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Alaska Sled Dogs and the Ultimate Denali Dogsled Expedition

The first thing Courtney said after introducing herself was, “We don’t adopt out our dogs”. At the moment, I thought it was an odd thing to lead with as we prepared to go on our first Alaska dog sledding expedition. I love Alaska sled dogs, but I had never considered adopting one…but then again, I had never met Courtney and Brian’s dogs from Moon Dog Kennels. As we stepped into the kennel at Earthsong Lodge on the outskirts of Denali National Park, the excitement was building, like a cork about to burst out of champagne. I was excited; however, it was the sled dogs that were about to burst! As they jumped up and down, there was a symphony of howls, barks, and even whimpers. The dogs knew that new people in the kennel meant they got to run, and for an Alaska sled dog – that’s the best thing in the whole wide world. Table of Contents     Dog Sledding in Alaska         Mushing School     Can You Dog Sled in Denali National Park?     What Ma...

Eurohound: The Ultimate Sled Dog for Endurance Racing

 Eurohound is a newer and rare breed of dog that is specifically bred for sled racing. This canine athlete is a cross between the Alaskan Husky and various pointers , combining the strength and endurance of the former with the speed and agility of the latter. The result is a dog that is highly athletic and excels at pulling sleds over long distances. Eurohound puppies are born with a natural instinct to pull and are eager to learn and work. They require a lot of exercise and training to keep them physically and mentally stimulated. Puzzle toys like snuffle mats can help these unique dogs stay mentally active, but this is not a breed that will settle for a daily walk around the block. Eurohound breeders are knowledgeable about the breed and can provide valuable information on training, nutrition, and care. If you are considering getting a Eurohound, it is important to understand their unique needs and temperament. If you are an extremely active person who enjoys outdoor activiti...

Alaskan Husky Adventures

Summer or winter, visit a champion kennel, meet friendly dogs and an experienced musher for a ride along private trails with gorgeous views! Tours depart from Willow, just an hour and a half scenic drive north of Anchorage. There’s hardly a sport more Alaskan than dog mushing, so going out for a dog sled ride with a real Alaskan musher gives you a real authentic experience. The owner, Matthew Failor, has run the world’s most famous dog sled race—the Iditarod—10 times, and absolutely loves sharing the experience. You’ll spend some time with these friendly and energetic dogs and get an insider’s view of this challenging sport. Then you’ll hit the trail! Choose from a variety of year-round tours. In winter, you’ll dash through the wilderness on a sled (and warm up with cocoa and cookies at the end); in summer you’ll be on a specially designed cart with wheels. Throw on a custom-made winter parker during your ride which are made by mushers, for mushers! Throw on a custom-made winter parke...

What Makes a Great Sled Dog? Breed, Ambition, Tough Feet

Like many top athletes, Sultana trains hard and has no time for the shenanigans of younger teammates. But you won’t find her in a stadium. Sultana is a sled dog born and bred to work in the punishing winters of Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, and she’s gearing up for another season on the trail. Right now, sled dogs around the world are busy preparing for the upcoming racing season or for jobs hauling equipment or tourists. Premier events like the Iditarod, the Yukon Quest, or the International Pedigree Stage Stop kick off over the next couple of months, drawing as many as 1,300 dogs and thousands of people to frozen places from Alpine, Wyoming, to Nome, Alaska. Like Sultana—a trailbreaker who moves supplies for researchers and park staff—the animals competing in these races are a cut above your normal dog. Contrary to popular belief, Siberian huskies or Alaskan malamutes are not the most popular sled dog breed. That spot belongs to the Alaskan husky, an unofficial breed w...

Sled Dog Breeds: From Arctic Exploration to the Iditarod

What does it take to run hundreds of miles across packed ice and frozen terrain, for days and weeks on end, in arctic temperatures? That’s easy — a lot. A lot of grit, guts, and a laser-like focus on getting where you’re going, and sled dog breeds have these qualities by the sled load. What Breeds Make the Best Sled Dogs? The Samoyed, Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and Chinook are some of the most well-known of the sled dog breeds. Sled dogs probably evolved in Mongolia between 35,000 and 30,000 years ago. Scientists think that humans migrated north of the Arctic Circle with their dogs about 25,000 years ago, and began using them to pull sleds roughly 3,000 years ago. There were two main types of sled dogs. Coastal cultures kept one type of sled dog, while people living in the interior kept another. In the mid-1800s, Russian traders following the Yukon River inland acquired sled dogs from the villages along its shores. The Era of the Sled Dog The first formal sled dog race wasn’t h...

Hooked on huskies: the ultimate athlete

 The harder the conditions get the more they like it — sled dogs might just be the ultimate animal athlete. Imagine a race over 1850km — the distance from Invercargill to Whangarei — a 10 to 17-day grind for the mushers and their dog teams as they try to conquer Alaska's icy mountain ranges, desolate tundra and frozen coastlines. It's called the Iditarod. It's considered the last great race, and it's a long way from there to Invercargill. In fact, on a wintry Southland morning it's actually too warm for the dogs as they make their way around a wooded track on the outskirts of Invercargill. "Anything above zero (degC) and they start to suffer from heat stress," said Tony Turner, a sled dog aficionado who is giving his prized pack a training run along the Sandy Point trails. More from Stuff: * Ministry leak: staff backlash after Te Reo Māori scrubbed from official use ahead of new government * Cricket World Cup: Black Caps fight, but bow out, as India's...

Alaskan Sled Dogs: Genetics of Canine Athletes

 When we think of Alaskan sled dogs, breeds like the Siberian Husky , Alaskan Malamute, or even the Samoyed usually come to mind. These are the types of dogs popularized by movies like Snow Dogs, White Fang, Balto, and Togo. But according to Dr. Heather Huson, many other types of dogs can be modern sled dogs, too. A slide titled "Sled dogs" showing various dogs, from Huskies to hounds, that are all considered Alaskan sled dogs. All these dogs are considered modern sled dogs, including the breeds that we don’t typically think of as sled dogs. Source: “Alaskan Sled Dogs, the Genetics and Selection of Elite Canine Athletes” presented by Dr. Heather Huson at the 2022 Canine Health Summit. Heather Huson, PhD, Associate Professor of Animal Genetics at Cornell University, studies sled dogs and the unique genes that give them their athletic abilities. She raised sled dogs for 23 years and has participated in internationally sanctioned events throughout the United States and Canada. D...