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Turning Heads Kennel

Alaska Dog Sledding Tours

Understanding Why Mushers Drop Sled Dogs in Races

October 18, 2017 by Sarah

Endurance dog sled races are races that range from shorter 200 mile long events to premier 1,000 mile long events like the Iditarod Sled Dog Race and the Yukon Quest. Like any endurance sporting event, teams that compete must begin training months prior so that they are adequately prepared. Most dogs start in 200 to 300 mile events, like the Knik 200 Sled Dog Race or the Copper Basin 300,  when they are about 1.5 years old and will graduate to 1,000 mile races when they are older. Competitive racing kennels often have dogs complete their first 1000 mile race doing what is commonly referred to as a “puppy schedule.” This schedule is designed with lots of rest and is intentionally slower paced.

The purpose of a puppy schedule is to show the dogs the race course at a low key pace so that the following year, they can run competitively and know where there going. It’s like a marathon runner running their race route ahead of time or carrying a GPS so that they know where they at in the race. With this knowledge, athletes are able to pace themselves better.

During a mid or long distance dog sled race, it is quite common to see the size of a dog team drop over the duration of a race.  Sled dogs are dropped during races for a number of reasons, but the predominant reason dogs are dropped have to do with the dynamics of working with a group of high caliber athletes. When running sled dogs, a musher can only go as fast as the slowest team member. Even though all our athletes are at peak physical fitness, over the course of 1,000 miles small differences in athleticism are accentuated. When we cater our team’s speed to the slowest member, the dogs who are more athletic are not pushing themselves at that pace. If you normally run a 9 minute mile but decide to run with a group of your friends who are less athletic and only can do a 12 minute mile pace, you will find that your friends will likely tire quicker than you do. Something similar happens with our dogs. We cater to our slowest team member and when we eventually drop them, the remaining team mates are able to maintain speed or even travel a little faster.

It is an unfortunate misconception that sled dogs do not finish races because the race is too difficult or because the musher is pushing the team to hard. That is not the case at all! Mushers drop dogs because we are trying to work as efficiently as possible and because it is not always fair to keep all our team mates as part of the team. Peak performance for one athlete, is different for another. As the coach of the team, our job is to help each athlete on our team reach their full potential. Good sled dog care requires dropping dogs.

As a musher, we do not devote our life to raising and working with our dogs to push them beyond their abilities. Instead, we coach our dogs. Through our training and deep relationship with each individual canine athlete, we help each dog reach their full potential. Dropping dogs is a normal part of racing. When a dog is dropped it does not mean that dog has “failed” any more than it does when a player is subbed out of a soccer match — that player has contributed a valuable part to the team’s effort thus far. Any dog who is a part of the team, is part of the team’s success.

For an event like Iditarod, bigger dogs an play a valuable role during the first several hundred miles of the race as teams travel through several mountain ranges. These uphill climbs are hard and require strong dogs and bigger teams. These dogs provide valuable strength during this segment of trail, which may be tougher and slower going, but may not be as fast or nimble during flatter parts of the trail. These dogs, however, have provided power and have allowed some of their smaller teammates to do less work, keeping them more well-rested for later segments of the race. This is a very strategic set up that many dog teams use and is a common reason why we see team size drop after crossing the Alaska range; these bigger dogs have done their job and have put in their contribution to help their team and have allowed their faster teammates to be better rested.

Sled dogs may also be dropped from a team due to illness or injury. Although mushers work diligently to protect their dogs from getting sick, illness is an inevitable part of racing when so many dogs are brought together during racing. During the Iditarod, an average of 75 teams compete, each with 16 dogs — that’s 1200 sled dogs on the trail. During Iditarod, teams come from all over Alaska, a huge state, the lower 48, Canada, and Europe (primarily Norway). That’s a lot of ground! Inevitably some dogs carry bugs that other dogs have not been exposed to. The result is that some dogs get sick. This is no different than when kids first go to kindergarten or preschool; they are exposed to new things and illness results. If a sled dog does not feel well, we drop it from the team. Illness can be determined by behavioral changes, such as not eating or a lethargic attitude or by external signs such as diarrhea or vomiting. A vet is consulted and, if needed, the dog is removed from the team where it will receive the necessary medical treatment.

In order to help protect our dogs from illness, our dogs do a number of races and train in popular areas for mushing to increase their exposure to other sled dogs. We do this to help our dogs build immunity to different bugs and viruses. In order to participate in dog sled races, all sled dogs also must follow a strict vaccination protocol. Vaccination records are checked by a team of veterinarians before the start of each race. Regular de-worming is also done to help ensure the health of our dogs. On top of these standard practices, racing sled dogs are also given probiotics as well as various vitamin supplements to help boost their immune system and help improve athletic performance.

Iditarod gives ECGs as a part of its dog care program
In the pre race veterinary exams of the Iditarod, all dogs undergo an ECG and have blood testing done to help ensure they are healthy enough to race.

Additionally, racing standards for Iditarod include even more measures to help protect our dogs: dogs must undergo ECG’s and bloodwork to ensure that they have no underlying heart or medical conditions. Despite these precautions, dogs still develop illness and get sick. When this occurs, dogs are dropped from the race.

Dogs may also be dropped from a dog sled team due to injury. Injuries are an inevitable part of any sports competition. Our goal as mushers is always to minimize injuries to our dogs. This is done by building a training regimen that helps prepare our dogs for the race they will be doing. We start dogs out by running short mileage and building up their muscles and endurance over time. During summer months, we do “weight lift training” when we operate our summer dog sled tours. Our first goal in our dog care is always injury avoidance. This is done through preventative gear, knowing the dogs, and being able to read trail conditions and pace the team accordingly, as well as by following a “warm up” and a “cool down” procedure.

We use various pieces of equipment to help our dogs give great performances out on the trail. After all, the better care we take of our dogs, the better they will be able to run and compete. The most important piece of gear for injury prevention is our dog booties. Dog booties are the running shoes of the dog sled world. They are made out of cordura nylon that slip over our dogs paws to protect them from getting cuts from ice or rock and it also helps prevent snow from balling up in-between their toes.

Mushers Booty Sled Dogs to Help Protect Their Feet

Dog booties traditionally come in four sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large. Because the front feet and the back feet of a sled dog and vary widely, some dogs may wear two different sizes of booties. Like any running shoe, dog booties aren’t designed to last forever. In fact, most dog booties only last one run before they start to develop wear and tear. When we race our dogs, we always put booties on before a run and we take them off when it is time for the dogs to rest. Just like humans, dogs don’t enjoy wearing their shoes to bed! When it is time to run again, we put on a brand new set of booties. During the course of a training and racing season, our kennel of 50 sled dogs goes through about 8,000 dog booties. These booties cost approximately $1 to $1.25 each and are one of the biggest expenses of running a kennel outside of dog food.

When we have decided to rest the team, we then have other gear that we use on the dogs to help their muscles recover. When the team stops, we put out straw to elevate them off the snow so that they stay warmer. We use jackets to also ensure that the dogs stay warm. We put heat, in the form of handwarmers, on dogs who are more likely to develop injuries or who may have minor inflammation. This is no different than what we do as human athletes. Mushers will then go through their team and rub down their dogs using dog massage oil, helping the dogs stretch and relax. When it is time to go again, we booty our dogs and we make sure the dogs ease into their run, rather than starting off at a fast pace. Like humans, dogs also need their muscles to properly warm up.

Injuries typically result from bad trail conditions or, like in human athletes, may be the result of over use. Fresh snow, which creates harder pulling conditions, often results in more injuries as the snow is punchy and has no base. In these conditions, it’s more likely to see shoulder injuries develop as a result of a dog mis-stepping. Hard-pack or icy trails allow teams to travel faster but the firmer trail creates more impact and can result in more wrist injuries. Older dogs, near the end of their career, are more likely to develop stiffness and soreness than young dogs who are in their physical primer. As mushers, we are aware of how different trail conditions will affect each of our dogs: that’s why some dogs will get longer massages or will get wrist wraps whereas others don’t.

Finally, sometimes mushers choose to drop dogs because of something they as a musher just “feel in their gut.” As a musher, you can’t say the exact reason as to why you are dropping a dog  — the dog isn’t injured or sick and is performing fine — but it’s a gut feeling and, as a musher, you learn to trust that instinct. It is that instinct that helps us succeed as outdoorsmen and outdoors women.

Often, when explaining why dogs are dropped from dog sled races, a common question we are asked is: why are the dogs not replaced? There are three reasons why we don’t replace dogs with other dogs when they have been dropped. The first is that endurance racing is about the endurance of the entire team; replacing a dog with another dog would go directly against this basic premise.  Although some mushers may choose to carry dogs in their sled for an extended period of time, the other dogs in the team are having to work harder to pull the extra weight.

The second reason we don’t replace dogs is because it really is not feasible. Many of our long distance races are run in remote parts of Alaska; staging dogs would be an enormous feet and very expensive. In order to get “replacement” dogs out along the trail, we would have to fly them in via bush plane and then they would have to be properly cared for by handlers or volunteers until we decided that we wanted to use that dog. This does not seem very practical!

Finally, we don’t replace dogs because having to maintain your team for the entirety of the race is one of the measures that helps ensure that mushers give their dogs quality care and that mushers run their dogs correctly. If teams could swap out their dogs, inexperienced mushers or those too focused on winning would just constantly replace their dogs. Endurance dog sled racing is an event that combines the skills of dog training and coaching with the need for excellent dog care: to excel at endurance racing requires that a kennel be completely focused on the well-being of their dogs.

In a long distance race such as the 1000 mile long Iditarod, it is typical to see the top placing dog teams finish with fewer dogs than teams running less competitively. This is because in order to compete at the highest level of athleticism, not only does each dog need to be at the same fitness level but the musher driving the team also needs to be completely confident in each dog’s ability to make it to the next checkpoint. If a dog shows any potential signs of injury, illness, or fatigue, that dog will be dropped immediately because that dog is more of a liability. A team trying to come in first, does not want to have to unexpectedly carry a dog in their sled or stop: this would lead to slower traveling times and allow competition to catch them. Teams that are less competitive, can afford to carry dogs or stop and camp if a dog gets tired.

Finally, it’s important to remember that team size is not indicative of dog care. Teams that have shrunk in size have done so because their mushers recognized that dogs needed to be dropped or due to bad luck. Large teams, may be large because of good dog care practices and a good training regiment. Smaller teams may also be more “picky” about who they keep in their team than larger teams.

Without proper knowledge of the sport, it is easy to see the shrinking of a dog sled team over the course of the race as something negative. When we learn more about the reasons and motives behind dropping dogs however, we understand that it is a very positive thing. Dropping dogs is important part of racing strategy and part of having good dog care.

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Turning Heads Kennel
A lot of the time, we are running teams of 8+ dogs A lot of the time, we are running teams of 8+ dogs. It’s more practical with a lot of dogs in training. That being said, there is something magical about breaking things down and working with the dogs one on one in smaller teams. This is especially true for our youngest teammates!

In this video, 16-month-olds Keister and Tucker are working as a lone pair. With no one else to guide them, the pups get their first experience taking commands without the pressure of having other dogs “chase” them. They also get to practice lining out and staying forward oriented.

Working at night with young leaders, a headlamp also becomes a great tool as we can easily show the trail we want the dogs to take. 

#dogsledding #mushing #iditarod #alaska
Under the pine boughs we go. Fresh snow makes fo Under the pine boughs we go. 

Fresh snow makes for fun runs and acrobatic mushing as you dip and dive to dodge the low hanging branches. On occasion, we use our axes to cut out trees too low to safely pass under. These momentary stops are an opportunity for the dogs to cool off and for us to stop and enjoy a warm thermos of tea.
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 💕 Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 💕
Sunshine, mountains, and snow in the not so distan Sunshine, mountains, and snow in the not so distant future.🤞🏻

#turningheadskennel #dogsledding #falltraining #iditarod #mountains #optoutside #instadog #husky #huskygram #instahusky #mushergram #alaska #seward #dogsofinstagram #iditaroddogs #mountainlife #fall #falltransition #winteriscoming #oneteamonedream #trainhard
These spectacular fall days are 💯 #dogsledding These spectacular fall days are 💯

#dogsledding #dogmushing #instadog #dogsofinstagram #sleddog #husky #huskylife #huskies #instahusky #iditarod #seward #alaska #alaskalife #instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogs #happyplace #fall #dogstagram #huskygram
In the early days of fall, sometimes the cool morn In the early days of fall, sometimes the cool morning air gives way to a lingering sun-kissed warmth. When that happens, the dogs are all too eager to mush down the many little stream beds near our home.

#iditarod #dogsledding #mushing #seward #alaska #instadog #instahusky #explore #explorwithyourdog #iditaroddogs #instamush #huskygram #huskiesofinstagram #huskynation #huskylove #getoutside #optoutsidr #outdoordogs #turningheadskennel #sewardalaska
Hobie, with a salmon snack.⁠ ⁠ Our dogs eat fi Hobie, with a salmon snack.⁠
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Our dogs eat fish as part of their diet. Did you know that at the height of training and racing, sled dogs consume a whooping 13,000 calories a day? These dogs can pack away the food!⁠
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Salmon is a great snack year-round as it is high in water content. It helps keeps the dogs hydrated in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter!⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky #yumm #salmon #fishsticks #munchies #bigappetities
Calysta and Goblin demonstrate some of the gear we Calysta and Goblin demonstrate some of the gear we use to protect our dogs out on the trail.⁠
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#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska #dogmodel #dogjacket #nonstopdogwear
Can't wait for those early mornings on the trail w Can't wait for those early mornings on the trail where the night fades into day.⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska #nature #907 #photography #naturelovers #beauty #photooftheday #wilderness #alaskaphotography #outdoors #wanderlust #alaskaliving #naturephotography #travel
PHASMA. ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ Or as we lovingly call her " PHASMA. ⁠
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Or as we lovingly call her "Spazz-ma" ⁠
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Phasma is a happy, high-energy, go-getter and is fun addition to any team.⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs ⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky
Goodbyes are the hardest part of mushing but an in Goodbyes are the hardest part of mushing but an inevitable part of owning a kennel. It never gets easy.

Today we said “see you later” to 8 dogs: Lizzie, Wrestler, Vrabel, & Mouse who left for Delta Junction and Schooner, Zema, Breck, & Check who headed off to Nome.

Dogs leave our kennel for various reasons but  generally it can be summed up by that they will have more and better opportunities elsewhere or to provide talent in their new home that is needed.
Just because they leave our yard, doesn’t mean they leave our heart. 💕💕💕

(And yes, I still cry every time )
- Sarah
🎶The best way to spread some cheer is singing l 🎶The best way to spread some cheer is singing loud for all to hear 🎶

#mushing #sleddogs #huskies #elf #iditarod #alaska #dogsledding #kennel #seward #sunset #singing #howling #howlforhealthcareworkers #dogs #instadog #dogstagram #travelingdogs #dogsofinstagram #turningheadskennel #love #lovetosing #spreadjoy #hAppy
Life is better shared with dogs. 💕 So proud of Life is better shared with dogs. 💕
So proud of this incredibly talented group of athletes. We are lucky to share such an amazing life together!
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#dogsledding #iditarod #alaska #explore #denalihighway #mushing #bluesky #getoutside #optoutside #huskygramn#magic #explorealaska #wanderlust #instadog #huskies #huskygram #dogstagram #sunlight #winter #snow #peaceful #happydogs #workingdogs #epic
Earlier in the year we broke a lot of trail. So gl Earlier in the year we broke a lot of trail. So glad as this year #Iditarod is going to be SNOWY!
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#dogsledding #mushing #alaska #eureka #explore #sleddogs #huskies #musherlife #instadog #workingdog #dogslife #happydogs #winter #getoutside #optoutside #wanderlust #alaskalife #snow #snowy #instahusky #husklove #travel #travelgram
The #iditarod race team is busy training hard 😂 The #iditarod race team is busy training hard 😂😂😂
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Don’t be fooled — Fun, rest, and recovery are JUST as important as miles in leading up to race day!
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One week til the #Anchorage start! We’re ready! Are you?!
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#dogsledding #mushing #huskies #instahusky #huskygram #dogstagram #workingdogs #doglife #dogteam #sleddog #sleddogs #mustlovedogs #doghouse #ilovedogs #mush #alaska #doglovers #instadogs #instadog #alaskanhuskies #alaskaphotography #dogmushing #northernlife #dog #doggo #dogphotography
Down to the last few days before #Iditarod 2020. W Down to the last few days before #Iditarod 2020. We did a HUGE shout on our facebook. Did you see it?⁠
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>> https://www.facebook.com/turningheadskennel/⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska⁠
#denalihighway #cantwell #turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs #dogsledding #mushing #northernlife #alaska #explore #travelgram #snow #winter #optoutside
Suns out, tongues out! Vrable & Wrangler . . . . Suns out, tongues out! 
Vrable & Wrangler
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#iditarod #dogsledding #happydogs #instadogs #dogsofinstagram #mushing #alaska #husky #huskies #huskygram #instahuskies #mushlovedogs #mustlovedogs #explore #optoutside #winter #snow #workingdogs #explorealaska #workingdog #travel #travelgram #instatravel
Delta. This spitfire finished the 2019 Iditarod w Delta.

This spitfire finished the 2019 Iditarod with Sarah and the 2020 Kuskokwim 300 with Travis.

Delta is an amazing, tenacious dog. We love her intense personality punctuated with moments of goofiness.

This dog is 🔥🔥🔥 Go Delta 🎉 
#dogsledding #iditarod #dogsofinstagram #sleddogs #mushing #mushinglife #huskygram #instahusky #instahuskies #huskiesofinstagram #instadog #instatravel #dogsofinsta #optoutside #alaska #alaskanadventures #thealaskalife #explore #happydogs #mustlovedogs #itsadogslife #🐾
Meet Birdie. Yesterday, she and her teammates had Meet Birdie.

Yesterday, she and her teammates had their pre-race ECGs and bloodwork. This is mandatory preparation in order for a dog to be eligible to compete in #Iditarod

The ECGs look for cardiac arrhythmias and heart murmurs that may otherwise go undetected. The bloodwork that is done also helps ensure everyone is physically sound.

These incredible scientific tools are an important part of the pre-race dog care that goes into competing in a 1,000 mile long race.

Many incredible volunteers put in countless hours to help mushers ensure that dogs heading out on the trail don’t have any unseen medical conditions.

Thank you to everyone for their hard work!

#dogsledding #mushing #winter #dogsofinstagram
Movin & groomin! . . . Trail work never ends. Keep Movin & groomin!
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Trail work never ends. Keeping our trails in tip-top condition is a full time labor of love and requires constant work. It’s a part of dog sledding often overlooked as it goes on “behind the scenes” but it a crucial part of keeping our dogs safe and healthy. Good trails means stable footing and less chance of an athletic related injury such as a muscle strain. Thanks @alaskabackcountryaccess for the snowgo to use.
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#dogsledding #iditarod #mushing #snow #snowgo #trailgrooming #dogs #huskies #huskygram #getoutside #mustlovedogs #alaska #winter #explorealaska #instadog #workingdog #snowdog #snowdogsofinstagram #huskylove #travel #winterwonderland
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Recent Posts

  • How Mushers Get Home After Finishing The Iditarod
  • Scouting Our Glacier Dog Sledding Camp
  • Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!
  • The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod
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