Saturday, February 26, 2011

Let's take a break from our usual topics to enjoy a uniquely Alaskan experience.

Here are some pictures that my friend Dennis Zaki sent me to shae with all of you.

These are from the Fur Rondy Sled Dog Races.


You literally NEVER see these dogs happier than when they are pulling a sled.  It is literally in their DNA.






And here is  video that Dennis made as well.



Thanks Dennis.

20 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:50 AM

    Thank you for sharing. I love dogs, and am glad to see them so happy.

    Call me a dumb, whatever Alaskans call people from the lower 48, but these dogs look like they have very thin coats. I'd expected huskies or other breeds with thick fur.

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  2. ManxMamma3:57 AM

    I would venture to guess it takes a lot more skill to run one of these sleds and teams than to sit in a snowmobile! Those dogs are gorgeous.

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  3. Anonymous4:04 AM

    Dogs love to do what they are bred to do. I hate to see people get a husky and then tie it out, or see a Blue Heeler/ cattle dog in the yard. Dogs are happiest working - unless they're not working dogs.

    Do you think dogs are ever happy in dreses and bows? Nah, me neither.

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  4. jadez4:04 AM

    its in their dna?

    how many of these dogs die as a result of this unneeded race?

    its animal abuse pure and simple.

    and those tiny cages really are good for the dogs too!

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  5. Anonymous4:28 AM

    And as working dogs, the love their work. You can literally SEE it in their faces just how happy they are. Their body language says it all. Anybody who knows dogs know this.

    I love that first tongue shot!

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  6. Anonymous4:30 AM

    Just plain shocking... everyone of those dogs looks far smarter than Sarah.

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  7. angela4:35 AM

    Those dogs are a joy to see . . .

    And they aren't belching out pollution that those "real men" snow machines do.

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  8. Anonymous4:55 AM

    This east coast girl actually took a sled dog ride in WASILLA in 1991. I was incredulous when the operator/dog owner said that the dogs are actually happiest pulling the sleds, but it appeared to be true. The dogs are beautiful animals. One of the dogs on the team I rode on was third in the iditarod the year or so before.
    Looking back at the pictures it seems so surreal to me that I was in Wasilla, way back when.

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  9. Rick Hill5:11 AM

    Happy dogs in the morning! Thanks Gryph. All dogs do love to pull, that's why you train them on a leash with a jerk not a constant pull.

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  10. Sorry, Jadez, but I think the Westminster Dog Show is more of animal abuse than sledding. Those are smiles on the faces of these dogs and you can see their excitement and eagerness. It would be abuse to put a peek-a-poo or a fluffy mop multi-breed lapdog on the team alright but as a dog lover it warms my heart to see these pics. Thanks to Dennis.

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  11. Anonymous7:30 AM

    My first thought when I say those pics were, "Man! Those dogs look happy!". I did a lot of research a long time ago to find out whether or not dog sledding was animal cruelty. The obvious conclusion is, no way!!! These dogs enjoy it and the easiest analogy is to that of a marathon runner. These dogs are athletes and enjoy pushing themselves to their limits. They are also treated better than most "pets".


    Carrie

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  12. Hannah7:36 AM

    Back in his college days, my husband and his football team buddies supplied the "manpower" at the starting line at races in Bemidji, MN. Holding these teams back was the hardest work-out he ever had! The excitement and joy given off by the dogs as they wait to be released was awesome! Drivers are very careful with their teams, and treat them well. Dogs do indeed LOVE to work. Now we have a Border Collie, and he's bored silly unless he's over at the neighboring cattle ranch, helping out.

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  13. California Dreamin'8:39 AM

    @ 3:50

    Those are Alaskan Huskies, which is a breed unique to Alaska. They are a mix of just about everything, including Siberian Huskies which have the thicker coats. They are bred for their drive and as a result don't super thick coats.

    @ Jadez

    What would you have these dogs do? Sit in the house in front of the fireplace? They would go nuts. Workings are bred to do just that...work. I can personally speak from experience about living with an unemployed working dog. He is very unhappy and acts out frequently. And dogs get injured or killed in all kinds of situations. Unless you have ever been a K-9 handler in any capacity, you don't know what you're talking about (said in the nicest way possible).

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  14. Dinty9:40 AM

    I love the fourth picture, those 2 look like the are having the best time ever.

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  15. OH, thank you Dennis and Gryphen for those picks.

    Those dogs look SO HAPPY!

    All dogs should have an opportunity to do something they truly love.

    There are places you can take your border collie to herd sheep.

    I have an afghan hound, boston terrier mix. He loves to run. I would love just once to take him to the track and let him chase the rabbit. I'll bet he would love it.

    Anonymous at 4:04. I had a friend who had a dog that like to dress up. It was a pug named Winston. (After Churchill). She said just watch. She got up and got his bag of costumes. The minute she came back in the room Winston got up on his hind legs and danced around. When she sat down he went straight to her and put his head on her knees, waiting for his costume. She put a little coat and hat on him and he then strutted around the room, like he was on a runway. She said he's never had any training, he just did it on his own. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

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  16. Donal:

    The dogs you see at Westminster are working. Not only is the dog show their work, many of them have second jobs. Their trainers will tell you. They know they're on the job and they cater to the audience. They are like actors and they're "on".

    You should also be aware that many sled dogs are not pure breds. In fact, there was a guy that raced a team of full bred standard Poodles. Poodles are working dogs. He didn't win but he finished the race before some others with sled dogs. Fluffy poo is not wimp under that hair.

    http://home.gci.net/~poodlesleddog/

    All dogs are working dogs. Some are bred to herd, some for water or retrieving. Some are bred to sit quietly in your lap and keep your hands warm. It just depends on what their job is. Dogs are happiest doing their jobs.

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  17. Sorry to burst your bubble, but not totally a 'unique Alaskan Experience'. Here in the Great White North (aka - CANADA) we too have sled dogs. Our wee town just finished our Snow Fest. It is such a big event that for the last few years, we have even had a team from Jamaica come for the races. Seriously.
    As for the people stating that this is 'abuse', you obviously have never seen the love between musher and dog. These dogs are treated like gold, and they are Very Loved. As well, the dogs are happiest when mushing. I have 4 boys of my own. 1 is a Coy (half coyote, half husky), 1 is half husky, half border collie, 1 is half husky, half cocker, and my old boy favorite is purebred cocker. Even in the winter I cannot keep the husky's in the house - they live for the cold. To keep them safe, we put invisible fencing around the property and they have free reign for over an acre. The only one who is 'housebound' is the purebred. He has to be close to mom at all times (but he is also getting old. Starting to go deaf, and has the odd seizure :(. My daughter hooks the other boys up to a lead and has them pull her either on her bike, or she sits in an old wagon we have. And the boys LOVE IT. She has done this since they were pups.
    It is true - a working dog is not happy unless said dog is working >.<

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  18. Anonymous12:57 PM

    Jadez, you couldn't be more wrong about these dogs. If you could see all these teams lined up on 2nd Ave., waiting for the race to start, they are literally all leaping and jumping and trying to run and the noise level from all of them is deafening and beautiful. All dogs go to heaven at some point, but it is an extremely rare occasion that any dog dies during the Iditarod

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  19. Kimosabe1:59 PM

    The World Championship Sled Dog races held during Fur Rondezvous are not long-distance marathons like the Iditarod, but 25-mile "sprints" thru the streets and bike trails of Anchorage. In a way, these races are more exciting than the long-distance races, as the dogs go flat-out (about 25 mph) the whole way, the sleds riding up on one runner in the turns (like a sailboat), with thousands of people cheering along the way. It's just awesome!

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  20. Anonymous8:07 AM

    Dogs usually love it when they have a job and they know they're doing it, and doing it right. I'm not surprised these dogs look so happy- this is pie for them.

    I still have a huge issue with dogsled racing because we don't see the people who do NOT treat their dogs well, who don't feed them properly, who just think it's cool to get some dogs and try to race them without knowing what they're doing or caring for the dogs properly. And that happens do.

    "they aren't belching out pollution that those "real men" snow machines do."

    Good gods. They certainly are. Why,one of the advantages of the horseless carriage of a century ago was the fact that they DIDN'T produce "pollution"- i.e., poop. Manure is a big problem and anyone who runs a kennel will tell you that shoveling it is a daily chore.

    You're just not seeing their pollution.

    Ivyfree

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