Our 2023 Clinic is now Full
We are accepting some wait listed participant slots in case there is a cancellation. Please reach out to cascadesdc@gmail.com if interested.
September 30th, 2023
8:30am-3pm @ Wildwood Recreational Site
Welches, OR
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.
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!
2023 Presenters
Subject to Change - Additional Presenters may be added
Thad McCracken
With over 16 years of experience in the sport, Thad has raced everything from longer races like Copperdog & Bear Grease to sprint world championships in Manitoba and Alaska. He has the unique perspective of starting where many of us do - in a house in Portland that suddenly is filled with sled dogs - and has worked with many different ability levels of both dogs and people to bring out the best in both.
Questions? Please email cascadesdc@gmail.com
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.
