More Skijoring

Today I took out Olive, my five year old superstar Siberian Husky leader. Olive is a small girl, but she pulled really well today. Anyone would think she was experienced at this sort of thing. My bruised thigh from yesterday bothered me all night in spite of my wonderful pillowtop bed. Thank heavens I did not fall on it today. I only took a tumble straight forward onto my knees when the skis slowed down on some clumps of dirt. Olive was a little angel and merely kept tension on the line without hammering at it. I think I will be taking Olive out again, just for fun! Her one drawback is that I cannot help her, or she will quit pulling. However, she had no trouble pulling me on the flat, lightly crusted trails I am using.

When I got back with Olive, I decided to take a short run with Current. She has been doing so well as a leader, and she is also very sweet and affectionate with me. Somehow I thought this would translate into a good skijoring buddy. Wrong. She was nervous and freaked out - a normal part of her personality that I had somehow forgotten - and she alternately pulled like mad in a variety of directions or lay down and refused to budge. Finally, I took my skis off and took her by the collar and walked her away from the property and out into the fields. Once we got far enough away, she was willing to continue forward, but after a mile or so, she started turning off into the deep snow and lying down in the trees. I took this as a sign of extreme stress and just wanting out of the situation. Fine, since I wasn't planning to go far anyway. Once we got turned around, she pulled like a maniac. That was to be expected since heading home and back to the dogyard is something a stressed dog always feels good about. I ended the run with a bit of a cuddle, and I hope she will forgive me for putting her through all that stress.