It's the sled dogs red boots for me (Zachariah Hughes/Alaska Public Media).
Are sled dogs happy? What’s the purpose of mushing? These questions and more will be answered below.
Curious about another unique type of racing? Check out my article on cockroach racing here.
What is Mushing?
Mushing is the utilization of dogs to drag a sled, either for sport or as a form of transportation.
The term mush is a derivation of the French word “marche,” which means to go or to run. French is not everyone’s cup of tea, so over time people opted for a more English-friendly term, mushing.
Mushing, as we know it today, is a result of French settlers seeing the Native Americans use dogs to move things via sled.
Thinking it was a good idea (imagine that), mushing became a past time in the cooler areas of the North Americas, primarily in Canada and some of the coldest states in the United States.
Are Sled Dogs Sad?
Animal lovers (like yours truly) can often make the assumption that dogs and other animals with jobs are not happy if they don’t fit the typical house pet or farming model.
It’s great to be concerned about the wellbeing of all animals, but it’s also important to be open to other ways of life.
Some Sled Dogs Are Sad
PETA is quick to tell us all of the very worst horror stories. It would be dishonest not to acknowledge that there are bad apples in the mushing community.
Some sled dog kennels are cheap. The animals aren’t fed, aren’t provided medical attention, and are terminated on-site. There are verifiable outfits that ended their dogs lives in large quantities.
Dogs are chained to individual dog houses, and in poorly run kennels, they are not properly exercised in the off-season.
The Iditarod Alaskan Race
The Iditarod in particular has been labeled a blood bath of a dog race. And to some extent, that has been true historically.
Things Are Different Now?
The race is the biggest in the world, traversing over 1,000 miles with sleds that weigh roughly 500 pounds. It’s sort of the Olympics for these furry athletes; these sled dogs would be the Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and Simone Biles of athletes.
There is a single musher who has a team of 12 to 16 dogs. Only select breeds that are bred for this life can participate; examples include Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and Alaskan Huskies.
There are no doggy substitutes, and the musher will have to quit the race if they have fewer than five dogs that can run. The sled dogs do have to carry more weight when they lose a friend, but a lot of the weight is due to dog food, so it tends to lighten over time.
Dog food supplements are also available at checkpoints, so the weight of the sled can also be reduced if additional food is obtained along the way.
Medical Attention
Each dog has to undergo extensive medical testing prior to the race and is examined by over 50 volunteer veterinarians. At least two are present at each race checkpoint that are 35 miles apart.
Minor medical attention will be addressed by the veterinarians on the spot, and if needed, the dog will be removed from the race at any given checkpoint. They will receive medical attention, and the musher will move on and collect them later.
How Things Were
150 dogs have passed away since the beginning of the race. 750 dogs participate every year, and the race has been going for over 50 years. The death rate is relatively low.
But frankly, one death is one too many. There are bad apple racers who, much like the kennels, don’t provide appropriate food or medical care and are quick to throw their dying pup on the side of the trail.
This is significantly harder with the regular checkpoints and extensive medical screenings and attention, but unfortunately bad apples are creative, so there are still years where casualties occur and unethical mushers are caught, but overall the race is far safer. There’s always room for improvement, though.
Most Sled Dogs Love Their Lives
Multiple people as skeptical as any other animal lover visited several kennels that did dog sledding for tourism, some of which participated in races outside of the Iditarod. The in-depth and thoughtful articles can be found here and here.
Do Sled Dogs Get Cold?
Yes and no. Frostbite can occur. A veterinarian who worked with sled dogs for the Iditarod race for eight years saw a few cases, and they were typically minor and easily treatable.
Sled dogs are built a bit differently than house puppies. Dogs grow a thick undercoat and curl up in a specific way that protects some of their more vulnerable body parts if they’re feeling chilly.
Blood also gets pumped through the dog’s body to get to all the furthest areas of the body, like the tips of the ears and feet, to keep everything warm. The little booties they wear to protect their feet also help keep them warm.
You can often see dogs fall asleep with snow on their bodies because their coats are so well insulated and designed to trap the heat.
Do Sled Dogs Pass Away Young?
No. They often outlive their non-sledding counterparts.
The exercise these dogs get, along with their diet, contribute to their overall health. These dogs also tend to be very happy, and so much of their health is mental.
It’s worth noting that these dogs don’t face the health concerns that many dogs do because they are not designed to have specific features and are not crossed with any other breed to create a more “designer” type of pup.
Are Sled Dogs Not Fed?
There are a few tough cases. But in general, these dogs have a job and are treated like family. Working family members need good food.
It’s unsurprising that their primary food group is meat-based. They need the protein!
These dogs may look thin, but they’re also the Simone Biles, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady of sled dogs, so they are in tip-top shape and are incredibly athletically inclined. It would be hard to get such an athletic dog chonky.
And as for the dogs who were underfed and then terminated by the kennel staff in some of these tough cases, members of the dog-sledding community are a tight-knit bunch and feel that if these kennels had communicated their needs, the dogs would have been rehomed ASAP.
Do Dogs Have To Be Forced To Run?
A dog may be a little sluggish after six days on the trail during a prolonged race, but even then, they love their job.
By all reports, sledding was the dog’s favorite thing to do ever. In one instance, the dogs would start barking and wiggling around in excitement when they saw a leash in a human’s hand. The pups would practically drag them to the sled, and they would often help by lifting their legs for their harness.
In another case, the dogs would bark and dance in excitement when they knew a sled was in their near future. You would have to hold the harnessed dogs back because they would try to take off when other dogs were being harnessed. Once it’s go time, they are silent and focused on their job.
Training is simple for mushers; the dogs take to it very organically. Some feel like they are very closely connected to their inner wolf, more so than the typical house dog. As a result, they truly thrive in their unique roles.
One of the puppers favorite parts is getting post-run massages from their favorite people. The bond may be different than that of a typical owner and dog, but it is a rock-solid relationship.
Do The Puppers Sleep Inside A House?
They don’t sleep in people’s homes, but they do sleep in their own little homes. Each dog gets their own individualized space, which looks different in each kennel.
Sometimes the pups are not the best of friends; there are a lot of dominant dogs who desire to lead. As a result, at most kennels, the dogs have their own house with straw to sleep in. They are typically chained enough to get some space outside and inside their house. Some run free in enclosed yards.
These unique dogs have coats that can keep them warm at -20 below. Sometimes, when it drops below -40, they may get a jumper and some booties, just in case they get a little chilly.
What Happens To Ex-Sled Dogs?
Every kennel is different, but most sources don’t portray retirement as the end of the dog’s life. Although that has been raised as a potential outcome for some of these pups.
There are rescue organizations designed specifically for these special pups. They have unique needs and are often (but not always) not well-suited to living in the city. This is due to less activity.
That being said, some dogs are adopted (farms are good options) by their musher or others.
Often, dogs are kept and given reign of the kennels to wander around and follow their humans doing the many tasks that a kennel of sled dogs requires.
Dogs retire around age 8 or 10, typically. As sled dog owners will describe, they will “tell” you when they’re ready to hang up the cleats. Most mushers are so closely connected to their dogs that both human and dog are aware of each other’s health – mentally and physically.
Bigger dogs don’t live as long, and Alaskan Huskies, for example, live for about 10–15 years. Retirement isn’t a particular period of a dog’s life.
Summers For The Sled Dogs?
Most places do not have snow all year. Sled pups get the summer off. The puppers like their wolf daddies; they are less active in the summer. They hang out with each other and laze around in the sun, primarily.
They still get to work their energy out with runs, but they’re typically at the coolest parts of the day.
Sound off below if you would like to hear more about the sport of mushing!
