Sled dogs

[christian71 3,187]

Introduction

Fast, exciting, well trained sled dog teams are the result of careful behind the scenes planning and hard work. Successful mushers are knowledgeable in such diverse areas as kennel management, canine behavior, nutrition, veterinary care, psychology, physical conditioning, housing and transportation. Wise mushers soon learn that success or failure in any of these areas affects performance dramatically. Considering this fact it is obvious that the welfare of the dogs is of paramount importance.

 

Team and driver develop a close, trusting relationship because of the amount of time they spend together. To betray that trust by not meeting all of the dogs needs runs counter to the goal of having a happy, healthy, highly motivated team. What you see at a race is the result of long hours of work and planning to ensure that the team is prepared to test its abilities against the trail and the competition.

 

WHAT MAKES SLED DOGS RUN?

 

Sled dogs run because they love to run, they are born and raised to it. How they run is a product of how they are trained. If they are well trained they will run in perfect harmony. If they dont it is the failure of the musher, not the dogs. One of the great mushers of all time summed it all up when he said "the dogs never make a mistake".

 

Sled dogs, like all athletes, spend more time training than competing. By the time you see a dog running a race, the dog will have logged hundreds or more miles of training.

 

THE TRAINING CYCLE

 

Training begins when sled dogs are puppies. Puppy training must be fun. The puppy must be given tasks he/she can accomplish with ease. The first training occurs at birth when the puppies are handled and socialized so they become comfortable with their human companions. When the puppies are old enough to mix with other dogs, they learn to be comfortable with other dogs and to come when they are called.

 

Puppies do not perform like adults, but they learn to associate the harness and the team with fun. Mushers will often put a puppy in a harness to pull a small object. At six or more months, the puppy joins a small team of older dogs. It is critical that this first effort at running be a positive experience. The musher's goal is to let the dog enjoy its instinctive behavior in a safe environment.

 

Training begins in earnest when the dogs are yearlings. Most mushers start training in the fall as soon as it is cool enough for the dogs to run comfortably. Fall training is usually cart or 4 wheeler training. The dogs run on dirt or sand trails to avoid injuries.

 

The goals of fall training are several. Dogs must build up their aerobic condition and muscle strength and learn to run as a team. Young dogs learn how to ignore distractions, respond to commands, and handle different trail conditions.

 

Fall training begins with short, brief runs. As the dogs build strength and stamina they can run farther. The dogs rest between and within workouts to ensure fitness.

 

As the training progresses and the months turn cooler, the dog become tougher and able to run further and faster. The experienced driver shuffles dogs around in different positions on the team seeking to find the position that best matches the dog's unique abilities. Sometimes dogs are paired with partners whom they will run beside for their entire careers, bonding to that dog as much as to the driver.

 

The driver studies his team, learning each dogs individual traits and habits. Most importantly, the driver builds each dogs confidence in their athletic ability until the whole team of canine competitors is convinced there is not another dog team in the world that can run as fast or as far as they can!

 

That confidence and excitement explodes when the dogs finally get to run in the snow. A light sprint sled (about 25 pounds) almost flies over the snow. The dogs will run faster and further. The snow cushions their feet allowing for longer runs and the colder temperatures are more comfortable for athletes who exercise in fur coats. In the end, the training pays off when a strong and healthy team of dogs blast out of the starting chute, and win, lose or draw, runs the course with ultimate canine grace, strength and beauty.

 

GETTING TO THE RACE SAFELY

 

Very few mushers are fortunate enough to live at race sites, so they are faced with a complex problem transporting three, four, six, eight or more dogs, sleds and lots of miscellaneous equipment. In the early days of racing, mushers would 'mush" their teams to the race. Fortunately for everyone, highways and pickup trucks have made getting to the race much easier for musher and dogs.

 

If you glance around a race site you'll see that sled dog trucks are as varied as their owners but they have many common features. Dog trucks are equipped with separate compartments built on the truck itself or on a trailer. The compartments or "dog boxes" generally house one or two dogs. The boxes are kept relatively small so the dog's body heat will keep the box and the dog warm, but yet large enough that the dog can travel in comfort.

 

Sled dog boxes are well ventilated so the dogs get fresh air and stay dry. The humidity from the dog's breath would make the box a damp and then cold place if it is not allowed to escape through vents or the door. Most boxes have a large opening covered with some form of metal grating. When the temperatures are colder than what the dog normally experiences a portion of the metal grating or other opening may be partially covered to conserve heat, yet still allow humidity to escape.

 

Mushers put a variety of materials in the boxes for bedding. The most common bedding is fresh straw. Straw provides padding and insulation. It must be changed regularly so it does not become wet, molded or soiled.

 

The dog boxes quickly become a sort of mobile home for the dogs providing a safe haven and a familiar environment no matter where the team travels. The dog truck is equipped to haul everything from sleds to dog food and is rigged with a number of special devices to make travel easier. Lights on the side of the boxes and the rear make it easier to feed at night. Eye bolts around the bottom of the truck give the musher a place to attach short leashes, called drop chains, to the truck so that the dogs can get out, stretch and relieve themselves while remaining securely attached to the truck and out of harms way.

 

SAFETY ON THE TRAIL

 

When you watch a team go out of the starting chute at a race it usually looks pretty simple and goes off without a hitch. How does the transformation from the chaotic scene in the staging area become a safe race and how does it stay that way? It all begins with the International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) Race Rules.

 

Race rules which promote animal welfare are nothing new to sled dog racing. Since the first major organized race in 1909 (the All Alaska Sweepstakes in Nome Alaska), rules have been implemented to safeguard dogs and mushers alike. For the past 30 years, ISDRA has been at the forefront of developing and maintaining sled dog race rules which promote safety and fairness. ISDRA sanctioned races must comply with ISDRA's rules and regulations which dictate everything from trail length and layout to mandatory safety equipment and canine fitness.

 

WHAT DO SLED DOGS EAT?

 

Just like a human athlete, a sled dog's diet affects the dogs ability to compete. A sled dog at rest in the summer needs about 800 calories per day. In the middle of a cold winter long distance race that same dog may need up to 10,000 calories per day (10,000 is not a typo!). The quest to provide sled dogs with enough calories and the right type of calories has resulted in tremendous growth in our knowledge about the canine diet, and better food for both the racing dog and house pets.

 

A canine athlete does not digest and use food in the same way as humans. The high carbohydrate diet that helps a human runner perform at his or her peak will not have the same effect on a sled dog. Studies by veterinarians and dog food manufacturers have found that a high carbohydrate diet actually lowers canine performance.

 

Fats and protein are the most important sources of energy for a sled dog. The ratio of fat and protein varies depending on the distance to be run and the time spent running, however, certain minimum requirements have been determined. A typical diet consists of 32% protein, 15% carbohydrates and 53% fat.

 

Fats provide the dog with quick energy. They are highly digestible and very dense in calories. Protein helps a dog handle the physical demands of racing and is required in greater amounts as physical activity increases.

 

Dog mushers rarely rely on dry dog kibble alone to supply their dogs nutritional needs. A top quality dry dog food is critical to the diet but it is usually supplemented by ground chicken, fish, liver or other meat products.

 

Finally, it is not enough to provide quality food unless the dogs are supplied with clean water. Water is the most important part of a dog's diet. Contrary to popular myths, sled dogs do not get their water supply by eating snow. Snow requires tremendous energy to melt as it is consumed and it offers little water for much effort. By contrast, warm water after a night in the cold can be to the sled dog a lot like a hot chocolate drink is to a human. On the other hand, it is not unusual to see a sled dog grab a bite of snow, just like you enjoy an ice cream cone now and then!

 

GEE, THAT DOG IS AWFULLY THIN

 

A frequently heard remark at races is that the dogs seem thin. Indeed, compared to a house dog who may get out for a walk or short run a couple times a week, sled dogs are thin. Although sled dogs consume more calories than an average human, they also burn those calories working out in training. Like human runners, the intake of calories and exercise result in a slim, athletic physique. Mushers monitor the weight of their dogs, feeding them accordingly. If the dogs gain too much weight, they risk overheating, disease and injury. If they are too thin they lose stamina. Mushers balance these considerations and maintain their dogs at a healthy weight for each particular dog.

Edited December 23, 2010 by christian71

[Stanleigh 135]

Enjoyed that , thanks