Skateboarding with your dog or dog-skating
Cani-board, Cani-Skate, Dog-skate, Skate-board with a dog, Skate joering… but what is this W'ouf sport? It's riding a towed skateboard with your dog. Yes yes, you have the right image in your head… Preferring to stay alive and whole, I didn't want to test this extreme sport myself with my dog. I chickened out and preferred to interview an expert in the field. Also, I suggest you discover the cani-skate through the experience of Tsingy and Pauline. First of all, let's start with a small presentation of our extreme Wouafer's duo.
Pauline and her dog, Australian Shepherd X Border Collie
Pauline is the youngest of the Wouafer's that I have interviewed so far. 12 years old, she is going to 4th grade in a few days. We can say that she is on the move and that is not to displease her dog who follows her in all her adventures. Cani-skating, hiking, surfing, canoeing, swimming… she makes the most of her native Lozère and the nearby Aveyron with her dog. And when she takes a break, she stands in front of her drums or draws.
Tsingy? He is an Australian Shepherd X Border Collie. His name may ring a bell because he is our AmbassaDog from Aveyron. Alongside his mistress, and therefore Pauline's mother, he introduced us to the places and activities to do with your dog around Millau. A muscular dog, always ready to run and play crazy, he is the ideal companion for cani-skating.
Skateboarding with your dog
A year ago, Pauline had slipped her skateboard in her suitcases for a few days of vacation. Coming back from the walk, a little exhausted, she had the idea of asking Tsingy to help her a little. He spontaneously started towing. This is how it all started for them. Then, Pauline equipped herself and her dog and they went on more regular outings. She has been practicing long-boarding, skateboarding, for 2 years now. She doesn't do "acrobatic" skateboarding.
Cani-skating requires the same equipment as for all other traction sports such as cani-rando, cani trail, le cani cross… that is a traction harness for his dog, traction leash (an elastic leash) and possibly a harness for the master. Of course, you need: a skate board, a helmet!! and knee, hand and elbow protection for your safety.
Pauline practices without a harness. She prefers to have leash in hand to be able to let go of your dog in case of danger like a cat crossing or an obstacle in its path like a tree root that forms a mega bump.
It is a sport also practiced by some mushers because it is ideal for doing traction sports when there is no snow.
Cani-skate: the steps to get off to a good start
There are two important steps before you start cani-skating:
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know how to skateboard on your own and know how to do it well. You have to master the speed, know how to jump off your board urgently, avoid the dangers...
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teach your dog basic commands such as stop, left, right, forward and slow down.
If your dog has never done any pulling sport, there is little chance that he will react like Tsingy and that he will click the first time. Towing can be learned. It is possible that while towing, the sound of the skateboard following him could frighten him a little. He may also be afraid that you will fall on him. In short, you will have to show him what you expect of him and this is usually done over several sessions.
Pauline also advises starting with small sessions. Depending on the type of dog, its health, its level of endurance, its physical condition… it will be necessary to go little by little until longer and more complete training sessions. There is no question of disgusting your dog with sessions that are far too hard for him. If you've never run and you're forced to run 10k the first time you try it again, you're bound to be in pain, aching and wanting to throw away your sneakers forever.
She also told me that it is best to start in a very quiet place where your dog will have few demands to deal with. If there are too many stimuli like bikes, ducks, other dogs…he may have trouble concentrating, constantly changing direction, losing rhythm. gap, without danger therefore above all no traffic.
You also have to learn how to stop your skateboard or make it change direction in case of problems. It must not hit your dog in any way, it could hurt him. And your dog will surely be afraid of it for a few sessions. Scalded dog, fears cold water as they say!
Whatever your level of training the two of you form a team. If one of you doesn't feel like it, take it into account and postpone your cani-skate session.
Cani-skate: instructions for use
Pauline advises you to start each session slowly with a warm-up. A few games with doggie will be perfect, such as stick throwing, for example.
Then it's off to the dogskating ride. Be careful, it's a real sport! You will have to help your dog by pushing with your foot as soon as he needs it. No question of being seated or standing to be gently towed. And of course, you will have to give the starting impulse, the one that requires the most effort from your dog.
You also need to be on permanent alert to guide your dog and thus avoid tree roots, other dogs, bicycles... An unexpected noise and your dog may make a sudden change of direction and you'll fall. You have to be hyper-focused and vigilant.
At each session, consider giving your dog breaks. Pauline goes cani-skating on the newly developed banks of Millau, along the Tarn. Thus, Tsingy can relax his legs in the water after each session. Her favorite spot? The beach of the Gourg of Bades.
Remember to equip your dog correctly: the pulling harness is the ideal. Choose him adapted to his morphology. Above all, no collar, that goes without saying but better to repeat it 😉 Always carry enough water for your dog and you foldable bowl to give him to drink when he is thirsty. Check the condition of his legs after each session. Skateboarding is practiced on tarred surfaces, which are not very gentle on the dog's pads... Also be careful not to let him run if the tarmac is hot in the middle of summer, eh...
There are no precise regulations on the circulation of skateboards. They are of course prohibited on the road and strongly discouraged on sidewalks. Cycle paths and quays or urban promenades seem to be good alternatives.
To avoid perilous stunts, learn as soon as possible to jump off your skateboard on the way and stop your dog very quickly. Better to do some simulations than to test it in real life. Isn't it Pauline? 😉 Pauline told me a little anecdote that could have ended worse than that… One day, she is in town with Tsingy. He shows him a strong desire to tow. They embark on a steep descent and at the very last moment, launched at full speed, she sees a root forming a bump on the asphalt. She wanted to jump off the skateboard, but in the momentum, it finally landed under her feet and she took a big bowl. It is the risks of this sport Too W'ouf you will say to me but as much to learn to limit them and as soon as possible!
The world of cani-skate
In France, the caniskate is an activity which develops little by little but it is in the USA that it is born. Surfing, skateboarding, paddleboarding…they are crazy about sliding sports on the other side of the Atlantic. If you want to find some inspiration, type #dogskating on Instagram and you can discover some four-legged influencers sharing this sport with their master. I haven't found any Facebook groups to relay to you to find fellow practitioners. We have to wait a little longer for this sport to become more democratic…
I hope this article will make you want to get started in this sport to do with your dog. I thank Pauline and Tsingy who shared lots of good advice with us. As soon as I'm passing through Millau, I'll follow one of their training with pleasure but Musher and I will settle for more classic sports :p
See you soon Wouafer's!