A chilling rain did not deter Yukon dogs and their owners from taking part in a “revolutionary” canine sport on Saturday.

Twenty-six competitors gathered on the soccer field at École Émilie-Tremblay for the inaugural Canadian Dog Puller Championship.

Organizer Erika Rozsa-Atkinson said dog puller originated in the Ukraine three years ago and is now gaining traction in North America.

The sport uses rings to stimulate mental, cardio and muscle workouts for dogs, relieving aggression.

Rhonda Clark and her seven-year-old Shiloh Shepherd – Anubis – earned the title of grand dog puller champion.

The award shocked the Whitehorse resident, who introduced her dog to the sport more than one year ago.

“It’s fantastic because it allows you to interact with your dog,” Clark told the Star. “You can work with him, teach him, but also play with him at the same time.”

Cathy McNeil and Barley, her two-year-old Labrador Cross, took second place while Tanya Gates and Eva, an eight-year-old German Shorthair Pointer, took third.

“To be honest, it was far from expected,” Clark said of her overall title victory. “There was a lot of dogs on the field ... I was absolutely shocked when me and my dog were called for first. To say I was proud of my dog would be an understatement.”

Beating out McNeil and Barley was especially surprising, she noted, seeing as the duo is featured on the local association’s dog puller logo.

Competing in the heavyweight class, Anubis was the second largest canine competing, behind a rival Great Dane named Koda.

Clark said the sport is unique in that it allows dogs of all types to compete.

“The great thing is it doesn’t matter what type of dog you have,” she said.

“Whether it’s a small Pomeranian or a Great Dane ... everyone has a chance of doing well.”

The first Canadian-held dog puller championship event included running, jumping and combo competitions.

Rozsa-Atkinson said the grand champion was chosen by judges based on accuracy and overall performance in all categories.

“In spite of the weather, the (spectators and competitors) really liked it,” she said of the weekend event. “It was a really good atmosphere and people were very entertained.

“It was very well done and I think the sport is going to be very positive for the people in Canada.”

The uptake from local dog owners proved so popular, the competition’s international judges, including dog puller founder Serhii Shkot, were convinced to stay in Whitehorse for an extra week, Rozsa-Atkinson added.

She said the newly-invented sport has been “revolutionary.”

Jumping events see two rings used in tandem, encouraging the dog to jump from side to side while a human moves the rings for 90 seconds.

Meanwhile, running competitions see a ring pitched on the ground, whereupon it springs forward unpredictably “like an animal” with the canine athletes required to catch it before it topples over.

Rozsa-Atkinson said over the past two and a half years, she has introduced 650 people to the sport since first being introduced to dog puller in Europe through her Canines and Company Dog Obedience School.