Mushing 101 crash course with Heartland Mushers Association

NEW PARIS, Ind. -- On Saturday, November 22, the Heartland Mushers Association alongside the Elkhart County Parks taught a crash course on mushing called Mushing 101. 

For $10, people can bring their dogs over for a two-hour course on mushing. Many people think mushing is only a thing in snowy regions, but it can be done anywhere at any time of year for all it truly is, is transport lead by dogs.

Since Indiana doesn't have snow year-round, the HMA focuses on dry-land mushing, which is what they were teaching here. Dog owners learned how to harness their dog up, attach them to a bike, scooter, or wheeled sled, and have the dogs lead them around by traversing the park's half-mile long trail surrounding a grassy field.

The dogs were trained to do this by first mushing a tire to build their strength. After the musing session was over, they got to relax, have some water, and hang around other dogs and be pet by a bunch of different people. 

Keith Miller, a Heartland Mushers Association member, stated, "It's basically a sport. You're training your dog. It gives you and the dog a chance to get some exercise, to work together and build a relationship with each other and have good time together. You know, it doesn't do either one of you a lot of good to just spend all your time laying on the couch."