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How To Train A Sled Dog
Every spring there is a race across Alaska known as the Iditarod. This race
showcases packs of 12 to16 dogs that work together to cover over 1150 miles from
Anchorage to Nome. Just like a professional athlete, these dogs must go through
intense training to prepare themselves for this grueling race. Both the dog and
the mushers have a very special bond that is established from the time that they
are puppies. The musher relies on his team to obey commands as well as develop
instincts that are imperative to completing a race such as this. Those who have
the opportunity to view portions of this race, either in person or on television
are likely to be impressed by the stamina, teamwork, perseverance and dedication
of these dog teams. Many dog owners may be familiar with dog sports such as
agility or flyball but have likely never seen such an intense activity being
performed by a group of dogs that are working together so cohesively. Witnessing
these dogs in action may make a dog owner wonder if his own dog would be capable
of performing this type of task. This article will explain the type of training
required to produce a quality sled dog as well as the characteristics which make
a dog likely to excel in this exciting canine sport.
One of the most important goals of training a sled dog is to nurture the natural
instincts of the dogs in a positive way to make sledding an enjoyable experience
for the dogs. This is imperative because a dog that is enjoying his work is a
dog that is also likely to excel at his job. The training for most sled dogs
begins when the dogs are just puppies. Initially mushers will place a harness on
the puppy and have it pull around small objects just to get the puppy used to
the sensation of wearing a harness as well as the feeling of pulling another
object behind him. Running with the puppy and calling out start and stop
commands lay the groundwork for the dog to begin competing with a team one day.
During this time the dog may not even realize he is being trained as a sled dog
because the activity simply feels like play with the owner or handler. During
this initial training the puppies learn to associate the harness with something
that is positive and fun for them to do. This helps to foster a love of the
sport.
Next the puppies are then exposed to other, more seasoned, dogs to learn about
teamwork. These training sessions are usually kept fairly short and are usually
not much of a workout for the more experienced dogs. However, it does serve the
purpose of exposing the puppies to the process of working together with other
dogs. The puppies will learn from watching the more experienced dogs how to
perform activities such as running, pulling and turning in unison. Keeping the
training sessions short helps to keep the puppies excited about the activity and
eager to continue the training. Extending the training sessions could result in
the puppies becoming bored with the activity or overtired. If this happens the
puppies may not be eager to continue the training at a later date.
Much of the initial training of a potential sled dog takes place before the
first snowfall of the year. Puppies may complete a large portion of their
training on dry land. However, when there is snow available the puppies may
begin pulling a sled and participating in training sessions which become
gradually longer and longer. This gradual process enables the puppy to build up
strength and endurance while still maintaining a love of pulling the sled.
Sled dogs are often trained in a manner which is very similar to the way in
which long distance runners are trained. The mushers do this by taking the dogs
for runs which gradually increase in both time and distance over varied terrain.
This helps the dogs to build up both endurance and strength. The mushers may
also work on increasing the speed of the dogs through the use of interval
training. Incorporating sprint workouts into the distance training helps the
dogs to develop fast twitch muscle fibers which are necessary for developing
speed. With this diverse training regimen, the dogs become conditioned in a
manner which will enable the dogs to cover the race course as quickly as
possible during competitions.
Not all dogs are cut out to excel at the sport of sled dog racing. Even fewer
dogs are well suited to be a lead dog on a sled dog team. Trainers watch dogs
closely from the time they are puppies to determine which puppies show signs of
potentially being good lead dogs. This is important because a lead dog helps to
steer the sled and keeps the handler and the other dogs safe. A lead dog without
the right skills is comparable to trying to drive a car without a steering
wheel. The lead dog should be confident, strong and should obey commands well.
These qualities will enable the musher to rely on the lead to follow his
commands accurately and to guide the other dogs to do the same through his
actions.
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