If you love being outdoors, enjoy a good walk with poles, and have an energetic dog by your side, Nordicjoring might just be your new favorite activity.
This growing trend blends Nordic walking—a full-body, low-impact walking technique using poles—with the thrill of being gently pulled by your dog. It’s a fun, fitness-boosting, and dog-friendly activity that brings a fresh twist to your Nordic Walks..
What Exactly Is Nordicjoring?
Nordicjoring (pronounced nor-dic-yor-ing) is essentially dog-powered Nordic walking. You wear a belt around your waist, your dog wears a pulling harness, and the two of you are connected by a bungee-style leash or towline. As you walk with poles, your dog helps by providing a bit of forward momentum. It’s especially fin on those hills!
Think of it as a more dynamic way to enjoy walks—where you and your dog are literally in sync, sharing the trail and the workout.
Unlike skijoring (which involves skis and snow), Nordicjoring can be done year-round on walking paths, trails, gravel roads, or even in light snow, making it an incredibly versatile and accessible activity.
What You Need for Nordicjoring
Getting started with Nordicjoring is pretty simple, but having the right gear makes all the difference:
- Nordic walking poles: These are specially designed poles that help engage your upper body and improve posture and balance. Give us a ring if you need advice on what to buy.
- A pulling harness for your dog: Designed to distribute pressure evenly and allow free movement. We’ve partnered with Ruffwear to bring you some of the best dog kit on the planet.
- A hands-free belt: Worn around your waist or hips, often padded for comfort and support.
- A bungee leash or towline: This absorbs shocks and keeps you both comfortable if your dog pulls or suddenly changes speed.
Ruffwear’s Omnijore system combines all these elements into one amazing piece of Kit. A really comfortable hip belt with a low-profile, lay-flat design with light padding, two zippered pockets, and two stash pockets with plenty of stretch. The hip belt has adjustable (and removable) leg straps that help keep the belt in place during your joring activities. A central side-release buckle makes for easy on/off and a separate quick-release tow strap connects to the towline. The part static, part dynamic towline is lightweight, absorbs shock, and gives you the option to grab onto the static parts if needed for control. And the part your furry friend wears, the harness, is made for comfortable pulling.
Is Nordicjoring Right for Your Dog?
Most medium to large active breeds make great partners for Nordicjoring—Labradors, Huskies, Border Collies, Vizslas, and many mixed breeds thrive with this kind of exercise. But size isn’t everything. What matters most is enthusiasm, good leash manners, and basic obedience.
If your dog loves to lead, has a decent amount of stamina, and listens well, they’ll likely be a natural!
Why Try Nordicjoring?
There are so many reasons to give this sport a try:
- Full-body fitness: Nordic walking alone already engages 90% of your muscles. Add in dog-powered movement and it becomes a seriously energizing workout!
- Mental stimulation for your dog: Having a “job” makes walks more purposeful for your pup.
- Improved coordination and teamwork: You'll both learn to communicate more clearly and work together on the move.
- A great energy outlet: For high-energy dogs, this is a fantastic way to burn off steam in a controlled, healthy way.
- It’s just fun: Once you get the rhythm, there's something incredibly satisfying about moving as a team.
Tips for Getting Started
- Start slow and keep sessions short at first to let your dog (and you!) build stamina.
- Use verbal cues like “let’s go,” “easy,” and “whoa” to guide your dog.
- Stick to safe, non-slippery surfaces.
- Practice good trail etiquette—keep control of your dog and be mindful of other walkers.
Final Thoughts
Nordicjoring is more than just a walk—it's a shared adventure. Whether you're exploring new trails, boosting your fitness, or just having a blast with your dog, it’s a sport that turns everyday walks into something special.
So grab your poles, gear up your dog, and hit the trail together. Once you try it, you might never want to walk solo again.