Iditarod Dog Race

[Cheshirekatt]

What do you guys think of this?

Is it humane or not?

I've not really done any research on it myself and was just wondering.

I do know that sometimes the dogs die, right? Does anyone know for sure?

[2kitties]

I don't know enough to make a judgment either way. It certainly seems rough. But, then again, they are sled dogs so I assume that's the kind of thing they live for.
I think I have more problems with the way they live when they aren't racing than when they are. I saw a think on Animal Planet. They interviewed a family that raises dogs for the race. They had like 30 dogs all chained outside to a stake. The chains were only 4 ft long. But, they fed them very very very good stuff. And gave them exercise.
So- heck, I donno!

[Corinna]

It is very rare that the dogs die. They usually are dogs that have had some health issuse that is not cought buy the many vet checks. For info go to the www.idtarod.com site it can give you lots of info. the vet corner and zuma pawprints.
I have friends who have sled dogs that race they take better care of their athletes than most pet owners.


Congrats to Mitch on the win and Jason Barron #12th from MOntana WAHOOOOOO

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Cheshirekatt
What do you guys think of this?

Is it humane or not?

I've not really done any research on it myself and was just wondering.

I do know that sometimes the dogs die, right? Does anyone know for sure?

Why not let the dogs ride and the people pull the sled?

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by RICHARD
Why not let the dogs ride and the people pull the sled?

Because then they'd never get anywhere!

[lv4dogs]

I see nothing wrong w/ it. Like metioned before it is ussuallly because of some health problem that is overseen. Many dog sled racers take better care of their athletes than a person takes of himself. They have to take care of them well, after all if it weren't for the dogs the people would die out there.

Also if you have ever seen how carzy & excited a sled dog gets when you pick up his harness you truely know they LOVE doing it, therefore if they love it they must have no ill effects from it. I really wouldn't mind dieing doing somthing I love.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by lv4dogs


Also if you have ever seen how carzy & excited a sled dog gets when you pick up his harness you truely know they LOVE doing it, therefore if they love it they must have no ill effects from it.

You are right, I get the same feelings on payday Friday!!

[Miss Meow]

Glacier might be able to inform you on the event. Might be worthwhile posting a note in Dog General as she might not see this.

It's probably better than more popular pursuits such as horse racing and greyhound racing.

[Corinna]

If you go to www.sleddogcentral.com you will learn a lot also. The idtarod race gets the most press but there are tons of other races all over the country. we have 2 larger ones here in Montana. My friend has 80 dogs, I'm there about 6 times a year for the last 6 years and I have NEVER seen a poop pile any where. Jeff walks out of the house and says quiet and not another peep (till harnesses come out) . No loud yell just quiet. It is so amazing he rescues dogs and trains them them offers them to people for a sack of dog food (donation) He tries to keep his team down to 80 dogs .

[Glacier]

The average sled dog is treated much better than the average pet dog. Think about the average pet (not the ones owned by the kind of people who post on these boards!)....the average dog is left in a backyard most of the time, alone, given food and water likely, occasionally taken for a walk. Whatever it was orginally bred for, it likely never gets to do that activity.

Now sled dogs--yes, many of them are kept on chains, but they regularly get taken for long runs, they are never alone, they have tons of other dogs around to socialize with (even if they can't touch), they are fed the absolute best of foods, and they get to do what they were bred to do--what comes naturally and instinctively to them.

Sled dogs are kept on chains for a number of reasons--it saves their energy for pulling, it keeps them confined safely, it eliminates fights and injuries and reduces accidental breedings. I don't keep my sled dogs chained, but if I was a serious competitive musher, I would.

It would be inhumane to run a race like the Iditarod with untrained dogs, but the dogs in that race have trained for months and years to be in the physical shape to handle the demands of the trail.

You can NOT force a dog to pull. No way, no how. A scared dog will not pull. A sled dog pulls because he wants to, because it's fun, because they know how!

On the Iditarod trail, there are 24 vets. Every dog is examined by a vet at every check point. Any sign of illness or injury is treated immediately. A musher who refuses to drop a sick dog is immediately disqualified. Any evidence of dog abuse leads to disqualification and a ban from all other races. Mushers are a tight knit group. Everyone knows how everyone else treats their dogs. Those who are abusive are quickly discovered and isolated.

The dogs that die on the trail, there have been two this year, generally die from Sled Dog Myelopathy. You've heard of incredibly fit humans who suddenly die from heart attacks? Same thing happens to sled dogs occasionally. There is actually a group of vets doing a study right now on the dogs that have died in sled races. They are trying to determine if there is a way to check beforehand for predisposition to this condition and also a way to prevent it. It has been a long time since a dog died because of it's driver's actions or abuse.

24 vets--Not one human doctor. If a musher needs medical assistance they have to quit the race and hope the weather is good enough to get a plane out to Anchorage!

[Cheshirekatt]

Thanks guys for all your replies!

I kinda figured a dog would have to love to pull in order to be a good sled dog. Kind of like the search and rescue dogs.....they have to love to sniff in order to be good at it!

[Logan]

Glacier, I'm glad you chimed in. I was hoping you would. That is good information. I know that just learning more about the race from a member who used to post here, Bea ("Iditarod Fan"), helped me to understand this sport much better. In fact, just recently, I sent her a link to one of your threads, knowing that she would be interested. Bea lives in Spokane, WA and loves to follow the Iditarod.

[anna_66]

I'm glad you brought this up and that Glacier replied to it. I was watching it the other day & wondering some of the same things.

[smokey the elder]

I know dogs that are bred to work like to WORK. They get bored if they can't.

[Glacier]

Originally posted by smokey the elder
I know dogs that are bred to work like to WORK. They get bored if they can't.

When we got our first husky, the breeder told us that a bored husky could be a dangerous thing. They will find ways to amuse themselves that may not be acceptable to the owner. Now we always tell new adopters that "a tired husky is a good husky!"