Dog Mushing 101
Kotzebue, Alaska | 2018

There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in
its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.

—Richard Bach

Let me tell you about Ears. Ears is now nine years old and the purest of companions one can find. When I am despondent, she consoles me. I think of her, and she looks up my way with her bright blue eyes with dark specks bordering her irises. Ears is an alpha female, meaning she enjoys fighting with every other gal in the yard who threatens her place in the world. The only human she wants to be with is me—pure loyalty. No dog or other human will dictate terms to her. While a serious sled dog, she plays inside with a giant green rubber ball, waiting for me to pick it up and throw it back to her. When I’m not there, she plays catch with herself (see figs. 2 and 3).

Ears has been my leader for six years and has never quit on me, even in the most difficult situations. Through blizzards, cold nights, long runs, and everything in between, Ears has been at the front looking back at me and smiling. Yes, dogs do smile. She exemplifies the true heart of a sled dog. She wants nothing more than to be leading the pack and looking out toward the next horizon with me at her side. While racing, we exhaust ourselves, but Ears has the fire within to stand up and keep us going down the trail with an enthusiasm I only hope to one day match.

Let me tell you about Summit. Summit is a regal leader through and through. He knows he is king but in a humble manner that doesn’t demand submission. A beautiful, solid male with a unique blue fur coat that makes him stand out from any other dog. His upright posture and noble demeanor inform us all that we are in the presence of power and grace. Summit can see through to your soul and know what is needed without being told. All dogs are willing to follow his lead. He is serious yet loves affection and praise (see figs. 4 and 5).

Summit has led me through many hazards: blizzards, crazy-thin glare ice with sideways winds, snow up to our thighs, and overflow so deep the dogs have to swim. He is the epitome of a sled dog leader. Not only is he gorgeous and strong with a fiery willpower, but he has the intelligence to find his way along the trails and the heart to care enough to pull the musher and team to safety.

Let me tell you about Blondie. Blondie came to us from the kennel of Kelly Maixner and was three years old when I first met him. Physically, Blondie has the build of an Ethiopian marathoner. His fur is thin and light colored, and there is hardly any of it on his belly. My first thought was that this dog won’t make in the Arctic (see fig. 6).

Then, I saw him run, got to know his personality, and watched in amazement as his heart proved to be five times bigger than his skinny body. This tiny dog, by himself, in single lead, would time and again lead the entire team through thousands of miles of difficult trail. He is somewhat socially awkward but leans into my legs for assurance and affection whenever I stand near him. I have never seen anything like it. Before long, Blondie became my number one leader, ever ready to give you his all.

Now, let me tell you about Rambo. Rambo is a team dog. The lead dogs aren’t the only critical part of the team. Rambo was never technically a leader, as far as running at the front of the team goes, but he was the strongest of team dogs for his entire career. There never was a more resilient and capable dog than Rambo. When it is time to go, he is the first one standing. When the winds blow strong, Rambo leans into them. When all else is going wrong and the team has nothing left to guide them, Rambo stands up, barks, and pulls the team and me through with the sheer force of his will—toughest dog I have ever met (see fig. 7).

That is the thing about sled dogs. Beyond being exceptional athletes, they exemplify characteristics we aspire to. They mirror unconditional love, loyalty, determination, strength, and willpower. Beyond that of our ever-faithful house dogs, sled dogs have equally the respect and trust to go into unknown conditions. These dogs are born with an inherent love of travel and the ability to run.

There is an unparalleled camaraderie found in traveling with your closest companions, and that is exactly what you get in dog mushing races. Dog races can be categorized by distance—either as sprint, middle distance, or long distance. Sprint races, such as the Fur Rondy Open World Championship Sled Dog Races in Anchorage, are run in heats over a few days, each heat averaging about twenty-five miles. Middle-distance races span one hundred to five hundred miles and include the Kobuk 440 in Kotzebue and Kuskokwim 300 in Bethel. Long-distance races are over five hundred miles long and include the Yukon Quest, running between Whitehorse and Fairbanks, and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which runs 1,049 miles from Anchorage to Nome. In the races, teams start out with twelve to sixteen dogs, but during training, teams can be anywhere from five to twenty-four dogs.

While considered to be Alaskan huskies, sled dogs are not a breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. Alaskan huskies weigh between forty and sixty-five pounds and are bred for speed, endurance, power, intelligence, fur, feet, attitude, among other distinguishing attributes. They are serious athletes, not pets. Affectionate sled dogs have the heart to run in camaraderie with their musher. Some sled dogs are more akin to wolves, however, and don’t care for the affection of their human musher. They don’t bother about adoration and snuggling. They have the soul to devour meat, pull, and run to the next adventure.

Each dog holds a unique place along the gang line. The lead dogs run out in front of the others. Their job is vital to the success of the team. Fearlessly, they find the trail and keep the team lined out true as an arrow. The bond between musher and lead dog is trusting, deep, and pure, born of mutual respect. Swing dogs stay behind the lead dogs and help them swing the team around any turns. Wheel dogs are in the back of the team, and their role is to keep the sled lined out as it goes around tight corners.

Mushers teach sled dog leaders common commands such as “gee” (go right) and “haw” (go left). The words “up, up” or a whistle signals to the dogs that it is time to go. “Whoa” tells them to halt.

When racing long-distance, sled dogs require over 10,000 calories per day. At home, during standard training, this is closer to 2,500 calories. Whether racing or at home, each dog eats a warm meal of meat, fish, fat, and commercial dog food. Between meals, I give my dogs snacks of frozen fish, meat, or fat, depending on the nutritional needs of each. I occasionally give other supplements according to demand.

While racing, all dogs wear booties to protect their feet from rough trail. Booties prevent snow from balling up on the pads of their feet and cuts from sharp ice. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes but have the general appearance of a sock with a piece of Velcro to secure it to the foot.

All mushers have a game plan before starting a race. For example, a team may run for six hours then rest for four. Some teams travel over ten hours and take a longer break. Mushers train the team for a specific run-rest schedule to use during races.

All middle-to-long-distance races have checkpoints that store food that mushers ship out for the dogs. These checkpoints also host veterinarians and other race volunteers. When a dog becomes ill or injured on the trail, a musher carries them in the sled to the next checkpoint, where pending transport back home, the dogs are cared for by the veterinarians.

When it is time to rest, the musher secures the sled, then puts out straw beds for all the dogs and removes their booties. I remove tug lines so that only necklines attach the dogs to the gang line. The dog cooker, a portable spirit stove, melts snow for dog food and water. Meanwhile, the dogs receive a massage while I evaluate their condition. After feeding the dogs, the musher eats a precooked meal packed in a vacuum-sealed pouch. Depending on the duration of overall rest, a musher may get forty-five minutes to three hours of sleep. If the team is at a checkpoint, there is often water provided and a type of shelter to sleep in. If the team is camping outside, however, mushers often sleep in a sleeping bag atop their sleds, but a few erect tents or bivy sacks to slumber in.

Modern racing sleds are lightweight and often have aluminum or carbon fiber frames. The frame sits on aluminum runners to which removable plastic strips are attached for smooth gliding across the snow. A gang line stretches in front of the sled and translates the pulling power of the dogs from their harnesses to the sled. Padded by the manufacturers, the harnesses, fit around the dogs’ shoulders and forelegs and are connected to the gang line by sections of rope called tug lines. Sleds have a minimum of two metal hooks to anchor the team for short periods so the musher can stop when required. A sled bag fits inside the frame and holds all needed gear. During a race, mandatory sled gear includes a cold-weather sleeping bag, hand ax, snowshoes, booties, dog food, and a dog cooker for melting snow and cooking dog food using Heet or methanol as fuel.

Each dog is subjected to stringent workups before being permitted to take part in a long-distance race, including an EKG test, blood work, and a physical examination. For a race, like the Iditarod, well over ten thousand routine checkpoint veterinary examinations take place by one of the dozens of volunteer veterinarians.

The top race official is the race marshal and he or she is assisted by race judges at each checkpoint. They are in place to ensure that mushers adhere to race rules and that they provide proper dog care. The trail committee will not tolerate inhumane treatment. Each checkpoint also has a checker, who records the time and number of dogs in the team upon arrival and departure from the checkpoint.

Volunteers—over 1,500 of them—are the heart of the race. They put together the trail, handle pre- and post-race banquets, care for dropped dogs, solicit donations, and take care of a myriad other details.

Mushers are a unique breed of their own. They are unsupported during the race and must have no outside help. Men and women are equal competitors on the trail. A skilled musher will have drive, experience, wilderness knowledge, swift judgment, and survival skills. These qualities matter more than brute strength and fitness.

Mushers must dress and be prepared for extreme conditions. Layering is the most effective technique. Weather can be anything from sixty degrees Fahrenheit below zero to forty above and raining. Our bodies lose up to 50 percent of their heat through the head and neck. Mushers therefore prioritize quality hats and hoods, often made with beaver, wolverine, or wolf fur.

Why do mushers push the limits of human endurance in collaboration with a team of their closest companions doing the same? The answer is indisputable: it’s the dogs, the wilderness, the challenge, the beauty. And did I mention the dogs?