The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word DOGSLED
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
O
G
S
L
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "maybe an Alsatian’s pulling it" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case maybe an alsatian’s pulling it = dogsled.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DOGSLED mean?
DOGSLED noun- A sled, pulled by dogs over ice and snow.
- To ride on a dogsled
- To race dogsleds