Denver Dog Works offers a mushing training program. Dr. Robert Forto was a professional musher for 15 years and knows how to build a winning team. If you are interested in running the next big race or just a small recreational team we can help!
What is the Mushing Boot Camp?
We would like to keep the groups small - 8 to 12 teams - so that we can concentrate on the one-on-one work that is crucial to problem solving. We recommend that you keep your 'team' small and include the dogs whose behavior you want to modify.
A team is a group of dogs run by one person, a couple or a family.
We recommend keeping the team small and working with your problem dogs. We recommend that you do not put several small groups of dogs together and make a team. Believe me, you will create more problems than you already have and overall you will be disappointed with the results. We may chose to combine small groups of dogs into bigger teams at the Clinic but only after evaluation and one-on-one training.
What you need for the camp:
Training collar for each dog.
Eight foot leash with snaps at both ends.
Standard neck line for use as a belly band.
We generally have leashes/belly bands for sale at Camp.
Your normal training equipment that you would bring on any training run (i.e. harnesses, lines, water and pans, rig, etc.)
What the clinic will encompass:
We will run your dogs as a team to determine what your individual needs are. Over a 3 day clinic, your team will run as a group at least 6 times with one of us working with you.
We will work with each of your dogs one-on-one working on their problems as well as confidence training and other basic obedience skills. You will also pick up ideas while watching us work with the other participants.
Why do I need to attend this Clinic:
I have had some people ask me if this Clinic is for them so I have come up
with some questions that you can ask yourself:
Do your dogs stop running when you ask them to go?
Does your leader seem to think that it is his full time job to mark every
tree and bush on the trail?
Do you have 2 or more dogs that cannot be run next to each other because
they fight?
Does your team stop on an uphill?
Do your leaders-team dogs like to chase things on the trail?
Do your leaders-team dogs refuse to pass other teams?
Do your leaders-team dogs lose interest or stop before the run is over?
Do you even have a leader?
Do your dogs stop the team to drink out of puddles on the road? Or chase a
stray dog?
Do your leaders-team dogs know 'on by'? Gee/haw?
Do you have a dog (or dogs) that flat out refuse to run?
Do your dogs eat all of your equipment if you don't have help to hook up
your team?
Do your dogs pull your rig away while you are off of the rig trying to
correct a problem in the team?
I'm sure I can think up some more but these are just some of the problems that we deal with with our own dog teams. If you can say yes to any of the above questions and you want to learn how to train your dogs to change a behavior, then this clinic is for you.
We can work in rather warm temps during the day for the one-on-one training as long as the early morning and evening temps are cool enough for the team runs - mid 50'sF or lower. Please no dogs under 8 months of age. Make sure that all dogs are up-to-date on all vaccinations.
We are both very excited about the prospect of helping sled dogs get back on their own teams and become happy, confident workers. And that makes the musher happy too!
Please contact Denver Dog Works as soon as possible if you are interested in a clinic or have any questions.
Mushing Program Descriptions
Mushing Clinics
3-5 days
$500.00/team
A team is a group of dogs run by one person, a couple or a family.
