November 10, 2024, 9:03 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Canicross is a popular trend sport with dogs. PETBOOK author and dog health consultant Philine Ebert has put together a list of how it works and who this sport is really suitable for.
What dog owner doesn’t want to enjoy nature and also engage in sports with their four-legged friend? A trending sport known as “canicross” has been gaining popularity and is touted as the perfect activity for active and fit human-dog teams. The name is made up of the word “Canis” (Latin: dog) combined with “cross-country,” i.e., “cross-country running with dogs.”
What is canicross all about?
Canicross is the perfect sport for active people and dogs. It is all about fitness and concentration. Together, you run as a team, with the dog being guided by your voice commands. The dog typically runs ahead of the human, connected by a specialized harness and a tow line.
What’s unique about this sport is that the dog takes the lead, pulling the human. In contrast to walking on a lead in everyday life, the dog is allowed to set the direction and pace. It is mainly guided by commands such as “left,” “right,” or “pull.”
Canicross can even be enjoyed with multiple dogs. A good bond, plenty of practice, and obedience are essential, as the dogs have to be controlled by just one person at a time on several leads. Canicross combines sport with activity, endurance training, and strength exercises. Since 2002, there have even been world championships and various competitions in Germany. There are even two dedicated clubs for this dog sport.
In which environment do you do canicross?
The more varied and challenging the terrain, the better! The routes are characterized by uneven terrain with obstacles. Trails through forests and across meadows are suitable for this, as the risk of injury to dogs’ paws is lowest there. Randomly appearing trees, old tree trunks, roots, or stones provide the necessary attention, concentration, and variety when running.
What equipment is needed?
You do need some specialized equipment for this sport. This includes:
- an optimally fitting canicross harness for the dog
- a pulling line
- a canicross harness (hip belt) for humans
The harness for the dog is comparable to that for a sled dog. The pressure point is incorporated into this harness in such a way that the lungs are protected and performance is restricted as little as possible.
The flexible lead has a shock absorber, which is either incorporated at the end of the connection to the hip belt or in the lead. The shock absorber protects the spine of both humans and animals. A canicross leash should be about two meters long.
The hip belt has a quick-release “panic hook” that can minimize the risk of injury in an emergency.
For high-quality equipment that meets the requirements, you should seek advice from a specialist retailer and try on all the equipment in advance. This way, you can also test on the animal whether everything fits properly so that humans and dogs are equipped without risk.
Well-fitting, high-quality running shoes with a good profile for humans are a must for every jogger, runner, or athlete.
Which dogs are suitable for canicross?
From large to small, from family dogs to pedigree dogs, this sport is suitable for any animal that loves to run, as long as it is physically fit, healthy, and able to cope with the strain according to its constitution.
Popular breeds for this sport are particularly active, sporty dog breeds that are also suitable as pulling dogs, such as huskies, border collies, German shorthaired pointers, Belgian malinois, or mixed breeds of hunting dogs. Regardless of breed and size, many other active dogs also enjoy canicross.
What should you bear in mind?
The dog should definitely be fully grown so that the joints, which are still growing, are not damaged. As a rule, dogs should be between 12 and 18 months old, from which point they can slowly start training.
This sport is also suitable for older or even disabled dogs if their abilities and needs are taken into account. It is advisable to always take the opinion and assessment of the vet into account.
Attention should also be paid to a balanced weight ratio between dogs and humans. As a rule, a dog can pull around three to five times its own body weight.
As canicross is a demanding sport, training should be started slowly and increased continuously so as not to overtax the dog. Basic skills such as concentration, walking on a lead, changing direction, and important commands can be perfectly incorporated and trained.
Canicross should be practiced in cooler temperatures if possible, as dogs react very sensitively to heat and warmth. It is, therefore, advisable to avoid this demanding sport at temperatures above 15 degrees.
For which people with dogs is canicross suitable?
Essentially, this sport is the ideal combination of jogging and dog walking. However, it is important to bear in mind that canicross with a medium to large dog is a demanding, strenuous sport and not for inexperienced runners.
Both humans and animals need to be in good physical condition. Similar to jogging, the human should not have any joint or spinal problems, as running on uneven terrain and pulling the dog could be too demanding in this case.
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Conclusion
Canicross is a great challenge for a fit, healthy, and strong human-dog team. This outdoor activity can be practiced and trained as a hobby sport at a level appropriate to the physical condition of humans and dogs.
When practiced responsibly, canicross not only promotes health but also strengthens the bond between you and your dog. And it’s great fun for all two- and four-legged friends!