look, i'm new here but i've been hearing a lot of BS about some of you saying stuff about the Iditarod. i am a musher. i race sled dogs but i know for a FACT that these dogs ARE NOT FORCED TO RUN! damn, you should see the way the bawl, whine, etc. to hit the trail!

i saw that picture you posted, Ilovehounds. dogs can trip. people can trip. if the dogs didn't like it, they would've stopped. yes, there is culling, however, these "mushers" are very rare. i don't agree with culling myself but not the majority of real mushers do this.

and the picture of the kennel. what is wrong with that? there's obviously no crap laying around is there? what is wrong with that dog yard? the chains and able to swivel around preventing the dog from tangling itself! ....oh, i get it now, you WANT to choke the dog..uh huh. so if it doesn't LOOK nice then it's no good.

and like what everyone said, these dogs LOVE & LIVE to run. yes, there are bad mushers out there but that doesn't mean to take the Iditarod away! do you even know how it was started? i'm assuming you don't considering all this BS your posting.

"...If they love to run "that far"
why do the mushers need whips...?"

3 words - whips are illegal. where did you get the idea that we use whips?

and to lizbud,
you are just as bad as our friend, ilovehounds. you do not run dogs. you don't see the passion these dogs have when they run. you think we're cruel? we're not. all of us put our dogs before our own needs. all mushers tend to their dogs before themselves. there are bad mushers out there, but this doesn't mean stereotype the whole sport of dogsledding.

i am pretty mad right now. and what i say is all lost in the anger. so reply and i'll make some more points.