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Saturday, August 30, 2008
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How to Run a Dog Sled Team

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor
 
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Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

  • Dogs
  • Sled
  • Rigging
  • Sled Truck
  • Food
  • Step 1:
    Train with your dogs from their puppy stage with tasks they can do at a given age.
  • Step 2:
    Socialize your dog with yourself and when old enough with other dogs. This is valuable for bigger teams since the dog will have to relate to other, different dogs at races.
  • Step 3:
    Run the dogs at 6 months with a wagon so they get used to pulling weight. This helps when it comes time to pull a sled because sleds weigh less and will glide easier across the snow. The dogs will run faster in the snow due to this training.
  • Step 4:
    Travel with your team to the various races you attend. A sled dog truck is what most people use. These have special compartments for each dog, the sled and rigging used in the races.
  • Step 5:
    Follow the rules set down at the race you attend. They are there for you and the dogs' safety.
  • Step 6:
    Feed your dogs the right kind of food needed with the appropriate proteins so they can run the long distance or over the rugged terrain of the race.

Tips & Warnings

  • The number of dogs you own, transport and race depend on the kind of racing you want to do. This also goes for the rigging gear and sled you race with.
  • Dog sledding is also known as mushing.
  • Abuse of any dogs is not tolerated at races.

Resources
How to Run a Dog Sled Team Provided by eHow.com