Cani-racket: a traction sport for dogs
I am delighted to meet you again this time for icy adventures in the Hautes-Alpes with a dog. What to do in the mountains with your dog? What winter activities to try with your dog? Cani-snowshoeing, cani-luge, ski joering,… I interviewed Manon who has just returned from a week's vacation with her dog in the mountains in the Hautes Alpes. She and Mephisto, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog, shared some great cani-snowshoe moments. To know everything about this canine activity, discover this new article.
Manon and Mephisto, Czechoslovakian wolfdog
I have always had animals, since my earliest childhood, especially Great Danes, mastiffs with a big heart. So when, with my husband Alexandre, we bought a house with a garden in the Nîmes countryside, we very quickly had the desire to find ourselves a canine companion! Mephisto, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog, quickly entered our lives. He just celebrated his 2nd birthday.
Musher and Sophie " To find out more the story of Mephisto and Manon, I advise you to read their Portrait Wouafement Bien. Manon talks in more detail about the breed of the Czech wolfhound and its specificities. I advise you to read it to complete this article on the practice of snowshoes with your dog.. "
We share everything with him, especially the hike that we love to practice. He follows us in all our adventures and of course on vacation. He's much more than a companion, he's part of our family, my parents are crazy about him! We never imagine an activity without him, that's how Mephisto has already done pedal boating, boating, canoeing, paddleboarding (a total failure!), boating, sledding... We have a relationship very accomplice, he is cuddly, playful, and always guesses our emotional state. But he is also a somewhat stubborn complainer!
The Hautes-Alpes with a dog in winter
My friend, Cathy, is lucky enough to live in a beautiful place in the High mountains, in a small village near Briançon. As luck would have it, every year I spent a week skiing with my family right next to their home in the resort of Vars. Cathy is the happy mistress of Malko, Mephisto's brother with whom he gets along wonderfully.
This year, Cathy came to visit us in the south for Halloween, so it was my turn to go up to see her, and what better than the splendid white winter of the Alps to enjoy the snow with my dog?! Between Christmas and New Year's Day, Mephisto and Malko were therefore able to meet and take advantage of the white gold to feast together. My husband didn't have any holidays, so our alpine adventures took place between girls! Winter is Mephisto's favorite season, and I can clearly see that snow is the element in which he is most happy and fulfilled! The landscapes are fantastic and the effort required by the altitude and the snow-covered slopes is very quickly rewarded with breathtaking views and unspoiled nature.
Cathy of course knows the surroundings perfectly and therefore served as my guide for our cani-randos.
Equipment for cani-snowshoeing with your dog
For our cani-snowshoe outings, our equipment consisted of warm clothes suitable for snow hiking; snowshoes, essential for traveling on the thick white coat; sticks to help us with the effort and rucksacks containing the necessary (water, dog collars, care kit, poop bag, cards…).
That of the dogs consisted only of a pulling harness which helps the dog and does not hinder his movements. Wolfdogs have thick fur that effectively protects them from the rigors of winter. It was therefore not useful to equip them with coats, which I would recommend on the other hand for small breeds whose coat is very quickly exposed to snow and therefore cold, or to breeds with short hair. Ah yes, I forgot, we both wore special traction belts to which the dogs' leashes are attached.
Sophie and Musher: It is also possible to snowshoe with your dog roaming free. Musher is not a fan of pulling sports. She is too frustrated not to be able to get out of the way to sniff all the smells from right to left... If your dog is athletic and is used to pulling sports, he will feast with this snowy variant. For other dogs, it is better to start with small outings. If the snow is soft and he sinks a lot, he will have to produce a lot of energy to move on this terrain in addition to potentially towing you. »
Where to do cani-snowshoeing with your dog?
Our first cani-snowshoe hike took place in the resort of Puy-Saint-Vincent. We left the lower station (1400m) by parking in a car park to follow the toboggan run for a few meters then we quickly crossed the path of slightly steeper snowshoe trails. The dogs were delighted with this activity: they pulled with enthusiasm and still took the time to bicker and roll in the snow, causing our laughter but also inextricable leash knots!
This activity should not be a burden for our 4 legs but a shared activity: the weight of the body is supported by the effort of the dog but the master must also give impetus and not weigh too much on the dog. It's quite sporty but it gives very pleasant feelings of sharing and complicity! We have thus reached the Pousterle pass at 1765m altitude and continued the walk beyond. The dogs took a well deserved rest. We decided to remove the snowshoes for the return so as not to risk a fall due to the momentum of the dogs (about forty kilos each) and the lack of maneuverability offered by the snowshoes in certain passages. In addition, we wanted to spice things up a bit by accelerating the pace of our return. Cathy is a great sportswoman who runs downhill, as for me, I preferred a more timid trot!
We were able to release the dogs in many passages: either during breaks, so that they could play and enjoy the snow without the constraint of leashes, or when large expanses were revealed without people on the horizon. It was a moment of great joy, I remain amazed by the beauty of the landscapes and by the feeling of freedom that this activity provides. We walked about 4 hours in all and then had a welcome meal in a small restaurant in the resort. Go to a restaurant with your dog is sometimes a challenge but here everything went well!
We chose to leave the dogs free for a certain part of the day and alternated walks in the snow (without snowshoes) and visits. We have indeed crossed over to the Italian side of the border. Montgenevre, Keyboard et Cesana were our starting points. We found a marked route between Clavière and Césane following magnificent gorges where the dogs had fun and where we could admire the Italian Alps.
Finally, the last route took place in the Queyras : we first had lunch in a restaurant in the highest inhabited municipality in Europe: Saint Veran, picturesque and cute with its wooden chalets, fountains and fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. Then we took, on the side of the road, a snowshoe hiking route leading us to " needle » : it is a pretty, fairly easy trail which, however, requires snowshoe equipment. The dogs towed for a little while then we left them free, there was really no one there and we took advantage of this moment of relaxation and communion with nature!
Caring for your dog after a hike in the snow
When we got home, we checked the dogs to make sure they didn't have any little sores caused by going out in the snow. Here is a non-exhaustive list of points to check and some solutions:
- Snow can get lodged in the hairs between the pads, harden and form a ball of ice which can bother the dog, cause microcuts and cause him to limp. In general, we see very quickly at the time that the dog is embarrassed, we can then remove the snow to avoid the worst. As a preventive measure, you can ask your veterinarian to remove the hair from the pads before going on vacation in the snow with your dog.
- Cut due to hard snow or ice = you can take a small kit prepared by your veterinarian with a disinfectant and then apply a healing cream or provide boots for really sensitive dogs
- Ingestion of snow in quantity which can cause diarrhea = one can give in the evening when returning, in prevention, a cachet of charcoal or a gastric bandage. The intestinal problems due to snow are common!
- To protect and relieve the pads in the evening, you can apply a hazelnut protective wax for pads.
Musher and Sophie " To complete this list, I advise you to read or reread the article concerning dog coats. This will allow you to know whether to equip your dog or not and in what circumstances he may need it. Musher has a coat and only wears it at specific times. Find out all the details in this handy article. "
Cani-snowshoeing: a sport for all dogs?
For cani-snowshoeing, I think that medium-sized dogs of the shepherd type are the most comfortable: small dogs will not be able to tow and will be in difficulty if there is too much snow and the bigger ones will have to manage a fairly intense effort over a long distance, it is really necessary to ensure that the dog's general condition and morphology allow him to perform the exercise while enjoying it and without risk to his health or well-being .
The best memory of Manon and her dog
My best memory remains the vision of Mephisto and Malko rolling in the snow, happy and carefree as well as the sensations during the walk. The funny little galleys are also part of the adventure: I will remember Mephisto's sudden stop in the middle of a steep slope which cut me off in my tracks and made me slip as well as my inelegant fall caused by a free Malko, eager to overtake me and walking on my racket…which was in the air!
If I really had one piece of advice to give to owners who are still wondering whether or not to take their dog to the snow this winter, I would say: don't hesitate! Go for it! It's a great experience, your dog will love the snow, he will transform! And you will share activities with him that will strengthen your ties and your complicity, it's magic! Long live the holidays in the snow with his dog.
Musher and Sophie "Choose a resort where dogs are allowed on the snowshoe trails to be able to practice this sport. Unfortunately, this is not always the case…”
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I hope that the adventures of Mephisto and Manon will have made you want to try the cani-racket with your dog.
And if you are also a fan of snow sports or snow sports with your dog and you want to share your adventures, send me a message in pm on the Facebook page of EmmèneTonChien.com ! I will interview you with great pleasure. You may allow other handler duos to share new adventures together.