When you’re just getting started in a mushing sport it can be hard to find good trails for you and your dog to train on…so, I thought I’d share a few of my favourite Calgary pathways for a winter canicross run. Let’s get to it! 1. Edworthy Park Pathway Running along Memorial Drive, you can go as far or short as you like. I like to park around the Gas Plus around 32 St NW & Memorial Drive. During the day I’ll head west along the grassy corridor on the north side of the pathways, then back in the grassy median between the two paved pathways. This is a great short training loop (it takes ..read more

You want to get out and run your dog, but looking at the temperature you’re not sure if that’s a safe choice for today. So, how do races decide whether it’s safe to run? And, can that help you decide if you should hit the trails today? Brrr! Beautiful, but brrr! Racing Temperatures All races have a designated Race Marshall, one of their duties is to determine if the weather conditions are safe for racing. Using the International Federation of Sleddog Sports 2021-2022 Race Rules, a warm daily temperature over 61°F (16°C) with 85% humidity may cause an event to be delayed or cancelled, no r ..read more

As a Wheel Dog member you’re probably starting to rack up your teams ribbons…which always leads to the question what should you do to display them? Your team worked darn hard for them, you don’t want them to disappear in a drawer somewhere. So, we thought we’d share a few of our favorite ideas to convert your ribbons into a beautiful display that your dog can be proud to show off! Our top 7 Ribbon Display Ideas: Bookmark: A quick and easy way to keep your hard earned ribbons in sight Picture Frame: Buy a standard picture frame, or shadow box. Place your ribbons creatively to show off you ..read more

Since it’s our name sake, wheel dogs are near and dear to our heart. So, what is a wheel dog? On a traditional sled dog team they are the dog, or dogs, closest to the sled. They are often the biggest and strongest dogs on the team. And, usually not the fastest. The two rear dogs are "wheel dogs" on this sled team Somehow, that means they always get portrayed as being less intelligent. At least when it comes to movies and pop culture. But, that’s far from the truth. The truth is these dogs are the backbone of any team. They’re the work horses that pull the most weight on the team. And, for ..read more

If you spend your winter in the snow with your dog, you’ve probably wondered about whether they need to wear boots…and do mushers really use them? Or is that just a city-folk thing? Well, the quick answer is yes! Absolutely mushers use them…but usually not the same kind you’d find in your local pet store. Dog Mushing Booties Mushers use booties for their sled dogs primarily to keep the snow from building up between the dog’s toes, and to protect the pads of the feet from damage caused by icy and snow. Our recreational mushing dogs need the same protection as sledding dogs, if they are run ..read more

You’re excited to hit the trails with your dog. You want them to power boost you up those challenging hills (not down the hill Riggs!). Well, if that’s the case you’re definitely going to need something to transfer that power! That’s where your new canicross line (or leash) will come in. So, what should you look for in a good line for canicross? I’m so glad you asked! In this post we’ll go through three main things you should look for when picking a good leash for canicross. The first thing…sort of a bonus, is too look for one that’s the correct length. If you’re buying from a mushing suppl ..read more

You’ve decided skijor is the sport for you and your team – awesome! You’re going to have a lot of fun. Maybe you’ve rented some skis already, or used to ski as a kid, and you’ve already decided what kind of skiing you want to do (classic, skate or touring) and now it’s time to buy skis of your very own. If you’re not sure what kind of skiing you want to do, I’ll post another blog post on it. But, I’m going to suggest classic cross country skiing if you’re just getting started. It’s easy to find equipment and classes, and pretty easy to learn at a basic level. So for the rest of this arti ..read more

Alberta peeps, are you interested in this mushing thing, but not sure where or how to get started? Well then today is your lucky day, because we’re going to share three great clubs that can help you get started in the wonderful world of recreational mushing…let’s dive in! #1 Kicksled Edmonton If you live in the Edmonton area, we can’t recommend this group enough. Ask to join the group and get access to the great equipment guides, trail information, and learn about upcoming group runs and learn to mush events. Heck, even if you don’t live near Edmonton it’s worth the drive! #2 Alberta Mus ..read more