Battling through thick mud, their white fluffy coats getting dirtier by the second, tenacious pooches pull their owners around in the annual north German dog sled championships

  • Around 230 participants gathered in Stroehen, Germany to race round a three-mile mud track
  • The event is the first round of the dog sled North German Off-Snow Championships
  • Some competitors saw their bicycles get stuck in the terrible conditions, while pooches toiled away

By JOHN HUTCHINSON FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

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Giving a dog a bath is always an ordeal, so spare a thought for the owners of these muddy pooches in northern Germany.

Around 230 participants gathered in Stroehen, Germany for the first round of the dog sled North German Off-Snow Championships.

And the challenges of trekking through the snow was replaced with something a lot more testing - and a lot dirtier.

Husky dogs among others pulled their owners around on bicycles and trolleys through thick mud around a three-mile course at the Wagenfeld zoo.

While some of the pooches looked like they were enjoying their very own mudbath, for others it seemed a struggle,with many clearly used to a little more pampering in their daily lives.

Some of the competitors ended up stuck in the mud or the long grass, while it appears some of their trusty guides for the competition had decided to call it a day. 

These two Samoyeds take to the mud enthusiastically - these dogs are historically known for helping herd animals 

These two Samoyeds take to the mud enthusiastically - these dogs are historically known for helping herd animals 

This hardy bunch seem well up for the challenge of racing around a mud-track

This hardy bunch seem well up for the challenge of racing around a mud-track

It might have been the off-snow dog sled championships, but the mud didn't make things any easier
It might have been the off-snow dog sled championships, but the mud didn't make things any easier

It might have been the off-snow dog sled championships, but the mud didn't make things any easier

It's hard work for the pooches during the first round of the dog sled North German Off-Snow championships

It's hard work for the pooches during the first round of the dog sled North German Off-Snow championships

This competitor appears to have got her bike stuck in the mud and plantation, while her dog seems nonplussed

This competitor appears to have got her bike stuck in the mud and plantation, while her dog seems nonplussed

It's certainly tiring work for the dogs as they attempt to pull their owners around the three-mile circuit

It's certainly tiring work for the dogs as they attempt to pull their owners around the three-mile circuit

This participant has had the clever idea of wearing a mask to prevent mud-splatter, but the dogs have to go without

This participant has had the clever idea of wearing a mask to prevent mud-splatter, but the dogs have to go without

It was difficult to gather much momentum during certain parts of the race as the dogs battled thick, sinking mud

It was difficult to gather much momentum during certain parts of the race as the dogs battled thick, sinking mud

Not only did many of the dogs have to try their hardest to haul the owner and bicycle, but the mud played its own part

Not only did many of the dogs have to try their hardest to haul the owner and bicycle, but the mud played its own part

 

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