CANADIAN
Weight Pull
Weight pull can be great fun for you and your Alaskan Malamute. Although there are few competitions in Canada, there are many in the USA. While any dog can do weight pull, it is best to have one that is in reasonably fit condition, a proper weight pull harness and an enthusiasm for the task at hand. That said, weight pull (like agility) is excellent for working through problems with a dog.
Sound sensitivity or shyness, submission, fear, aggression can begin to find remedy with the sport of weight pull. Dogs are exposed to people, to sounds, to new environments. As they gain confidence, they exhibit confidence. The more exposure they get to things like the movement of the weight pull cart, the cheering of the crown or the tightness of a full load behind them, the more they are willing to try. In a competition, dogs of the same weight classes compete against each other to pull the most weight in the least time. Weights pulled by Alaskan Malamutes can go be greater than 5000 pounds. Most Alaskan Malamutes, with training, can pull over 1000 pounds, with 2000 to 3000 pounds being a top weight in competition. There are three 'conditions' on which your dog may pull: snow (dragged sledge, most difficult; dirt (wheeled cart, less difficult); and carpet (wheeled cart, least difficult). On average, the dogs can pull about 1/2 to 2/3 of the weight in a snow pull that they could in a carpet pull - so keep that in mind should they pull 1500 pounds on a carpet pull and only 1000 pounds on a snow pull! Titles offered by AMHL and AMCA:
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