All About The Dogs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What breed of dog do you race? What attributes of the breed(s) make them your top choice?
A: Anna and Kristy race Alaskan Huskies which are more of a type or category of dog and not an official breed. Often considered glorified mutts, the Alaskan Husky is defined by its purpose and desire rather than by a particular physical appearance or ancestry. Their genetic mix typically includes some Siberian Husky and characteristics that stem from ancient Native Village dogs. Today's race-worthy mixtures incorporate Greyhound, Pointer, Irish Setter, Border Collie, and a variety of other breeds. Mushers will typically breed their best male with their best female to try and retain or enhance such desirable qualities as speed, endurance, a good coat, tough feet, size, intelligence, appetite, drive, and overall attitude.
Q: What is the average height and weight of a full-grown dog on your team?
A: This can vary quite a bit, but the average weight of a dog on our team is about 55 pounds for a male and 45 pounds for a female. One of the largest dogs the twins currently race is named Recon, who stands 34 inches at the shoulder and weighs 72 pounds. One of the smallest is Bouncer at 38 pounds and 22 inches at the shoulder.
Q: What temperatures and weather conditions do the dogs seem to like best?
A: The dogs work best at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. They seem quite comfortable down to -10 degrees F, especially if they are actively pulling in harness, and can tolerate much colder temperatures before being adversely affected. The dogs have a dual fur coat consisting of a soft, dense under coat as well as a course outer coat. The combination works wonders at protecting the dogs in extreme cold and provides a natural defense against wind, snow, and water. Each dog wears booties, but this is as much to help protect against abrasion than it is for warmth. Dogs, but particularly the Alaskan Husky, have paws that come specially equipped to withstand even extreme cold (scientists in Japan have even given this a closer look). One downside to these dogs' tolerance for the cold, however, is a bit more susceptibility to over heating. In fact, in temperatures above 0 degrees F, Kristy and Anna will often opt to rest their dogs during the daytime sun and run in the cooler hours of darkness. When conditions do get cold or stormy enough to warrant concern for the dogs' well being, they have their own special jackets!
Q: How old must a dog be before you will race it? How old are they when they are retired from racing?
A: Almost all of our dogs are around 1 1/2 years old before they are entered in a race and will typically quit growing between 2 and 2 1/2 years of age. Young dogs have a lot to learn about pacing themselves and what they are capable of, and it is not uncommon to realize a yearling needs another winter of training before it is mature enough to race regularly. Similarly, the age at which a dog retires from racing varies among individuals. Dogs as old as 12 have completed the Iditarod, although this is not typical as aging dogs will lose speed and may have developed nagging injuries. Even after a dog is retired from racing, it will still serve an important part around the kennel by going on training runs, setting an example for the puppies, or having litters of their own.
Q: What does a sled dog's normal diet consist of? How often do you have to stop and feed them during a long distance race?
A: Sled dogs burn a lot of calories when they are training and even more when they are racing, so they need to eat a lot of fat and protein to maintain weight and energy levels. The bulk of their meals is a high performance dry commercial dog food refered to as "dry" or "kibble." Our two preferred brands are Dr. Tim's Momentum Highly Athletic Formula dog food and Redpaw. This kibble is then often mixed with a raw, natural meat product like beef, chicken, tripe, beaver, lamb, horse, turkey, fish, or other animal fat. The various meat products are also frozen and cut into snacks roughly the size of a candy bar which will be fed quickly and easily at a brief stop during a training run or race. To meet their energy and metabolic needs, sled dogs need to eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, whether it is a full meal or a snack. Hydration is also critical as almost all of the dogs' water intake comes from eating snow and the water that is mixed into their meals.
Q: How many calories will a single dog burn during an average 24-hour period while running a race like the Iditarod?
A: Several factors impact this statistic, but the range is anywhere from 10,000 to 26,000 calories!
But! Did you also know there is a certain "metabolic magic" in sled dogs? Scientists have studied it but as far as we know have no hard and fast conclusions yet. The gist of it is, the more a sled dog runs, the more efficient they seem to get creating energy. They don't tap into bodily reserves and suffer the fatigue a human does. You can read a bit more about it in this New York Times article.
But! Did you also know there is a certain "metabolic magic" in sled dogs? Scientists have studied it but as far as we know have no hard and fast conclusions yet. The gist of it is, the more a sled dog runs, the more efficient they seem to get creating energy. They don't tap into bodily reserves and suffer the fatigue a human does. You can read a bit more about it in this New York Times article.
Q: What is your dog team's favorite treat?
A: Our dogs are bred to have good appetites, so they seem to like most anything. But if we had to mention something... We have never seen a dog turn his nose away from lamb.
Q: How long or far can your dog team run before they need a break?
A: Our Alaskan Huskies don't need a lot of sleep. But, as mentioned above, they need a lot of food intake to maintain energy levels and that requires at least a brief stop every few hours. Beyond that, it is not uncommon for a team to run 100 miles or more without a substantial break. The general rule of thumb on long distance races is to maintain an equal run/rest schedule. So if you've been going on the trail for 4 hours, try to take a 4 hour break at the next checkpoint. During longer breaks, the dogs are fed, given any ointments or medications they might need, and made quite comfortable in straw beds.
Q: What is involved in teaching a puppy to be a future racer? What is the hardest thing to train a puppy?
A: A puppy's training begins when they are still wet behind the ears by getting them used to human scent and touch. As the puppy grows, Kristy and Anna will start taking them for walks and free running, eventually working up to harness breaking. The twins are careful to make every step of the process a gradual and positive experience. The dogs are born with the desire and instinct to run and pull; the twins just nourish and provide constructive direction to what comes naturally. But just like people, not every puppy catches on quickly. Some need more one-on-one attention or simply more time to mature. It is not unusual for a pup to fall behind his litter mates, spend a winter "parked" at the kennel, only to join a new group of puppies in training the following spring.
Q: How do you tell the dogs what to do?
A: Another aspect of training is teaching the dogs verbal and physical commands. For us:
Go Forward = "Ready... All Right!"
Left = "Haw"
Right = "Gee"
Continue Straight = "Straight Ahead"
Stop = "Whoa" ... although this command rarely has much impact unless accompanied by physically braking the sled.
Go Forward = "Ready... All Right!"
Left = "Haw"
Right = "Gee"
Continue Straight = "Straight Ahead"
Stop = "Whoa" ... although this command rarely has much impact unless accompanied by physically braking the sled.
Q: How much training do you do with your teams to prepare for the season?
A: Anna and Kristy log over 3,000 miles with each dog in the team before a major long distance race like Yukon Quest or Iditarod. Included in that mileage total are any mid-distance races. When the temperatures drop in late summer and early fall but there's no snow yet, some of those miles are racked up on dirt trails or the beach in front of a 4-wheeler. This is known to some as "motor mushing."
Q: How much weight is the dog team pulling with a sled full of gear?
A: This varies based on the size of the musher and dog team, as well as the type of run they're setting out on. If the musher plans to camp out on the trail, he or she will carry more gear including extra food, straw, fuel for thawing water and food, etc. Anna and Kristy have found that their sleds full of gear typically weigh around 175 pounds (not including Anna or Kristy's own weight).
Alaskan Huskies are considered one of the strongest draft animals on the planet by size, so while that may sound like a lot of weight, it really isn't. Even a small team of 5 dogs working together can readily manage that weight, and many new mushers will find that getting them to stop is a far bigger challenge.
Alaskan Huskies are considered one of the strongest draft animals on the planet by size, so while that may sound like a lot of weight, it really isn't. Even a small team of 5 dogs working together can readily manage that weight, and many new mushers will find that getting them to stop is a far bigger challenge.
Q: What is a 16-dog team's top speed? What is the average speed during a long race on flat terrain?
A: The top speed of a 16-dog team would be reached going downhill and in a slightly out of control fashion at 25 - 30 mph. The average speed of a team on a long distance race will be impacted by many factors, including terrain, trail conditions and snow pack, weather, team size, and fatigue. Average speed also tends to slow down the further you get in a race. Kristy and Anna have found that they typically begin a race averaging 10 - 12 mph and maintain speeds of 8 - 10 mph for the duration.
Q: Do the dogs on your team ever get into fights with each other or dogs on another team?
A: Unfortunately yes. These altercations can take the form of a growl, a bite, or an all out brawl, and often center around food or females that are in heat. Dogs are emotional animals, and even the stress or excitement of an event can lead to acting out. Anna and Kristy have a low tolerance for aggressive behavior and work hard to train and/or breed it out of the dogs they work with.
Q: What does it cost to buy an Alaskan Husky that has either raced something like Iditarod before or is the descendent of a past racer?
A: A yearling pup that is harness broken with good bloodlines is usually $600 or more. A dog that has successfully completed the Iditarod can run you $1,000. A dog between the ages of 2 and 6 that has consistently held a "team dog" role will cost $1,500 or more, while a good "lead dog" in the same age range is easily $2,000 and up. The right dog with an impressive combination of race record and bloodlines can actually set a musher back $10,000.
Q: What does it mean to "return a dog" during a race?
A: This simply refers to leaving a dog at a checkpoint during a race in the hands of vets and volunteers. Sometimes a dog is injured, gets a stomach bug, doesn't want to eat well or no longer wants to pull while out on the trail. This dog will be taken from the line and secured in the sled basket until the musher and team reaches the next checkpoint and the dog can be safely "returned." Returned dogs are secured in the checkpoint until they can be transported back to the musher's kennel. During a race, a musher MUST arrive at the next checkpoint with the same number of dogs he or she departed the prior checkpoint with, even if several are secured in the sled basket and not pulling. Think of it as "no dog left behind." A careful tally is taken, so that if a musher arrives at a checkpoint missing a dog, he or she is disqualified immediately and without exception. Mushers also carry a veterinary log book, allowing different vets to relay information about a dog team down the trail to future vets in long races like Iditarod. A dog may be left at checkpoint for return at the direction of a vet or voluntarily by the musher. Returning a dog is more common than finishing with one's original team fully intact. Mushers cannot swap any dogs for others not of their initial team, and cannot replace dogs that have been returned.
* Note, returning a dog during a race in this fashion used to be referred to as 'dropping' a dog. It meant all the same things as returning a dog, although the phrase "drop" could be misconstrued or misunderstood by someone not familiar with sled dog racing. Thus the term was changed.
* Note, returning a dog during a race in this fashion used to be referred to as 'dropping' a dog. It meant all the same things as returning a dog, although the phrase "drop" could be misconstrued or misunderstood by someone not familiar with sled dog racing. Thus the term was changed.
Q: What kinds of injuries do the dogs tend to come down with during a race? Which injuries or conditions usually lead to a dog being returned from a race?
A: Injuries happen for all athletes, including canine athletes. The most common injuries are minor foot ailments like splits in the webbing or cracks in the paw pads which are treated with ointments and covered with booties. All the dogs will wear booties during a race to try and prevent this. The dogs can also show signs of sore wrists and shoulders. Those conditions are treated with Algyval (similar to an icy hot for dogs), massage, ice and heat therapy, and wrapping. A dog can (and usually will want to) keep running with these types of conditions and that is fine so long as the injuries are not severe or chronic. The dogs can also get illnesses or viruses from the hundreds of other dogs out on the trail, and antibiotics are prescribed by checkpoint veterinarians for such problems. Sometimes, there is no obvious source of distress and the dog just won't eat or doesn't seem to want to pull anymore. Whatever the case may be, if there is any question of a dog's ability to make it safely to the next checkpoint, the dog is left safely in a checkpoint for return to the home kennel.
Q: Have you ever had a dog die during a race?
A: Has Seeing Double? No. Full stop. In addition to annual check-ups and vaccinations, all of the dogs go through both extensive training and testing prior to long distance races to confirm they are strong enough to run marathon distances of 1,000 miles or more. The medical tests include physical exams by vets, EKGs, and blood and urine analysis. Along the race route, checkpoint vets will make notes in a mandatory log book of any concerns so that vets further down the trail have a reference and can monitor for changes. Kristy and Anna put the care and well being of their dogs first and foremost and go to extreme lengths to keep them safe. If there's any concern about a dog being able to continue down the trail, it is left in checkpoint to be safely returned home. And our dogs' well being is put first and foremost out along the trail. If you're not convinced, check out this story from Kristy during the 2011 Iditarod...
I was running to Iditarod, a remote checkpoint on the southern trail route where the trail ran through overflow in a swamp. The trail was a ribbon of slush and ice. One of my dogs, Congo, was running in swing, the position directly behind the leaders. Every once in a while, we would find a hole in the slush that resulted in water reaching over the shoulders of the dogs. But the team continued on through the icy pools. Nicholas and Cutie Pie, my leaders, didn't like running in the water, so they decided to try running along side the trail through what looked like snow. But it was all water under the snow. As soon as Nicholas jumped off the main trail, he went under the water, followed by Congo, who was right on his heels. Cutie Pie was able to stay on solid ground and pulled Nicholas out with her neckline. But Congo had followed Nicholas and was now submerged in the frigid water, and he slipped his collar and did not surface. Without thinking, I ran and leapt into the water, which nearly reached my waist, felt around with my bare hands, and pulled him up. He was unfazed by the whole thing, promptly shaking off his coat and barking and rearing to keep going. I removed his harness and booties and did the best I could given the circumstances to dry him off, while waiting for the outside layer of water on my boots and bibs to freeze. Before too long, we were able to continue to the next checkpoint and fortunately reached it about 30 minutes later. Despite his polar bear plunge, Congo didn't show any signs of illness or aspiration and was able to continue racing.
I was running to Iditarod, a remote checkpoint on the southern trail route where the trail ran through overflow in a swamp. The trail was a ribbon of slush and ice. One of my dogs, Congo, was running in swing, the position directly behind the leaders. Every once in a while, we would find a hole in the slush that resulted in water reaching over the shoulders of the dogs. But the team continued on through the icy pools. Nicholas and Cutie Pie, my leaders, didn't like running in the water, so they decided to try running along side the trail through what looked like snow. But it was all water under the snow. As soon as Nicholas jumped off the main trail, he went under the water, followed by Congo, who was right on his heels. Cutie Pie was able to stay on solid ground and pulled Nicholas out with her neckline. But Congo had followed Nicholas and was now submerged in the frigid water, and he slipped his collar and did not surface. Without thinking, I ran and leapt into the water, which nearly reached my waist, felt around with my bare hands, and pulled him up. He was unfazed by the whole thing, promptly shaking off his coat and barking and rearing to keep going. I removed his harness and booties and did the best I could given the circumstances to dry him off, while waiting for the outside layer of water on my boots and bibs to freeze. Before too long, we were able to continue to the next checkpoint and fortunately reached it about 30 minutes later. Despite his polar bear plunge, Congo didn't show any signs of illness or aspiration and was able to continue racing.