Every single year, the first team to cross the U.P. 200 finish line wins the race for a variety of reasons: The condition of the dogs and their musher, ample rest and nutrition, trail conditions that favor a certain team, and sometimes just a little bit of luck. But there’s one key factor on which the top musher always rely: good breeding.
The sled dog of choice for most mushers is the Alaskan Husky, said musher Ed Stielstra. Other popular sled dog breeds can include the Alaskan malamute, the Canadian Eskimo dog and the Mackenzie River Husky.
Matt Carstens and Ed Stielstra are two mushers competing in the U.P. 200 this year. Both men own a large amount of dogs because they breed their own trying to find the next prize lead dog. Carstens is partners with Mitch Ingerson, who is also competing in the U.P. 200. They own Nevahome Kennel in Jefferson, NH. They currently have 71 Alaskan Husky’s in their kennel. Ed Stielstra owns and operates Nature’s Kennel Sled Dog and Adventures Kennel in McMillan, Mi. He currently has 100 Alaskan Husky’s in his kennel.
The genetics of sled dogs has a lot to do with their ability to race competitively. Breeding is one of the main factors in giving certain desired traits to sled dogs. Certain traits like speed, weight, durability, strength, endurance, and temperament are all important for a sled dog to be selectively bred for, Carstens said.
If a dog is too big they will become prone to injuries after their feet hit the ground a couple million times, said Carstens. The average weight people are going by for their sled dogs is 50 to 60 pounds, said Stielstra.
“In my opinion, the ideal weight of sled dogs that are entering races that are 200-1,000 miles long is 50 to 55 pounds. Dogs that are in that weight range tend to pull hard enough while seeming to avoid injury. There are exceptions to this rule of course. For example, one of my main lead dogs is “BigBen,” who weighs in at 72 pounds”, Stielstra said.
Endurance is a key trait for a sled dog to maintain. Endurance is needed to travel the distance demanded in the dogsled races that are 200-1,000 miles long, said Stielstra.
The dogs have to be able to perform or compete over a long period as by avoiding injury while doing so, said Carstens. This is why sled dogs need to be so durable.
“With durability, you are looking to see if and how many times a dog has been injured. Ideally you want to find the dogs that have never missed a race because of injury. In many cases a sled dog looses their full potential after they have been injured,” Carstens said.
Temperament and how a dog interacts with other dogs and people are very important, said Carstens. A positive working attitude is also vital. All dogs come in contact with the public since there are fans at dogsled races. It is very important that the dogs are not aggressive towards any of these humans. Sled dogs must be able to mentally, physically, and emotionally get along with each other in order to successfully run together, Carstens said.
Speed is needed to travel the distance of a race in a reasonable amount of time. Usually the fastest team wins the race. During a race sled dogs can travel around 20 mph over distances up to 25 miles. During longer races sled dogs travel around 10 to 14 mph. Their speed also decreases in poor weather or poor trail conditions, said Carstens.
Strength is important because of all the weight sled dogs have to pull. They pull the sled, the musher, food, and all of the gear. Sled dogs have traveled around 100 mi. in a one day period while pulling 85 pounds each. Other good features in a sled dog athlete are a good coat, tough feet, and a great appetite, Carstens said.
Mushers like Stielstra and Carstens are always training for races. Sometimes it can be very difficult to train, breed dogs, work, and keep up with everything else in life.
“ We try to have our pups born in the summer months. That way there is ample time to get the pups out for walks twice a day and introduced to as many things as possible. Mother Nature does not always cooperate with our schedule though. If we have pups during the winter months we will hire extra staff at the kennel to make sure that the pups get the attention they need to grow up and be happy and healthy,” Stielstra said.
It takes considerable amounts of demands, responsibilities, and time in breeding dogs. Breeders try their best to have the dogs breed right after the race season ends.
“On Aug. 1, we start training on an everyday basis. We hope our bitches are heating in April or May so they can have their litter in the off season. But we make sure all breeding is done natural here, so all we can do is hope,” Carstens said.
