Säker Canine Traction 001 Add-on Accessory for Muse & Lander Harnesses for Canicross / Joring Sports

Hello, fellow Love Dogs. Last night I published a new gear video on the Love Dogs YouTube channel that is a brief introduction to the Säker Canine Traction 001. The Traction 001 is intended to turn the Lander or Muse harness into a recreational joring harness. You can watch the video by clicking below.

We are not sponsored by Säker, nor am I required to publish public reviews about the gear we test for them. My relationship with the company has been solely as a customer seeking quality gear for my active dogs. I purchased two of the original Ascension pack systems in early 2023 and provided unsolicited feedback to Säker via e-mail after 40 miles of use on The Colorado Trail, and I’ve been honored to be asked several times since then to test gear for them and provide honest feedback. After decades of buying gear that didn’t quite meet our needs and e-mailing companies with my feedback only to receive no response, I’m thrilled to have encountered a company whose CEO actually wants to hear what customers like myself need/want. At any rate, as an active human with two active dogs, when I find gear that works well for us, I’m excited to share it with others, and I hope you find these gear reviews and ‘first look’ videos helpful. Please always remember, however, that every dog is different (body shape and build, behavioral traits, and more make huge differences in gear fit) and what works for me and my dogs may not work for you and yours. Also, I’m always happy to answer questions to the best of my ability. Feel free to respond directly to the email from this post, or leave a comment below.

The dogs and I are really just getting into recreational canicross from a gear standpoint. Japhy & Hazel have always run with me, but I’ve never used any special gear to do so. Joring harnesses + human joring belts are specifically designed for dog-powered sports. There are several different types, and sometimes finding the right fit for a dog is challenging.

I feel it’s important to point out that recreational refers to the intent and intensity of the activity. In contrast to competitive joring sports, we’re doing this just for our own fun, training, and relationship-building. As such, the Traction 001 seems to be a fine option. I’ve listed a few resources below that I’ve found immensely helpful in my own research. I’m by no means an expert, but the authors of these posts are highly experienced, and I recommend checking them out if you’re interested in pursuing joring sports either recreationally or competitively. The first link below is a treasure trove of information and includes citations at the bottom if you’d like to delve further into the research.

• A Guide to Harnesses in Dog Mushing and Joring Sports: http://bit.ly/41AEKGQ

• Choosing the right canicross belt: https://bit.ly/3UYibIu

• How to get started with canicross by Nonstop Dogwear (lots of useful links within this article, too): http://bit.ly/4nazlP1

• Canicross 101: https://www.k9ofmine.com/canicross/

• Skijoring Commands: https://alaskaskijoring.org/training/commands/

I added the last link for those interested in learning some of the cues used in competitive joring. Ultimately I think that if you’re doing this recreationally, it doesn’t really matter what cues you’re using as long your dog(s) understand them. Several years ago I taught my dogs “Line Out” because it seemed (and is!) useful while hiking and backpacking when I want them in front of me with a taut leash to prevent it from getting tangled under foot. Since then, and now with the help of the Traction 001, I’ve slowly been learning the best way to attach the leash (to them and myself) to make it even more comfortable for all of us. Of course there are times when I need them by my side on trail, particularly when we pass others on single track, and in such cases I prefer a short leash connected to their collars, but when we’re moving and grooving down the trail with no one else around, the joring approach is really fun and effective.

Do you have experience with recreational or competitive joring sports? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts about the Traction 001 or other resources you find informative for beginners.

I hope you all are well. Until next time, much love to you.

♡ Tif, Japhy & Hazel