Dog sledding is a winter kind of dog sport. It is the timed trial of sled dogs teams that pull a sled with the driver (musher), who stands on the runners. The winner is the team, which completes the marked course in the least time.
Sled dog race gives a lot of pleasure for extreme sports enthusiasts. Few are aware that the dog driver can move at a speed of to 50 km/h in the sled!
Sled dog racing is very popular in Canada, Russia, Greenland, Arctic regions of the USA and in some European countries.
Dog sleds are traditional means of transport for many northerners.
Huskies are the main participants of competitions. Their blue eyes are ideally adapted to bright, reflected from snow, winter light. The other sled dogs, such as Alaskan Malamute, West Siberian Laika and Samoyed also take part in the trials. Aggressive dogs are forbidden to take part in sledding.
Dog drivers have special food for their sled dogs.
Every dog sled is a little pack with its own hierarchy with the musher at the head, who runs the dogs through the one or two leaders. The first leader chooses the track in the best way, has good sense of direction in hummocks or during snow storm and leads the pack on the thin ice. The second leader organizes work of the other dogs in the pack, controls them to obey the owner to work in full force. The leaders shouldn't pull the sled more than other dogs, their main task is to keep the pack running even if the dogs' powers going gets tough. The leaders choose certain pace of movement, which is acceptable to the whole pack at the dog driver's command.
Dog Sled Races Are Classified into:
Unlimited race – 12 or more dogs in the sled;
Limited race – the quantity of sled dogs is specified;
Junior race – age limit of dog drivers is 18 years;
Sprint – short-distance race, when the dogs run at the quickest pace; can last 2-3 days, dogs run through the same track at that, 4, 6, 8 or unlimited quantity of sled dogs;
Distance Races:
Long distance races – (100 - 500 km) – multi-day races - (100 – 2000 km) - with many watch stations and resting places (7 dogs and more).
Medium distance races – (40 – 100 km) – several watch stations, to stop and to have rest is not necessarily (7 dogs and more);
Multistage races – several stages, each is considered as a separate race, usually consists of sprints and medium distance races, tracks are not far from each other as a rule, dogs are transported to every track by cars.
Useful equipment for sled dog training, click on the pictures!
Read also about snowless dog sledding.