Why do Sled Dogs Keep Running???

I know there are quite a few animal groups out there that despise the really long Alaskan sled dog races--like the Yukon Quest and Iditarod. Mostly because these crazy races have dogs running about 1,000 miles in approximately 10 days. The leader's dogs often only sleep about 7 hours per day and run almost 17 daily. That is nuts!

It is true that dogs get injured (but so do almost all the humans), and that their lungs take a toll (as do human marathon racers). And their paws need constant ointment and booties to keep going....so the question is:-- is this some kind of dog abuse?

Some make the claim--"well the dogs didn't volunteer for the race-- the humans make them do it." But I ask: what dog anywhere really has a choice about anything?? (except for one of my nutty dogs that wandered in from the street as a stray, refused to leave and is now our dog!) I mean, does any dog request to be a latch-key dog--left alone in a crate for 9 hours while their owners toil at work??

And then some people keep up the old notion that the dogs are whipped to keep going. Nice try--used to happen (that's the truth) but so many people now watch the race & times have changed that you really couldn't get away with it....

So why do these doggies run like this??? Well I think I have the answer--simply because I have a crazy Alaskan sled dog at home.

She is the weirdest thing ever. Somewhat feral & wild. Obsessed with competition and pack order. She always tries to show off and would never say no to a sprint race . She stays up for days on end if we are on a road trip...always excited about more excitement. We know this crazy animal would run until she dies--it is in her blood.

Not only does she love the spirit of competition, she wants to do whatever the "alpha" wants to do. Not to please him I think, but just to be like him. So as long as the musher is awake and the dogs know what they need to do--they will keep on running...these are not the same dogs you find in the lower 48, they can't be compared.

Dog Blog

I'm watching my sleepy sled dog Tinga, as she lies on her warm bed. She comes from the local pound, rescued from imminent death. Although one would think the Alaskan dog pounds are full of over bred huskies, they're not. The most common abandoned pooch here is some type of lab mix, usually the black ones. Believe it or not they only have room to stay at the pound for a week, then the unmentionable happens. It is a gruesome truth that they transport hundreds of dogs to the dump each year after they are euthanized.
I bring up this sad fact to put some perspective on the first Iditarod dog dying today. A husky from a sweet woman's kennel perished without warning (while resting). She immediately dropped out of the race to grieve. This particular musher is a fanatic about her dog's care and has a website dedicated to each dog's progress. I feel so badly for her, and know she must be beating herself up over it. Nevertheless, this dog lived a good life full of love, running and fun.

We might still make our beloved Tinga into a sled dog after all. She does love to run--but what to do about those sensitive paws? The cold does bother her toes. She's mastered the art of "three legged pooping" so one of her sensitive paws doesn't have to touch the cold snow. Booties would fix that....

The Howl of the Iditarod Sled Dog

It's that time of year again, the Last Great Race, commonly known as the Iditarod. Personally, I love following the race and the travails of the mushers. We always watch the teams line up before heading on their journey to Nome. It's quite exciting to cheer on the howling dogs and their brave human counter parts.

What's funny is that there are quite a few animal lovers out there that can't stand the sport of sled dog racing. In my opinion these fears and concerns are sometimes misguided and not really based on seeing the dogs run.

Some of the common misconceptions I have heard:

1- The dogs are forced to run. Does any dog owner really feel they can force their dog to do anything?? And no, the dogs are never, ever beaten. Teams sometime do "quit" and the musher has no choice but to withdraw from the race.

2- The dogs health is compromised. Actually, this is one point where animal rights groups did help convince Iditarod officials to carefully monitor the dogs health. These days the dogs are checked over by vets continuously--but the humans are left to bleed, lack sleep & run with broken bones. Dogs are "dropped" from the race continuously, which actually upsets the dogs--they want to keep running! Plus, to keep their stamina up the dogs are fed amazing treats: like fresh steak and salmon.

3- Dogs sometimes die. Yes, it's an unfortunate truth. I think about 2 dogs die during the race each year. But put this in perspective--80 teams with 16 dogs each is 1,280 dogs!!! Professional human athletes die during training, or even the average Joe can have a heart attack when shoveling snow. Don't even get me started about dogs dying, because there are so many dogs dying globally each day--being eaten in China or beaten in other nations. Have you ever seen the emancipated dogs wandering around South America ?

4- The mushers do it for money. Ha. Even when mushers do win the bigger prizes, they barely ever even break even. The cost of feeding your team all year, fixing sleds & dog trucks, getting to competitions, entry fees and food drops all add up to quite a sum. Mushers are usually dreamers and dog lovers. They do it because it is an enchanting lifestyle and they love being around their dogs.

5- Sled dogs have a lousy life, tied to dog houses or transported in dog trucks. Well to honestly answer this one, you would have to ask the dogs. If dogs around the world were administered surveys-- would they say they prefer to get fat on the couch? Be homeless vagabonds? Or live in snow country as a sled dog?? I don't know. I do know these dogs love to run and they usually get to run every day, even in the summer.

We adopted a sled dog mix from the pound and her need to run is maddening! Even if some think it's wrong to breed these runners, I think it's wrong to breed cockapoodles or whatever those funny looking lap dogs are. When mushers do breed extra dogs, most folks are happy to take a good sled dog off their hands.

Lastly, I don't know how many people know that the "modern" Iditarod race (not the serum run) came about to encourage the dying tradition of dog mushing in Native villages. This is a sport that gives people pride. It is a solemn tradition that was threatened by the popularity of noisy, gas guzzling snowmobiles. If there is one thing that meshes well with the serenity of the wilderness, it is a sled dog team trotting through the snow, not its modern replacement the snowmachine...