There isn’t a spring, summer or fall morning that you won’t see Lynn Jamieson hitting the pavement with her rollerblades or bike, and her faithful companion, ‘Max,’ at her side.
“Mr. Wiggly Bum,” as she affectionately calls him, can’t seem to get enough exercise and his stubby little tail wriggles back and forth with any sign of impending activity. Although Jamieson is in top condition, she knows that she is no match for the energy level of her two-year-old Australian Shepherd – especially during winter months – so she encourages play dates with Max’s friends.

While most of the backyards in her central Ontario neighbourhood were gripped with record snow levels in 2007-08, Max and two of his best mates, Border Collie ‘Gracie,’ and ‘Dixie,’ a Labrador Retriever, dug trails through the snow banks and rolled around together to flatten the powder on Jamieson’s property.

“A bored dog is generally a destructive or problem dog,” says canine behaviourist and trainer Kathy Currie-Eyers of Top Dog K9 Services in Barrie, Ont., who suggests not only keeping your dog physically challenged in the winter, but mentally engaged as well.

When not engaged in numerous activities to keep them exercised, the canine clients at Currie-Eyers’ doggy daycare are kept busy trying to figure out how to get the kibble out of hard plastic balls they roll around outside.

“I drill some holes in the balls and put the kibble inside. The dogs will roll them around and the kibble falls out. It keeps them moving and makes them think,” she explains. “As long as we don’t have any food-guarders, we’ll put some kibble in and that keeps them busy for a while. We throw a few of these balls around.”

Her own Labrador Retrievers get a ‘jump’ on their treats by knocking their noses against a clean paint can (you can purchase unused cans at a paint store) filled with kibble and hanging by a bungee cord from a tree branch. Currie-Eyers drills holes in the cans to allow just enough space for the food to drop out. She says it’s a great way to keep the dogs’ minds and bodies occupied.

Indoors…
While many people – and some dogs – like to hibernate when the mercury drops below zero, it’s important to be more creative than ever in order to keep your dog active. Although Jamieson and Max can be found walking the local trails most winter mornings, when it gets too icy to risk an outdoor adventure, her inexpensive alternative is an indoor fitness regimen that includes Max following her up and down the stairs inside her home and doing doggy push ups.

“I make him sit, then lie down. Then I say, ‘Up,’ then ‘Sit,’ then ‘Down.’ It keeps him busy,” she laughs.

Currie-Eyers stresses the need to keep dogs that are active in the summer just as active in the winter, especially if they are involved in organized sports.

“If owners let their dogs sit all winter, [they] can atrophy and start losing their muscle memory and then they’re starting from square one every spring,” she says, adding that many who are into agility set up a few jumps in their garage or basement to keep the dog working. She even suggests looking into activities for dogs at a sports dome or other indoor facility during winter months. “If they don’t use it they will lose it,” she warns.

and out
For a high-energy romp through the snow with their dogs, many Canadians have turned to skijoring (see photo above), a Scandi-navian sport that has gained popularity in Canada over the last decade. The activity involves attaching one to three dogs to a per-son on cross-country skis, via a line attached to a wide belt worn by the human and a harness worn by the dog(s). A quick-release device is recommended for safety.

“If you fall, or if you’re in a wooded area and you’re [headed] for a tree, you can pull on the quick release and you’re off,” says Hans Oettli. Skijoring is extremely popular in the Yukon, where Oettli owns Tanzilla Harness Supplies, but most of his Internet orders for equipment come from Ontario, Alberta and B.C.

“It’s unbelievable how many people are out there skijoring and I send kits across Canada, the United States and Europe,” says the Swiss-born Oettli, who has been skijoring for 30 years.
While prices vary, $110 can buy a beginner’s skijoring kit, which includes the belt, dog harness, line and an instruction book. An advanced package has a more supportive harness, similar to a climber’s harness that has better support with leg straps.

Judith and Bryan Pearce have been involved in sled dog sports since the mid-’60s. Their goal is to “get people and their dogs off unemployment” and their company in Hudson, Que., called A.K.K.O. Sports, sells skijoring and dog-sledding equipment in Canada, the United States, Europe – and even South Africa.

In 2000, Judith, a former nurse, became involved with the International Federation of Sleddog Sports, and this position led her to look more closely at the level of activity of many families and their dogs.

“I looked in greater depth at the increase in organization and the realization that a lot of people were still trying to have a traditional family with a house in the burbs, two children and one dog, and ‘Excuse me dog, just lie in the corner and be quiet and don’t bother us because we’re so busy,’” she said. “The problem in society today is we do have a problem with obesity and lack of exercise and I’m really keen to promote [winter dog sports] to anyone who might be interested.”

Judith and Oettli strongly recommend putting in some training time before taking the family pet skijoring or dog sledding. Teaching the dog the basic commands to stop and go, turn right and left, and ensuring the dog always stays in front with a tight line, are imperative.

Be careful to not run into the dog’s hind legs, cautions Oettli. He also reminds people to ensure their dog is physically and emotionally mature enough to take on the task. Pups under the age of one year run the risk of damaging their hips by pulling too hard for too long.

“What you want is to be working as a team with the animal. You don’t want them to be making decisions like stopping on their own,” advises Judith, adding that dogs used for these sports should weigh more than 35 pounds (16 kilograms). “This is not to say that you can’t stop, but the directive should come from you.”

Whatever the activity – or budget – having fun and keeping your dog exercised is the key to good health and a happy home throughout the winter.

By Kim Goggins
Kim Goggins is a journalist whose articles have appeared in many Canadian magazines and newspapers. She lives with her husband Hugh and dogs ‘Alex’ and ‘Brodie,’ who don’t seem to mind that her writing has gone to the dogs.

(Originally appeared in our December 2008 issue)