Getting Started
If your dog already pulls, and you have a freight harness (has
spreader bar behind dog); just show up at a pull. The fee is anywhere
from $8 to $20 per day. It is set by the organizer to recover his cost.
If you are a non-member, then there is an extra $5 per day fee
levied per handler.
Checking It Out 
Is weight pulling something in which you are interested? Find a pull
near you and go observe. The organizers will be glad to answer any
questions and provide you with literature. Take your dog. During a
break, or after the pull, they "might" have time to loan you a harness
and let you try your dog at pulling. If they have a novice pull, then
enter it. This will give you a chance to see how your dog behaves and
get first hand experience at the sport of pulling.
If you have any questions, please email us (Heather Jamison) and we will
endeavor to get an answer to you.
Equipment
The only equipment you really need to enter a sanctioned pull is a
freight harness (has spreader bar behind dog). See the sources of
equipment for acquiring a harness. It is important that you have a good
collar (prong collars not allowed) and leash and that you keep good
control of your dog (we have zero tolerance at dog fights; or apparent
abuse of your dog). A dog that can "stay" is very important at a pull.
Training
As said above, we DO NOT TOLERATE dog fights; nor any action toward
you dog that might be construed as cruel or abusive. You need to train
(not coerce) your dog to pull. During a pull, you will connect your dog
to the cart/sled, then have him/her say while you go across the finish
line; whereupon you will command you dog to pull. Your dog needs to
obey a stay command to accomplish this.
For actual pulling, you need to condition your dog to pulling
something. Very likely, they have been tethered by a chain to constrain
them to some area. Put a harness on them and connect it to a heavy
object, and their perception is not much different than being tethered.
You need to teach them that this is something different.
A common training aid is an old tire. Go to your local tire store
and they will be glad to give you some old tires. Get some I-bolts and
washers; and some kind of chain link devises. Drill a hole through the
tread of the tire and connect the I-bolt with a washer. This can be
connected to the dog's harness to give him something to drag. You can
also chain several tires together to increase the drag (weight) they are
pulling. You can train by pulling a light weight for long distances,
or a heavy weight for very short distances.
Carts are another device for training. There are a few places you
can buy carts, or you can make your own. This is more akin to sledding.
But, it can be more fun for your dog and it teaches him to pull. A
sporting harness is more appropriate for cart pulling.
Joining
If you wish to join the IWPA, you may send the membership form and
fee to our Membership Chairman. Membership entitles you to the 9
newsletters published; voting rights; admittance to sanctioned pulls
(organizer pull fees are extra); and competition points accumulated
towards season standings within your region and weight class.
Download into your browser the
membership form (opens in a
new window) that is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, fill it out,
print, and mail it to the indicated membership chair with the
appropriate fee payable to the I.W.P.A.
Form update 10 Aug 2003.
If you don't have an Adobe Acrobat Reader, visit
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html to obtain a
reader.
Netscape Users -- You may need to hold down shift or cntl
when you click on the membership form link so it will be pulled it
down in binary.
Family vs. Individual membership: If you are interested in the
competition, points are only awarded to dogs owned by members and dogs
handled by members. If someone else in your family might handle the dog
at a pull, you need a family membership. Otherwise, the dog and
handler are entered as "provisional" and the points do not count. Family memberships do not include
children 18 years of age and over. 18 year olds (or older) must join
as individual members.
Last updated: 8/21/08
Address further questions to: info@iwpa.net
(Heather Jamison )
or Membership questions to: membership@iwpa.net
(Rodney Martin)
or Web site questions/comments to webmaster@iwpa.net
