Eden, Vermont - January 26, 2010
On a cold, snowy day during the dog days of winter, a chess game of sorts is underway inside an Eden lodge. It's enough to make just about anyone dog-gone tired.
For Jim Blair of Eden Dog Sledding, such planning is routine. He owns 30 dogs; dogs that not only pull sleds but also skiers. It's a sport better known as skijoring.
"They're not all leaders. Skijoring dogs need to be leaders. They need to know their commands and be willing to run ahead of the team," Blair explained.
Unlike dog sledding, this sport is something pretty much anyone can do. All you need is a harness, some skis and, of course, a dog.
"Some of the smarter dogs are poodles or Australian shepherds. We've had some cocker spaniels," Blair said. "I think the chow chow, that one threw me for a loop."
After a quick lesson, it's off and running. At least in theory. Training a dog to pull you is easier said than done.
"Two or three times they usually start to get it," Blair said. "A lot of pet owners train them not to pull on the leash and so you now put them in a harness and have them pull you and it's a whole different ball game."
"Praise the dogs as much as possible because they're enjoying it, but if they know you're happy with them they'll enjoy it even more," said Mariah Gaffney of Eden Dog Sledding.
While there's a learning curve for the dogs, learning how to ski with a canine also takes some time. Climbing is a lot of work and knowing how to snowplow is a must. Crashes are common.
"You should be an accomplished skier," Blair advised. "You want to be able to control yourself so you're not interfering with the dog."
"For me it seemed a little harder to pick up just because the dogs were jerking around and I was trying to figure out the balance," Gaffney said.
Advanced skiers like Jim Blair ski with as many as four dogs at a time. More dogs don't necessarily mean more speed, the max is about 20 miles an hour but it does mean more power and less work.
It's the perfect way to enjoy a day with the family pet. A combination of dog sledding and skiing-- winter fun to the extreme in the woods of Vermont.
Jim Blair offers both dog sledding and skijoring lessons, but if you want to learn how to skijor you need to bring your own dog. Blair first trains them by having them run as part of his sled dog team to get them used to pulling a person. Training a dog costs anywhere from $300 to $1,000.
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
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