2024 Fall Pull Clinic Registration is Now Open
Saturday, September 28th, 2024
8:30am-3pm @ Wildwood Recreational Site
Welches, OR
Please reach out to cascadesdc@gmail.com with questions about your registration or the pull clinic format.
The Fall Pull Clinic is our club’s primary fundraiser.
Build a stronger bond between you and your dog by learning the basic skills needed to work as a human-dog team. Experienced mushers from the Cascade Sled Dog Club will teach you how to train your dog to pull consistently and on command through positive reinforcement. We provide all the training equipment, including harnesses, tires for pull training, and scooters to try out. Some equipment is available for purchase. Mushers will share their knowledge about nutrition, health, and fitness. All breeds welcome!
We accept 20 teams of handler & dog, though two handlers are welcome to learn the skills.
This clinic is appropriate for adolescent dogs to learn foundation behaviors for a future in dog-powered sports.
Behavioral Note - This is a long day for dogs with significant environmental stimulation. Due to the proximity to other dogs for some of the exercises and the need to hear presenters give instructions during the exercises, this clinic is not a good fit for a dog working through reactivity issues. We do not encourage dogs from different households to meet ‘nose-to-nose’ to lower the risk of communicable disease or doggie disagreements - so if you have a dog that needs to ‘say hi’ to successfully focus, this is also not a good fit for your dog.
If you have concerns about your dog’s ability to attend, please reach out to us by email to discuss before registering. cascadesdc@gmail.com
Exercises
Harness fitting
Bikejoring, Scooter and Canicross Demos
Forward Orientation: Building a dog’s want to face forward and see what’s next
‘On By’: Learning how to go past distractions and rewarding with speed
‘Line Out' and Wait: Teaching a dog to wait to go without tangling
‘Gee’, ‘Haw’, ‘Whoa’: Teaching dogs their directional queues
Tire Pull: Adding weight and encouraging your dog to pull
Put it all together trying out Scootering or Canicross - or bikejoring if you bring your own bike!
2024 Presenters
Kimberly McCreed, DVM
Dr. Kimberly McCreedy has been a veterinarian with a specialization in sled dog care both on and off the trail. With years of experience on both the Triple Crown Rocky Mountain Race series as well as The Iditarod and Yukon Quest. She will be speaking to the basics of canine first aid on the trail and overall canine health considerations when getting started in the sport.
Thad McCracken
Thad McCracken of Mosier Misfits has an open sprint kennel actively competing in events such as the Pedigree Stage Stop race and Alaska’s Open World Championship Rondy Race. Thad has been a Pacific Northwest musher for his entire journey in sled dogs, and will be presenting on what it takes to build a championship team - from training and conditioning to footcare and general nutrition.
Charlotte clawson
Charlotte has been racing throughout the Pacific Northwest for the past ten years in dryland classes through skijoring. Recently, she has started participating in races that cover 30+ miles a day and is beginning training for 100 milers. She will be speaking to the different aspects of the sport, how to get started in each, and general trail safety for the human
KAte, President
After starting her journey in pulling sports just two Pull Clinic’s ago, Kate is now president of the Cascade Sled Dog Club! Hear more about the slippery slope of this sport, how one dog can turn into three, and what your own next steps may be on this adventure.
Please check out our Membership & Mentor section to get involved outside of our Pull Clinic opportunities.
2019 Pull Clinic Photos
Courtesy of Wyeast Canines - please contact with inquiries for usage.
