Anybody else do dogsledding?

[oc_spirit]

Just wondering if anybody else is involved in dogsleding...

This past winter has been my first competitive year against the "big guys". Two winters ago was my first season and I just ran in the single-dog novice races, but now I'm running 3-dogs in full sprint races.

My main lead dog is Ronin, my co-lead dog gets changed up between Nakota, and my dogsledding mentor's 6 dogs

Race at the Kortright Centre in Toronto (I placed 2nd)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/oc_spirit_pics/Dog_Sledding/kortrightrace0013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/oc_spirit_pics/Dog_Sledding/kortrightrace0012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/oc_spirit_pics/Dog_Sledding/kortrightrace0011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/oc_spirit_pics/Dog_Sledding/kortrightrace.jpg

[Richie12345]

The only person I know that does dogsled is L4P... Anyways, congrats wit 2nd place

[Love4Pits]

Like Richie said congrats

I think it is just you and I who do dog sledding here :) but thats ok.

[oc_spirit]

Hey a total of 2 people is still alot more than most of the other forums I'm on LOL

[Barb04]

Wow, great photos! Looks like you and the dogs had a good race.

[oc_spirit]

Thanks Barb! Ya it was pretty fun, except that my co-lead dog died the first day (weak heart, RIP Lady) so my competitor's wife lent me their 9year old retired gee-haw leader whom I had never even met before but I was amazed how well she worked with me (with a little help from Ronin - my main leader)

[ditkoofseppala]

I'm sorry to hear about your co-leader. That kind of thing can happen with show-type Siberians that may not been seriously worked for several generations. If you are serious about dogsledding you should perhaps think about looking for "racing Siberians" of a bloodline that's bred and selected for that purpose, or a breed like Seppala Siberian Sleddogs that has never been bred for the show ring, only for sled work.

Here is a link that will give you some useful training information:
http://www.seppalasleddogs.com/training.htm

Good luck!
ditkoofseppala

[oc_spirit]

Lady was not a show dog, she was the result of many generations of sprint leaders ;) (yes this kind of thing does happen even in the best of them) OC has some working lines in him but both his parents were show sibes. His father was worked but as far as I know never raced. If a dog is properly introduced to working and pulling and you don't expect huge distance and great speed on the first day then they can do fine in harness regardles of lineage. The reason I run Sibes as opposed to any other breed is because I am most compatible with them, I like their look the best, and I know how to work with them. I also run only with the Siberian Husky Club of Canada and their regulations state that your entire team must be comprised of purebred, registered Siberian Huskies in order to enter a race unless specifically stated otherwise. OC is monitored very closely by my vet to ensure he is good physical condition for racing. If she ever says that he shouldn't be running he will be retired. I don;t push my dogs at all if they can't run, so be it we can find another activity to amuse ourselves with but for now the vet still gives the ok and I'm still running my Sibes :D

I can't wait until fall starts to get the dogs hooked up to the scooter and cart and get them back in shape for winter!!! Actually this morning I hooked OC up to the scooter and we ran 1km in 15-18C.

[moe]

I work my malamutes in harness too, but not with a sled, we have to use a rig as not too much snow in england. malamutes are a little bit slower, but they get there (eventually) ;)
http://www.icescapealaskanmalamutes.com/mediac/400_0/media/moeStart.jpg

http://www.icescapealaskanmalamutes.com/mediac/400_0/media/wellington~crop$26cut~for~web.jpg

Mo

[gaddylovesdogs]

I'm enjoying all the pictures, lol!

Just curious, where would you find a sled?

[colliekid]

I do not do dog sledding but I would do anything to do it. I hooked my collie with her harness up to a wagon and I used to give kids rides around the neighborhood, but really, I was pulling the wagon. She was just walking and I was acting like I was guiding her, but I was the one pulling the wagon- I had my hand on the harness and I pulled forward so my dog didn't even know she was "pulling" people.

[Love4Pits]

Since everyone put pics here's one of mine
http://www.chazhound.com/pictures/showphoto.php?photo=4621&cat=500&ppuser=3014

[Sheba]

I've never dogsledded...and congrats!

[oc_spirit]

moe, those are some awesome pics! Your mals are gorgeous!

Gaddy, there are tons of places you can get a good sled. Check out www.sleddogcentral.com in their classified section for second-hand sleds or look at online retailers. Their not everywhere since dogsledding when compared to other sports, is rare but they are out there!

Colliekid, be careful if you're using a walking harness to get a dog to pull, some are designed to make pulling uncomfortable for dogs so they walk nicely on a leash and generic walking harnesses aren't good for having a dog pull in because it puts strain on the wrong parts and could result in a lame dog or one who resents pulling.

l4p, cool pics!

[ozzyhound]

Hey all, i have a sib and a foxhound that i use for sledding over here, Im the same as moe we dont get much snow so we race on dirt tracks, there is one snow race of the year and its the biggest race of the whole season. Our foxhound Darby has always come a placing he has raced 7 races and got a 3rd , 4 2nds and 2 1sts. im sure he thinks he is a husky he does great with the whole thing, when we hooked up to harness he just ran, he doesnt do so well at leading by himself but if he is chasing there is only one team he couldnt chase down( a mixed breed looks like a greyhoundxwolfhound and some other thrown in but thats a whole other story lol) his dog can run 1km in about 1.40 which is just plain fast for a one dog team,lol. Our husky Shai its her first season and she won her puppy class and she also won the peewee with youngest son, we hooked darby up with our oldest and they won too. We hooked them up in the 2 dog team for 1 race and they won it but Shai was buggered by the end of it, so we wont b doing that again, Darby was just to fast for her and she starts of well but cant keep the same pace like he can. Our races over here are only 3 km for 1 dog , 6 for 2 +3 and the 4 +6 do 8km. Oo well just thought id share
cheers
bridget

[MyDogsLoveMe]

Oh was georgous doggies. I have a siberian that I wont put in sled races but will be fun to hook her up to a sled and give rides :)

[Phoenix the Dog]

Well, I might not do dog sledding, but I do go rollerjoring with my pup! He knows all the commands the same as sled dogs! He loves it with all his might and so do I! I shall post some pictures as soon as I get some! I know if we had the chance to go sledding he would love it also!

[moe]

I've just bought a Scooter to take mine out individually, not actually used it yet so looking forward to having some fun, only problem is when I bought the scooter, I forgot I was never any good on them as a child, so I can see some bruises on the horison lol.

Mo

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I never competed or anything but my sibe Mishka is trained to pull a sled. We actually bought her from a man who trained his dogs for sled racing.We talked to him about training her to pull a sled when she was old enough and hesaid he wouldn't have a problem helping us train her. And so we did and it is ctualy really fun and she loves to do it. I wish I could race her but its not like that happens very often here in Ohio.

[moe]

Dont see why living in Ohio would make a difference, we just had the big race of the season held in Aviemore Scotland, and a team came over from Jamaca lol I thought it was a sort of cool running type of joke but its true

heres the news report on the team
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=7372006

This is the jamaca teams website.

http://www.jamaicadogsled.com/

Mo

[Brattina88]

Have you ever been to this site Mo http://www.dogscooter.com/ ?
I was thinking maybe this could be something to do with my GSD, but I'm a little hesitant. I'm not too coordinated :p

[moe]

not been to the site, so thanks for the link, but thats similiar to the type of scooter I have, some of my friends have them and love them, I thought it would be a good idea to use in areas where bikes are not allowed, but I have still got to learn to keep my balance, lol especially with having a fast powerful dog in front dragging me where ever he or she decides to go lol, it alright having command if they decide not to listen lol.

This is the one I got the tucan with suspension.
http://www.aibq.com/belize/indexen.html

Mo

[Mirg8101992]

I do dog sledding. Not compentition though, just for doing work (hauling garbage, hauling logs, ect.) and, of course, for fun! :) I would love to compete, but i only have 2 dogs, a English Springer Spaniel pup that isnt too well trained yet but very strong, and a Mutt, who is very smart (practically human) but is very weak. So i kinda have a weird team. Its still fun for them to pull me around town though.