[2][3] Canine weight pull has a long history dating to at least the Klondike Gold Rush, where it was used as means of entertainment while trialing sled dogs used for freighting gear and passengers through Arctic and sub-Arctic terrain in North America.

[7][8] Jack London's 1903 book The Call of the Wild makes one of the first literary references to the sport where the fictional dog Buck pulls a heavily loaded sled while spectators place bets on his ability.

[9] London spent almost a year in the Yukon, and his observations form much of the material for the book.

[11] At the start of a round, dogs are asked to pull the car or 16 feet within a set time frame.

[2] Proponents of weight pull cite the improved fitness and wellbeing of the dogs, especially working breeds.