The Tiny Dogs That Can Pull 100 Times Their Weight

PITTSBURGH—Lemon, a five-pound Chihuahua, waited at the starting line until her owner signaled “go,” then pulled a wheeled cart weighing 260 pounds down a 16-foot chute.

Amid applause, the pint-size canine trotted to her crate for treats, water and rest until the next round of the North American Weight Pull Association competition. Lemon, competing in the 10-pounds-and-under weight class, pulled 52 times her weight. That would be the equivalent of a 175-pound man pulling an average-size forklift.

“She has a lot of motivation and drive,” says her owner, Erin Rios.

Chihuahuas, rat terriers and miniature poodles are muscling in on strength contests long dominated by big dogs. Major organizations, including the North American Weight Pull Association, the American Pulling Alliance and the World Wide Weight Pull Organization, have lightweight categories and awards for most weight pulled relative to size.

The rules vary, but competitions essentially involve pulling a weighted object—usually a cart or sled—16 feet in under a minute. Anabolic steroids are banned. Owners can’t touch dogs until they cross the finish line. And food is prohibited in the chute.

Some owners get overly competitive. Although illegal, they’ve been known to dig their fingers into hot dogs before competitions, aiming to lure dogs forward with undetectable meat under their nails. An owner once spread bacon grease on his pants.

Most, though, are just in it for fun and bonding. Fourth-grader Micah Wacker trains Ruby Mae, a 14-pound Brussels griffon, and has taken her to Canada, with his mom and grandmother, for competitions.

The 9-year-old encourages Ruby Mae at events by clapping. He can tell when she’s excited. “She pitter-patters on her tiptoes,” he says. Ruby Mae’s personal best: 1,900 pounds on a cart that rolls on rails.

Owners say strength training can have health benefits for little dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says these sports can enhance the bond between dogs and owners as long as there’s no pain, injury or distress.

Micah Wacker claps to encourage Ruby Mae during a competition.

There are critics, though, who say little dogs shouldn’t pull so much weight. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says weight-pull competitions exploit a dog’s desire to make people happy but puts dogs at risk of muscle strain and joint damage. It suggests hiking and playing fetch to exercise and bond.

Dr. Darryl Millis, a veterinarian who specializes in small animal orthopedics, sports medicine and rehabilitation, said as long as a dog’s growth plates are closed, and the dog is properly conditioned and has no underlying conditions, there shouldn’t be an issue.

The key is to start slowly.

Owners begin by getting their dog used to a custom-made harness and long walks with lower weights, say a coffee can filled with stones or a wheelbarrow tire. Some build carts.

Gabby Guthrie loaded an old skateboard with weights to train her little ones. Kiba, her 3.5-pound papillon with a purple Mohawk, pulled 556 pounds on rails.

“She was a badass,” says Guthrie.

Other dogs attend classes, which can cost $100 for a six-week, introductory course. Nutrition is important, too.

Dogs often go on high-protein diets and take supplements, like collagen, for nail strength and growth. Strong nails are important to grip the surface during a competition.

Strength training builds muscles, strengthens bones and hearts and can reduce a dog’s anxiety, owners say. They fit their dogs with custom-made harnesses to evenly distribute weight across their bodies.

As with wrestling, a pound—even a few ounces—matter since dogs are ranked by how much they pull relative to their own weight.

Toni Yoakam, who founded the World Wide Weight Pull Organization, recalls the owner of a 3.5-pound miniature poodle snipping pompoms off her pooch’s feet and ears to get her to 3 pounds. It didn’t work.

Min, a champion rat terrier, ate green beans leading up to the recent American Pulling Alliance Championship. Her owner, Carol Quinn, wanted to add low-calorie bulk to Min’s heavy protein diet and get her under 16 pounds.

Min, who travels around the country for competitions, took first place in the 20-pounds-and-under class. Her record: 3,500 pounds pulled on a cart that rolls on rails. Most dogs pull more weight on rail carts rather than wheeled ones on carpet or dirt.

Carol Quinn congratulates Min, her champion rat terrier, at a championship event.

“I don’t know anyone who could contest that she is the strongest rat terrier in the world,” says Quinn. She is building a shed to house Min’s collection of trophies and ribbons.

At the recent Pittsburgh event, the stars of the competition were a trio of little dogs. Two are Chihuahuas: Iko, who weighs in at 6.2 pounds, and Lemon, at 5 pounds. The third, Luna, is a 13-pound “chiweenie,” a Chihuahua-dachshund mix.

The dogs, all friends, work out together at a training facility for canine athletes. They listen to playlists while pulling carts loaded with cinder blocks: yacht rock for mornings, Jock Jam in the afternoon.

Monica Koerner owns Iko and Luna. Before the competition, she switched their diet from raw lamb to raw beef. The latter, she says, has higher protein content. She also got the dogs to bed an hour earlier.

Iko, a newcomer, started with a Micro Mini Cart that can hold barbell weights. He topped out at 50-pounds, then refused to budge from the starting line.

“He is less motivated than Luna,” says Koerner.

Monica Koerner cheers on her dog Iko, a weight-pulling novice.

Luna, who started weight pulling in 2021, worked without panting. In between pulls, she snacked on freeze-dried duck liver bits and got a massage.

Luna’s best over the weekend: 470 pounds, or 36 times her weight.

Lemon was the real star, though. Now 4, Lemon started when she was 1, winning Rookie Dog of the Year at a championship. Here, she took first place in her weight class and first place overall for most weight pulled per body pound, beating out dogs tipping the scales at close to 100 pounds.

“She surprises me all the time,” says owner Rios.