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Most of us have heard of the ultimate dog sled race, the Iditarod, but do we really know what dog sledding is really about and how much dog training is really put into it?  Dog sledding as been around for many years, and still is a means of transportation for some people.  Dogs like the Canadian Eskimo dog, or the Alaskan Malamute have been created for the purpose of dog sledding.  For a dog team to be successful, they have to have the desire to succeed.  Strength and stamina are important as well, but if the team doesn’t have desire, you might as well go home.

The only things required for dog sledding are dogs (of course), harnesses for your dogs, and a dog sled.  The harnesses for your dog must fit correctly or you’ll run the risk of them getting hurt.  It should lay flat on their backs, go between their front legs and then come across their last rib.  The tip of the harness should wind up at your dog’s tail.  Once the harness is placed correctly on your dog, he can be hooked up to the gangline.  A gangline is the line that connects all the dogs together and connects to the sled.

Many of the commands used in dog sledding are universal so that they can switch teams around, buy or sell dogs and not have to retrain them every time.  Some of the basics commands include:

  • Gee – Take a right turn
  • Haw – Make a left turn
  • Gee Over – Move to the right of the trail or pass another team on the right
  • Haw Over – Move to the left of the trail or pass on the left
  • Gee/Haw Over – This command is to have you lead dog come to you and turn the team around
  • On-By – Means to keep going on the trail present
  • Hike – means for the team to start going from a standstill
  • Whoa – means for the team to stop

These are just the basics commands and equipment of dog sledding, there is so much more to it.  Dog sledding requires rigorous training and is not for the meek or faint hearted.  Dog training is not just what it takes to make it in the dog sledding world, determination and drive are the key to being successful.