Dog ‘sledding’ without the snow

Apack of dogs flies over smooth ground, tongues out and flapping, sleek, athletic bodies covering great distances with every stride.

They run faster and faster as the pack’s excitement builds, each dog fueled by the others, working effortlessly to tow the heavy load.

They are quiet as they run, different from the pre-race tumult when they barked and wailed, raring to go, right up until the cart brake is released … and they’re off!

And then silence except for the sound of the cart wheels grinding like a car which went off the road, and squeals of delight from the passengers, thrilled by the speed – up to 34 km/hour.

Dogsledding has always been an appealing option for families during the cold winter months, but they’re still “sledding” in summer at Timberland Tours in Bristol, Que., about 45 minutes west of downtown Ottawa.

Timberland owner Denis Rozon has been mushing for 42 years, and opened the company in 2008, offering summer sledding that same year. The same sled track is used summer and winter, winding through a red pine forest, and people “come from Europe, they come from everywhere, Australia, everywhere” to use it, he said.

The main difference between summer and winter dog sledding is the cart. Instead of runners under the sled, the cart sits on big wheels that roll along as the dogs run. In winter, the dogs pull two people at a time, one sitting in a small sled while the other stands and steers. Then the riders can switch. In summer, up to 10 dogs (compared to three to five in winter) haul big metal carts that hold up to 10 people while Rozon drives.

Put aside about half a day if you go to Timberland because it’s not just about the sledding. Rozon loves his dogs and wants his customers to be able to bond with them.

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“It’s an experience that is very special,” said Rozon. Riders “help to harness the dogs and build the team, that’s why it lasts half a day, they get an introduction to the dogs … when they go back home they can say ‘I know how to build a sled dog team.’”

There is much attention paid to temperature at Timberland. In winter, the dogs run for about an hour, but summer runs last only about 20 minutes – otherwise it’s simply too hot for the dogs. Summer tours are only offered in the mornings when it’s cooler. Even though most of the dogs are hound mixes with short hair, they still overheat if they run too hard under the blazing sun.

After sledding, it’s hot dogs cooked over an open fire and a visit to Rozon’s collection of photos, medals and trophies accumulated over the past four decades.

And it’s not only about making sure the people have fun. The dogs do too.

In Rozon’s words, “They love to run.” 