The Right Way to Train Your Husky to Pull a Sled
It can be very difficult to decide whether to buy a Husky pulling sled or build one yourself. I’ve done both and had great results. Building a sled requires some planning and some common sense, but it’s definitely worth it. If you decide to go ahead and buy a Husky pulling sled, make sure that you’re getting exactly what you need and that it’s within your budget.
There are many advantages to buying a Husky pulling sled instead of making it yourself. First of all, a professional machine will cost considerably less than most homemade models will. Also, you won’t have to spend time or money finding all the parts or having someone install them for you.
When my wife and I got our Husky a few years ago we thought about having a sled pulled by our dog for Christmas. My wife was against the idea because she didn’t like the idea of her dog being in control of the sled. However, we decided that we’d try it if our daughter had her own dog toys. Our daughter would pull the sled no matter what. So that is why we went ahead and bought a Husky and built our own.
First of all, we found a sled that was strong enough to pull a husky.
We also had to make sure that the cable used to pull the sled was strong enough to handle the pull of the husky. A Husky pulling sled is pretty easy to build and needs only two cables to pull. That’s much easier than pulling a standard sled that has to handle three or more cables.
Once we had the Husky and the sled in place, we made plans to pull the sled on Christmas morning. To pull the sled, we put a piece of wood across the top of the sled and wrapped it with a cable, about a meter from the ground. We attached a rope to this piece of wood. We attached a bell to the rope and every time the dog pulls on the rope, the dog gets to eat.
When the dog stops pulling, we cut a hole in the middle of the dog’s back and hung a small bowl underneath the hole. The dog’s weight then pulls the bowl towards the dog and the husky’s weight pulls the bowl backward. This action pushes the bowl toward the ground and the husky gets to eat. Then we just let the dog pull the sled and we were done!
I wouldn’t pull the sled if the dog wasn’t going to go along with me. I tried to push the sled behind the fence but it was nearly impossible because the dog would run out of range of the sled. He kept trying but in the end, he just trotted along beside the fence and enjoyed his dinner. It was a lot of fun pulling the sled with my Husky for the first time and I’m pretty sure he’ll grow to love it as well.
If you’re thinking of trying husky pulling sledding yourself, start by picking a short length of wood to use for the pull.
You’ll want to start the sled off by walking behind it and making lots of noise. Have your dog on your side, and use a treat as a lure. Start moving the dog along slowly and eventually you’ll have him wagging his tail and the sled will start moving easily.
When your dog is used to the idea of pulling a sled off the ground, you can take control of it by taking a step back and letting him drag the sled across the grass. It doesn’t take long before he begins to get the idea. Try to keep him on his toes though or he might jump out and grab the handle of the sled. Once he starts this habit, it won’t be difficult to get him to do the actual pulling.
When your husky is used to pulling sleds, you can begin putting treats in the sled.
This way your dog will associate pulling sleds with treats and getting them makes him happy. Start only putting one treat in the first few trips and gradually increase the amount. Never give your dog more than two treats in one trip or else it will confuse him and he’ll get confused and stop wanting to pull.
When your husky has gotten used to pulling the sled, try to ease him into it gradually. You can do this by putting him down gently and then lifting him onto the sled. You can help your dog by giving him positive reinforcement. Praise your dog when he climbs onto the sled and then give him praise again when he releases himself. Doing so will help your dog to associate getting off the sled to get a treat and this can help in creating a habit.
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