One of the reasons for my trip to Oregon recently is my desire to try draft/cart work with Sterling.   This was something I had intended to do with one of my other dogs years ago and just never happened.   If you don't know anything about draft/cart work there is a short article on it HERE.  The rules for each breed putting on a test vary a bit and can be found at each breed club's website.    Anyway, since I'd never actually seen an official draft test and hope to enter one in the future I took the opportunity to go watch one put on by the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Oregon.   I had connected with berner friends on the West Coast and gotten some club contacts to visit with while I was there.     

Good news is - I think we can do this!    Bad news is it is hard to get into the tests, but that is okay too it will happen when it happens.   I've found in general the berner people (okay all dog people) are super friendly and this was no exception.    I was also very surprised to walk up to the rings and see on the sidelines, a Swedish Vallhund (a breed you don't see many of but one that has been owned and loved by a local friend as well).   Yes, many breeds of healthy structurally sound dogs can pull.....    Special thanks to Claudia, Deb (who couldn't be there that day) and Karyn for taking time to spend with the newbie (me!) and answering all my questions before, during and after.   My descriptions of what is happening below may not be totally accurate but they are close!

Adding the "load" to the cart (one of the exercises - which later involves stopping while unloading it).

The dummy cart....cute isn't it?   This cart was parked in the ring, the dogs had to stop and wait for the owner to go ahead of them and move this out of the way before continuing.

The following pictures were taken during the freight haul, where the dogs (and owners) do a mile (I think) haul of their carts with weight in the carts.   Rules vary but Sterling will likely need to pull 60 pounds in his cart.    The haul will involve uphill, downhill and flat.

The long group stay.   Most of the dogs were down but when I asked apparently they can do either a sit or down but have to stay in that position for I believe 3 minutes.

Loved the variety of carts that were present and the variety of weights in them.

One of the novice "brace" teams (two dogs) going through the "narrows" (two panels that are set a specific distance apart based on the width of the cart.   

A bonus was being able to get a little berner puppy love as well.