This dog training camp in Maine can teach your dog how to skijor
By Jacob Murphy
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FREEPORT, Maine (WMTW) — Whole Dog Camp is run by Jenny Yasi, a certified dog trainer. Located at Bliss Woods Farm in Freeport, Yasi hosts different group training events and private lessons.
In the winter, she holds skijoring lessons every Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m.
“If you want to get your dog some exercise but you don’t want to let your dog off -, it’s a great thing to do,” said Yasi.
To begin training a dog, Yasi recommends having paths already cut out in the snow for them to follow. Then it’s a matter of getting them used to the equipment so it’s not a distraction.
For equipment you will need basic cross-country skiing equipment: skis, poles and boots. Then, you’ll need a dog. A common misconception is that you need a big dog to skijor, but the dog isn’t actually pulling the skier, like they would in sled dog races, so having a lot of strength isn’t necessary.
“Pretty much any dog can do skijoring for at least part of their life, if not all of their life.”
Yasi has a “fear-free” training philosophy. “I don’t think it’s a good thing for dogs to hurt them or frighten them or to dominate them. I don’t think that that works well,” she said. “You’re not teaching a dog to be a robot or to be obedient and just do what I say. But the dog is actually able to communicate back to me and tell me what they think about things, which has been very helpful.”
During all parts of the year, she specializes in this fear-free training and helping people have better experiences walking their dogs on- and off- leash.
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