The Old Folks Home

[vehve]

Our youngest lab got to pull a sled yesterday, he might be the first one that might actually work as a pull hound. The oldest one is okay when you're on skis, but the middle one isn't all that excited about having to haul someone after herself. It's not something we do very actively, but it's good exercise for the mutts.

 

[Bunnylady]

Heel low:

Quote:
Oh, man, Tara, this brought back a memory . . . .

When Critter and I were much, much younger, we rescued a couple of Shepherd crosses that grew up to weigh about 45 - 50 lbs. Energy out the wazoo . . . . Anyway, he got the great idea to hook leashes on 'em and let them pull him down the road on a skateboard (boys and their toys, eh?). He thought it was great, but I didn't like it for 2 reasons - 1) they were pulling with their necks, and I didn't like putting pressure on their throats like that, and 2) I don't like a dog to pull on a lead anyway, and this was basically teaching them to do just that. So I looked at some pictures and figured out how dog team harnesses are constructed, cut up a pair of old jeans, and made a couple of harnesses for them. The first time Critter harnessed them up, they started off at a happy jog, but as they realized they could move without being choked, they put their heads down and just flew! That worked great as long as they stayed on the road, but they spotted a squirrel in a yard and, well . . . .

Let's just say they cornered a lot better than the skateboard - they went this way, the skateboard went that way, Critter wound up running on the road shoulder taking bigger strides than a long jumper . . . .

Crazy stuff. He did it a bunch of times, but it was never dull; he never could keep them focused, and never knew when they'd go off task and off road.

 

[perchie.girl]

@BertS

http://www.yellawood.com/resources/pressure-treated-faq.aspx

from the web page its good... and they do plywood too.
the data sheet you shared in your post doesnt say anyting about animals. but then my migrane is messin with my vision.

So when This headache goes I will check out Discount plywood to see if they carry it. I have bought from them in the past and they are consistently 25 percent lower than Home Depot or Lowes. They buy for roofing contractors so they sell a LOT of sheets of plywood.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

@Bunnylady

@CanuckBock

I got to reading up on dog sled harness.... VERY interesting. its built exactly on the same principle as Horse harness. But because dogs are built different and have much more mobility in the shoulders its dependant on the strap that comes between the lfront legs to keep the harness in position. Balanced between chest and withers.

And in the training harness diagrams you still use a regular dog collar which is fit above the harness on the neck.

The hitch to the vehicle is the same as in horses... even has many of the same "parts" names As in horses the rear dogs are called Wheelers and the front dogs are called the Swing.

deb

 

[Tumbling K]

@BertS

http://www.yellawood.com/resources/pressure-treated-faq.aspx

from the web page its good... and they do plywood too.
the data sheet you shared in your post doesnt say anyting about animals. but then my migrane is messin with my vision.

So when This headache goes I will check out Discount plywood to see if they carry it. I have bought from them in the past and they are consistently 25 percent lower than Home Depot or Lowes. They buy for roofing contractors so they sell a LOT of sheets of plywood.

deb

bottom line, I think I'd use treated plywood, since it will last longer, and then sacrificial pallets on top of that.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: Oh, man, Tara, this brought back a memory . . . .

When Critter and I were much, much younger, we rescued a couple of Shepherd crosses that grew up to weigh about 45 - 50 lbs. Energy out the wazoo . . . . Anyway, he got the great idea to hook leashes on 'em and let them pull him down the road on a skateboard (boys and their toys, eh?). He thought it was great, but I didn't like it for 2 reasons - 1) they were pulling with their necks, and I didn't like putting pressure on their throats like that, and 2) I don't like a dog to pull on a lead anyway, and this was basically teaching them to do just that. So I looked at some pictures and figured out how dog team harnesses are constructed, cut up a pair of old jeans, and made a couple of harnesses for them. The first time Critter harnessed them up, they started off at a happy jog, but as they realized they could move without being choked, they put their heads down and just flew! That worked great as long as they stayed on the road, but they spotted a squirrel in a yard and, well . . . .

Let's just say they cornered a lot better than the skateboard - they went this way, the skateboard went that way, Critter wound up running on the road shoulder taking bigger strides than a long jumper . . . .

Crazy stuff. He did it a bunch of times, but it was never dull; he never could keep them focused, and never knew when they'd go off task and off road.

Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for the laughs!

 

[Bunnylady]

@Bunnylady

@CanuckBock

I got to reading up on dog sled harness.... VERY interesting. its built exactly on the same principle as Horse harness. But because dogs are built different and have much more mobility in the shoulders its dependant on the strap that comes between the lfront legs to keep the harness in position. Balanced between chest and withers.

And in the training harness diagrams you still use a regular dog collar which is fit above the harness on the neck.

The hitch to the vehicle is the same as in horses... even has many of the same "parts" names As in horses the rear dogs are called Wheelers and the front dogs are called the Swing.

deb

Yep, the harnesses sold in the pet shop are meant to restrain, and they are built quite differently. A dog harness built for pulling is a bit more like a figure 8 cat harness, and a dog can slip one if he suddenly goes into reverse.

 

[dsqard]

Bunny I used to have the same problem with my dogs. We had harnesses for them and I would hook them up for roller skating down the road. We had two dogs. A smaller shepherd mix and a larger lab mix. We would fly down the road but like the skateboard, not much in the way of a brake system. I had a few forays off the road for squirrels. My best way to brake was to lift the smaller dog off the ground so the bigger dog was pulling all the weight by himself. That usually tired him out pretty quick and I could then set the other dog down. Only one road rash incident.

 

[CanuckBock]

Oh, man, Tara, this brought back a memory . . . .

When Critter and I were much, much younger, we rescued a couple of Shepherd crosses that grew up to weigh about 45 - 50 lbs. Energy out the wazoo . . . . Anyway, he got the great idea to hook leashes on 'em and let them pull him down the road on a skateboard (boys and their toys, eh?). He thought it was great, but I didn't like it for 2 reasons - 1) they were pulling with their necks, and I didn't like putting pressure on their throats like that, and 2) I don't like a dog to pull on a lead anyway, and this was basically teaching them to do just that. So I looked at some pictures and figured out how dog team harnesses are constructed, cut up a pair of old jeans, and made a couple of harnesses for them. The first time Critter harnessed them up, they started off at a happy jog, but as they realized they could move without being choked, they put their heads down and just flew! That worked great as long as they stayed on the road, but they spotted a squirrel in a yard and, well . . . .

Let's just say they cornered a lot better than the skateboard - they went this way, the skateboard went that way, Critter wound up running on the road shoulder taking bigger strides than a long jumper . . . .

Crazy stuff. He did it a bunch of times, but it was never dull; he never could keep them focused, and never knew when they'd go off task and off road.

So you must be one of our neighbours that would call my mother up and complain we two kids (my sis and I) were being MEAN to our golden lab out on the WEsT Coast when it snowed (not too often did it snow decent either). Had our dog hooked to a small sled (still got it...it's an antique...jest like moi!).

there's our old sled...


Right above that thing for "axe grinding" eh ​

My mother merely replied to the complainers...if the dog did not want to pull the girls around, he would not. One of us kids always had to run in front calling him..."Come on Rex...Come!" He was hooked by a collar to some poly yeller cord to the sled of course, we were kids. The engineering dynamics of proper get ups were lost to us. Dog pull, we like...and yeh, if a squirrel had come out, I guess one of us would not have had to run in front...carrot on a stick like for an old donkey to follow.

Me and the Jacob rams (yeh, that be SHEEP...horned ones...multi pronged to get one thinking about moving it along already, eh!

​

Rick made the covered wagon when I wanted to embarrass him with one from a hardware store. Course this one is magnificent...on an ATV trailer and with a real canvas topper...yeh...small fortune spent not to shame the family name eh! I braided the harnesses, leads and whatnots...of course...

Yeh, yeh leather halters, antique sheep bells, brass hardware (brass because it don't freeze up like silvers do--this IS the Great White North).​

I've become much more sophisticatedly adept now...ordering cord from out East from fishing net supply stores and hitting up a going outta biz sadderly store for the brass hardware. Don't buy cord at the hardware stores...icrumba...way price a foot even. Tandy leather (not to be mean) but yowsers...if I had had to buy the hardware buckles and stuff, ouch! I watch constantly for brass anything on sale and snabb it up...won't go bad and you just never know what a cup of too much java will have me braiding up next...got the cord...rolls and rolls of it.

@Bunnylady

@CanuckBock

I got to reading up on dog sled harness.... VERY interesting. its built exactly on the same principle as Horse harness. But because dogs are built different and have much more mobility in the shoulders its dependant on the strap that comes between the lfront legs to keep the harness in position. Balanced between chest and withers.

And in the training harness diagrams you still use a regular dog collar which is fit above the harness on the neck.

The hitch to the vehicle is the same as in horses... even has many of the same "parts" names As in horses the rear dogs are called Wheelers and the front dogs are called the Swing.

deb

I can learn you sumthun on this one Deb...draft horse halter...turned upside down...instant dog harness and cheep cheap cheep...places like Princess Auto (nfi-go there, amazing what you can find for farm stuff) had multi coloured ones...so I think I picked up two.

I train FAR too many beasts to pull burdens. Sheep, dogs...heck, one day I'll hitch up a chook and join the chicken chariot racers...good doG!

Bungy cord on an old car tire...training sessions of fifteen minutes max, hook them up paired the same side each time, and a pan of some treat like grains for the rams. You got them eating outta yer pan...forgetting how idiotic you just were in thinking sheep would be draft (DAFT) animals. Yupp...can make any silly old thing pull a load...just watch me.


Now Deb...when I was going to harness up the sheeps...I looked at goat harnesses for inspiration and the horse styled ones too...the plow neck yokes and hames...but decided that unlike a horse, a sheep was shaped a tad different and better to do a body braided harness than a neck yoke for pulling...besides, you know it would take a leather sewer to do that and then the wooden and metal parts...so I went all cord and brass hardware. Works...but I am not asking the rams to pull any great load.

According to the article below, ACD's can pull 18 times their own weight...at fifty pounds for a Heeler...that's 900 pounds...no wonder you need the dog to oblige you when walking on lead...even a 250 pound man can be dragged down the road by an ACD...if'n that be where the ACD wants to go ignoring their human's wants.

Here's an article I had done up from the series of ACD's Excel at...

Quote:
Purdy kewl eh!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
My eventual plan is to build simple wood rails that are light and can be moved easily... So I can sweep the floor on occasion. I can still paint the deck with deck paint to seal it off its called Deck over and is water based. But it will cover both concrete and old wood and seal off any cracks in the process. No matter what wood I choose.

thanks a bunch

deb