Urban Mushing: Sled Dogs Without the Snow

For one group of Southern California Huskies and their human companions, there's a new exercise craze that has them burning off some extra energy while embracing their natural instincts. It's called urban mushing, and it's like dog-sledding....without the snow.

Rancy Reyes started the group about seven years ago after he discovered the sport while looking for a way to exercise his energetic Husky pup. These days the group has grown to accommodate all kinds of dogs, from purebred Huskies bred with mushing in mind, to Husky mixes from the pound, on to Dobermans and terriers. Reyes says he's even seen a poodle take a turn at the sport!

The dogs pull a wide range of vehicles: some dogs work in teams of three to eight pulling custom-built carts, while others work alone or in pairs carrying their humans on bikes or scooters. And they all seemed to love it! As they waited to get going, they barked and howled in anticipation.

If you're interested in finding out more, you can check out Rancy Reyes' urban mushing website here: http://www.urbanmushing.com/.