Six Dogs Dead in 2009 Iditarod

[Catty1]

I wondered about the PETA reference...but, from the article, it seems that they were involved in only one aspect of this.

PETA might be dorks, but that doesn't make this right.

Glacier is a wonderful person, and even if her dogs didn't want to run, she wouldn't try and make them. I wonder if that applies to other mushers? One of these guys was a 'rookie'.

I'll go a have a boo in Dog General.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

The Humane Society has pretty much washed their hands of the Iditarod. They don't publically discredit it, but they don't openly support it anymore either.

As far as dogs not running if they don't want to.... you can train a dog to jump off of a cliff or into a shredder too. A loyal dog will happily do whatever you ask of it, if only to please you.

[Glacier]

As far as dogs not running if they don't want to.... you can train a dog to jump off of a cliff or into a shredder too. A loyal dog will happily do whatever you ask of it, if only to please you.

Clearly you don't own huskies. No self-respecting husky is going to do anything just because a human asked them to do it!

I have a wonderful lead dog who never misses a command, unless he thinks I'm wrong! If Reggae thinks I'm wrong, gave the wrong command or for whatever reason just doesn't want to turn where I told him to, we aren't turning, no matter what I do. I have gotten off the sled a dozen times, moved him the way I wanted, by the time I get back on, he's moved the team back to his way. I've cried, begged, pleaded, even yelled a couple times and I rarely yell at my dogs. (My mentor told me once if it's worth yelling about, it's worth getting off the sled to fix it.)

My Sundin, who is a Yukon Quest finisher, has decided he no longer wants to lead. He'll run about a mile up front and then he locks up the brakes and sits down. No amount of training will change that, he's done as a lead dog. The fact that he's damn good up front; has thousands of miles on his paws; ect, not of that matters; he's done. I run him in swing now and he's a happy dog who wants to run again.

My Sleet, who is retired now but in her prime was the lead dog mushers dream about, would run nowhere but lead. Even as a puppy, if she was farther back in the team, she'd go limp and let the team drag her(an act that becomes life threatening in a hurry). Up front, she was truly flawless, a born leader; she's been retired for four years, I still miss her skill!

You can't push a rope. Commands can be taught, but you can't teach the instinct to pull. A sled dog either wants to run or it doesn't. If it doesn't, nothing a human being does is going to make that dog run.

[Glacier]

Glacier is a wonderful person, and even if her dogs didn't want to run, she wouldn't try and make them. I wonder if that applies to other mushers? One of these guys was a 'rookie'.

Thank you, Catty.

There absolutely are mushers who would try to force a dog to run, but it rarely works out very well for them! Dogs have a limitless range of ways to mess with their musher! A dog who truly doesn't want to run will find a way to make that clear. Like any aspect of animal ownership--horses, birds, cats ect....there are bad mushers out there. I don't think the ratio is any higher than that of bad pet dog owners, bad cat owners, bad horse owners ect.

Some dogs will act up in harness because something is physically wrong--the harness puts pressure on their hips or their back hurts their paw is sore, they are tired ect. Anytime a dog who used to be happy in harness changes how they run, they need to see vet. Some dogs just genuinely don't want to work, even working breeds. Ask my malamute who wouldn't even pull on a leash if his life depended on it!

Lou Packer, the rookie you are referring to, is lucky to be alive himself. I think the rules around rookies in long distance races need to tightened up. Running a couple 300 mile qualifiying races does not make you ready to face the Northern wilderness! Packer did not have the skills and ability to take care of himself and his team when the going got rough. He's damn lucky they I-rod air force could get to him. Had that storm continued and the planes stayed grounded, not only would more of his dogs died, but it's highly likely that he would have frozen to death too. Hans Gatt, a Yukon musher and well known distance racer, said a couple years ago during a brutal storm on the Quest trail.."Someone is going to die out there."....he's right and unfortunately, it will likely take a human death for any race to change their rules for qualifying.

I have huge issues with competitive mushing in general, but I do have respect for Lance Mackey. Other mushers who want to run those kind of races, need to look at what Lance is doing. Clearly he's doing something radically different from other racers. Not only is he in a class by himself for speed, he rarely drops a dog. His dogs don't get tired, they don't get sick or sore. (Racing dogs are drug tested so before anyone suggests it, he's not doping them up!) He dropped one dog this year in the I-rod and said it was because the dog "wasn't having fun anymore." It wasn't hurt or sick, just didnt' seem happy so Lance dropped him. I believe it was the first time in a couple years Lance has had to drop a dog at all. That's impressive to me and says something about his dog care. Clearly, his dog care is also a step above his competitors. Plus he's a genuinely nice guy.

oh, so much more I could say...but I'll shut up now

[lizbud]

I am against any thing that shortens a dog's natural lifespan.