "Freddy Flintstone Brakes"....but all was fine.


I almost peed my pants when I found out how much 1 dog COULD pull. I was wondering if my nephew would be too heavy at 70 pounds, and above was the response I got LOL


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I was having a thought about letting Kira pull a young child (completely leashed, Harnessed, and supervised) on flat, snowy terrain. 

I guess something like a slow pony ride.

Besides the fun factor for the child (and of course the dog has to like it), I think it would be a good muscle strengthening exercise for the rear legs.


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

Balen pulls Kolton in his little red wagon. Plan on having him pull Kolton through the snow on a sled- if it ever snows here.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

I'll email you when we hit three feet, you can come up and visit ... we'll trade houses so i can get out of the snow!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Carmen- were the dogs you were using GSDs? I thought for sure I've seen you warn in the past (on weight pulling threads) that the GSD is simply not built for such work.


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## HarleySchGirl (Dec 4, 2012)

Ive done it with a horse before ( not a sleigh like an actual little Sled from Walmart hold on to a long line someone rides the horse and has the other end and gallop!) probably not the safest thing but we were teenagers and had a blast.
I have always wanted to try with a dog and harley has the *crazy gene that would do it all day long. I just worry about being too heavy but i guess if one dog can do 1000 .... hmmm


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## bunchoberrys (Apr 23, 2010)

Kane does it, and loves it. Of course, I only let him pull the little ones on the sled and not the bigger kids. Too much stress on the joints and muscles. Especially since he is not condtioned to do it all the time. Wouldn't want any tears.
Anyway, the kids pay him back in the summer in return for sled rides in the winter.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

wildo said:


> Carmen- were the dogs you were using GSDs? I thought for sure I've seen you warn in the past (on weight pulling threads) that the GSD is simply not built for such work.


I'd like to hear Carmen's reply. 
I think I read the same about GSDs not built for pulling too. 

That's why I asked. 


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

many moons ago, when I had Jake, I bought a specially padded harness and set of traces for him, that was when we would get SNOW , unlike today where we hardly see it,,,Had a flat toboggan(sp) type sled hooked him up and let him pull the kids around the neighborhood, one kid at a time of course..he loved it


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Anthony8858 said:


> I'd like to hear Carmen's reply.
> I think I read the same about GSDs not built for pulling too.
> 
> That's why I asked.


Ah- my memory was off. Carmen recommends a cart in this thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...7-stark-needs-something-do-2.html#post2537175

Chris Wild recommends _against_ "long term" pulling in this thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/miscellaneous-dog-sports/158097-pulling-weight.html#post2127879


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I've let Aiden pull a young child in the snow before. I had him in a harness and we didn't go very far. Both came out of the experience alive


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Hm, the better pullers it seems, or safer, as it were, are square dogs?

I know our Veronica would love weight pull; she's a Boston mix


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

We are totally planning to try this this year, if we get some good snow. Planning to use our 5 yr old big male GSD, he won't mind and I'll have him attached to the sled, and I'll walk beside him with a leash on him for control. This way he can do the work pulling our toddler for a few laps around the yard.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Rerun said:


> We are totally planning to try this this year, if we get some good snow. Planning to use our 5 yr old big male GSD, he won't mind and I'll have him attached to the sled, and I'll walk beside him with a leash on him for control. This way he can do the work pulling our toddler for a few laps around the yard.


This was my exact intention. 

I didn't see any harm. Then again, I haven't seen much harm in quite a few other things, but proven otherwise. 


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would worry about the dog getting injured, not the child. Pulling on a sled with a 5 yr old isn't that bad/they just glide over the snow. Pulling several hundred pounds in a competition for GSD structure may not be a good idea.
Here is W. Oliver's youtube he posted a few years ago...doesn't look like much fun... 
SchH dog sled 1 - YouTube


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

If the kid understood they could roll off if any trouble ocurrs then sure, but I was a tom boy..no scrapes or bruises bothered me. I raised my kids the same. Some kids nowadays seem like they should be wrapped in bubblewrap.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Love the video ... there is no way in heck I'd be doing that!!!! I want the real deal sled, so I have some control!!!!


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

When I was 9-10 yrs old, my friend and I tied his large, young, hyper and rarely walked mutt to a "Big Wheel" and then put his little brother (maybe 6 or 7) on it. We opened the gate & the dog took off like a rocket down the block, his brother managed to stay on for a couple blocks before being thrown off. He had lots of raspberries, but no broken bones. The dog just kept going with the Big Wheel still in tow. We were finally able to catch up to him when the rope/ big wheel caught up on a play ground swing set. We paid for that one.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Yes, Stark use to do this with the neighbourhood kids. It was fun for everyone!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

weight pulling is different with intentional resistance.

I trained with Bruce , the pro sled guy . I met him initially because he bought one of my GSDs for security when he went on the pro - competitions , his sole source of income , while his young wife and young son stayed home in the secluded acres . I went on a few training sessions with him in the fall when he started prep work . He used a wheeled chariot . Again in the winter . This is not like the Nelson Eddy Jeanette McDonald movie sled dog image - it was exhausting , running behind , jumping on the runner, getting off , running more , more . Good grief . 

The harness is so important . Do not have a dog pull from a flat collar . 

When that dog passed he got another one "Buster" who had a lot of Lord behind him and that dog could run with the best of his team. 

Our Athletes


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

We would have to do it in red mud....somehow....I...think..it...would not be the same.


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## GusGus (Oct 24, 2012)

I would. If your dog goes crazy over critters teach your kid to jump out. Bailing out of my sled in a sticky (or should I say slippery?) Situation always worked out best for me. Probably saved me from great injury..


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

My dogs have always love to pull children in the snow! Be forwarned - they want to go fast. I teach mine to go, stop, slow, left and right on leash without being attached to anything. I've always used properly fitted weight pulling harnesses and usually a cheap childrens sled. The steering is bad so keep away from roads but they really do enjoy it. 
One adult gsd can certainly pull an adult person. I'm not a very big person but my dogs have all been able to pull me by myself. Mind you not for long distances or at high speeds though. But two gsds, a good trail, the gt snowracer and me and the games on. Once they get going they can pull me quite fast and for half an hour or so anyways.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I think this is a must " I teach mine to go, stop, slow, left and right on leash without being attached to anything"


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## Thors_Dad (Dec 1, 2012)

Kyleigh said:


> Oh I plan to!!!! I'm getting a dog sled for Kyleigh, and as soon as the snow comes to Ottawa, I'm going to start training her!


Ottawa would be a great place to do that. I lived there for 18 months going to St. Paul University up on Main. Can you take her down on the canal? I'm surprised you don't have snow now! I remember last seeing dirt there at the end of October, lol!


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

It's only a must if you have an older kid who doesn't want parents walking the dog. no matter how well I train my dog, I wouldn't turn him loose with my 2 yr old on the sled behind him....

Mostly, our son will get a kick out of being pulled around by the dog so that's our reason for doing it. And a little less work perhaps for us to not drag him around.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

> Ottawa would be a great place to do that. I lived there for 18 months going to St. Paul University up on Main. Can you take her down on the canal? I'm surprised you don't have snow now! I remember last seeing dirt there at the end of October, lol!


You would think!!!! It rained all day yesterday and was +5 ... so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!

Kyleigh already knows left / right and stop, so it's just the GO part, and keeping it at a normal speed. 

My nephew is "all-boy" so if he wipes out, he'll think it's a blast and want to do it again. 

I don't think I'm allowed to do it on the canal, but I'm friends with farmers and people that live "rurally" so I have lots of places that we can go. 

My nephew will NEVER be allowed on it without me either leading Kyleigh, or me standing behind him on the chair. 

He's only 6, and loves speed, and I could just see him encouraging Ky to go faster!!!!


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## Jrnabors (Sep 7, 2012)

My GSD is so strong I think she was an Alaskan malamute in another life. She would love to be a sled dog.


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