WAW Sport Anti-Shock

The WAW Sport bungee dampens sudden tugs: it is designed for hobby and competition use in Sled dog sport disciplines but is also very suitable for everyday walks.

WAW SPORT bungee:

• Intended for dog athletes for everyday use as well as hobby and competition use in Sled dog sport disciplines
• Dampens sudden changes in the dog's speed
• Designed together with top Italian Sled dog sport athletes
• Meets the competition regulations of international Sled dog sport federations. Suitable for canicross, bikejoring, as well as cart and sled driving.
• Extremely lightweight, size L weighs only 36 grams.
• No metal parts at all
• Easy to connect directly to the dog's collar or harness with a lightweight carabiner, e.g. Inlandsis Mosqueton Airlink Carabiner or Non-stop dogwear CaniX Carabiner.
• Also very suitable for normal walks and hiking with your dog.

What is WAW?

The WAW bungee protects both the dog and the handler from tug and jerk injuries while still allowing good control over the dog. WAW has been shown to dampen tug force by up to 40%.

The WAW bungee is made from a highly durable plastic compound, which gives it a very different feel compared to looser rubber bungees: the sharpness of tugs is dampened but control over the dog remains. Durability is also clearly better compared to rubber.

There are two models of WAW bungees: the one with a carabiner WAW Basic (7 sizes) and the carabiner-free Sport (4 sizes).

What sets WAW bungee apart from other bungees is its progressive bungee, which ensures damping that strengthens with the pull. When the dog tugs, WAW stretches slowly and returns slowly to its shape when the pull ends – without any yo-yo effect. The bungee made from WAW's plastic compound also withstands time and wear: it does not lose its bungee properties like rubber band bungees. 

Why use WAW bungee - regardless of the dog?

Leash tugs and the dog lunging at the end of the leash easily cause unpleasant sensations, pain, or various degrees of stiffness or injuries for both the dog and the handler. Doctors have found that tugs cause micro-injuries to dogs' cervical spines and also expose handlers to joint injuries. WAW protects against these problems by gradually absorbing the tug with increasing strength and preventing recoil also during the recovery phase.

Even if your dog is a very calm stroller, tugs cannot be avoided. It is enough that you walk normally forward and your dog stops unnoticed to sniff the ground. So a tug absorber is beneficial for everyone!

WAW bungee in everyday use

• Protects the dog from cervical spine injuries. With a non-bungee leash, the risk of micro-injuries to the cervical spine caused by tugs is higher.
• Protects the handler from strains and joint injuries. Sudden tugs can lead to various wrist, shoulder, ankle, and back injuries.
• Protects especially puppies during growth. A puppy's body is still developing, and leash walking can be full of sudden pulls.

• Size selection for everyday use:
  See the size chart in the last product image. If your dog is relatively calm and on the borderline between two sizes, it is advisable to choose the smaller size. For example, size L is still suitable for a 35-kilogram dog with calm leash behavior. For small dogs (under 15 kg), sizes are available in WAW Basic bungee.

WAW Sport bungee in sled dog sport

• Allows the dog's power and movements to be efficiently transmitted to the pulled object: for example, steering is more effective in turns
• Can also be used as a stiffer bungee in addition to a traditional bungee leash
• When combined with a non-bungee rope alone, it is best suited for more experienced hobbyists or competitors.
• Size selection for sled dog sport disciplines:
  The stiffness of WAW varies by size, so the choice of size depends on the size, number, and purpose of the dogs. The product images include a chart to help with size selection. In single-dog sled dog sport disciplines, size L is usually used (for smaller dogs, e.g., under 15 kg, size M). In larger teams, e.g., 8-dog teams, it is possible to combine, for example, 2 XXL-sized WAWs, either in series or parallel. We are also happy to assist with the selection.

Durability of WAW

Every WAW size has been tested with durability and stress tests (over 100,000 tugs with 2–4 times stronger force than a dog can produce). WAW has been tested to work in temperatures from -10 to +50 degrees. Based on practical experience, the product has also held up well in Finnish winters.

Structure of WAW bungees

• Bungee made of plastic compound: a strong and stiff plastic compound bungee acts as a shock absorber for pulls.
• Safety strap: alongside the plastic bungee, the product has a narrower fabric strap. The task of this safety strap is to stop excessive stretching of the plastic bungee. Without a strong fabric strap, the plastic bungee would stretch beyond its capacity. It also ensures the dog stays connected even in the rare case that the plastic bungee would be damaged, for example, by the dog's teeth.
  • Inside the safety strap is a traditional rubber band whose function is solely to shorten the strap.
    It is normal for this rubber band to lose a significant amount of its elasticity due to strain. This depends on the force of the dog's pulls relative to the size/stiffness of the plastic bungee, meaning how much and how often the safety loop's rubber band has to work (i.e., how often the plastic bungee stretches to its full length with that particular dog). Even if the elasticity of the rubber band that shortens the safety strap has decreased, it does not affect the actual durability or damping properties of the bungee in any way.
  • Note: It is not advisable to hold the canicross belt by the safety loop by hand or use it as a so-called control handle, as this causes premature wear of the rubber band. 

Attachment of WAW Sport

WAW Sport has strong strap loops at both ends. You can attach, for example, a leash or the carabiner of a canicross belt directly to the strap loops. You can add your preferred lightweight carabiner to the end that goes to the dog's harness/collar. For example, the Non-stop CaniX Belt Carabiner or the slightly larger Axaeco Twistlock Carabiner are popular options. The locked model WAW Basic, which also comes in sizes for small dogs, is also well suited for everyday use.

Physical size of WAW Sport

Lengths (unstretched) and weights including strap loops:

• M: 27 cm, weight 33 g
• L: 27 cm, weight 36 g
• XL: 30 cm, weight 50 g
• XXL: 33 cm, weight 72 g

Experiences with WAW

Watch the experiences of multiple Sled dog sport world champion Igor Tracz with WAW Sport in the video.

You can read more about the differences between WAW and traditional rubber bungees in our blog article.