Americano Blue's musher/mushing chat thread

[Americano Blue]

Do you have any advice for training a dog to line out?

 

[SternRose]

Nala's getting spayed Friday, kinda up setting but it's for her own good

 

[SternRose]

How long do I need to weight after that to start training her again?

 

[charnic44]

Hey Blue, (or any body really) would you be interested in another team dog? I have two males who would excell in a smaller kennel (at least until they get more experience) where they can get tons of one on one time. I figured since you only have a few dogs, they'd do perfect in the smaller setting. Let me know if you want to hear more about them....

Do you have any advice for training a dog to line out?

After we are done with a run I unhook the leaders last. They have to stay lined out while the team is unhooked. They seem to pay attention the most after they are a little tired out. I do have a pair of inexperienced males that can only be run together (Denali will 'yell' at his partner (fight) unless he runs next to Roman, they get along well and don't fight) but they are so friendly and dependent on me that they'll follow me around while hooked in lead. At that point I tie the front of the gang line off and then their neck line while repeating "line out" and "hold it".

How you doin char?

Better... Her pups remind me a lot of her every day, they look almost exactly the same. Thanks for asking

Char I'm sorry for your losses * HUGS *

Is there a height that's that you'd consider to "short" for mushing? For the dogs that is? Lol

Thanks

Height: I'd say nothing under 25 pounds (normally I'd say 30 but I saw a video about a 25 pound female running the Iditarod, she was the smallest dog there lol) and no shorter than about 25 inches. I guess that's my rule of thumb; bigger than 25 pounds and 25 inches.

 

[Americano Blue]

Hey Blue, (or any body really) would you be interested in another team dog? I have two males who would excell in a smaller kennel (at least until they get more experience) where they can get tons of one on one time. I figured since you only have a few dogs, they'd do perfect in the smaller setting. Let me know if you want to hear more about them....

After we are done with a run I unhook the leaders last. They have to stay lined out while the team is unhooked. They seem to pay attention the most after they are a little tired out. I do have a pair of inexperienced males that can only be run together (Denali will 'yell' at his partner (fight) unless he runs next to Roman, they get along well and don't fight) but they are so friendly and dependent on me that they'll follow me around while hooked in lead. At that point I tie the front of the gang line off and then their neck line while repeating "line out" and "hold it".

Um. That'd be something I'd have to talk to my folks and mentor about. I am hoping to get two older leaders later this fall and depending on how my kennel space is with the four-five dogs I may consider that. I'd like to have a 6-7 dog kennel so I can still easily work one on one. I'll let you know ASAP

 

[charnic44]

Um. That'd be something I'd have to talk to my folks and mentor about. I am hoping to get two older leaders later this fall and depending on how my kennel space is with the four-five dogs I may consider that. I'd like to have a 6-7 dog kennel so I can still easily work one on one. I'll let you know ASAP 

Okay I also have an older male leader (he's 11, so maybe too old for what you're looking for)... He's just gonna run on the puppy team this year otherwise... Let me know

 

[Americano Blue]

Okay

I also have an older male leader (he's 11, so maybe too old for what you're looking for)... He's just gonna run on the puppy team this year otherwise... Let me know

Alright. The kennel I plan on getting dogs from is having a parvo issue so I don't know if I am going to get the dogs yet. The dogs I think are 8 and 9. Too old to run on the main but I plan on using them for my puppy since they are leaders. We'll see.

 

[RezChamp]

It depends on the musher I'd say. I know a musher who's best dog is a few inches shorter maybe even half the size of her other Siberian Huskies. I prefer my dogs not being smaller than Arrow was when I got her. That was two or three inches shorter than Cindy, who is 38-39 inches. (I need to measure her. That was just a guess.)

First off

Hi everyone
Longtime away eh
Busy. Lots of work to do. Lots of yellow and red leaves and many many already on the ground. Frost has pretty much hit the entire garden. Winter is coming

Pretty excited but lotsa work to get done. Touch ups on sleds and other gear. Refurbishing an old 8 hole transport unit( dog box). Canning and freezing veggies and fruits( wild and take) lotsa meat (wild & tame)to be harvested and cached. And of course stocking the pack's larder.
Anyway....
Wow! 38-39 inches is a long long legged critter. The tallest dogs I have are Max, Regal & Ayimisiw at 28&1/2, 29&1/2 & 30&1/4 inches respectively. Weights are about 93, 97 & 78 respectively. Ayimisiw hasn't had the work loads that Max & Regal have so that's why he has less muscle mass. These dogs can get to 100 lbs working wieght. Weird eh. More weight the harder they work instead of dropping weight.
Actually not really tho' because I can weigh more (197-210) in the spring after cutting and hauling wood all winter than (175-180) in the late summer when it's to darn hot to work that hard.
Re: weight/hieght...I don't need the slighter built dogs because I don't race my dogs but I do like longer legs because of the depth of the snow I encounter.....actually quite often whilst pulling heavier loads than racers.
When measuring dogs I go from ground to highest point of shoulder(hump) which I believe is the usual practice.

 

[RezChamp]

How long do I need to weight after that to start training her again?

I'd wait for about 6 weeks

 

[RezChamp]

Do you have any advice for training a dog to line out?

I use the words stand ahead up front because there are no other words in my command repertoire that sound like them.
And yes I hook-up my leaders first and un-hook last.
I also spend a lot more time with them than the rest
I walk, jog, explore, sit and talk to them like they are my best friends about lots of stuff but I am pretty consistent with "operating words" and make my expectations of them pretty clear through perseverance and persistence. I can be pretty demanding and I suppose demanding has it's merits but I'd rather have them do it because they like doing it.
I think I've ever only hit one of my leaders once when he persisted and insisted on turning around to instigate a fight. After that the whole team and every team after that saw the wisdom in refraining from fighting. Well, except for Patrick & Snowy .. them argumentative little

,,

,,

!
All said, respect and perseverance goes much farther and much longer than demanding and abusive ways. The loyalty from a well treated K9 has its perks for sure.