On Command Training

SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Location: Northewest GA
Time - 4:17 pm
Temperature: 84 degrees F
Conditions: Clear, breezy
Forecast: Clear tonight with a low of 48 degrees! Sunny tomorrow

For mushers with larger kennels, younger pups can be hooked up with an experienced leader and learn to run up front. They can learn commands like “gee” (right) and “haw” (left) by following the older dog’s example.

For micro-kennels, however, it isn’t that simple. You have to train a leader yourself. And, if you are like me and have one dog, that dog HAS to be your leader.

My current husky, Calypso, has pulled me on scooters but she hasn’t really been trained as a leader. So that is what we are working on now. I have command training gear from Black Ice Sled Dog Equipment. This consists of a belly band which helps keep Calypso from backing out of her harness (and can also encourage her to move forward) and a lead with two lines - a long line that clips to her collar and a shorter one that clips to the harness. This is also how I trained my first husky, Aspen.

I use a command training method based on Lee Fishback’s book, Training Lead Dogs (sometimes titled Training Lead Dogs My Way). Although dated, this is the BEST BOOK I HAVE FOUND ABOUT TRAINING A SINGLE DOG.

Fishback breaks the training process into five stages:

The dog learns to line out in front of the musher and run ahead without dashing off to the side, stopping, or allowing himself (or herself!) to become distracted.
Lining out with the tugline attached to a post. The dog must learn to line out even when the musher is not holding the line.
Learning gee and haw.
Go from canicross to pulling a bike or light sled (or a scooter!).
Running in a team with other dogs.
The first three stages are entirely canicross so they demand a lot of the musher. As Lee Fishback states on page 22 of the book “The most important requirement for successful lead dog training is the trainer must be in as good condition as the dog. You must be able to walk, run and act fast.”

I’m not even going to pretend that I could run as long or as hard as Calypso but I can run far enough for our command training sessions. I’ve been gradually increasing how far we run and this morning I could actually feel the instant we went farther than I was used to. I was about ready to collapse when we were through. Kippy (Calypso) was barely panting and that was more from the heat (it was about 65 degrees) than from exertion.

I certainly do not agree with everything in Training Lead Dogs. In fact the only training program that I wholeheartedly agree with every aspect of is my own. I have incorporated MANY different methods of dog training (too numerous to list here) into Fishback’s five stages. In the Winter 2005/2006 issue of Dog & Sled, I wrote an article summarizing how I train sled dogs. I am currently working on updating the article and hope to have it uploaded onto the Dog & Sled website within the next few weeks.

Calypso and I are currently on the first of the command training stages but I expect us to progress quickly. The pulling part shouldn’t be that difficult as she has pulled me on the scooter quite a bit in the past. I will post updates on how we are doing, as well as more information on the different stages of command training.