Are you looking for a new way to strengthen the connection between you and your pet while getting fit at the same time?

The sport of Canicross might just be the perfect solution, literally connecting you to your dog with bungee cord while running or walking.

Canicross emerged in the early 2000s as a way to maintain the fitness of sled-dogs in the off season by keeping up their resistance training.

In the years since, it has become a sport unto itself across Europe and North America, now spreading wider globally.

Ballito’s Louise van Niekerk is one of the first proponents of the craze locally and is doing her best to spread the word of the sport she loves.

“I discovered it after seeing YouTube videos during lockdown and immediately tried to learn as much about it as I could,” said Van Niekerk.

“By the time I got my dog Arrow Gator (a Belgian Malinois) in June 2020, I was excited to train him in the sport.”

Van Niekerk has an animal behaviourist background which naturally helps, but she believes anyone can do it with some practice.

“It will take a few attempts before you both get a feel for the motion, because the dog does literally pull you so you have to figure out how much you can handle.”

You will then need to develop voice commands, training the dog to pass, turn and stop as needed.

Once you have an idea of the feeling, with the harness safely fitted to both, then you will be set to go – on dog safe trails of course.

If it is something that you would like to get into, Van Niekerk shared seven tips to help.

1. Make sure your dog is at least 12 months old before starting, while larger breeds might need 18 months of growth.

2. Get the correct gear. Currently this means importing the cord and the harnesses for both the human and dog, but Van Niekerk hopes to launch a local brand.

3. Judge the climate. If its too hot, your dog will not be able to handle the exercise. Find another activity during the hottest summer months.

4. Keep the dog’s nails trimmed. This is good practice for dog owners but particularly for Canicross, because the impact could see long nails causing issues for the dog.

5. Make sure you are both warmed up. This includes the dog, because there is an impact on them as the lead too.

6. Keep the run short as it is not a marathon sport. Van Niekerk recommends not running more than 6km.

7. Make sure the harness fits around your hips/bum. If it is too high and pulls on your lower back then it can cause issues down the line.

To see Arrow Gator and Louise in action, visit @arrowgatorthemali on Instagram.

Follow The North Coast Courier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube for breaking news

Telegram Broadcast Service: https://t.me/joinchat/yJULuN8NaCs5OGM0

WhatsApp Broadcast Service: Add The Courier to WhatsApp at 082 792 9405 and WhatsApp your name and surname to be added.