Sled dogs

By Jaimy de Vries

As a birthday present from my parents we went on a dog sled tour. We combined this with a visit to the Iditarod museum. That made it a dog-sled-day! Dog sledding is a big part of the Alaskan culture. It’s their state sport and before a way of surviving. The biggest dog-sled race, and arguably the most popular event in Alaska, is the Iditarod. Over 1,000 miles through harsh tundra and forest, over mountain passes and across river, from anchorage to Nome. The top mushers and their teams of dogs become local celebrities.

Our sled-dog-day started with a visit to the Iditarod museum that’s about the sled dog race in Alaska. Sled dogs are a big part of Alaska’s culture and it’s also the state sport: dog mushing. The Iditarod is arguably the most popular event in Alaska. It’s a race over 1,000 miles through harsh tundra and forest, over mountain passes and across river, from anchorage to Nome. The top mushers and their teams of dogs become local celebrities.

Iditarod museum

It was a small museum with a free admission. At the museum we watched a movie called: “Why do they run?” that has an interesting perspective on sled dogs and Iditarod races. There were also lots of pictures, newspapers about the Iditarod races and lots of artifacts. One that really caught my eye was the dog Togo on display.

Togo was a state hero and one of the best sled dogs of all time. He ran 340 miles (544 km) through a blizzard and twice across the treacherous Norton sound to get the antitoxin serum from Fairbanks to Nome. In Nome there were lots of kids sick and dying from diphtheria epidemic. It was a race against death. No other team and driver had gone more than 53 miles, he did 340 miles. I got quite a bit emotional when I saw him and went on the picture with him. If you want to know what’s his story, check the movie “Togo”

Old picture of Togo with all his trofie’s

Me together with Togo

On our visit to the museum we learned a lot about sled dogs, especially about the Alaskan sled dog huskies. They look probably different then what you expected them to be. Lots of people expect to see big furry huskies. But Alaskan huskies are quite small and are less furry – especially in the summer. Although it looks like they’re less furry, their fur is really thick. These dogs are one of the strongest and healthiest. They are different than domesticated dogs. Biological, sled dogs have 40-50 beats per minute – a normal dogs 120 beats per minute. Alaskan huskies are evolved. They are one of the hardest athletes and workers. They have lots of energy and are born to run. From the dogs, sled dogs are the closest to their ancestors: the wolves. They want to run. Sled dogs are like that, and they even got more skills. If you put a harness on, they’ll pull, you don’t need to teach them that. And they can easily follow orders.

The sled dogs are a big part of the Alaskan history and present day. Before the dogs helped people for survival, to hunt, to carry food and for transportation. But nowadays that’s not necessary anymore, but still the dogs had so much energy and thirst to run. So Joe Redington (together with Dorothy Page) started a dogsled race, not for us, but actually for the dogs: the Iditarod race. It’s what they were meant to do: run! And it’s not sad for them. They love to do it. Before a race starts, many men need to hold on the sled to stop the dogs from running, because once they have a harness on they’ll run! They get so excited and happy if they can run. They are born runners! An average sled dog can run 100 miles (160 km) per day. The Iditarod race starts the second Sunday in March. It’s a race for sleds dogs and mushers that start in Anchorage and ends in Nome. It’s a 1049 Mile race. The dogs are well taken care of during the Iditarod race: there are vet stops every day to check the dogs and they are well monitored. If a dog is too tired or doesn’t want to run anymore, they will fly him back home.

Dog sled tour

My parents gave met a dogsled ride as a birthday present. Although it’s summer and there is no snow….still we can go on a dogsled ride. In the summer it’s not on a sled but on an ATV vehicle. Our guides were Cole and West. They were very funny and told us great stories about the dogs. First they gave us an introduction about the kennel. The Kennel (called: Snowhook) we went to has 70 dogs. The dogs get raised here and stay here, even if they don’t want (that doesn’t happen) or can’t run anymore (pension). They are raised as dogs on the best way: live outside at their own yard (hut + 4 square meter around them).

They are born runners and are very energetic. They go for a run every day, if not they get grumpy and aggressive, “Oh, like a women on her period without chocolate” I said. These dogs just have lots of character. They’re energetic and likes to get your attention. They think it’s weird if you first put your hand out so they can snif (what we do with domesticated dogs). You can just pet them straight away. They like if you pet them. Sometimes they jump on you. And you need to watch your back said Cole. With some dogs, if you don’t give them attention and they get jealous…they can pee on you. Wait what!?

We got to see their big characters when we walked to the dogs. They al started barking: “Pick me! Pick me” when we walked towards the kennel. They really want to go for a run. They jumped of their house and wanted to get picked. I pet almost all of them, they were so cute. Some were al little bit too energetic for my taste, they jumped on me a tried to playfully bite me. We tried to make a good picture with the dogs, but that was extremely difficult. They don’t sit still, let along look at the camera. Well we tried…

“pick me! Pick me!”

Trying to get on the picture with the white husky

Attempt 20: failed

Meanwhile we were petting the dogs, Cole and West set up the team and put them in their harness. They called us to get started. We could sit in the ATV or stand on the back. The back of course! While we were standing and preparing to set off, you could feel the dogs pulling the car. He put the car on the break, otherwise we would be gone already. First I thought the ATV is not so dog friendly because it’s so heavy. Well actually he needs to drive the ATV, sometimes to slower down the dogs with the break otherwise we go to fast. It’s not to heavy for them.

And then we went….it was a bumpy road and so much fun! First the dogs were fighting a little bit. You never know how the teams runs. Sometimes they had a little fight on the yard, and then you need to rearrange them. The dogs were incredible on the ride. They listen so well. Means right. It’s also incredible to see how they know the way to run. The lead dogs shows the way and the first two dogs are the ones that carry most the weight – so they need to be really strong. We need to hold on very well, it was a bumpy ride. We had so much fun. We had a big smile all the way and afterwards.

There is always something weird happening on an average day. This time the ATV broke down. So we needed to do a car switch with the dogs. Well the dogs are insanely strong, we needed to push the brakes to prevent them going to hard. So one man can’t handle 14 dogs on a leash trying to run…. So we needed to think of a solution. Cole had the idea that we try to distract the dogs, he switch the leash to another car. And we managed! When we were back again, I gave a paw and cuddle to every dog who joined our sled team. They did a great job! At the end we could cuddle with some 2,5 weeks old pups who just opened their eyes. They were so damn cute. You just want to secretly put one of them in your coat (no worries we didn’t).

Now we are even more curious than before, how it would be like…. dogsledding in the snow? Must be even way cooler!