and if on snowshoes,,,

[kiiwosewinini]

What a better way of hauling your gear than with a dog.  This is our Husky mix, Joli.  She is almost 2 yrs (and can then pull weight) and I am training her to pack with packs, tobaggan, and cart (good for that, but not much of a hunting dog     ).  This is her on a training run before we got last week's big snows.

[Ron LaClair]

Very good looking dog with beautiful eyes. It looks like she'll come in real handy on winter scouts and hunts. What kind of snowshoes do you use?

[kiiwosewinini]

My newest ones are a pair of "Montagnais" shoes. They are the really big wide kind that look like a racket.  I also have an old pair of michigans and have a hal made (been meaning to lace them for 4 years) pair of Ojibwes. Wood and rawhide all the way.  I had a group os middle schoolers out shoeing a few years ago and the kids with modern alum. and neoprene shoes struggled in the real snow.

[formerbutcher]

Looks like fun. You should strap on some skis and let her pull you around. fun fun !!

[tpoof]

Very good exercise for the pup for sure!
She sure has wild eyes, seems she's got some Healer and Border in her, should be a smarty.

I agree with formerbutcher (skijouring) is just a blast, dogs seem to love it.
I have to put boots on my dogs as thier feet get cut up from the sharp snow!, doesn't seem to bother them till its about -20 then I guess the snow must get sharper?

[kiiwosewinini]

Originally posted by tpoof:
Very good exercise for the pup for sure!
She sure has wild eyes, seems she's got some Healer and Border in her, should be a smarty.

Yeah, the eyes are definately from her mom (Husky).  The dad is unknown as the mom was running.  I have heard a lot of guesses but I am leaning toward spaniel/bordercollie. Hard to say.  he was probably a mutt too.  Nothing like a good old mutt!

Skijoring... I have thought about that.  Perhaps next winter when she can handle a load!   :D

[formerbutcher]

Skijoring really doesn't put that much strain on the dog since you can ski behind them to get em going pushing with you'r arms and skiing. A buddy of mine had a dog that just loved it. It would see you getting the skis out and would just go nuts.

[mjh]

Tell us more on the toobagan.  Looks like an old style hauler?  What is it made out of?  How long? Wide? etc

[kiiwosewinini]

It is a two plank old style toboggan about 12-13" wide and app. 7ft long (I don't have it here at work to measure).  I made it of birch. It is all put together with rawhide lashing, using a tying technique seen on a few old Ojibwe and Cree tobaggans from the 18th century. Being tied instead of riveted/screwed makes it much more flexible and it works great.  Eventually I hope to build an 18th century harness for the mutt too, but time hasn't been working with me yet.

[homerdave]

you need any booties?
i have a bunch that would probably fit.
shoot me a pm if you can use  'em.