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Drafting dogs: species-appropriate occupation for dogs that enjoy running

Overview of popular draught dog sports

When it comes to train dog sport, most people probably first think of huskies pulling a sled through the snowy landscape. But train dog sport has much more to offer than that and has found more and more enthusiastic followers in recent years.


Why train dog sport is a great occupation for many dog breeds, in which disciplines you can try yourself and what you should pay attention to with regard to the physical conditions of your four-legged friend, you will learn in the following. We will also explain to you why a diet tailored to your needs is crucial in the sport of draught dogs.

Overview of popular draught dog sports

Train dog sport has a lot to offer and promises fun and variety for people and animals alike. Because in the course of time a whole series of different sports have developed, in which the dog is required in some form as a draught animal.

The following draught dog sports are particularly popular and well-known:

  • sled dog races
  • canicross
  • dogscooting
  • bikejoring

Dog sledding

When it comes to train dog sport, sled dog races are without a doubt the classic par excellence. The runs can be over shorter distances of 10 to 50 kilometres as well as over longer distances of several 100 kilometres.


The teams, which pull the dog sled together with its owner, partly consist of 10 or more animals. Good sled dogs can manage to cover up to 200 kilometres within 24 hours by appropriate training with the time.

Canicross

Although Canicross is a train dog sport, this sport is very different from other disciplines. Unlike sled dog racing or Dogscooting, Canicross does not require a vehicle. 


Instead, the dog handler simply follows his four-legged friend. Man and animal are connected with a leash, so that the usually clearly faster dog exerts pull on its two-legged companion and drives this so to maximum performance.

Dogscooting

Dogscooting

Dogscooting has developed into a real trend sport in recent years. In this form of draught dog sport, one or two dogs are pulled in front of a special scooter, the so-called Dogscooter, and pull their master or mistress behind them.


The task of the owner of the Dogscooter is to steer the dogs and to make sure that the Dogscooter stays in the track. Among other things, this dog sport is ideal for keeping classic sled dogs busy in a species-appropriate way outside the season.

Bikejoring

With Bikejöring the dog is stretched similarly as with the Dogscooting with a pull line before the bicycle. In this way, an experienced team can often reach speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour. 


The advantage of this dog drawn sport is that the cyclist can control the load very well by supporting his four-legged friend by pedalling. For this reason Bikejoring is also suitable for older or smaller animals.

For which dogs is train dog sport suitable?

Thanks to different disciplines and variable track lengths, drafting dog training is not only suitable for sled dogs such as Huskies, but for almost all dog breeds that enjoy running. For example, you can easily get Labradors and Golden Retrievers enthusiastic about the Dogscooter or get a Beagle involved with Bikejoring.


However, you should of course always keep the well-being of the four-legged in mind and choose the load in the draught dog sport according to the abilities of your dog. 

The following characteristics are essential for practising draught dog sport:

  • The dog must not suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system or joint problems, which in case of doubt should be checked by a veterinarian.
  • The animal must already be fully grown, since the not yet correctly developed movement apparatus can take damage with young animals otherwise. 
  • The four-legged friend should have fun with running and should not belong straight to a race, which, like for example the English Bulldog, is completely unsuitable for perseverance sport.

Why train dog sport is a great occupation

Why train dog sport is a great occupation

One or the other critic does not have a great opinion of draught dog sport. This even goes so far that this form of dog sport is called cruelty to animals. In fact, however, many breeds of draught dog sport correspond very closely to the natural needs of the animals.


Because even though the majority of dogs today are kept as pure family and social dogs, almost all breeds were originally bred for some form of work.


This circumstance is still reflected in the physical and mental requirements of the four-legged friends, so that the often usual underemployment in the everyday life as a family dog can lead in the long run even to behavioral abnormalities.


Draught dog sport, which is oriented to the individual abilities of the animals, is therefore ideally suited to provide sufficient movement for dogs who enjoy running and to occupy them with a meaningful task. 

Draught dog sport and a needs-based diet

Of course, a balanced diet is important for all dogs. However, special requirements have to be taken into account in the draught dog sport. Because the physical strain of the four-legged friends leads to the fact that a nutrition meeting demand is of crucial importance for the health and the efficiency of the draught dogs.


The animals have among other things an increased energy requirement, which they must cover with their food, and need additional proteins for the regeneration and the protection of their musculature. 


For longer distances, it may also be necessary, in addition to watering the animals properly, to supply them with additional energy in the form of fats and carbohydrates before exercise so that they can maintain their performance for as long as possible.

The Bellfor nutrition concept for draught dog sport

In the Bellfor range, active dog owners will find everything they need to feed their four-legged friends as their needs change. Our products for active dogs were developed with the help of our competence team, which also includes Marc and Jule Prins from the Bellfor Racing Team. 

With the following products from Bellfor you support your four-legged friend optimally with the train dog sport:

  • Bellfor Premium PUR Aktiv dry food with an extra high fish and meat content and digestible carbohydrates from rice and maize
  • Bellfor Fitness Powder as an additional protein source that promotes regeneration and supports muscle growth in athletically active dogs.
  • Bellfor Fitness Bar as an energy supplier with a perfectly balanced ratio of carbohydrates and fats for optimal performance during long periods of stress.
  • Bellfor Joints & Bones with Ovopet to provide the joints with nutrients and to counteract discomfort caused by the strain of draught dog sport


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