Carting and Draft Dog Demo Woofapalooza 2008

[Saartje05]

What an idiot treating that dog like that. Poor animal. Why don't people just buy a pony instead of torturing their dogs like that?

[Lilytb4]

@Saartje05

I am curious, really, how is carting a dog 'abuse' and yet carting a pony is perfectly normal?? Assuming both dog and pony are pulling loads suitable to their weight, dogs are in general put under much less stress. Some carts have only one shafts, and dogs are free to trot, canter, to to walk slowly, at their own will, not forced at ALL. Horses, on the other hand, are put in confining harnesses and cart, blinded, and 'whispered' with a whip to go.

[Saartje05]

@Lilytb4 You said it yourself 'assuming both dog and pony are pulling loads suitable to their weight'. Letting one dog pull a load is too much. And you obviously don't know how to drive a pony or horse, you would know a whip isn't to whip them forward. I don't say people won't use it like that, but that's not what it's for. Most clips that show dogs in front of carts show nervous dogs, panting dogs, dogs that don't want to be there.

[Lilytb4]

@Saartje05

I may not have clarified, whips are used as noise motivation. Whip cracks, horse moves away and thus pulling cart.

How would you know what is too much for this particular dog, and dogs in general? Each dog, as well as with each horse, has their own abilities and limits. Clearly the dog(s) in the video is pulling fine, without hesitation. Had he been unwilling or unable, you would not see him pulling at all. I invite you to watch videos of my Collie pulling, perfectly happy.

[Saartje05]

@Lilytb4 NO they're not. YOU may use them like that but we don't. And I"m driving for thirty years, I'm in the organisation of driving competitions etc. Whips are NOT being cracked, that's not what they're for.

And yes, each dog has their own ability, that's why here ONLY malamutes and husky's are allowed to pull because THAT was what they're bred for. And always starting with two dogs, never one. And I watched your 'happy' colly, maybe you should learn how to 'read' dog.

[Lilytb4]

@Saartje05

Go ahead, tell me why my dog shows signs of discomfort when he pulls with no efforts, ears up, tongue out? Panting is a way to regulate body temperature. He was working, therefore hot and cooling down.

[Saartje05]

@Lilytb4 You'll know why it's not good within a couple of years.

[Lilytb4]

@Saartje05

Why is any other dog then Huskies pulling bad if they enjoy it? Thoroughbreds are 'bred to race' and yet many people use them for jumping, western, dressage, carting...

You may not understand- Carting is different from sledding. No, I do not believe one dog could physically pull a sled. However, one dog can very easily pull a sulky on pavement! It rolls easily and is very light, weight distributed evenly allowing easy pulling.

[Wolf251982]

Awesome!

[PitambarTheRedBull]

I saw this on your blog and am really wishing I could train my bull. You got a lot of critters all trained up and willing to work.

[maplette]

you might need a better camera... hard on the old eyes:)