Among many winter sports, dog sledding is a great pastime to keep busy in the cold. It also has a rich history in it’s development into a sport. Dog sledding was not always viewed as a sport or hobby, it was and still is a necessity. As most know, dog sledding is first and foremost a means of transportation in harsh winter weather conditions. Its origin dates as far back as 2000 BC. An activity dating that far back and keeping its relevance today is something worth writing about, and sharing amongst the community!

A Few Facts

Most of the public know the dogs that pull these sleds to be the popular breed, Siberian Husky. However, there is another breed commonly used as the “wheel dogs” in the team; the Alaskan Malamute. The breed standard states these dogs as being much heavier than Huskies. Husky females standardly weigh 16 – 23 kg, and males 20-27 kg, while a Malamute standard female is 32 – 38 kg, and male 36 – 43 kg. The weight in this breed helps the team in the rear in driving the sled through deep snow. While the Husky is breed for speed. Together they create a team perfect for harsh winter conditions.

Up front is the lead dog. These dogs are generally very smart and responsive. They truly become the pack leader, and know their job well. The team is attached by what’s called a “gang-line”. Teams vary in numbers, but commonly a team is composed of 8 dogs partnered up to run in twos. These numbers depend on what the team’s job is. They can be used for racing, transportation, weight pulling, leisure etc.

To check out dog sledding, you mostly likely have to hike up north to the Muskoka area, or far out west to find owners and breeders that take teams out for the public to try. They are not very common in this area, as the owners need a lot of land to raise these dogs, and give them the proper acreage to give them a lot of space to run!

For more information on dog sledding, check out this great site!

https://www.sleddoginfo.com/sled-dog-research/

For Dog Sledding adventures close to the Toronto area, check out this site or google others near your cottage area!