Finding the spark again – A dream run with two Cockers

Norwegian canicross athlete, Andrine Skramstad Uthus has competed at the highest levels of the sport, all the way to the World Championship in Spain in 2023. But this season, she takes a refreshing turn, circling back to her mushing roots with a team that surprises most people at the start line: her family’s Cocker Spaniels, Ynwa and Alfred.

Far from the typical pulling breeds, these two small but determined dogs show what’s possible when passion, patience, and partnership come together.

The long-awaited dream

Andrine first discovered canicross five years ago with Ynwa, her now 7-year-old Cocker Spaniel. What began as short training runs quickly evolved into a deep love for dog-powered sports.

“There’s something truly unique about running with Ynwa. No one expects a 10 kg dog to scream with excitement at the start and pull like crazy, but that’s exactly what little Ynwa does. When I was racing her, I always dreamed of running a two-dog team of cockers.”

That dream finally came to life this year when the new addition to the family, Alfred, turned two years old. Together, Ynwa and Alfred form the duo Andrine always hoped for.

“Nothing gives me more joy, a sense of achievement, and motivation than running with this cocker duo.”

A different way to compete

After years of high-level competition with her German Pointer Vilje, Andrine wanted to reconnect with what first drew her into dog-powered sports, this time without any pressure.

“Competing with dogs other than pointers was really motivating for me. It removes the pressure to perform and shifts all focus toward having fun and bringing out her full potential. It’s rewarding to show that all breeds can pull and that the effort you put in brings results.”

Starting from scratch

“Neither of them understood much about pulling at first.“

Unlike natural pullers such as huskies or pointers, many dog breeds don’t instinctively pull. But that doesn’t mean they can’t shine on the trail.

“Alfred had a natural drive and desire to run, but he was easily distracted, loved everyone we met, and wanted to pee every few meters. So, I spent a lot of time training with him alone, short sprints and sessions that always ended on a high note before he lost focus.

“With these two small cockers, I really have to work to bring out their potential. During training, races, and at the start line, I see how much joy they take in pulling, and it shows what all the work we’ve done has led to.”

The value of teamwork

“Now they run together like a super duo.”

To help her cockers succeed, Andrine paired them with more experienced trail partners, a method that builds both skill and confidence.

“Ynwa used to run in a two-dog team with an Alaskan Husky. With Alfred, I had to spend more time and train in a structured way to teach him how to pull. Later, he also got to run behind other dogs to build extra motivation. At the same time, as I worked on his pulling discipline, I gradually trained him to run in a two-dog team with Ynwa. Now they run together like a super duo.”

On race day, this paid off, especially in situations where quick decisions were needed.

“I was unsure if Alfred would listen when I gave him the ‘left’ command while the others went straight. That’s when experienced Ynwa took charge and led her little brother left.”

Training race essentials

Pulling is only one piece of the puzzle. Andrine focused just as much on race essentials like line-out, passing other dogs and people, and directional cues to build habits that support a smooth first race day.

“Ynwa already had good experience from before. Alfred used to turn around during line-out, which made quite a mess with the neckline. After some training, he improved, but there’s still room for progress. He also had to train quite a bit on passing people.”

One dream fulfilled… and a new one sparked

Their first scooter race together went better than expected. The cocker duo ran with heart, speed and joy:

“We had a much higher speed than I expected for such a heavy trail, which was a big bonus. I can tell Alfred has made huge progress this fall, and that’s so much fun to see.”

The goal isn’t to chase medals but to chase fun. But still, a quiet dream is forming.

“I have a little dream of being able to take them to Sweden and compete there because they have their own class for other, not typical, sled dogs. Maybe I will bring Alfred to SOC next time.”

No pressure. No expectations. Just the love of the trail and a little spark of what could be.

 

Follow Andrine’s journey: @andrineuthus