Answers to Frequently asked questions
Answers to Frequently asked questions
We have been driving dogs since 2000, we have also been skijoring since the fall of 1999.
Alaskan Huskies. They are the most enduranced.
We start in the summer doing ground work in our yard with the dogs, doing light duty exercise and socializing skills. In the fall we start hooking the dogs to wheeled carts and taking them on short runs, anywhere from 1 to 5 miles. Winter approaches and we start using the sled and increase our mileage and speed. The dogs are always in training.
Musher is just a term used to describe the driver of a dogsled.
Skijoring is when you have does pull you on skis, typically using 1 to 3 dogs at a time.
There are many different breeds used, Alaskan Husky/Hound Crosses are the most commonly used in all types of mushing. Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, and Samoyeds are the most commonly known Nordic breeds. For more information go to Sled Dog History.
Yes, but we do have quite time between 10pm & 6 am, they are not allowed to bark. We have them trained so when we flash a spotlight every dog stops making noise.
How much food do you go through?
During training the dogs will go through approximately 70 pounds of meat/vegetable mixture in one day. They also get 40 to 60 gallons of water a day.
Have you ever been to the Iditarod in Alaska?
No, we have a sprint racing kennel, the Iditarod is a distance race. Our daughter was a handler for Dee Dee Jonrowe in 2005.For more details go to About Us.
Have you ever fallen off your sled?
Oh Yes, but we now use something called a G-line that goes around our wrist and is hooked to the dogs lines, that way we always have a connection so the dogs don't go off without us if we do fall off.
Describe the make up of a good sled dog team.
As with any type of sport all participants need to work as a team with a common goal, we take the dogs out to work together as a team and this takes many many hours of training.
How do you decide on a leader?
When they are puppies and in training, each has there own personality. While in training you can tell which one has the intelligence, drive and most of all the best listener out of the litter.
Yes, they are very well socialized, loveable, and friendly by the time they are yearlings.
We don't retire our dogs, after their racing days are over we use them for our sprint rides and for therapeutic seminars.
What is an ideal temperature range for sled dog racing?
Any temp below 25 degrees.