The Shafer Butte Mountain Dog Society is based out of Boise Idaho with the goal of bringing together dogs and owners to promote the working heritage of all dogs.

Our society focuses on three aspects of the working heritage, weight pulling, carting, and Therapy work.

Weight Pulling is similar to a tractor pull or a strong man competition. Dogs compete to see who can pull the most weight 16 feet. They pull a wheeled cart on dry land, or a sled on snow. The handler has no contact with the dog during the pull, so it is up to the dogs willingness to pull.

Carting history goes back several hundred years and it can be a single dog or a team of dogs hitched up to a cart with two, three, or four wheels. Carting activities can be simple as hauling kids around the neighborhood, to participating in parades, to competing in draft competitions.

These two sports are very complimentary to other freight activities such as dryland mushing, Skijoring, Bikejoring, and Dog scootering.

Weight Pull and Carting are suitable for any healthy social dog regardless of size or breed. Our goal is to promote the sports and provide our canine companions with a fun and social way to be physically fit and to have a constructive outlet with a little canine competition.

The third focus area is therapy work. While this is not a traditional task that defines a working dog, it is a large part of there temperament. While these dogs were hard workers they have always been companion and family dogs as well. Therapy work highlight the gentle nature of these beautiful dogs.

Shafer Butte Mountain Dog Society is now an official AKC Fit Dog Club!