Sledding
The first words that most people think of when they think about sled dog racing are normally Alaska, Iditorad, husky, and winter. Although these words are associated with sled dog racing, there is so much more to the activity. Did you know sled dog racing happens in the Northeast region of the United
"They're great for your mental health. They're great for your physical health... They're a really good reason to get outside. It doesn't matter if it's 45 below. You still get outside because they love it."
States too? There are many competitive races that occur throughout the region. New England's oldest sled dog club (NESDC), has been racing since 1924 and hosts numerous races each year, depending on the weather. Although the dogs partaking in the Iditorad are typically different types of huskies, this is not always the case in sled dog racing. Huskies are great dogs for long
Photo courtesy of Thesewoods Kennel
distance races because they naturally have better endurance than other dogs. However, with shorter races, a variety of dog breeds can work just fine. Some mushers will use greyhounds or short haired pointers among other breeds.
Since the Northeast region of the United States does not have the subarctic climates that Alaska has, dog sled racers need to maintain their dog's health and training even in the warmer temperatures, without snow. How do you train dogs for dog sledding when there isn't any snow? Easy, many people hook the line of dogs up to their all-terrain vehicle--for instance, a 4-wheeler-- and lightly give gas to allow the dogs to have something to pull (as shown in the photo above).
Fast Facts
A dog sled team generally ranges from 10-16 dogs and is led by a person called a "musher". The dogs listen to the commands given by the musher, but also relay a lot on the leadership from the two front dogs. If the first two dogs in the order have a bad day, it could throw off the entire race for the team.
A Typical Dog Sledding Team
Dog Sled Racing Speeds
The speed for dogs in dog sled races typically ranges from 8-14 miles per hour, depending on the type of race and the number of dogs running. Short dog sled races, in good conditions, means the dogs can average about 10-14 miles per hour. This is the case for races about 100 miles long. However, if the weather conditions are bad, this speed could drop tremendously. The speed of the dogs are also dependent on the weight of the sled and person that is mushing.
The Iditorad is 938 miles (1510 km). Trekking from Anchorage, Alaska to Nome, Alaska. The fastest recorded race time is held by Mitch Seavey and his team of dogs in 2017. Their race time was 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds.