FAQ: Sled Dog Edition
Lets answer some questions that are frequently asked about sled dogs.
1. "Why are these dogs so skinny?"
Just like any human athlete, sled dogs are kept trim and fit so they can do their job easily. They are fed a high calorie performance dog food and get lots of exercise. The average sprint racing sled dog can consume up to 5,000 calories a day or more during racing season.
2. "Why are the dogs chained? Its seems cruel!"
This seems to be the most controversial subject when it comes to sled dogs.
Lets look at it this way. Say you have a 16 year who wants to take the car out for a drive. You're not going to hand them the cars keys and say "Sure! Go ahead!" chances are, you're going to set some boundaries so they stay safe.The chain that a sled dog is on is the same kind of boundary. It keeps the dogs safe so they don't get loose and roam the country side. There is all sorts of trouble a mischievous sled dog could get into while loose. Most of which could be fatal.
Sled dogs are driven, working dogs with a passion for running. Most will stop at nothing to run which means they might resort to chewing, digging, or climbing out of a regular kennel. Most sled dogs also don't enjoy being in the house and some will have no trouble trying to chew their way of the house (yes, literally).
Sled dogs are NOT like pet dogs, they will not come when called if they get loose.
Contrary to popular belief, chained sled dogs are not aggressive, nor do they have behavior problems as a result of being on a chain. Aggression happens when a dog is neglected and abused, regardless of how it's kept. Mushers are sure to spend lots and lots of time with their dogs so they are well socialized and so they get the attention that they very well deserve.
Because my dogs are chained I make sure that they also get regular free run time. They are actually only on their chains when I'm not home or at night otherwise they are loose inside a fenced in yard.
Many mushers also like to give their dogs regular free run time.
3. "Are these dogs loved?"
Absolutely yes!!!! Sled dogs are star athletes and are treated that way. They all have routine visits to the vet, get a warm bed to sleep in( sometimes its their mushers bed!) and they are fed a good diet. Mushers dedicate their lives to their dogs. Sled dog racing becomes a life style, its not just a hobby or a sport. A musher and their sled dogs share a special bond that is unique and hard to understand with out experiencing it for yourself.
4."Some of those sled dogs don't look like sled dogs. What are they?"
These dogs are a breed that is becoming very popular in the sled dog world. It's called a Eurohound and it is a cross between and Alaskan Husky and a Pointer or German Short-Haired Pointer. They were breed over in Europe for speed and stamina, mainly for sprint races.
Another breed which we mushers just call a hound is a cross between an Alaskan Husky and a Greyhound. These dogs were also breed for speed and stamina, mostly for sprint races.
Some mushers also use different breeds all together for mushing activities. I myself have a German Shepherd and my very first sled dog was an Australian Shepherd. Some people also use Border Collies, Labradors, Irish Setters, pure German Short-Haired Pointers and regular Pointers, Standard Poodles. Pretty much any large breed dog can be a sled dog as long as they have a passion for running.
5. "I went to a race recently and all of the dogs had some strange colors on their head. What was that for?"
At a race all of the dogs will be marked a special color to show what class they are racing in. They will either be marked with live stock markers (which are absolutely harmless), zip ties on their collars, or there are some other ways to mark them. They are marked to make sure that everybody is running with the same dogs that they entered into the race and to be sure that nobody switches out a dog on the second day of a race or during a race. That wouldn't be fair to the other competitors.
6. "How do you control the dogs on the trail?"
The dogs are controlled on the trail solely by voice commands. There is a command to turn right, which is "Gee", and a command to turn left, which is "Haw". "Hike" or "Let's Go" is used to go and sometimes "Whoa" or "Easy" is used to slow or stop the team. "On by" or "Straight Ahead" are used to tell the team to pass a distraction on the trail whether it be another team, a loose dog, trail help at a race, other trails, etc.
Some people also like to use commands like "Gee/Haw Over" (to move either to the far right or left side of the trail maybe to get out of the way of a passing team or snowmobile.) or "Come Haw/Gee" to tell the team to come around either to the left or the right and head back towards the sled to turn the whole team around.
7. "How do you train the dogs when there is no snow?"
Sled dog training begins in the early fall when the temperatures start to go below 55 degrees F. Of course you can't use a sled on dry ground so mushers use what we call "rigs" to run their dogs. There are lots of different styles and types of rigs but basically what they are are wheeled carts that the dogs pull just like they would a sled. Some mushers use 4-wheelers, homemade carts, scooters, bikes. Pretty much anything with good tires and a good break system can be turned into a
cart for training sled dogs.
Below are a couple of pictures of my cart and my bike that I use for training.
1. "Why are these dogs so skinny?"
Just like any human athlete, sled dogs are kept trim and fit so they can do their job easily. They are fed a high calorie performance dog food and get lots of exercise. The average sprint racing sled dog can consume up to 5,000 calories a day or more during racing season.
2. "Why are the dogs chained? Its seems cruel!"
This seems to be the most controversial subject when it comes to sled dogs.
Lets look at it this way. Say you have a 16 year who wants to take the car out for a drive. You're not going to hand them the cars keys and say "Sure! Go ahead!" chances are, you're going to set some boundaries so they stay safe.The chain that a sled dog is on is the same kind of boundary. It keeps the dogs safe so they don't get loose and roam the country side. There is all sorts of trouble a mischievous sled dog could get into while loose. Most of which could be fatal.
Sled dogs are driven, working dogs with a passion for running. Most will stop at nothing to run which means they might resort to chewing, digging, or climbing out of a regular kennel. Most sled dogs also don't enjoy being in the house and some will have no trouble trying to chew their way of the house (yes, literally).
Sled dogs are NOT like pet dogs, they will not come when called if they get loose.
Contrary to popular belief, chained sled dogs are not aggressive, nor do they have behavior problems as a result of being on a chain. Aggression happens when a dog is neglected and abused, regardless of how it's kept. Mushers are sure to spend lots and lots of time with their dogs so they are well socialized and so they get the attention that they very well deserve.
Because my dogs are chained I make sure that they also get regular free run time. They are actually only on their chains when I'm not home or at night otherwise they are loose inside a fenced in yard.
Many mushers also like to give their dogs regular free run time.
3. "Are these dogs loved?"
Absolutely yes!!!! Sled dogs are star athletes and are treated that way. They all have routine visits to the vet, get a warm bed to sleep in( sometimes its their mushers bed!) and they are fed a good diet. Mushers dedicate their lives to their dogs. Sled dog racing becomes a life style, its not just a hobby or a sport. A musher and their sled dogs share a special bond that is unique and hard to understand with out experiencing it for yourself.
4."Some of those sled dogs don't look like sled dogs. What are they?"
These dogs are a breed that is becoming very popular in the sled dog world. It's called a Eurohound and it is a cross between and Alaskan Husky and a Pointer or German Short-Haired Pointer. They were breed over in Europe for speed and stamina, mainly for sprint races.
Another breed which we mushers just call a hound is a cross between an Alaskan Husky and a Greyhound. These dogs were also breed for speed and stamina, mostly for sprint races.
Some mushers also use different breeds all together for mushing activities. I myself have a German Shepherd and my very first sled dog was an Australian Shepherd. Some people also use Border Collies, Labradors, Irish Setters, pure German Short-Haired Pointers and regular Pointers, Standard Poodles. Pretty much any large breed dog can be a sled dog as long as they have a passion for running.
5. "I went to a race recently and all of the dogs had some strange colors on their head. What was that for?"
At a race all of the dogs will be marked a special color to show what class they are racing in. They will either be marked with live stock markers (which are absolutely harmless), zip ties on their collars, or there are some other ways to mark them. They are marked to make sure that everybody is running with the same dogs that they entered into the race and to be sure that nobody switches out a dog on the second day of a race or during a race. That wouldn't be fair to the other competitors.
6. "How do you control the dogs on the trail?"
The dogs are controlled on the trail solely by voice commands. There is a command to turn right, which is "Gee", and a command to turn left, which is "Haw". "Hike" or "Let's Go" is used to go and sometimes "Whoa" or "Easy" is used to slow or stop the team. "On by" or "Straight Ahead" are used to tell the team to pass a distraction on the trail whether it be another team, a loose dog, trail help at a race, other trails, etc.
Some people also like to use commands like "Gee/Haw Over" (to move either to the far right or left side of the trail maybe to get out of the way of a passing team or snowmobile.) or "Come Haw/Gee" to tell the team to come around either to the left or the right and head back towards the sled to turn the whole team around.
7. "How do you train the dogs when there is no snow?"
Sled dog training begins in the early fall when the temperatures start to go below 55 degrees F. Of course you can't use a sled on dry ground so mushers use what we call "rigs" to run their dogs. There are lots of different styles and types of rigs but basically what they are are wheeled carts that the dogs pull just like they would a sled. Some mushers use 4-wheelers, homemade carts, scooters, bikes. Pretty much anything with good tires and a good break system can be turned into a
cart for training sled dogs.
Below are a couple of pictures of my cart and my bike that I use for training.
8. How can I get started in dog sledding?
If you're interested in maybe starting on your own path in the sled dog world, Sled Dog Central is a great place to start your research (which I suggest you do A LOT of...). They have a forum and a beginners page that will help get the ball rolling along with a list of kennels and equipment sellers when the time comes to add dogs and all of the trimmings!
If you're interested in maybe starting on your own path in the sled dog world, Sled Dog Central is a great place to start your research (which I suggest you do A LOT of...). They have a forum and a beginners page that will help get the ball rolling along with a list of kennels and equipment sellers when the time comes to add dogs and all of the trimmings!
If you have a question that you would like me to answer (either on this page or in private) please don't hesitate to contact me through our Contact Us page. :)