Logically to get involved in this sport you're going to need some equipment. I will admit that it is rather pricey to get started however the good thing is once you've got everything you need, you dont have to keep buying continuously because the equipment is long lasting (well provided it isn't destroyed by the dogs!)
To start off with, you'll need dogs. ANY breed of dog can get involvedin this sport from ankle-biting Corgis, to elegant Poodles. It isn't JUST the Northern Breeds that can do it. It's up to you to decide which breed you are most compatible with and why you are getting into the sport. If you're just doing it for fun then your options remain fairly open, however if you're seriously considering heavily competing and going for the top then you'll want to look into breeds that are a little speedy but can also withstand the harsh winter conditions that sledding takes place in. A few of the stereotypical breeds involved are Siberian Huskies (what I personally run), Alaskan Huskies (a mix of sibe and greyhound or pointer), Alaskan Malamute, Eskimo Dog, Samoyed, etc etc Each breed was developed for a specific purpose so their running styles differ.
Once you have your dogs you'll need to get them fitted with harnesses. Now you can't just use any old harness that Petsmart sells, you have to get a harness specific for pulling or you'll end up with a ruined dog since general walking harnesses put pressure points on the wrong spots of a dog. Not only do walking harness differ from pulling harnesses but there are also several different types of pulling harnesses. Everything from x-back, to h-back, to hound harnesses, and more! You have to review each harness and decifer which one suits your needs the best. I personally chose the X-back harness because it evenly distributes the weight across your dog's body giving him optimal pulling power and it's a great all-purpse harness.
Not an essential, but a racing collar does come in handy! It has a nice large ring whch makes it easy to find when hooking and unhooking dogs, it gives you something to grab when leading a dog a short distance, and your dog's tags aren't attached to it so when he's running they aren't flying everywhere.
Of course you'll also require a sled. This one is going to take a little more time to contemplate because it's almost as complex as buying a car! You need to figure out first what type of pulling you want to be doing. Are you going to just putt around town? Are you wanting to race? Do you want to do sprints or mid-long distance? If you just want to have some fun and are running a small team I'd recommend a kick-sled. If you're wanting to do sprints then a sprint sled is recommended and if you're doing mid-long distance or are running a larger team a toboggan sled would suit you best. Once you have chosen which you're going to be doing you'll have to sift through hundreds of models of sleds to find the one you are most comfortable using. Some are light and flexible, some are heavier and stiff, some are made of aluminum and are on a pulley-system so you can flex it quicker. I use a sprint sled made by Chatmac called a Gremlin. Perfect sled for the beginner sprint racer!
One piece of safety equipment required if you want to race (or even if you don't race but don't want to lose your team when stopped) is a snow hook. This is like your emergency brake on your car. When your team is stopped, you stick this in the snow so they can't take off on you.
To start off with, you'll need dogs. ANY breed of dog can get involvedin this sport from ankle-biting Corgis, to elegant Poodles. It isn't JUST the Northern Breeds that can do it. It's up to you to decide which breed you are most compatible with and why you are getting into the sport. If you're just doing it for fun then your options remain fairly open, however if you're seriously considering heavily competing and going for the top then you'll want to look into breeds that are a little speedy but can also withstand the harsh winter conditions that sledding takes place in. A few of the stereotypical breeds involved are Siberian Huskies (what I personally run), Alaskan Huskies (a mix of sibe and greyhound or pointer), Alaskan Malamute, Eskimo Dog, Samoyed, etc etc Each breed was developed for a specific purpose so their running styles differ.
Once you have your dogs you'll need to get them fitted with harnesses. Now you can't just use any old harness that Petsmart sells, you have to get a harness specific for pulling or you'll end up with a ruined dog since general walking harnesses put pressure points on the wrong spots of a dog. Not only do walking harness differ from pulling harnesses but there are also several different types of pulling harnesses. Everything from x-back, to h-back, to hound harnesses, and more! You have to review each harness and decifer which one suits your needs the best. I personally chose the X-back harness because it evenly distributes the weight across your dog's body giving him optimal pulling power and it's a great all-purpse harness.
Not an essential, but a racing collar does come in handy! It has a nice large ring whch makes it easy to find when hooking and unhooking dogs, it gives you something to grab when leading a dog a short distance, and your dog's tags aren't attached to it so when he's running they aren't flying everywhere.
Of course you'll also require a sled. This one is going to take a little more time to contemplate because it's almost as complex as buying a car! You need to figure out first what type of pulling you want to be doing. Are you going to just putt around town? Are you wanting to race? Do you want to do sprints or mid-long distance? If you just want to have some fun and are running a small team I'd recommend a kick-sled. If you're wanting to do sprints then a sprint sled is recommended and if you're doing mid-long distance or are running a larger team a toboggan sled would suit you best. Once you have chosen which you're going to be doing you'll have to sift through hundreds of models of sleds to find the one you are most comfortable using. Some are light and flexible, some are heavier and stiff, some are made of aluminum and are on a pulley-system so you can flex it quicker. I use a sprint sled made by Chatmac called a Gremlin. Perfect sled for the beginner sprint racer!
One piece of safety equipment required if you want to race (or even if you don't race but don't want to lose your team when stopped) is a snow hook. This is like your emergency brake on your car. When your team is stopped, you stick this in the snow so they can't take off on you.
I swear that's it's whole purpose! LOL
