Originally posted by cyber-sibes
This is quite a thread! I don't think I've ever seen things get so heated. Being the proud, loving, concerned owner of three beautiful Siberians (IMO one of the most wonderful breeds on this planet) all I can say is: MUSH ON!
You truly cannot make one of these dogs do anything they don't want to because they choose whether or not to listen to you (famous husky selective hearing). You can actually see them thinking it over! And they're truly happiest when they're on the move.
As many have pointed out, there are far more dogs that suffer cruelty at the hands of their "owners" right in their own backyards.
(just had to add my 2 cents in)
AMEN!
I live in Anchorage, Alaska. I support the Iditarod and the mushers. Are there cruel mushers? Yes, just as there are cruel people everywhere. But the majority of us are good people. The cruel people always get payback at some point.

Last year we had an incident where an animal rights group "freed" some sled dogs. It was one of the cruelest things I've ever seen. A musher had brought his dogs into Anchorage. They were bedded down in their truck all warm and cozy. This group "freed" them into downtown Anchorage traffic!! Luckily none of them were hit by cars and locals helped round up the poor, frightened dogs.

If that's this groups idea of kindness, I don't know what to say.