Terrier owners who disagree you need a big dog for canicross
We often hear people saying that they can’t take up running with their dog because people can’t run with smaller dogs, this is absolutely not the case! In all the years we’ve been canicrossing, we’ve seen loads of people running with their smaller dogs, just because they’re little doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the benefits of canicross with you too. The only thing you need to be aware of is that you don’t push your dog beyond what they are capable of but this is the same for any size of dog and as long as you build up your distance and intensity slowly then you should be fine.
Tinkerbell the canicrossing Jack Russell Terrier
To help us dispel the myth about small dogs not being good for running canicross style with we asked three of our friends who run with their terriers to give us their stories, first up is Tinkerbell who runs with her owner Claire.
“Tinkerbell Aurora Belle (to give her full name) Mostly known as Tinks or The rat, is a 6kg Jack Russell. We got her from a rescue as a 12-week old puppy for my daughter who was then 6 years old as she wanted a dog she could run with and control herself. Tinks started off running in harness with Elsie my daughter in the kids’ races which were about a mile long, she loved it and would scream at the start.
Tinks (now 7) still occasionally races with small kids just starting out. She mostly free runs with me and the bigger dogs these days as she likes to go off hunting, she gets put on the line for roads and livestock. We usually run 2-3 times a week, anything from 5K to 15 miles and her little legs keep up. I do have to be sensible with her now she’s getting older as being a terrier she will never admit to being tired! Her little legs have to full-on gallop to keep up with the 6-7 min mile pace of the bigger dogs. If she has run with us she always gets more food that night as I feel she’s put in 5 times the effort of the rest of us.
As a typical terrier, she does “hop” occasionally and will run for several minutes with one leg held up and will then alternate it to the other one! The vet has fully X-rayed her and she’s fine, it’s just one of those terrier things! With regards to harnesses, it took us a few attempts to get the right one for her because although small she really does pull and the original harness we got her started to choke her.
As with any dog it’s important to have regular vet checks, Tinks has a heart murmur which is being monitored but at the moment she is super fit and always raring to go!”
Betty the trail running Border Terrier
Our next pint-sized dog and owner to give us their opinion on needing a big dog to canicross with is Betty and her owner Andrew who says this about their running partnership…
“Betty is a Border Terrier, a breed I discovered when out running in the Lake District and loved the fact they were hardy independent dogs that enjoyed the rugged terrain. Initially, I was after a buddy for exploring the local trails but happened across canicross in the Forest of Dean and she loved it so decided to take it further. We go out running most days of the week depending on what event we are building up to, for ultras we will often run 5k to work and then 10k home.
We have had some amazing adventures, but the one that stands out for me is when we competed in a half marathon 2 years after we had started running together. The bigger dogs all raced off, but I could tell Betty was determined that day with her ears pinned back. By 5 miles we were catching others up and at 10 had gone into the lead, and eventually winning, proving a little pooch can take the big ones on. I’d say don’t underestimate a smaller dog, they might not have the same pulling power as a larger dog but have their advantages, coping brilliantly with steep, twisty technical trails and distance is definitely not a barrier.”
Patch the adventure Patterdale Terrier
Finally, we asked journalist and Pet Publicity Expert Rachel about her dog Patch and her experience of canicrossing with a small dog
“Patch is a Patterdale Terrier. We had him DNA tested and he is Parsons Russell, Jack Russell, Border Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier. He’s five and he weighs around 9.5kgs. I used to go running with my old dog Daisy, she was a terrier and had no recall but lots of energy, and running was a way to make sure she got the exercise she needed.
When I adopted Patch it was around a time when I was connected to people in the Canicross world and I wanted to do things properly. I’m ashamed to say I ran with Daisy on a collar and a Flexi lead but I know much better now. Before lockdown, I joined a Canicross group and I try to get there when I can but I would love to do more.
I first started running about 12 years ago to get fit and when I got a dog, it seemed like something we could enjoy together and I’ve really enjoyed learning more about Canicross. I run probably at least three days a week and it ranges from a couple of miles up to five miles, but I am building up to running more as I have signed up for the Great North Run. Patch won’t be doing it with me, but I will need to build up the miles! It’s for a brilliant charity called Wag and Co who provide friendship dogs for people up here in the North East.
My great achievement with Patch was not running but we climbed up Helvellyn in the Lake District. It was scary and we had to carry Patch at some points. We had his Canicross harness and belt on thankfully which made us feel slightly safer and it was an experience for sure. When we got to the bottom he was still raring to go!
I love running with my small dog. I can’t imagine what it must be like to run with a larger dog as Patch is small but still pulls me along and is very strong. He absolutely loves going to Canicross and wants to be up at the front, but unfortunately, he has me holding him back.
Definitely don’t feel like you can’t run with a small dog. As long as they are healthy and it’s appropriate, you can have so much fun. The first Canicross group I joined didn’t have many little dogs but there are a few at Geordie Canicross so he fits in. Be sure to build up with them and make sure they are wearing a harness that fits – lots of groups will help you with this in a taster session. And enjoy it!”
In conclusion
In this short blog, I’ve shared with you just 3 of the many, many stories I know of people running with smaller dogs and in particular Terriers, because they seem to have that strong work ethic that goes hand in hand (or paw in paw) with being dogs who really enjoy the challenge and fun of going out running the trails with their owners.
If you have any concerns about running with your dog you can always consult with your vet to check there are no physical limitations for your dog specifically which might hinder your progress, but otherwise, our advice would be just to get out there and give it a go.
(A very slightly edited transcript from the podcast, so please excuse any grammatical errors and the length of the text!)
The reason that I have felt compelled to do an episode (and now this blog taken from the transcript) on Parkrun is because there have been recent changes made to Parkruns’ policy on running with dogs, that have deeply upset the Canicross community. And I for one can see why.
Basically, I just want to do a quick run-through of Parkrun and how it has related to Canicross in the past. When I first started canicrossing, you could just run with your dogs at Parkrun, there were no real restrictions. So you could run with more than one dog and there were no restrictions on the kit.
Parkrun has always historically been a very inclusive event on a Saturday morning, nine o’clock around local and usually public parks, sometimes they do have permission on private land to run the events. They’re 5k, they’re timed and if you take along your barcode, you get a time at the end of it which puts you in a gender and an age position. It’s quite good for monitoring your progress. It’s always been considered not to be a race.
So when people started competing through Parkrun, it flies in the face of what it was actually intended for because Parkrun has always been intended as a very inclusive and social, fun, free event on a Saturday morning. Originally it started out like I mentioned, with you being able to take any number of dogs along there were no restrictions on kit, you could run your dog however you wanted to and it started to get more popular with canicrossers. On the whole, we were always asked to start at the side or at the back of the start.
As the Parkruns got more popular, there were more people, so they asked us to step to one side as a canicross runner and they even marked us as ‘assisted’ for the timing so that people who were trying to achieve personal records didn’t get too upset by the fact that we were perhaps assisted by our dogs.
So from there, I think a lot of people became aware of people running with dogs at their events, a few people complained, mostly it was the competitive people who complained because I think they felt that it was unfair that the Parkrunners with their dogs were assisted, which was why the assisted category came in. But it also meant that run directors and event directors have to find ways to incorporate dogs into their Parkrun. This meant starting at the back, with some of the more forward-thinking ones starting us at the front, because obviously you get your dogs out of the way first, that’s much better for everyone, however the majority of them will start at the back.
As canicrossers, went along with whatever the Parkrun director for that particular event said, some Parkruns started to ban dogs because they felt that they weren’t safe in the situation that they had, that particular setup on some of the more narrow paths if they had a lot of people. You can check whether they are dog-friendly Parkruns or not before you attend through the website.
One of my first Parkruns at the Swindon Lydiard Parkrun
It then developed into Parkrun didn’t want people running with more than one dog because they felt it was unsafe, and it would potentially cause accidents. So every single park run across the country in the UK was then not allowed to have any runners with more than one dog. That was a bit of a blow to some of us who ran with two dogs. I have to say it was one of the factors that stopped me from going to my local park run because at the time I was running mainly with two dogs. I wondered ‘what am I going to do with the other dog while I’m running just one?’ I would have to just go around again or it just wasn’t worth it for me when they decided that it would only be one dog per runner. They also decided that you needed to have a short line and by short line they indicated no longer than 1.2 metres. That was how the park run line that you see today on all the canicross retail stores came about it, because Parkrun stipulated that they wanted a line that was no more than 1.2 metres.
So we all changed our lines to shorter lines if we wanted to do Parkrun, or the majority of us did. We again followed what the Parkrun directive wanted us to do. It seems that in spite of the fact that it’s cut down to one dog now, and we’re to run them on really short lines, there are still people who have complained about people running with dogs that Parkrun and there are still people who have managed to get involved in an incident.
Park run have recently announced that they’re making changes to what they allow in terms of running with dogs again. It’s this that’s really brought me to doing this podcast (and transcripted blog) today. Because the implications of what they are now saying is going to be their blanket policy means that essentially, you won’t be able to canicross at Parkruns anymore and that is because they have banned the use of waist belts.
So what they have asked for now in their ruling is that you run with your dog on a handheld lead, they haven’t specified whether it’s attached to a collar or harness, so you can still run your dog in a harness, and they haven’t specified that it be a bungee lead or a fixed lead. So you could still run with a bungee lead, but it has to be in your hand and you have to be within arm’s length of your dog – for many people, that’s just going to be impractical.
If you’ve trained a dog to Canicross, they are not going to want to run at your side, which is essentially what Parkrun are requesting now – that your dog runs at your side. There are also a few issues with this in terms of the actual setup because if you think about having a lead in your hand, you’re very much out of balance, all the control is coming from one side, the side that you’re holding the lead. If you’ve got a belt on, you’ve got the whole of your centre of gravity to act as a control for your dog, so you’re going to be much more balanced, your dog’s going to be much more balanced. If you are a trained canicrosser, which most of us who have done Park run are, then your dog is going to be in the middle in front of you and not causing any problems going off to the side. So it’s going to be very balanced, it’s going to be very controlled.
The other problem with having just a handheld lead is that if something happens, and you end up dropping that lead, then you’ve lost your dog, you’ve got a loose dog in amongst hundreds, (potentially) of park runners. So actually having your dog attached to your waist is a much more sensible idea than having it just in your hand. I created a graphic last week on the back of all these changes to indicate to people that it’s really not a good idea to be running with a handheld lead and your dog unless you have got a dog who runs to heel, and you’ve trained your dog to run to heel, which is something that you could potentially do if you haven’t done it already. It’s not outside the realms of possibility to be able to do this with a dog who you’ve already trained to canicross because dogs are very intelligent creatures, they’re very smart and they will pick up on a difference in your training, if you decide to take it down that route.
However, the fact that Parkrun now seem to be advocating this as a way of running with your dog really bothers me personally, because I have spent the whole time that I have run my business – 10 years now, trying to educate people about why running your dog with a harness with a bungee lead on a waist belt is so much safer, and prevents injury than running with a handheld lead. This just blows all of that out of the water when you’ve got an organisation as big and as influential as Parkrun now saying actually, we want you to come to our events and run with your dogs with a handheld lead running next to you, because that’s not what Canicross is about.
I’ve seen a lot of people who have commented saying, ‘well, you know, it should be about that’. That dogs should be under control and Parkrun have got every right to insist on that. It is their event, and it’s their responsibility to make sure that everybody gets around that Parkrun course, safely. So if that’s what they’ve decided to say or their new rules, then really there’s not a lot the canicross community can do about that.
However, I feel really sad and really, I’m really bothered by the fact that there are going to be people out there who see this and think, ‘Well, this is the way to run with your dog’. Because actually, there’s a much better way to run with your dog. That’s with the waist belt, a bungee lead and a harness. So having something like that out there being put out there in the public, is almost it feels to me like a massive backward step from where we were going with promoting the sport of canicross in the country. As much as Park run isn’t designed for canicrossers, it has always welcomed canicrossers, in the 13 years that I’ve been running with my dogs, it’s always been a really inclusive place for people to run with their dogs with a lot of the event volunteers and directors themselves actually canicrossers.
I feel this is just a big blow to everybody who’s worked so hard to include canicross in the Parkrun community. And I know from what I have seen, on all the social media that’s been going around on it, (and there has been a lot on social media) there’s a lot of people who are very upset, there are a lot of people who are angry, and a lot of people who are really disappointed. And I would say that I fall into the disappointed category because it doesn’t upset me as such, I’ve got other avenues for canicrossing my dogs and like I say, since they cut the number of dogs that you could run with down to one, I haven’t actually participated in as many Park runs as I did prior to that. So I’m not upset about that decision. I’m not angry about that decision, because I feel that it is their event, it’s their rules, they can make whatever they want to as their rules.
However, I am really disappointed that an organisation like Parkrun would put out there something which basically suggests that it’s a good idea to run with your dog next to you with a handheld lead. And that’s what we have been trying to campaign against, people don’t choose the right equipment, they often run dogs on collars, and then you get dogs with neck injuries, you can even get dogs with eye injuries if they’ve got a lot of pressure on their neck from having something pulling on their neck all the time. You also don’t necessarily have as much control because you’re holding that lead, so you don’t have your hands free. The risk to injury for both the human and the dog, I think is increased by having that kind of setup without the proper equipment. So it’s just been really disappointing to me. And I can understand why some of my friends are angry, and I can understand why some of my friends are upset. And I’ve been personally asked by a number of people to campaign against this decision, which I won’t be doing because like I said it’s up to Parkrun to choose their own rules, and they’re entitled to do what they want with that. But I did have to make it clear that I’m disappointed with that decision. And the reason for that is because I don’t think it’s a safe decision. And I don’t think it’s a very good way to be advocating running with dogs. So that’s my position on it.
And people are so upset about this, because Parkrun has been such a big part of their canicross journey with their dogs for so long. And I know people who perhaps only ever take their dog to Parkrun and don’t take part in Canicross races. And that’s because they’ve always enjoyed the friendly and welcoming atmosphere that they found that their local Parkrun. It’s also for people that don’t have the time, or the resources to travel for long distances to races, at least they can get out and be sociable and experience that sort of group run atmosphere at their local Parkrun. It’s always been inclusive and it gives you the chance to mix with a variety of different people in the running community. I know families that go to park runs and they run with all different generations, some people run with dogs, some people don’t, but they can all go to the same place and all take part in the same run and get their token to get their placing at the end.
So it is going to be very disappointing for a huge number of people that they can no longer do that essentially, unless they are willing to train their dog to run by their side and potentially increase their risk of injury for themselves or their dog in my opinion by meeting the new rules that Parkrun have brought out. I think from my point of view, the future now is that Parkrun have, albeit through a blog rather than publicly on any social media channels have now indicated that this is the change that’s going to be made from April the 2nd and I don’t think they’re going to back down on that.
I think the point now is to try and be constructive moving forward. And if that means the canicross community are going to have to work twice as hard to educate people about safe running with dogs, then I think that is what we’re going to do. I think there are people who are already putting the wheels in motion for an alternative for people called Bark Run. And at the moment, that’s currently looking to take place at some of the Parkrun sites where it’s accessible and viable to do so. At 8am, in the morning, on a Saturday, around the same course as the Parkrun would, but not interfering with the setting up of the Parkruns that are going to be taking place. And obviously with the agreement and cooperation of the Parkrun directors who are already at that venue. So that’s something to look out for. If you are disappointed about the new changes to Parkrun that looks like it’s gathering momentum. And we’ll just have to see how that goes.
Hopefully, that won’t be in conflict with anything that Parkrun are doing. And it does seem to be being welcomed by a lot of the Parkrun volunteers and people who have been involved, who were also disappointed themselves that Parkrun have made this blanket decision about changing the rules on what equipment can be used. So that’s something to look forward to and look out for in the future. And what I will say is that I have always said to people that Parkrun isn’t necessarily the best place for canicrossers, it can be quite stressful for anyone who doesn’t have full control over their dog. And it can also be quite stressful for people who aren’t prepared to move out of the way of some of the other Parkrunners, because I’ve been in situations where people have actually kicked my dog out of the way in a Parkrun.
There are some people who are hostile towards people running dogs in what is essentially a human run. And you will get some people who are scared of dogs. And so there has been that situation where people are scared to be passed or scared to pass and it’s been slightly uncomfortable. So I have said to people who are starting out, it’s not necessarily the best place for people to canicross with dogs, unless you know, you’ve got really good control over your dog. And unless you’re happy to deal with the fact that you’re just one cog in that in that Park run machine.
So don’t expect the park run to make changes for you, basically. And I think that’s been a running thread over the years where they’ve made the different changes that people have complained about. But essentially, Parkrun isn’t there for canicrossers Parkrun is there to serve the entire community. But on the flip side of that, the entire community does include canicrossers, so it is a sad day. It’s something that a lot of people have been quite upset about. And it’s actually been quite emotional reading people’s posts over the weekend about attending Parkrun where they felt they might be unwelcome now, and they felt uncomfortable going because of the changes in the rules. They felt that people didn’t want them there, which is against everything that Parkrun has always said they wanted to be. So I hope that has given them an indication of how much Parkrun meant to the canicross community and how disappointed everybody is about these changes, in spite of the fact that it probably won’t change anything about their decision and it won’t change the way that Parkrun run in the future.
But like I say there is Bark Run coming and hopefully that’s going to, to get up and running in a really positive way for people. So I’d encourage anyone if you’re really disappointed about these decisions to have a look at that. And also there are many, many other ways that you can go out and be sociable with your dog other than up Parkrun. It’s not the end of everything for canicrossers who have been at Parkruns before. But I do know that it does feel like the end of an era for a lot of us who have always attended Parkrun and felt welcome for the most part. Because this new ruling about the equipment indirectly bans canicrossers from Parkrun. And as much as you can say, it doesn’t stop you taking your dog, it will stop a lot of people taking their dog to Parkruns. Because as a conscientious canicrosser we wouldn’t want to be taking part in something without the proper equipment and without the proper safety surrounding the control that that equipment gives you.
So it does mean the end of an era for many of us, which is pretty sad. And that’s why I just wanted to put this podcast out there today and say how I’m feeling about it and address the issues that have been talked about on social media. I know this will probably go on for a little while now. Because obviously the changes don’t come into place until the 2nd of April. But if you’ve got any thoughts on it, then you know, please do join the debate. Well, not join the debate, because there’s actually nothing really to debate now. But please do continue to help educate people about the right way to run with dogs because I think that’s my biggest fear now that this has been advocated by Parkrun that people will think that this is a great way to run dogs and it’s really not.
I think from my point of view, I definitely feel disappointed. I definitely feel sad about the impact that it’s had on some of my friends and the way they feel about it. And, all I can say is we need to not look to the past, look to the future and plan for great things to come because hopefully this debate and this accepting of other people not necessarily understanding what we do will lead to more conversations and more education, which is all we can really hope for.
I hope you have enjoyed this episode and discussion of canicross and Parkrun.
We’ll be back soon with another episode on the active dog podcast here: https://anchor.fm/theactivedogpodcast And until then, remember, active dogs are happy dogs!
I often get asked if there are any harnesses available for small dogs, those dogs who are small yet mighty and need decent dog sports harnesses but their owners are struggling to find the right fit and style.
So I’ve put together this short blog with my top 5 dog sports harnesses for smaller dogs to help guide new canicrossers to the brands and styles which might suit their dogs best.
So you have a small dog who pulls hard, what harnesses can you use?
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 1 – The Non-stop Freemotion
My top recommendation for a dog sports harness which suits strong pulling dogs working hard is the Non-stop Freemotion. The Non-stop Freemotion is not specifically designed for the smaller dog but ranges from a size 10 at the biggest (Great Dane & Malamute sized) to size 2 which will happily fit a small terrier.
Even the smallest of terriers can have a suitable long harness with the Non-stop Freemotion
I love the fact the Non-stop Freemotion is adjustable and that gives it the edge over other longer style harnesses which are on the market, because you can alter the side and back straps to cater for the dogs’ shape.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 2 – The Zero DC Short
The Zero DC Short Harness is a great one for smaller dogs because it’s design makes it easy to adjust and fit for the smaller body shape. The harness is again not just designed for smaller dogs and comes in a size range from Mini 1, which is the tiniest harness you’ll ever see, right up to XXXL which is the biggest harnesses I stock. Zero DC have definitely covered every possible size of dog with the Zero DC Short sizing.
The Zero DC Short is a firm favourite for many active terriers who like to run with their owners
My only reservation with the Zero DC Short is that if the harness doesn’t fit exactly right, it can cause some wheezing in stronger pulling little dogs, this is due to the angle of the harness and where it pulls when your little powerhouse is really going for it. It’s all about fit with this one and if the fit is right, it’s perfect.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 3 – The Howling Dog Alaska Second Skin
The Howling Dog Alaska Harness is also one suitable for the stronger pulling smaller and is made of a soft flexible mesh which makes it great for dogs just starting out. The sizing is again not just tailored for smaller dogs and ranges from XXS to XXL in the Second Skin range.
The Howling Dog Alaska Second Skin is a very good one for Staffy shaped dogs and Spaniels
The Second Skin is a really good one for spaniel and staffy types, I think it has to do with the fact the harness is a mid length harness which acts like a longer harness, so caters for the strong puller by distributing the pull along the side of the body. Your dog really needs to be attached and out front pulling for this harness and if I were to have a complaint about it, I think they need to go even smaller still, as the XXS is still too big for small terrier types.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 4 – The Non-stop Line Harness
The Non-stop Line Harness is a great one for the smaller dogs and best if you want one with more padding, the size range is vast with this range too, going down to size 1 which is tiny terrier size, right up to size 9 which is your big dog size.
The Non-stop Line Harness is much better than a traditional walking style harness and suits dogs right down to very small terriers
The style of the Non-stop Line harness is very much like a traditional walking harness but the difference is the piece that comes under the chest is cut a lot longer to avoid any interference behind the front legs when your dog is pulling if attached to you. The Non-stop Line harness has the same limitation as the Zero DC Short in that due to the design, the size has to be a good fit on your dog, otherwise you will get the rasping or wheezing noise with a very strong pulling little dog.
Top Dog Sports Harness for Small Dogs Number 5 – The Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness
The Arctic Wolf Adventure harness is a similar style of harness to the Zero DC Short but with a couple of crucial differences and the one which makes it so much better is the deep V which is cut into the neck of the harness which prevents the harness from causing the problems with wheezing if the fit isn’t bang on perfect on the neck.
The Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness fits dogs from about 12kgs upwards
I love this harness for it’s versatility and if I had a complaint it would be that there needs to be a few more sizes as it currently only goes down to an XS and up to an XL, the XS will fit dogs of around 12 kgs but not much smaller. The harness was only released for the first time in 2020 though and so I believe there may be more sizes in the pipeline, it’s certainly the one we go to for the team dogs on our hiking / canicross adventures!
So those are your top 5 dog sports harnesses for smaller dogs, there are a couple of others maybe worth mentioning such as the Dragrattan Multi Sport which can provide a useful mid length harness for strong puller smaller dogs from about 10-12kgs depending on their shape. Another good one is the Dragrattan X-Back in the smallest size of 0 which I’ve found works for small spaniels but doesn’t go down to terrier size unfortunately.
As always we’d love to help you getting started with your equipment and you can either visit us at one of our pop up shops …
We have recently launched the brand new Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness, which we have been involved with from the start of the design process last year. Arctic Wolf came to us for inspiration, ideas, information and we fed back all the comments and experiences from ourselves and our customers to create the Adventure Harness, new for 2020.
Yogi proudly modelling the Arctic Wolf Adventure Harness, he helped to design and test!
The Adventure Harness is intended to be useful for all active dogs taking part in a variety of activities, from walking / hiking, agility and flyball to canicross and bikejoring with your dog. The harness is made from lightweight, strong but quick drying materials, sourced to ensure that if your dog is getting wet and muddy in it, the harness won’t hold water or cause rubbing associated with heavy, wet, thick material.
The Adventure Harness is perfect for a wide variety of activities with your dog
The design of the harness is simple, so it will suit dogs who perhaps don’t like the feel of a more structured or longer style harness on their body, however it does sit longer on the body than your standard walking / hiking harness and is well clear of the front legs to allow a full range of movement.
To put the harness on all you need to do is pop the harness over the head of your dog and clip up the strong, lightweight plastic clips either side of the dogs’ body. This is an advantage for any dogs who don’t like lifting their feet into harnesses and with a generous space for the head to go through, it is also not as snug as some of the other sports harnesses to fit over the ears, which many dogs don’t like.
The neck of the harness whilst being designed to be a snug fit on the neck has a reinforced ‘V’ in the front of the neck piece which has two functions. It’s first function is to offer that little bit of extra space when being fitted over your dogs’ head, the other is to ensure the harness ‘V’ sits low on the neck and doesn’t rise up into the throat of the dog, which can happen with some of the rounder style necks on some harnesses. This means that even if your dog is a strong puller, the ‘V’ ensures the neck of the harness doesn’t put pressure on your dogs’ throat.
At the front of the harness there is a reinforced piece of webbing where you can clip a lead to, this is perfect for people who use a two clip system to walk or train their dog, as this encourages a natural and balanced stance in the dog and gives you more control if you need it, without twisting your dogs’ neck or head around.
The Adventure Harness also features an internal handle on the top of the harness, so when your dog is pulling out in front of you, the handle isn’t noticeable and lies flat into the harness. If and when you need it however, the handle can be used to hold your dog if you have to bring them close to you and also if you need to help them scramble over obstacles, like a style or even for older dogs who need a hand climbing into vehicles etc.
The secret poo bag pocket down either side of the harness means there’s no excuses for not carrying poo bags with you on your walks / runs either! The pocket is a really discrete extra layer of the harness material which allows a few poo bags to be stuffed in, accessed when you need them.
So as you can probably tell we are pretty proud of being involved in the design of this harness and have responded to your feedback over the years to produce something with Arctic Wolf which will hopefully provide a solution for many dog owners. The Adventure Harness is a really functional active dog harness which is suitable for use in a variety of situations. We’re also proud of the fact that this harness is designed and produced in the UK, so the quality is extremely high, with a low carbon footprint.
We recommend this harness for any active dogs who need a lightweight, top quality, multi functional, dog harness which doesn’t restrict movement in any way. With all the extra features this harness has, we know this is going to be really popular for walking / hiking, canicross, agility, flyball, general dog training and even faster sports such as bikejoring and dog scootering.
We’ve been asked a lot recently about lines for canicross, mainly because there’s now so many options available. We thought we’d try and simplify it a little in this new blog.
Line length – this is usually a stretched length which means unstretched they are approx 30 cms shorter with a webbing line.
Most standard canicross lines are 2 metres when stretched, so if you see Standard, CC or Canicross in the description they will be 2 metres stretched, although (confusingly) depending on the product sometimes they are the short version if there’s nothing shorter!
Short lines are known as Parkrun lines (because they came into existence to meet the Parkrun requirement of a short line) and are are generally 1.2 metres stretched, so if you see Short (except in the case of some as mentioned above) Parkrun or PR in the description, then they will be 1.2 metres stretched.
Longer lines such as Bikejor lines will be anything from 2.5 – 2.8 metres stretched and will be described as Long, Bikejor, Scooter or something to that effect. These can still be used for canicross but many find them too long for regular use and would be too long for racing.
Line Clips – this is what attaches to your dogs harness
Most line clips will be brass trigger clips and this is the standard clip, easy to hook on and take off any ring or cord on your dogs harness. These are the most suitable clips for every day and regular use.
Some lines however have a twist lock carabiner, this means there is a gate which opens and a screw lock which will automatically (not if it’s got mud and dirt in the mechanism) close and twist around when attached so your dog cannot pull the clip open by catching it on something. You might want to use these if your dog has the potential to escape or you want a bit more security, they are lightweight and no heavier than a normal clip.
Handles – some lines have handles on them to grab if you need to
The lines with handles will either have an ‘external’ grab handle which is an additional webbing loop sewn on to the line or an ‘internal’ handle which forms part of the line and you slide your hand in to grab.
To attach to you – how the lines attach to your belt
Most of the lines we sell will have a handle at the end to attach to your belt and you can either loop the line through on itself or use a carabiner to attach the line to use if you need quick release. Some belts also have carabiners or a set up at the front of the belt so you can attach you line and have quick release.
Bungee section vs Fully elasticated
The majority of bungee lines have a section of bungee which is tied in with the webbing, please don’t undo these knots as the bungee will not function properly, the knots are there for a reason.
The Non-stop Line however is fully elasticated which means it is slightly shorter than the other webbing lines when not being pulled but will stretch further when pulled because the whole line is elasticated. The benefit of this is that you get more ‘spring’ in the line, the disadvantage is that you have less control as it’s harder to pull your dog back towards you with a line that’s fully elasticated!
If you want to run with two dogs, the lines tend to be longer in length to give each dog more space, so be aware these will feel quite long if you are used to having your dog close to you.
The Bono two dog lines have an external grab handle
The Arctic Wolf two dog lines either have a long split with two sections of bungee, one on each line (this is called the 2 dog CC) or they have a shorter split with one bungee section (this is called the 2 Dog Lite S)
If you are running two dogs together you may want to use a neck line, this is a small section of webbing, around 6 inches in length with 2 clips to attach to your dogs collars. The neckline will keep your dogs together and guide them to run side by side.
Necklines can be beneficial for evenly matched dogs running together
If your dogs are evenly matched this can be beneficial in keeping them together and focused but if they are every different in size and/or motivation then a neck line has the potential to pull the smaller / slower dog along at the speed of the bigger / faster dog and this would not be something we’d recommend.
We hope that has helped determine what line you might need or prefer but if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to email us to answer your query: info@k9trailtime.com
With so many more new people coming into the dog sport of canicross and not having seen the range of canicross belts in person, it can be very difficult to know what to buy for yourself. We’ve personally tried and tested every single belt sold on the K9 Trail Time website so you can always ask us if you have any specific questions, however in this blog we hope to give you the information you need to make a sensible choice from our selection.
Having the right canicross belt can make your runs much more comfortable for you and your dog
The first thing to say is that belts for canicross have always been called waistbelts but the reality is that they should all be worn sitting on the hips, not high around the waist and even if you have one of the wider padded belts, we always recommend to pull them down onto your hips. This is to prevent the force of your dog pulling being anywhere near your lower back. I have heard people try and differentiate between the styles by referring to some of the belts as ‘hip belts’ but I think this just confuses things because they should all be worn on the hips. The belts should probably just be called ‘belts’ to avoid any confusion!
The next thing to say is that a canicross belt is as individual for a person as a harness is for a dog, so don’t expect to buy the belt your friend has and for you to love it as they do. It might be they are a different shape to you, or their dog pulls differently to yours, or you just want different things from a belt. So try to avoid just buying what everyone else has and make the decision based on what your requirements are, that said, the popular belts are popular for a reason.
To help choose, identify what is most important to you in a belt, do you need pockets? I would say you can carry things like water, your phone, poo bags and keys in a separate way and not to rely on having a big pocket on your belt, as the type of belt that suits you best might not have pockets.
A good canicross belt will distribute the pull from a strong pulling dog without any impact on your back
Many people are now going for the lightweight belts such as the Non-stop CaniX Belt, the Neewa Canicross Belt and the Zero DC Speedy Belts. This type of belt directs the pull low down and across the backside so you feel like you are being ‘lifted’ forward if you have a strong pulling dog, rather than being pulled from slightly higher up. These belts all have a small pocket and leg straps you have to use for the belt to work correctly, so leg straps is another option you will have to consider.
It’s a myth that leg straps will chafe. I can count on one hand the number of people who have said their leg straps rub and it’s usually down to not having the belt fitted correctly. The belts have been designed by people who have been doing the sports for years and understand the needs of the belt, so have positioned the leg straps so they work to keep the belt in place without chafing.
The Non-Stop Running Belt is very lightweight and designed to pull from low down with integrated leg straps to keep it in place – Photo courtesy of Houndscape
The other main style of belt is the more traditional belt which has a padded middle section, perhaps with leg straps but some without. The Zero DC Canicross Belt, the Non-stop Trekking Belt, the Neewa Trekking Belt and Howling Dog Alaska Canicross Belt are examples of these. The Zero DC, Howling Dog and Non-stop have removable leg straps, the Neewa has no leg straps. Of these belts the Zero DC, Howling Dog Alaska and Neewa have pockets, the Non-stop Trekking does not. These are the type of belt I see most often being worn incorrectly, with the band high up on the waist and in the small of the back. I would always have it sitting on the top of the hips to protect the back, even if you’re just using the belt for walking.
There are a couple of other belts which sort of sit in the middle of the styles, the Non-stop Comfort Belt and the Dragrattan Ergo belt. Both have integral leg straps and spread the pull over the entire area of the material of the belt, the Non-stop Comfort is mesh material with a pocket and the Dragrattan Ergo is more padded but with no pocket. Both are good for strong pullers but have different attachment points at the front, which brings me to another difference in the belts which might influence your decision.
The Dragrattan Ergo Belt sits low down but is padded and has a sliding trigger clip for your your line
The Non-stop Trekking, Non-stop Comfort, Howling Dog Alaska and Neewa Trekking Belts all have a fixed point of attachment at the front, either a ring or in the case of the Non-stop, a clever hook and ring system (which allows quick release). The Zero DC belts have a rope to attach your line to, either by pulling it through on itself using the handle of the line or by using a carabiner in addition. The Non-stop CaniX Belt and the Neewa Canicross Belt have rings to attach your line to which slide over material at the front and you attach your line in the same way (thread through handle or use a carabiner in addition) and the Dragrattan Ergo belt has a trigger clip that slides on the rope, which negates the need for a carabiner.
Why would you prefer either a sliding attachment point or a fixed attachment point? The fixed attachment point gives you more control as your dog can’t move quite a far side to side on the belt, the sliding attachment point means if your dog is strong and pulls around a corner, you have a more gentle experience than if your line is fixed in the middle of the belt. It might not make any difference to you at all but these are things which I have found influence the decision people make when choosing a belt for themselves and from my own observations of how the belts work.
The Neewa Canicross Belt which is lightweight, has a pocket for storage and a sliding ring to attach your line to
Most of the belts available are ‘one size fits all’ however if you’re concerned that the belt may not adjust big or small enough for you then please do drop me an e-mail to check. Some of the belts do come in different sizes although this usually just means the material section is slightly bigger and the straps are more or less the same length regardless of size. We also have a couple of childrens’ belts in stock to cater for the very young or very small child, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for then again just ask and there’s bound to be an option that will work for your needs.
We stock some very small junior belts for the younger canicrosser
If all this is still not helping you make a decision, drop me a line at emilyt@k9trailtime.com and I can help you with any specific questions but do have an idea of what your needs are, as I can’t make the decision for you, or even narrow down the options unless you have thought about what you might prefer first.
A well fitted canicross belt can make the experience so much more comfortable for you, so make sure you do get some good advice that is personal to you before making a purchase and ideally if you can get to a club who have a kit bag for you to try the belts out first, then that will ensure you are happy with your purchase.
Here at K9 Trail Time we stock such a wide variety of canicross equipment now, that there is often a choice of colour in the harness you can choose for your dog and sometimes even in the type of belt for yourself. Whilst choice is a great thing, sometimes having such a wide range can make choosing the right equipment more difficult.
Some harnesses come in a wide variety of colours
For example the Zero DC harnesses come in 132 different size and colour combinations as standard and you can custom order any combination of colours and sizes at an additional cost. This is great if one of the Zero DC harnesses is the best fit, shape and style for your dog, however that might not be the case. We’ve found that many dogs suit a different style of harness based on their individual body shape, style of running and what combination of activities the harness will be used for.
The Dragrattan harnesses only come in one colour of webbing which is red with a silver / grey or yellow stripe through it and though this doesn’t appeal to everyone, we have found these harnesses to be outstanding on some dogs, allowing them freedom of movement, good padding through the chest and a great fit on the neck.
The Dragrattan X-Back comes in one colour webbing only but it is fantastic harness on some working dogs – Photo courtesy of Hound and About Photography
Another harness which only comes in black and the colour of the top strap indicates sizing only, is the Non-stop Freemotion. The Freemotion is undoubtedly one of the best dog sports harnesses you can buy, but people seem to be put off sometimes by the fact it is black and apparently this is ‘boring’. Now we can understand why people would want to choose bright colours and have ‘team’ colours for clubs and individuals, however when it comes to choosing the correct harness for your dog, you have to be guided by what works best for your dog.
Similar colour choice is available for belts, as some of the waistbelts for people have coloured patches on them but others are just in plain black. The belts which come in different colours might not be the ones which suits your body shape and requirements best, you ideally need to try each one on to see how it works and where the pull comes from to make a judgement on if it will be the most comfortable for you.
The belts which come in a range of colours are great belts but might not be the ones for you…
We have found that by talking to people about what their requirements are and finding out what is most important to them, we can help them decide for themselves which belt will be the best option and therefore save a lot of wasted time and money trying out many options before finding the right one.
The purpose of this blog is not to put anyone off buying any of the colourful harnesses or belts but just to encourage you to look beyond the colours when making your choices. We personally love to colour co-ordinate and ideally we like everything in red and black (with a hint of white!). However we also recognise that the best fit for dogs and people might be the plain old ‘boring’ black option or the out of colour scheme webbing and what’s important to us is that you get the best and most comfortable kit for you and your dog.
We like to try and colour co-ordinate (or not as the case may be!) – Photo courtesy of Horses for Courses Photography
If you need any help choosing your equipment, we’ve used everything in the range we stock extensively and so can advise you exactly how it works and should fit, so we can give you our honest opinion based on experience. Feel free to e-mail: info@k9trailtime.com for your free consultation with regards to any of the dog sports equipment we stock.
As I said in my last harness blog, I am always being asked about harnesses and what is the best harness for someone’s dog, the answer is never easy but one of the first things I always ask is ‘does your dog always pull out front?’. If the answer is no then I will generally recommend a shorter harness, because these harnesses tend to suit dogs who are learning to pull, don’t always like to pull or are just a bit more laid back in their approach to the dog sports! In some cases a mid length harness will also be suitable, for example a couple of the better designed mid length harnesses will allow a dog to pull when they choose but do not interfere or hang loose if they are not pulling out front.
SHORT HARNESSES (Also suitable for walking your dog in and if you like to let your dog off lead)
Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. This harness is adjustable around the chest has lots of neck and chest padding for dogs who need support when running. Once it is adjusted this harness doesn’t move at all over the dogs’ back which is great if you let your dog free run and it has a second ring hidden in an elasticated pocket underneath the belly which can be used for training.
Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. This harness is the only one we sell which is adjustable around the neck and the chest, which means it can be suitable for different shaped dogs or even a growing dog as a starter harness.
Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. There is both a ring to attach your line to and a cord, so you can choose which suits your dog best. This harness is adjustable around the chest has lots of neck and chest padding for dogs who need support when running.
MID LENGTH HARNESSES (Can be used for dog walking if any loose ties are secured or removed)
Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. The ring to attach your line to has light padding underneath to prevent the clip of your line dropping in your dogs’ back if they slow down or drop back. This harness is adjustable around the chest and can fit a wide range of breeds, as sizing range starts very small and goes very large.
Recommended for: Out front pullers and also dogs who like to drop back sometimes, this harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, scootering, sledding and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. The back is left open for the dog to arch through and because the point to fix your line to is the cord at the back, rather than a cord at the base of the tail, this harness can suit a wide range of shapes and sizes of dog. It also has a belly strap which can prevent an escape artist from wriggling backwards out of the harness, unlike many of the other longer harnesses. The front part of the harness also stays securely in place if your dog switches from side to side on the trail.
Recommended for: Out front pullers, this harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, scootering, sledding and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. It can be adjusted around the middle and the fact it is only mid length means it can suit dogs who are short or long in the body. This harness is super lightweight and is excellent for encouraging young or novice dogs to pull into a harness because it is so soft and flexible on the dog.
Every dog we fit at K9 Trail Time is an individual, much in the same way a person is, so we base our recommendations on the information you provide about your dog and never just on sales margins or the most fashionable brand at the time. We have also tried and tested every single type of harness we sell so you can be sure we are offering you advice based on experience.
If you would like to contact us about a harness for your dog please e-mail: emilyt@k9trailtime.com
The dog harnesses we sell at K9 Trail Time have been personally tested and chosen for stock based on their durability, design and quality, we have selected them from the best dog sport brands available. Our suppliers all compete in the sports themselves which shows in the harnesses they produce for sale.
Choosing the best selling harnesses of the year was a much more difficult task than the lines and belts because every dog is individual and the reason we stock so many different types of harness is to cater for this uniqueness. As a result we sell such a wide range that picking 3 was impossible, so we’ve gone for the top 5 in this category.
1 – Non-stop Freemotion – this harness is excellent for strong pulling dogs and has been designed to keep the dogs’ spine free to flex, plus the adjustable length straps and side straps mean it fits a wide range of breeds of dog and so suits a greater number of dogs.
The spine of the dog is left free by the top straps and the harness can ‘breathe’ with the dog
2 – Howling Dog Alaska Second / Tough Skin Harness – this harness is perfect for dogs new into the sport because it is soft and forgiving on the neck and can encourage a dog to pull into it. It is also very suitable for established pulling dogs too and has a low price point for a harness which is unique in design.
My Sprollie Donnie modelling the Second Skin harness, he has been my chief tester because he is such a strong puller!
3 – Dragrattan Multi-Sport Harness – the newest design of harness we stock, the Multi Sport by Dragrattan, is great for every sport from Canicross to Dog Sledding and because the main part of the harness finishes half way down the dog, it fits a huge range of dogs. It also doesn’t slip with a dog who pulls sideways, so has been very popular with dogs who drop back sometimes when running.
The Dragrattan Multi-Sport is proving to be a very popular choice of harness for dog sports this year – Photo courtesy of Hound and About Photography
4 – Zero DC Short Harness – this is one of the original harnesses we have sold since day one and it’s design hasn’t changed, other than an expansion in colours and sizes available. The Zero DC Short is great for all sports and even dog walking, with many dog owners choosing this as just a comfortable and tough dog harness for every day use.
The Zero DC Short Harness has been popular for all the years we’ve been open
5 – Neewa Running Harness – another great value short harness which has provided a great option for some of the most difficult to fit dogs this year because of it’s adjustable neck. No other harness we sell has the ability to change to the neck size and so it is suitable for a walking harness for growing puppies and also as a canicross harness for dogs who still have some ‘bulking’ out to do.
The neck on the Neewa Running Harness is unusually high but this doesn’t cause any issues
Of course because we stock around 30 different styles of harness there are some notable omissions in this list, the Zero DC Long Harness which is another great one for strong pullers, leaving the dogs’ back free to arch. The Non-stop Half Harness which is the short harness provided by Non-stop and is only second to the Zero DC Short because it only comes in black! The Dragrattan X-Back Harness is a traditional design which is one of my personal favourites but is often over-looked for the more ‘current’ harness designs and the Neewa Adjustable Racing Harness is another highly adjustable long harness with a very attractive price tag.
As you can see it has been extremely hard for us to list even the top 5 best selling harnesses and because this is our passion we don’t stock anything we don’t recommend. When you buy a harness from K9 Trail Time, you can be assured you’re buying something fit for purpose which has been trialled for quality long before it ever reaches our website.
Harnesses come in so many shapes and styles now, it’s worth getting help to choose the right one for your dog
If you have any questions with regard to harnesses then please do get in touch with us info@k9trailtime.com
We look forward to seeing you and your active dogs out and about in 2017!
Continuing the theme of best-sellers, the waist belts we sell here at K9 Trail Time have gradually been expanding in range too, as the top brands bring out better materials and designs based on feedback from the growing number of participants.
We have seen a number of innovative styles released since we first started canicross and as manufacturers respond to the canicrossers’ needs, we’re sure we will see more new belts being brought out in the future.
One thing that we do often get asked is for a ‘hip belt’ rather than a ‘waist belt’ but the term really just describes where you might wear it, as we call all of our belts ‘waist belts’ but they should all (in our opinion) be worn low down on the hips to prevent any strains to the lower back.
So from our current range, our 3 top-selling belts are as follows:
1 – Non-stop Running Belt – Top of the range and fully adjustable, this belt is the one people seem to stop upgrading at, so we have to class it as number one!
The Neewa Canicross Belt is the newest of our ‘hip belts’
3 – Zero DC Canicross Belt – A more traditional design but with detachable leg straps for those who aren’t sure if they will like them, plus a huge back pocket, this belt has been very popular for years.
The Zero DC Canicross Belt, with detachable leg straps seems to offer the best of everything
Of course we have many, many more belts in stock and would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of them with any customer. The Zero DC Speedy belt is a personal favourite of mine and the Dragrattan Ergo and Howling Dog Alaska belts are all up there but just fractionally behind in sales when compared with the 3 above this year – that doesn’t mean they won’t be up there next year though!
K9 Trail Time 