Dog pulling contest?

[jzaun]

Did anyone happen to catch Animal Planet's show tonight. I think it was called "Superdogs" or something like that. Anyways, I happened to tune in when they were showing a new sport in the dog world. Dog Pulling?! It showed a pit bull and an American Bulldog competing for the win pulling 8900 pounds! Poor dogs were on their bellys pulling while the handler urged them on. Now I don't know about the rest of you, but in my opinion, this is the type of sport that will encourage inhumane training devices, filling dogs with steroids and pain killers, and not to mention the injury rates. I realize there are some breeds who are bred to pull loads, but to intentionally load them up with cement blocks on a sled with literally tons of weight doesn't make alot of sense to me. Does anyone else feel this way, or do you think this is a legit sport?

 

[samsons]

wowo ~~ TONS !!!!

poor pups ..... we had a pitty when the kids where little and we let him pull a SLED in the snow with the kids on it , ... BUT COME ON , TONS !! i cant imagine the things that go on behind scene's .

 

[CoraBoxer]

I don't know, sport is one thing, the owners is another. This sport like others isn't for all dogs. I've heard the competitions have rules prohibiting abuse. From what I understand a lot of the breeds are bred to pull/plow and enjoy doing it etc. You have sled dogs pulling, they don't pull this kind of weight but they go forever (all kinds of comps) similar right? They get the dog real excited to pull and thats what they do... pull. I don't know that it bothers me, as long as the dogs are treated right (outside competition where there are no people enforcing rules) and the owners aren't pushing it too far - hurting the dog. If the dog can pull 8 tons grats?

 

[johann]

The training center I go to does weight pull classes. I think the head trainer's dog (american staff.) recently did 600 lbs in a competition. I'm going to sign up for a class some day soon...all the dogs seem to have a blast doing it.

I'm guessing it's like all dog sports (some obedience or rally trainers are awful), there are good and bad ways to train for it. The injury rate for agility is probably pretty similar to the injury rate for weight pull.

 

[djheitz]

One of our local pit advocacy groups just sponsored one a few weeks ago. Nowhere near those kinds of weights, though. I think they are trying to get the urban community to see pits as something other than 'protection' or fighting dogs. From the pictures I saw, it drew a decent crowd - lots of neighborhood kids, which is where education is needed the most.

 

[Kilby'sMum]

Really don't see the 'sport' in that. I totally agree that it seems to be the sort of thing that would encourage cruel training techniques.

Having said that, perhaps my girls are secretly in training already... they way they pull on walks sometimes :p

 

[Guitarjunkie]

Pulling contest (continued)

I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd reply. My nephew just bought a Dogo Argentina pup. If your not familiar with that breed you can Google it and you will be amazed!

It was ''created'' from many breeds to do one thing: attack and kill wild boars and fight off mountain lions....This dog is so powerful it's like a machine!

I seen YouTube footage of a Dogo Argentina harnessed to a huge tractor tire and pulling it 2 miles down a rough trail through swamp and rugged terrain! (what got me was it seemed to enjoy it) It is still available if you go to YouTube and search that breed.

 

[LILYLARUE]

My dogs are "bike" dogs.....they pull me on my tricycle! But without proper training and building up, it can really wear on a dog and quick. I trained Lily for 4 months and she finally started to pull the bike with Buster. 130 lbs pulling me seemed too easy for them. BUT, 2 months later she tore her ACL. Not sure if the pulling did it, or it was a impairment of her ACL, but either way, not gonna make them pull anymore. Just too risky on them.

I do see that this is a sport that needs rules and regs BEFORE it takes off in a huge way. I can see ignorant people who say "he pulls like a mule" and then putting them on the pull and having some serious muscle tears, bones breaking under the force, and other injuries. I don't think it's natural for all breeds. The dog has to have front AND back end strength. Boxers have the power of the push-off, but I don't think they have the strength or stamina in the back to handle huge amounts of weight.