Home » Plants & Animals » Mixed-Breed Dogs » Carting with Your Mixed Breed Dog

Carting with Your Mixed Breed Dog

© Deborah Kompare

Let me begin by saying that this is an activity I have not participated in with any of my dogs, but thought it would be interesting to explore. After some research, it seems this could be a fun activity to enjoy with any breed or size of dog. It can also provide you with some fun and challenges for training. It seems this sport dates back to times when dogs were used to help transport goods. When the merchant could not afford a horse, the wares were not that heavy, or the terrain not fit for equestrian mode of transportation, our dogs were able to rise to the occasion and meet the need.

On the site, Introduction to Carting, there is a very good article that can help you begin training your dog in this activity. The nice thing is that if you have a dog that will listen to you, but not win any obedience competitions, this could be a nice way to have fun training. Once you have mastered some basic commands, it seems the next step is to have your dog get used to wearing a harness. Since many people use harnesses to walk their dog, this seems like an easy step to take. From there, the suggestions are to have your dog become accustomed to pulling very light, small items and working up to larger ones.

On the site, Carting With Your Dog, there is information available to order, or make, your own cart. There are many styles and types available, depending on the work you would like to do. These carts can be used for anything from moving items to participating in a parade. Since one can make their own, it does not seem like you need to make a huge investment in this activity if you want to try it out. The author of one of the articles said they had the idea of starting out in carting when their dog would pull their children in their toboggans. This is a great way to utilize your dog, if your dog is large enough, or your children small enough!

I did see, at different sites, that there are competitions, if you would like that. However, what I did not notice is whether or not any of the major organizations offer any type of recognition for participating in an event, or any titles are given. For the most part, this activity is one that could be done, and you would never feel the need to compete. Your dog could be involved in this sport just by pulling a cart in a parade, or as mentioned before, children in a sled.