The Dog Sled Days

The History of Dog Sledding

"Mushing", originating from the French word "marche" (to walk or march), is both a sport and transport method using dogs to cross long and often frozen distances, either by cart, pulk, dog scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. Mushing is a utilitarian, recreational, or competitive activity practiced worldwide, but has primary bases in North America, northern Europe and the Alps. The Yup'ik and Inupiaq people living along Alaska's Bering Straits were noted to have used teams of dogs to pull sleds as early as 1732.

During Roald Amundsen’s 1911 South Pole expedition, the great Norwegian explorer used sled dogs (something he’d learned from the Inuits during a previous exploration of the Northwest Passage). Amundsen beat rival Robert F. Scott to the South Pole. Many credit his success, in part, to the use of sled dogs. Teams of sled dogs were widely used for personal transportation and mail delivery across Alaska, and they continued to be used by the US Army for search and rescue missions in remote areas of Alaska through World War II.

Though today sled dogs have frequently been replaced by snowmobiles for utilitarian purposes, some trappers and other individuals continue to use sled dogs, finding them safer and more dependable in extreme weather conditions.

Dog Sled Races Around the World

There are several internationally recognized sporting events, with competitors hailing from all over the world;

• Finnmarksløpet in Norway
• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska
• La Grande Odyssée in France and Switzerland
• Yukon Quest in Alaska and the Yukon

The Iditarod, Alaska's most widely regarded (and arguably the world's toughest) dog sled race, commemorates the 1925 relay of lifesaving diphtheria serum from Nenana to ice-bound Nome in the midst of an epidemic. Twenty teams of dogs and mushers relayed a supply of the lifesaving anti-toxin to the Alaskan city of Nome in just five days. Today, their 674-mile route that took them through the town of Iditarod is called the Iditarod Trail. In 1973, the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was run on a 1,000-mile course from the town of Knik to Nome and along the Iditarod Trail, in commemoration of the brave teams of dogs and mushers who saved the people of Nome.

While a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping sport, sledding is rooted in hazardous travel across unforgivable terrain. Unpredictable extreme weather and wild animals are the biggest threat to sled dogs and mushers, as midwinter temperatures can drop to 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero. Today's dog sled races have mandatory veterinary check points for participating teams.

But despite the efforts of racing associations such as the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) and the International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA), mushing has yet to become an official Olympic event, although it was utilized as a demonstration sport in the 1932, 1952, and 1994 Winter Olympics.

What Makes a Good Sled Dog?

Anywhere from 6 to 20 dogs make up a full team, depending on the type of sled and total hauling weight. Dog breeds like the Samoyed, Alaskan Malamute, Alaskan and Siberian Huskies, and the Chinook are bred specifically for sledding due to their strength, speed and resilience against cold weather. The Canadian Eskimo dog, another kind of sled dog, is used mostly for pulling in Arctic Canadian regions. Samoyeds are used occasionally, but are historically prized more for their beauty than their strength or endurance.

Some sled dogs can travel exceptionally long distances - up to 130 km (80 miles) or more, in a single day! This great strength, speed and endurance does have its concessions for maintenance, however, as sled dogs need a lot of food. Depending on their size and activity level, pet dogs require 1 700 calories a day or more. Working dogs can easily consume as many as 10 000 calories a day (a requirement for their strenuous workload and keeping warm in harsh conditions).

Although having a suitable dog bred for sledding is vitally important in utilitarian contexts and racing, for recreational purposes forming a close bond with your dogs is equally as important. You must trust your dogs and in turn they must also trust you and your commands, as sled dogs rely on vocal instruction. For the safety and unity of the entire team, musher included, sled dogs must be highly intelligent, well trained, compatible as a pack and responsive to verbal commands.

While dog sledding is a winter sport and activity, sled dog training occurs all year long. Throughout the spring, summer and fall the dogs train by pulling carts on wheels, bicycles, and cross country running. Year round activity helps them form a cohesive team in time for the arrival of the winter snow.

Canicross: Not Just for Pros

Although racing gets the most publicity through media and is seen as the primary form of mushing, recreational sledding continues to thrive as an unorganized sport for families and individuals seeking activity and stimulation. Cross country running with dogs, officially known as "Canicross", has become popular as a stand-alone sport all over Europe, but also in the United States and Canada.

Originally, Canicross was conceived as off season-training of sled dogs but now all kinds of dogs have begun taking part including mutts, small terriers and even large heavy breeds such as rottweilers. Canicross can be practiced with one or two dogs which are attached by the harness to the runner's waist belt. Instead of a regular leash, a bungee cord is used in order to reduce shock caused by the dog pulling.

Dog Sledding in Popular Culture

Dog sledding has seen a rise in popular culture throughout the years in film. “Balto,” a jet-black Siberian Husky, the lead dog of the team that carried diphtheria serum on the 53-mile final leg of the relay to Nome, became a star of the big screen in 1995, with the release of Universal Pictures “Balto,” based on his life. Additionally, a bronze statue stands in NYC's Central Park in Balto's honor. However, many argue that it was Siberian Husky lead dog, “Togo,” who was the true hero, as the 12-year-old Togo traversed an astounding 264 miles, compared to an average of 31 miles each for the other teams.

Over time, with the help of historians, Togo began to garner the recognition he deserved. In 2001, Togo received his own statue in NYC’s Seward Park and in 2019, his story was retold in “Togo,” a movie released on Disney+. The film starred Togo’s own descendant, “Diesel,” as Togo himself. There are a number of other highly acclaimed films with a major focus on dog sledding for sport or otherwise including; Eight Below, Iron Will, Antarctica, Snow Buddies and Snow Dogs.

In literature, Jack London immortalized the use of sled dogs during the Klondike Gold Rush in his legendary novel “The Call of the Wild” which has been adapted for at least 5 different films between 1972 and 2020. Later, London produced 1906 novel "White Fang" which was also widely popular and adopted into film.