Adjusting the HDA Skijoring Belt

Some people might not be aware that you can adjust the waist strap of the HDA Skijoring Belt. Especially when it is brand new, the straps haven’t had a chance to loosen up. We have made a short video to show you how the waist strap can be adjusted side-to-side.

Adjusting the HDA Skijoring Belt
Adjusting the HDA Skijoring Belt

 

Meet our harness giveaway winner!

Katie, our Harness Giveway winner.
Katie, our Harness Giveway winner.

Congratulations to Katie Winrich, the winning junior musher from our Harness Giveaway! This  12-year-old aspiring junior musher from Reedsville, Wisconsin  was our number one choice and she received a full set of harnesses (harnesses we accumulated through our Trade In/Trade up sale). Katie currently owns three Alaska Huskies and a German shepherd mix. This will be Katie’s 1st racing season and her goal is to run in the 4-dog sprint class. Katie is a very nice, smart and mature young lady, and she won our hearts with her very nice bio write-up. We wish Katie the best luck pursuing her mushing dreams!

Continue reading “Meet our harness giveaway winner!”

HARNESS GIVEAWAY!

ATTENTION ALL JUNIOR MUSHERS!

Our Trade In/Trade Up Harness Sale was a great success. We ended up with quite a few “recycled” harnesses. We would like to donate those to aspiring junior mushers just as we did two years ago. We will be giving out three sets of 10 harnesses (both x-back style and short style, various manufacturers). To qualify, you must be 16 years of age or younger. E-mail us (ivana@howlingdogalaska.com) your short “mushing” bio accompanied by a photo of you and your dogs, along with the description of your goals as a musher and story or two about you and your dogs. All entries will be judged by the members of Team Howling Dog. The three junior mushers that show the most enthusiasm, creativity, and concern for the safety and wellbeing their dogs will be chosen for the harness giveaway, and they will be featured in our next newsletter.

• Our number one choice will receive a set of 10 harnesses – those harnesses will be in excellent condition.
• Our number two choice will receive a set of 10 harnesses in very good condition.
• Our number three choice will receive a set of 10 harnesses in good condition. However, there might be a couple which will need a little bit of fixing.

The entry deadline is November 30th, 2012.

Trade in & Trade up Harness SALE

Is your team ready for new harnesses? How long have you been holding off making a purchase of top quality harnesses simply because prices are just a bit outside your budget? Well, we have a solution for you! For a limited time we are having a special Trade In/Trade Up HARNESS SALE.

Send us your old harnesses and we will replace them with new ones!

Here is how it works:  For every old harness received, you will get 30% off of two harnesses of your choice!

This discount even beats our 10+ prices! No matter how many dogs you have, how many dogs you need to outfit – one or fifty – this is a win/win deal!  Plus receive FREE SHIPPING on your entire order!

Special Trade In / Trade up harness prices:

–          Distance Harness: $20.30 (regular price $29.00)

–          Standard Harness: $18.20 (regular price $26.00)

–          Polar Harness: $19.60 (regular price $28.00)

–          Light Weight Harness: $17.50 (regular price $25.00)

–          Hound Harness: $17.50 (regular price $25.00)

–          Wheel Dog Harness: $23.03 (regular price $32.90)

–          Pulka Harness: $23.10 (regular price $33.00)

Not sure about what harness style to choose? Visit our Harness Selection Chart.

Mail your old harnesses, a list of desired new harnesses (including harness style, size and color), your address and a check for the total amount due to the address below. Make all checks payable to Howling Dog Enterprises, LLC.

Howling Dog Alaska, 1705 Randolph Court, Leavenworth, KS 66048 (Tel. 913-364-4988)

This offer is valid until October 31, 2012.

How to teach your dog to pull?

Recently we received a request from a customer of ours asking to explain how to make his dog pull. Perhaps other people could jump in on this topic and share their methods. All I can say is MOTIVATION, motivation, motivation. Not all dogs are born to be natural pullers. You have to motivate the dog! Hook the dog to a bike, scooter or just to your waist and have a friend run in the front of you calling your dog. If the dog moves forward and pulls, praise the dog. Repeat, repeat, repeat. 😉

We offer a really nice book in our HDA store. The name is Skijor with Your Dog http://harn.es/SkjBook. This book gives really good instruction on how to teach a dog to pull. Also, this is a good sled dog forum to ask questions at: http://www.sleddogcentral.com/forum/

Meet our Second Annual Photo Contest winners!

FIRST PLACE

YATA HAE ELLIOT COOL – submitted by Amy Hershberger, Salem, NY

Yata Hae Elliot Cool, now 13 months old, came to Amy this past fall at the age of four months. Amazingly attentive and focused from day one, he quickly became Amy’s partner and teammate while they played rally, and began learning foundations for canine disc, and agility. In the fall, Amy discovered Dog Scootering! Elliot was too young to really participate but he got to experience small tastes here and there over the winter and spring. He and the rest of the scootering crew got their Reflective Distance Harnesses from Howling Dog Alaska this spring. Amy and all the dogs love them and are all eagerly looking forward to putting them to continued use going forward!

Elliot Cool is a German Coolie. His coloring is called black merle, and he has a saddle pattern which is why he has so much tan. Despite the name, the breed actually originated in Australia. They were thought to have been favored by early German immigrants and that is where the name comes from. They are known as a hard working and versatile herding and farm dog. There are only three breeders of German Coolies in North America – one in the USA and two in Canada. Coolies excel at Search & Rescue, Agility, Dock Jumping, Disc, Herding, Flyball, Dog Powered Sports, and more! Their intelligence, energy, sure footedness, tenacity, and stamina make them terrific partners in any activity. More breed information here.

Elliot Cool lives with a 13 year old Aussie mix, a six year old Portuguese Water Dog, three Border Collies (ages seven, five, & two years old), and another German Coolie, who is just four months old. He also shares his home with three naughty kitties and four parrots!

He loves meeting new people and usually greets his friends by leaping up into the air and nibbling on their chins. Elliot Cool loves to play with his jolly ball, swim, run, and wrestle. At the end of the day, he likes to curl up on the bed with his person. He is a true joy and a beloved friend.

SECOND PLACE

KAIROS – submitted by Andrea Chilcote, Cave Creek, AZ 

“Kairos” is one of two Greek words for time. Unlike “chronos,” or ordinary clock time, Kairos signifies a moment in time when something special happens. Our Siberian Husky pup, Kairos, showed up during one such special time. He came along unexpectedly as Andrea was grieving the recent loss of her beloved Husky friend and constant hiking companion, Amigo, who passed away last April. Sweet Kairos is now one year old, and he too enjoys daily hikes with Andrea and his many aunts (Andrea’s girlfriends) in our desert mountains, along with his big sister Whisper, a Malamute. He first donned a Howling Dog Distance Harness (size small) at three months, and, after having chewed his way out of a medium, now sports a size large. He wears a Standard Collar, and Andrea recently discovered the fun and ease of the Trekking Belt with Skijoring Line. Andrea says: “Wow, there’s no other way to hike a Husky! Thanks so much Howling Dog Alaska!”

THIRD PLACE

KIEFER – submitted by Trisha Malfitano, Watertown, CT

Kiefer is a two year old Border Collie who Trisha adopted through New England Border Collie Rescue when he was ten weeks old.  Kiefer was born deaf but that doesn’t stop him. Kiefer just started scootering when he and Trisha attended a workshop in May. The picture is of him trying out his brand new Reflective Distance Harness that day. Kiefer has been helping his new sister, who is also deaf and partially blind, discover how much fun scootering can be. Kiefer is also the star of a children’s book called “My Dog Kiefer”. Kiefer visits schools and reads his book to the kids. He loves teaching people that being deaf doesn’t make him any different from other dogs. When he isn’t scootering or visiting schools one of his favorite things is to play in water sprinklers with his brother Phoenix and his sister Theresina.

Enter our Second Annual PHOTO CONTEST!

Here are the rules of the contest:

1. Howling Dog gear must be showcased in each photo.
2. Limit three photos per entry/e-mail address.
3. All entries must be received by Sunday May 6, 2012.
4. E-mail us your entries* (subject Photo Contest). ivana@howlingdogalaska.com
5. Include your name and address in the e-mail and also the name of your pet/pets shown in the photo (unless it is a picture of the whole dog team).

The entries will be narrowed down to top 15 contestants. We will publish those photos in our next newsletter and you will get to vote on top three photos. Winner will be announced in our June e-newsletter.

• First place will receive a coupon for $50.00 for on-line purchase with Howling Dog.
• Second place will receive a coupon for $30.00 for on-line purchase with Howling Dog.
• Third place will receive a coupon for $15.00 for on-line purchase with Howling Dog.

PLUS all entries will be considered for possible publishing on our web site. Is your dog going to become the next Howling Dog model?