WooFDriver's DogFartlek Training (Speed Training)
Huskies can sprint off leash (not connected to a sled or bike) up to roughly 30 miles per hour. With DogMotoSports (tethered to the bike) I’ve clocked them at sprinting speeds of close to 20 miles per hour. For speed and conditioning when weather conditions are right I run them 2 to 8 miles distance wise averaging speeds of 5 to 10 miles per hour with sprinting speeds of almost 20 miles per hour.
Speed Motivation
I will purposely run the dogs at twilight for motivation and inspiration as the deer and nocturnal animals are starting to wake up so the smells and sometimes sightings are so rich and will stimulate the dogs in ways that’s hard to replicate and this enrichment is so wonderful for the dogs when done safely and properly! Keep in mind as you can see here though we’re moving fast, I am still keeping a safe distance from the deer! On my rigs the dogs will max out at about 20mph and deer typically can run 30+MPH so they can easily out run us! Other animals can be more of a concern like porcupines that are very slow movers so in those instances, I will slow down and sometimes stop to have my copilot clear them off the trail to ensure no contact between wildlife and my dogs! When the dogs can safely get excited to run like this, feeding off their instinct I will encourage it as long as nobody including other animals or people feel unsafe in any way! These deer have all the lands to roam and the dogs will NEVER contact them unless they run into us which, while possible (even with a bike rider or trail walker) is highly unlikely! The deer are responding like people riding a bike or running on this trail they are not fenced in and can proceed in any direction, while we are moving only in one direction! We run on farmlands also where there’s livestock and because of fencing to contain the livestock in their pastures we have to proceed more gingerly sometimes so the farm livestock doesn’t feel unsafe and can inadvertently run into a fence! As I said, I’ve been running dogs for better than 30 years and I’ve never made contact with another animal except if we are running off leash, which only happens on private lands, and that becomes a little more unpredictable of a situation! I don’t recommend others do what I’m doing as my experience and traveling with my team of people to destinations all over the East Coast to run the dogs helps keep us stay safe and avoid situations that could be problematic to others! We’ve actually run into black bear, mountain cats, and other concerning wildlife! Everybody’s safety and comfort is always my priority and number one concern! You can see more of my wildlife encounters here: MushWildLife.com
