Basics on How to Train Your Sled Dogs

 Training begins when sled dogs are puppies. Puppy training must be fun. The puppy must be given tasks he/she can accomplish with ease. The first training occurs at birth when the puppies are handled and socialized so they become comfortable with their human companions. When the puppies are old enough to mix with other dogs, they learn to be comfortable with other dogs and to come when they are called.

Puppies do not perform like adults, but they learn to associate the harness and the team with fun. Mushers will often put a puppy in a harness to pull a small object. At six or more months, the puppy joins a small team of older dogs. It is critical that this first effort at running be a positive experience. The musher's goal is to let the dog enjoy its instinctive behavior in a safe environment.

Most mushers start training in the fall as soon as it is cool enough for the dogs to run comfortably. Fall training is usually cart or 4 wheeler training. The dogs run on dirt or sand trails to avoid injuries. The goals of fall training are several. Dogs must build up their aerobic condition and muscle strength and learn to run as a team. Young dogs learn how to ignore distractions, respond to commands, and handle different trail conditions. Fall training begins with short, brief runs. As the dogs build strength and stamina they can run farther. The dogs rest between and within workouts to ensure fitness.

As the training progresses and the months turn cooler, the dog become stronger, better conditioned and able to run further and faster. The experienced driver shuffles dogs around in different positions on the team seeking to find the position that best matches the dog's unique abilities. Sometimes dogs are paired with partners whom they will run beside for their entire careers, bonding to that dog as much as to the driver.

The driver studies his team, learning each dogs individual traits and habits. Most importantly, the driver builds each dog’s confidence in their athletic ability until the whole team of canine competitors is convinced there is not another dog team in the world that can run as fast or as far as they can!

That confidence and excitement explodes when the dogs finally get to run in the snow. A light sprint sled (about 25 pounds) almost flies over the snow. The dogs will run faster and further. The snow cushions their feet allowing for longer runs and the colder temperatures are more comfortable for athletes who exercise in fur coats. In the end, the training pays off when a strong and healthy team of dogs blast out of the starting chute, and win, lose or draw, runs the course with ultimate canine grace, strength and beauty!