Saturday, September 13th

Our very first Dog-Powered Sports Club event may have been small in numbers, but it was big on variety. Only three people officially showed up — but between dogs, the stories, and a few surprise visitors, it turned into a lively afternoon.

Everyone got a chance to try out the slatmill (an unpowered dog treadmill), from Aida the overly-energetic Malamute who needed to burn off some steam before she could sit through an hour of talking, to the 10-year-old double-hip-replacement dog, Lena, who couldn’t join the run but still got to walk and be part of the action, and everyone in between. One participant’s dog, Suri, got to run thanks to my husband stepping in as the handler, and even though the slatmill wasn’t her favorite, she still got a taste of what the sport was about. Aida stole the spotlight again once she was harnessed up, running strong and showing off just how much a dog can love pulling once they get the hang of it.

Then three local kids wandered over, curious about what we were doing. With Casey’s small, kid-friendly dog, Motts, each of them got a turn to run, and their excitement was contagious. By the end, they were already asking when we’d be back.

Even though it was a hot day, 85 degrees, and we kept the canicross runs short, every dog and person found their own way to participate. It wasn’t about perfect performances — it was about adapting, learning, and having fun together. A great first step into dog-powered sports for our club!