How does it differ from carting?
They're very close. Draft dog puts the weight on hauling a real load and on doing something useful, which is why the trials are often linked to breed clubs' working titles.
Strength and pulling
Draft Dog
Think of it as carting's more practical cousin. The dog hauls a real load round a course with the kind of obstacles you'd meet in everyday life, and breed clubs award certificates for it.
About the discipline
What Draft Dog is
Draft dog is what breed clubs call their hauling trials with a load. Pulling an empty cart round a ring won't cut it here. The dog has to show it can do work you'd actually need done.
The course is built around practical jobs. The cart gets loaded and unloaded with the dog beside it, then the team crosses uneven ground, climbs a gentle slope and manoeuvres through tight spots. At some point the dog has to stand still with the load behind it.
Many clubs award a working title for a pass. That turns the discipline into a selection tool for the pulling breeds too: a dog that passes has shown it can do the job its breed was made for.
How it works in practice
What the trial contains
- the harness checked and adjusted
- loading the cart while the dog is harnessed
- a course with uneven ground and a gentle slope
- manoeuvring through tight spots
- standing on cue with the load
- unloading and taking the harness off
- basic obedience from start to finish
Which dogs it suits
- pulling breeds that are physically mature
- calm dogs that the rattle of a cart doesn't bother
- teams that belong to a breed club
What you need
- a draft harness fitted to the dog
- a transport cart or sled
- a load that meets the rulebook
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Draft Dog
My dog is a crossbreed. Can it take part?
Not at club trials, as a rule, because those lead to breed titles. Your dog can still do recreational carting with no restrictions at all.
How heavy is the load?
That depends on the rulebook and the dog's size, but it stays reasonable. The test is whether the dog moves the load under control. How much it could pull flat out doesn't come into it.
How do I get the dog used to the cart?
In very small steps. Start with the harness on its own, then add the empty shafts, then go a few metres with no load, and only after that add weight. What bothers most dogs is the noise behind them, so let them hear it while they walk freely first.
From the same category
Related sports
Wall Climb
Climbing a vertical wall, an event you'll meet at some competitions.
Tug of War
Controlled pulling contests that turn up at certain sporting events.
Weight Pull
The dog pulls a loaded sled over a short distance, in a special harness.
Carting
The dog pulls a cart round a marked course, and the judge watches how controlled it is.
We do not run Draft Dog
This page is informational. We work in mantrailing, search and rescue and preparation for the TSAC and BH exams - but if you want an honest opinion on what would suit your dog, write to us anytime.