Cartjoring

Cartjoring

Sled dogs on dry land! Cartjoring (or cart pulling) is an age-old canine performance sport, originally used to keep sled dogs conditioned in the off-season. Also called drafting, dogcarting, or other similar names, cartjoring is a fun and accessible sport for just about any dog. Cart pulling is gaining popularity as a sport on its own, and is widely enjoyed as a recreational activity as well.

Carting is the most basic of harness sports – the dog is harnessed to the cart and pulls it along. In other pulling sports, the handler is often self-propelled and the dog simply keeps up or assists with speed. In cartjoring, the dog does all the work himself. In this way, cartjoring can be safer for both handler and dog…though sudden or unexpected movements from the dog might well tip the cart!

There is nothing new about the sport of cartjoring. Native American tribes used domesticated dogs to haul their stuff on sleds. Europeans did the same for eons as well. Certain breeds of dog were bred specifically for pulling and were essentially the poor man’s horse. Though cartjoring is no longer a necessity in most parts of the world, the conditioning and enjoyment of the sport have kept it alive. With dog sports growing in popularity across the board, cartjoring is also enjoying a resurgence in popularity – but for fun and competition rather than actual work!