# Sticky  Everything You Wanted to Know About Weight Pulling



## Darkmoon

*What is Weight Pulling? *
Weight Pulling (WP for short) is a new and growing sport for all breeds of dogs from the smallest Chihuahua to the largest Wolf Hound. What it involves depends on what organization you get involved with. Overall in all organizations it involves your dog pulling a certain amount of weight on a Sled, Cart, or Rail system a certain amount of feet in a limited amount of time.

Pictured Below: Maddie the *4 POUND* poodle doing weight pulling








_Picture used with permission from Lindsey Rea Photography _

*What Organizations can you pull with?*
There are a lot of weight pull organizations that you can join with:
- United Kennel Club (UKC) – http://www.ukcdogs.com/ All breeds can pull here as long as certain rules are followed. Your dog if not already UKC registered, must be spayed/neutered, and either much have a Temporary Listing (TL) number http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/...37?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,Temporary,listing or a Limited Privilege number http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/...f85257421006a5f85?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,LP
- International Weight Pull Association http://www.iwpa.net/ All dogs are welcome, all you need is a Weight Pulling harness and the entry fee (it’s $5 more if you’re a non-member)
-American Pulling Alliance http://www.weightpull.com/ All dogs are welcome, just show up with a harness and your entry fee
-National Working Dog Association (NWDA) http://www.nwdak9.com/WeightPullHome.html Their main page has not been updated but all show up, and pay an entry fee.
There are other clubs you can join but they are only for certain breeds of dogs (Mainly the American Pit Bull Terrier) Like the ADBA http://www.adbadog.com/p_home.asp and the AADR http://www.aadrdogs.com/ (Both of these clubs do not allow all Pit Bulls to pull. You must have a UKC/ADBA/ABKC or BFKC registered APBT or AB (American Bully) to pull with these clubs)

*Ok, so now I know about the clubs, what do I need to start pulling?*
First off all before you even start pulling your dog, you need to make sure your dog is old enough to pull. While most clubs allow your dog to start pulling around the age of 1 year, it’s not wise to start pulling large loads until your dog is done growing. (But it’s good to start young) If you really want to get into WP, even consider having a vet x-ray your dog’s hips and elbows to have a look for things that could cause your dog(s) health issues in the future. Your Vet will be able to tell you if WPing is OK for your dog or not. Some dogs with slight hip issues are fine pulling while some aren’t.

The first thing you’ll need is a weight pull harness! There are many different websites that offer harnesses for weight pulling, and I’m listing the one’s I have personally used, so I know the quality of the harnesses and how they work.

_Brown Dog Designs_ - http://www.weightpullharness.com/Home.html This is my favorite Harness maker ever. If you are going to be doing weight pulling for a while, and really getting into it then you want to break down and buy a BBD harness. They quality of these harnesses are the best. It’s kind of like buying a pair of shoes, you’ll be happy with the $25 shoes, but when you decide to splurge and but the $100 shoes once you realize what you’ve been missing. Her harnesses aren’t made to be pretty they are made to work, and work they do.

_CD Pits_ - http://www.itsmysite.com/cgi-bin/itsmy/go.exe?page=2&domain=1&webdir=cdpits I’ve used CD Pits in the past. They are wonderful, many different looks to them, and are strong and durable. They are perfect for beginners and advance pullers alike 

_Tablerock_ - http://tablerockharness.com/WeightPullHarnesses.htm Nice harnesses, quality made with strength in mind. I love Tablerock because not only do they sell the WP Harnesses but they also sell wonderful quality drag sleds (I’ll explain those later) Table rock has GREAT training harnesses that allows it to grow with your dog. This is perfect for training a puppy to get use to a harness

_Stillwater Kennel_ - http://www.stillwaterkennelsupply.com/wtpullharnesses.htm I’ve never used their WP harness but I know people who have and they love them. Stillwater has adjustable harnesses though for 20lb + dogs that are perfect for WP training in younger dogs.

**NOTE* Most dogs ARE scared of the harness when you first try to put it on them. Use chicken or other high prized items to get your dog use to the harness before attaching any sort of weight to the harness. Take your time getting your dog use to the harness and make it a positive experience for them. Even think about putting your harness on your dog for walks at first (use a collar not the harness for the leash) but don’t rush it.*

Second thing you’ll need is a collar. A simple belt or buckle collar for this is the best; you want it to be loose enough for your dog to breathe easily but tight enough to not fall off while training. Depending on what venue you decide to pull in depends on what type of collar you can use while your dog is pulling. 

Third thing you’ll need is either rope or chain. I personally like chain because chain causes noise when it’s dragged and helps prepare the dogs in the long run for the noises that the carts make with weights on them. Starting off with either or is fine though. Rope is actually easier to tie the weights with for younger dogs, while chain is better for bigger weights for attaching (I use a spring snap to keep the weights on the chain).

Lastly you’ll need weight! For beginners, just start with an empty milk jug with some rocks in it. You want it to be easy and just help get your dog use to having the feeling of some resistance on their harness. As your dog gets older and/or more confident then start adding more weight. What to add depends on your dog. A larger dog say 50lbs you can easily add 10lbs without too much issues while a dog that weighs half that may only need 2 to 5 lbs added on. You could also buy a _drag sled_ or make one if you want too. http://www.pulldoggies.com/dragsled.htm A drag sled is just a small sled that allows your weight to be evenly distributed. It’s not necessary but it’s a nice thing to have.


*Ok, I have everything I need, now what?*









Now comes the fun part, slowly working your dog up to pulling things!

You only want to start pulling your dog 10 to 15 yards at a time. Right now you only want your dog to get use to the feeling and noises of the weights behind them. Hook a leash to your dog’s collar and stand in front of them. Call them to you and start walking backwards SLOWLY. Encourage your dog to pull the weight to you and praise them as they do. If they start to pull but stops as soon as they feel resistance, call them again, if that doesn’t work then LIGHTLY give your leash a tug to get your dog to move, and the praise like mad. Only work your dog for about 15mins the first time out. You don’t want your dog to get tired, bored, or frustrated. Do this for about a week before going onto the next phase, adding weight.

A question many people ask at this point is about reinforces (treats). Honestly if you can, refrain as much from food or toy reinforcements as much as you can. Why? Because in most USA organizations food and toy reinforcements are not allowed in the chute. It's better to train the dog from the very beginning to pull for you and for fun. Adding toys or food is a great way to force your dog to do more then it can do which results in harming your dog. I have used food to get the dog use to the harness and for focusing on me, but never for pulling.

Once your dog is getting confident with the noise and weight behind them, it’s time to add some weight. * NEVER SET YOUR DOG UP FOR FAILURE! * You don’t want your dog to stop liking to pull. Don’t try to rush how much weight your dog is pulling. If your dog is pulling 10lbs just fine but at 15lbs he starts faltering, then go back to 10 lbs for a few more days then try 15lbs again. How much weight to add depends on your dog. If your dog is only 10lbs, then adding 1 lb of weight is a good starting place, if your dog is 50lbs then 15lbs is a good starting. If it’s really easy for your dog to pull GREAT but do not add more weight, at least this time around. You want it to be easy right now. This isn’t about building mussel but more about building confidence in your dog. You want your dog to feel great about what it is doing, and enjoy it.

Keep working your dog over weeks and months until your dog is at 1 ½ time its own body weight. So if your dog is 50lbs, it should be able to drag 75lbs. At this point your dog is ready for another step, working a cart. At this point you should be working with a mentor or looking for a mentor for help. They will have weight pull cart or rail system set ups or know where to find them. My local WPers have gatherings at one person’s house to work their dogs on his cart and to give each other tips on how to work their dogs better and how to be better themselves.

Just remember to have FUN with weight pulling and fun with your dog. Too many people forget this step and I personally think it’s the most important step of all. 

Links:
http://www.pulldoggies.com/
http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/DogWeightPull
http://www.iwpa.net/Getting_Started.html
http://www.weightpull.com/

Videos:
Practicing Weight pull: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuDceZ0O2HQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xu27Mi9ZQI

In the Chute:
Ryker (APBT)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaeBFu4Ymgs
Nubs (APBT)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jxqkv7VqEY
Toby (Chinese Crested) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVQ2vucFo8c
Less Paul (Great Dane)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pxYFihvqAY
Jake (2010 #1 APBT in the UKC WP) - http://youtu.be/D85W8aLOBSE


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## Xeph

#1 AWESOME info! 
#2 That poodle is fabulous


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## pittsabowawa

Great thread! I have it saved for when I get my next puppy. No more pulling for the Bella but I definitely want to experiment with pulling with the next dog.


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## DJEtzel

Ditto on the great thread! Now that I have the gist of it, I may have to try it out with Frag after he gets his x rays. He loved pulling around sleds with snow and rocks in them in the winter last year.


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## abraham

This is good but some times this type activities can hurt dogs. This can made any serious injury. If we made some protective instruction then we can made these efforts more reliable.


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## DJEtzel

abraham said:


> This is good but some times this type activities can hurt dogs.
> This can made any serious injury.If we made some protective instruction then we can made these efforts more reliable.


I believe they generally only hurt dogs if the dog is not built for the weight it's carrying (bone/joint issues) or if you do not properly build up the weight they can pull. Yes, if you start out with a Chinese Crested pulling 400lbs, it would get hurt, but if you condition a dog the right way you shouldn't have trouble.


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## Darkmoon

abraham said:


> This is good but some times this type activities can hurt dogs.
> This can made any serious injury.If we made some protective instruction then we can made these efforts more reliable.


Actually this sport is safer then sports like Agility and Lure Coursing. The worst I've seen happen in Weight pulling is a pulled mussel that healed in a few weeks and the dog was back out on the track. In fact Weight Pulling helps prevent ACL tears because you are strengthening the dogs knees by pulling weight. 

Agility you risk Torn ACLs, Broken legs (when the dogs fall off or land wrong), twisted ankles, and other such things. Lure coursing is the same, that's where my dog tore his ACL, if there happens to be a small hole in the field and your dog's paw happens to get caught in it, or trip over a rock that was missed you can end up with some major damage. 

What type of injuries are your referring too?


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## LuckySarah

Awesome

Horse has some really successful weight pullers in his pedigree and I have been looking for a post like this to answer all of my questions.
I wonder if the events will be difficult to find in my area?

I will have to check out your links


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## naughtyJerry

Is Husky doggie good weight puller?


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## DJEtzel

naughtyJerry said:


> Is Husky doggie good weight puller?


Assuming you're asking if Huskies are good for weight pulling, then yes.


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## Smorris

This is great information. Thanks
I went to a lot of the web sites and they seem to be more for purebreds. I have a backyard lab/pit and everything else type of dog. Can he also compete and are there web sites out there that aren't breed specfic?


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## Darkmoon

Smorris said:


> This is great information. Thanks
> I went to a lot of the web sites and they seem to be more for purebreds. I have a backyard lab/pit and everything else type of dog. Can he also compete and are there web sites out there that aren't breed specfic?


Hello SMorris!
Yes he can compete in the UKC, APA, and the IWPA no issues at all. The UKC requires you to register your dog (You can register your dog as a mixed breed) but the other two, just show up at an event and pay the fee to enter  

There really isn't a non-breed specific site to learning about weight pull. Most Weight Pullers I know who own websites are Bully dog owners or Northern Breed owners. The information on their site though is generic and can and should be used with all breeds. Anything relating to a Pit bull should relate pretty closely with your Lab/Pit mix. Hope this helped


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## Smorris

Thanks so much, yes this is helpful information. I think you just saved me $150 bucks. 
I did see directions on one of the sites how to build your own sled. 
There is a weight pull competion next week in Maine 1 1/2 away. I think I'll run over and take a look and see what's it's all about.
I'm putting this site in my favorites.
Sharon
NH


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## FoxFireFarms

Any pull clubs in western Ny would like to train more closest is 4 hrs away.


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## Smorris

That's a long way, I bet people would make the trip though if the trainner is any good. Which is your favorite harness? I'm not looking for competion just to keep the dog in shape.


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## FoxFireFarms

we have one for snow, one for rails but dont fit the new dog , and one for agiation., no rails around here but snow is well in adundance, i can travel for a event 4 hrs but as a breede and owner of 11 dogs some very old i cant go that far for training weekly, we just got a dock diving school down the road so next summber will be fun.


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## Spicy1_VV

Weight pull isn't a new sport, but I do hope to see it continue to grow. I hate seeing the anti pet organizations trying to ban it and saying its cruel. It's such an enjoyment for many dogs.



abraham said:


> This is good but some times this type activities can hurt dogs. This can made any serious injury. If we made some protective instruction then we can made these efforts more reliable.


Injuries are rare! The only time a dog would be if they have a pre-existing problem or owner is negligent.


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## hargyle

when you say young ... what age would you begin training ... Loki is nearly 5months now and I want to teach him pulling


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## Darkmoon

hargyle said:


> when you say young ... what age would you begin training ... Loki is nearly 5months now and I want to teach him pulling


My dog Peanut is now 1 year and 2 months old and the furthest I've gone with her is twice I've tossed a harness on her and about 3lbs of chain and walked around my small yard once. I just wanted to see how she would react to a bunch on chain following her and she was just fine.  I'll start her with actual WP training next spring when she's 2.

Here lies the issue with training and morals. Most places you can start WP with your dog as young as 9 months old, BUT you can't test for hips and elbows until they are almost 2 yrs old and stopped growing which I think testing for these things is HIGHLY important because you don't want to WP with a dog with bad hip or elbows. Also pulling heavy weights as a puppy can ruin your dogs joints later in life. It might be slow starting, but at least my dog will be able to WP into their senior years compared to puppies who are tossed in and start having issues by the age of 3.


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## hargyle

Darkmoon said:


> My dog Peanut is now 1 year and 2 months old and the furthest I've gone with her is twice I've tossed a harness on her and about 3lbs of chain and walked around my small yard once. I just wanted to see how she would react to a bunch on chain following her and she was just fine. I'll start her with actual WP training next spring when she's 2.
> 
> Here lies the issue with training and morals. Most places you can start WP with your dog as young as 9 months old, BUT you can't test for hips and elbows until they are almost 2 yrs old and stopped growing which I think testing for these things is HIGHLY important because you don't want to WP with a dog with bad hip or elbows. Also pulling heavy weights as a puppy can ruin your dogs joints later in life. It might be slow starting, but at least my dog will be able to WP into their senior years compared to puppies who are tossed in and start having issues by the age of 3.


Excellent advice, thanks! I'm going to get him a little back pack so he can get used to things on him!


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## Patt

What is the max weight in pulling events? Also is it really necessary for a person to want their dog to pull 5K. I would think that this much weight would be harmful no matter how much training the dog has received. Thanks in advance.


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## Darkmoon

Patt said:


> What is the max weight in pulling events?


Depends on the events. At UKC it's now your dog's 20 point pull so it varies depending on the dog. I just did some research on this subject for my blog and remember these are *extreme's and NOT typical weights pulled at every event*
Max Pulled on a Sled(www.iwpa.net): 
Natural Snow Surface: 1,500lbs by both an Alaskan Malamute and an American Bulldog (www.iwpa.net)
Artificial Snow Surface: 2,630lbs by a Mastiff

Max pulled on a Cart (www.iwpa.net):
Natural Surface: 5,395lbs by an English Mastiff
Artificial Surface: 5,002 by an English Mastiff

Maxed Pulled on a Rail (NWDA):
12,270lbs by Bart an American Bulldog

I list every kind of pulling there is there because there's a HUGE difference in what a dog can pull on different surfaces and on different types of carts/rails/sleds



> Also is it really necessary for a person to want their dog to pull 5K.


Actually that really does come in handy if your car gets stuck in a ditch and you need some extra help. Also on the farm it could also come in handy. Is it necessary? Well no but it doesn't hurt the dog.



> I would think that this much weight would be harmful no matter how much training the dog has received. Thanks in advance.


Actually, because this topic comes up all the time, it was asked among a lot the pullers if anyone has ever had a dog hurt during a pull (a good 100 or so people). The answer? A few pulled muscles, and some torn and broken nails is all anyone has ever heard of as injuries from weight pulling. Ask Agility people that same question and you get broken legs, CCL tears, sprang paws, heart attacks, and heat stroke in a few rare events.


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## RottieRuckus

This was a wonderful, informative read. I didn't get the opportunity to try the sport with my last Rottie, but I plan to try weight pulling with my new Rottie.

Thanks to this discussion, Paris and I are off to a solid start!


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## Alapaha_Lover

This forum is great, so much useful info...THANKS!!


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## Beta Man

I'm eager to weight pull with my new dog when he gets older, but more for fun/exercise than competitively.


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## nadia

I think pulling is an awesome thing to teach your doggy, especially breeds that like to pull such as huskys and pits because it gives them an outlet for their strength endurance and determination. I did watch the videos, and it was bothersome to me to watch a couple of them, a particular one being the Chinese Crested who didn't seem to enjoy it and appeared stressed, even slipping out of the harness. I say if your dog shows continued enjoyment after introduction to the harness and weights then this is great! But I don't think people should try to force their dog to do this, because it could end up in injury stress and fear. 

My friend taught her Husky to pull her on a bike, bought a harness and everything, and he loves it! 

Also: there are risks of injury in ANY activity for dogs, but weight pulling has a relatively low risk, especially in comparison to agility where dogs can make a wrong turn and tear their ACL or twist/fracture bones.


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## Aschott

i know this thread seams dead but i had a question, has anyone seen any conflict with weight pull training and leash training?


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## Spicy1_VV

Aschott said:


> i know this thread seams dead but i had a question, has anyone seen any conflict with weight pull training and leash training?


Conflict? I don't believe so. What would be the conflict. Dogs pull without wearing a leash.


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## Canyx

Not sure if this thread is dead or not, but I have some questions!

Here's a short video with three clips of Brae pulling during the same session: 






I got the harness for him when he was about 1 or 1.5 years old, so I think his ribcage expanded since. Let me know if the harness fit is off. 

There are no venues or groups in my area (or in a hundred mile radius, I'm pretty sure). So I do weight pull for fun and for conditioning. I don't have any fancy carts or rails and I have Brae (2.5yr Dutch shepherd, 75#) pull on dirt and grass. I know weight on a cart or rail is very different than pulling dead weight(?). Is there a conversion chart anywhere regarding how much force it requires to move something dragging versus on a rail? 

He's pulling 80# and I usually have him do a total of 200 feet in a session, broken up into multiple smaller pulls (~20' at a time). He seems to enjoy it but is tired by the end. Tired of pulling, that is. Not overall tired. He's still game to do other activities.

I also exclusively use high value food as a reward. He is way more toy driven than food driven and I suspect he would push himself much harder if there was something like a bite pillow at the end. But I'm not sure if it would be bad for him if I made him 'go crazy' for a tug toy instead of for food.


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## Kittywinter6

abraham said:


> This is good but some times this type activities can hurt dogs. This can made any serious injury. If we made some protective instruction then we can made these efforts more reliable.


 The only way that it would cause injuries is if you are not properly doing it and your dog is not cleared for it or you are not using the correct equipment which in The sport is not acceptable so the people that are using equipment except or a that is harming their dog are not actually a part of the sport they are just sideline abuse


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## TropicalWinds

Aschott said:


> i know this thread seams dead but i had a question, has anyone seen any conflict with weight pull training and leash training?


I understand your concern, however, teaching a dog to pull is different. Drag pulling is controlled-dog is on your left side, learning the command word to pull or move forward on command, just like the dog learning to walk with you and not ahead of you. It's learning command words.

Now, with that being said, a dog who naturally pulls (you on the leash) is going to make a better weight pull dog, in my opinion.


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## TropicalWinds

Kittywinter6 said:


> The only way that it would cause injuries is if you are not properly doing it and your dog is not cleared for it or you are not using the correct equipment which in The sport is not acceptable so the people that are using equipment except or a that is harming their dog are not actually a part of the sport they are just sideline abuse


My 2 cents on this subject. Most people who do not know the sport, or hasn't "looked into" the rules of this sport, would think "Omg- how can they let that poor dog pull so much weight?!!?? 
These dogs are trained. They start out just wearing the harness.. then pulling a light chain, then pulling a cinder block or 2... No one is allowed to just throw an inexperienced dog on the cart with a lot of weight. It took my dog 2 years , for me, to be confident enough to pull over XXXX lbs easy. This with 100% careful training. Also, the wp judge will not allow any dog to pull, if he feels they are unhealthy to do so.

I wish outsiders would learn about the sport before passing judgement.


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