ISDW Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 I usually run 2 dogs at a time on a scooter, and my son comes out with me, so they're used to running behind each other, albeit on two different scooters. I had the chance of a go on a rig at the weekend (and will have my own by this coming weekend:D). We hooked all 4 of them up, but the back 2 caught up with the front 2 very easily. I put my big sibe Diesel at the back, as I thought he would be a good wheel dog cos he's so big and strong. However, he is definitely the alpha male at home, and he decided he had to be at the front, so I swapped them round and made him the lead dog. This seemed to stop the problem slightly, but not entirely. How can I get them to run properly, behind each other? I thought the lines wouldn't allow this to happen, but obviously I was wrong. Using the rig was amazing, really felt like I was working the dogs, but my knees and back ache just ever so slightly;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 wow sounds great i dont run so i cant help u but good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrysibe Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Putting together a team which will work well together is quite an art. Most people don't realise it until they move up from 2 to 3 or more dogs. My first sibe, Merlin, was an amazing lead dog. He would take commands and act immediately. The only problem was that he was a lazy leader and would slow the whole team down. When he ran behind a leader, he put twice the effort in. It is really a question of trial and error - trying out who goes best in which position. I've pretty much sussed it with my four dog team, but recently it's been warm, so I have been running six to try to minimise the effort they have to put in on a run. This has created a whole new set of issues as I've now got to sort out lead, wheel and team dogs. Imagine what it is like for Iditarod drivers running 12 dogs....... (Whoops - Sorry! I didn't notice Terry had logged in on the computer - this is from Mick (Raindog) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 LOL Mick - i just added to terry's rep for that !! You owe terry a brew and a bun for that lol Great stuff Karen - would love to see some pics and hear how you get on - need all the tips i can get for when i get my next 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 in your dreams sarah but we could drug marc then get him to let u have two more lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Going from 1 or 2, to 3, 4 and more needs a lot more focus and control For a start, your increasing pulling power and possibly speed, and reducing stopping power! You get 4 fit pulling dogs on an average rig, with an average weight musher, and those brakes aint going to stop you :crazy: Sure, good brakes will lock up the rig wheels, but a well-toned team can still drag it, and you, with the wheels locked up. Next, you need good reactions. If a dog stops and you don't react in an instant, you'll either have a tangled team, an injured dog, or a broken limb. If a bigger team is flying and decide to make up their own route, your going to end up headbutting a tree, or the floor, while your team are dissapearing off into the distance My best advice would be to make sure the dogs you have in lead (up front) are BOMBPROOF before adding dogs behind them. You need to know they are reliable, will follow your commands and not be distracted before considering a bigger team. We always start out new workers as a two-dog team, and put them beside a reliable dog in the first instance. Not till we are happy with them in that situation will we add them to a bigger team, as you have far more control over two dogs and fairly easy to get off and have a direct hold of them if need be. The best tip I could share on running a bigger formation is to always watch your lines and always keep them tight. If the dogs up front have slack lines, slow down the team. If the dogs behind have slack lines, slow down the team. 99 times out of a 100, it's allowing lines to become slack that causes tangles, accidents, injuries and the wrecking of a dogs confidence. NEVER push a reluctant dog downhill. If a dog is backing off downhill, slow up the team to keep pull in the harness to give that dog confidence. lines are bits of rope, not ridged structures. if the dogs not pulling on it, its going to dangle, and if it dangles, its going to end up wrapped round a leg, or the rig wheel. If you get the lines round the rig wheel, your going headfirst over the bars...Ive seen it happen! Next best tip is to keep your rig behind the dogs. If the dogs are not in a straight formation, use the brakes to tighten up the lines and bring them back in line, but never brake if the rig is not behind the dogs, or you stand a good chance of injuring them and could even end up pulling a dog off its feet. I have seen far too many inexperienced mushers having problems with dogs on trails because they just dont have the 'eye' or the intuition to avoid problems and are simply running more dogs than they can safely cope with and control. I run a team of 4, and I ONLY run a team of 4 because I know how each dog on that team ticks and have complete faith in the fact that they AlWAYS listen to me. Give me dogs that were not so reliable, and i just wouldn't do it. Im a lightweight musher, on a lightweight rig, and dogs I didnt have complete trust in would make that combination dangerous. Theres no way I could stop them on a sixpence if they decided to do what they wanted, I simply dont have the weight. Tempting as it is to go out and run a whole load of dogs, follow the golden rule of only running what you can rely on, and don't add to that number till you are sure you can handle them, for theirs and your sake! Im sticking at a team of 4 this season. I MAY add a fifth next season, but then again, I may not! For now, a team of 4 trustworthy dogs is very much my comfort zone and mine and my dogs saftey outrules any notions of adding more just for the adreniline rush. If im not relaxed behind a team, im not going to run them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 great advice lyn added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 some great advice on here, i dont run myine so i wish you luck and would love to see some pics xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISDW Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Thanks Lyn, great post, a lot to think about definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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