Costa Mesa, Calif. – Thousands of miles from the Alaskan wilderness, a pair of huskies charge down a dusty path with their master in tow.
There is no sled under the feet of Rancy Reyes. Instead, his dogs work up a lather pulling his two-wheeled scooter through the brush of a Southern California park as he shouts commands that are as foreign in this sunbaked part of the world as snowflakes.
In a city better known for its high-end indoor mall than high-energy outdoor activities, “urban mushing” has taken hold and people are coming from more than two hours away to take part.
“I know plenty of Californians, and nothing surprises me anymore,” said Greg Sellentin, publisher of Alaska-based Mushing magazine.
Though much has been altered in its warm-weather translation, urban mushing – or dog scootering – is gaining popularity in snow-free parts of the country.
As specialized dog bakeries, day-care centers and strollers increasingly humanize dogs, fans say urban mushing is a call to the animals’ wild roots.
“They want to start running and hunting,” said urban musher Rob Fuechtenicht. “When you hook them to the scooter, you’re riding behind them and they’re in this doggy-nirvana kind of stage.”
Members of the national scootering group Dogs Across America say they’ve noticed a steady increase in membership since the organization was launched in 2005.
A recent outing of the Southern California Working Snow Dogs included huskies, malamutes, Dobermans and a Dalmatian – many of which had never put paw to snow. Other scootering groups boast photos of more unexpected breeds, including standard poodles.
Yelping, restless dogs strapped into harnesses and leashes are tethered to a nonmotorized scooter. The scooters, which cost between $200 and $700, are equipped with brakes and knobby tires.
Another variation of mushing includes skijoring, where dogs pull a skier.
