Pet themes 2009
Sled dogs
Most dogs are completely in their element romping through the snow. Sled dogs in particular are bred to love the cold and ice and thrive in winter – their time of year.
As their name suggests, these breeds were and are used as draught animal in colder regions. Nobody knows where and when this started – it’s only known that in Siberia, for example, dogs have been used to travel in winter for centuries. It is believed that sled dogs have been in northern climes since 100 BC. This developed differently in each region, which is why today we don’t just have the Siberian and Alaskan Husky – there is also the Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, Greenland Dog and the Canadian Eskimo Dog, as well as various newer breeds. They are all incredibly tough, even in minus temperatures and can cover long distances of up to 200 kilometres in a day. Sled dogs require plenty of exercise, they want to run and they need to be challenged physically. For this reason, they are not a pet for everyone. Husky and other sled dog owners need to be active and prepared to keep their four-legged friends occupied.
Dog sled racing enjoys ever-increasing popularity in Europe and there are several associations that organise races. The person that steers the sled is called a musher. They stand on cross-country skis and instruct their team using verbal commands, which are carried out by the lead dog. The Musher is connected to a “pulka”, a weighted plastic toboggan, with a rope. You need to know a lot to be able to participate in a race. As well as the ability to use the correct commands and steer the team, mushers have to condition their four-legged partners properly, ensure energy requirements are met and be able to properly look after paw wounds. Dog sled schools train participants for weeks leading up to races.
If you’re not interested in such competitions, you have to offer these breeds a lot of exercise. Huskies, Malamutes and other sled dogs love to run alongside a bike or jog along with you, and the uniform style of movement is very good for them!
