Weight pulling is a sport that dates back to the earliest times dogs were used as draft animals. Just as we have horse pulls and tractor pulls (men with their toys trying to prove that theirs is bigger and stronger than the next guy's), someone thought of the idea of weight pulling competitions for dogs, so that someone could say, "My dog's stronger than your dog."
In modern times, there are various types of weight pull competitions and organizations sponsoring them. There is the IWPA (International Weight Pulling Association), which sanctions weight pulling competitions and bestows titles on dogs which meet the pulling requirements, which are based on percentage of body weight of the dog. There is also the American Dog Breeder's Association, which sanctions weight pull competitions at dog shows for the American Pit Bull Terrier. There are also any number of sled dog organizations which hold weight pulls in connection with sled dog races in the winter time around the northern regions.
There is more than just strength involved in weight pulling competitions, especially the winter events. To pull a weighted sled over frozen terrain involves first "breaking out" the runners from the ice. Depending on the weather conditions on any given day, the sled may be "sticky" or it may slide rather easily. A good strategy is to have your dog pull to the right or left, to break out the runners, then to keep it moving, once the runners are free, so they don't get "stuck" again.
Good weight pulling technique involves keeping the body low to the ground, and applying all of the strength horizontally. Many dogs get frustrated when faced with a weight that they can't easily budge, and they begin leaping into the air, throwing themselves into the pull. This might help to break the runners free, but it won't get the sled into the forward momentum it needs to maintain movement.
The added factor of the runners freezing to the ground makes it more difficult to pull in this way than in one of the warm-weather pulls.
I have seen weight pull competitions at ADBA dog shows, and the dogs are able to pull much greater amounts of weight. The "sled" is on wheels which rolls across a track like a railroad car. The dog can only pull in one direction, and there is no need to break the sled free. But once it starts rolling, there is a definite advantage in going smoothly with the forward momentum, and not letting the sled stop. I have seen Pit Bulls pull weights upwards of 1,000 pounds easily this way, whereas the winter weight pulls often max out at around 800 pounds.
I will try to describe the way the pulls work, based on the ones I have entered or witnessed. First, everyone brings their dog to the weigh-in. The dogs are placed in a weighing device to determine their weight. Then, each dog takes a turn pulling the weight. They start with the empty sled, which in the winter competitions weighs 85 pounds. The dogs must pull a minimum of the empty sled to continue. The dog must pull the weight 16 feet, and has a minimum of 1 minute to do it in. Otherwise they get a DNP (did not pull), and are disqualified from further competition. After the initial weight, each handler can "pull" or "pass" as their turn comes around each time. A handler can pass up to two times before he has to have his dog pull again. The reason for this is to allow the dog to preserve his strength, if the handler is relatively sure that the dog can pull the weight. The weight is usually added on in 50 pound increments. As each dog fails to pull the new weight, he is dropped out of the competition until the last dog pulls the most weight. That dog is not necessarily the winner, depending on his body weight.
My weight pull dog, Weasel, is a Welsh Corgi. She weighs in at anywhere from 20 to 23 pounds. By the time she pulls the empty sled, she has already pulled 4 times her body weight. A 120 pound Rottweiller would have to pull 480 pounds to beat her. Weasel can pull ten times her body weight. That means the 120 pound dog will have to pull 1,250 pounds to beat her (or 1,200 with a faster time). If there is a tie in amount of weight pulled, the win goes to the dog that pulled the weight in the least amount of time. Weasel does quite well at the weight pulls when she is in good condition. She is low to the ground and strong.
Conditioning is very important for this sport. You don't want to take a couch potato dog and hook him up to a sled and ask him to pull his guts out. You will want to do some weight training and gradually build on the amount you ask your dog to pull over the training season.
To participate in weight pull, you will need a special weight pulling harness. This kind of harness has more than the usual amount of padding, and comes down low, across the dog's back legs, to keep the weight bearing area down low. There is a bar across the rear of the harness to keep the straps from squeezing against the dog's legs during a pull. To train, you will need weights in measured quantities, so you know exactly how much you are asking your dog to pull, and how much you are increasing the weight each time. Then you will need some type of sled or cart to put the weight in to practice having your dog pull it.
Start by having your dog pull a very light weight, like the empty sled. Call your dog to you from 16 to 20 feet away. Some dogs will easily pull the sled, and others will say, "I'm Tied!" and give up. You have to teach the dog that he is not tied to an immovable object, and can budge the thing he is anchored to. Start close to the dog with a food reward and back up. If this doesn't motivate the dog to dig in and follow the cookie, you might have to attach a line to the sled and help get it started moving yourself. Once it is moving, it is easier to keep moving. When the dog starts getting the idea about pulling steadily forward to earn praise and treats, you can start adding a cue word to mean "pull." You can just call the dog with his name, but I think it helps if he has a cue word associated with the kind of low-to-the-ground, leverage pulling you are wanting him to do. When the dog will pull this light weight for you on cue, you may begin adding your incremental weights. I used cinderblocks and cement stepping stones to condition my Corgi.
Your dog will reach a point when he can't break the sled free before he will reach a point of not being able to pull it. If you always break it loose for him, however, he will not learn that he can do it himself. To get the dog to break loose the sled, you can have him pull sharply to the right and left. You can do this by using directional commands, if your dog knows them, or by standing over to the right and calling, then standing over to the left and calling. The dog may also be able to jolt the sled free a little better with a sudden lunge. That is why I try to leave the dog on a stay command with a slight bit of slack in the tug line. You don't want him to knock himself out when he reaches the end of the rope, you just want enough of a snap to jar the sled a little. Then, you want him to immediately continue pulling low, to keep the sled moving.
As the handler, it is your responsibility to do a few things.
First, make sure your dog knows what is expected of him. Many people get the whim to enter their dog in a weight pull competition, thinking he'd be good because he always "pulls on the leash." Dogs that have not pulled before often don't have a clue what is expected of them, and they often try to get out of the harness, run away, or go over to the spectators. It must be embarrassing for the owner, when their 100 lb dog won't even pull the empty sled. Practice before you enter.
Next, follow the rules. Keep your dog in the staging area and be ready when it's your turn. Don't leave your leash attached to the dog's pulling ring while waiting. If he learns that pulling does no good, he will be confused and will not be a good puller. He has to know that when he has the pulling harness on and is attached to anything, he must try to budge it as hard as he can. Don't use food to get your dog to pull. After the pull, you can give your dog a treat in the staging area, but you are not allowed to lure him with food, other dogs, other family members, or other goodies. Be ready when it is your turn to pull, and quickly take your dog back to the staging area when you're finished. Know your dog's limitations. Use your judgment as to choosing "Pass" or "Pull," and don't ask your dog to pull more weight than you feel he can reasonably pull. Most dogs will limit themselves, however, and would stop short of pulling until they hurt themselves. When your dog is unable to successfully pull the weight, have the chute steward get the sled started, and let the dog finish pulling it for fun (to end on a good note).
Finally, Keep the safety and welfare of your dog first, as you would in any sport. Check the dog's foot pads to make sure they're in good condition. Make sure they are not caked with ice before a pull. Make sure the toenails are not left too long or clipped too short. Either condition can prove painful. A split toenail is very painful condition, and a dog should not compete until it is well healed.
Weight pull can be a very fun and exciting sport. It's especially fun to watch a little dog beat all of the larger dogs. One of the first weight pull dogs I came to know was a Chinese Crested. These are small, skinny, hairless dogs with the topknot on their heads. Not exactly the type of dog you would picture being a weight pull champion. It just goes to show that you can do just about any dog sport with just about any breed (or mix) of dog!
