As I write this, most everyone in the mushing world has their eyes on the Iditarod. While there are certainly quite a few races during the season deserving of attention, no race seems to capture the imagination of fans, the media, and those who write fiction for radical "animal rights" groups.

Every year we get flooded with chain letters protesting the big race. It's clear from their propaganda that the original writers have not done their homework, and in fact have never gone to a race or visited a dog yard and talked to the owner. The only reason I mention these groups here is to ask all of you to do a little homework before supporting any organization. Make sure their agenda is something you really agree with. Most people I know are rather surprised to learn that a well known national organization is doing more than supporting animal shelters. This same organization has repeatedly tried to introduce radical legislation with the stated goal of eventually outlawing pet ownership in this country. Just make sure you know what you are supporting.

Ken Anderson just ran out of time to send us an article this month, since the race schedule was just too close together. Instead, we have a great article from Bob Anderson (no relation). We also like to thank Lidia Dale-Mesaros for contributing this month's Freight Dogs article.

Randy

What would you say if asked to bring your sled dogs downtown and spend four days camping on-site demonstrating the sport to thousands of spectators? Well that’s what some mushers in Michigan were asked, and given a short time to think about it, said heck YES.

The location was Detroit Michigan, and the event, Motown Winter Blast. The Motown Winter Blast was developed to create an innovative backdrop for the 2006 Super Bowl game in Detroit. This 4 day event would showcase activities found in and around Detroit and also add a touch of the winter activities available throughout the state of Michigan (www.motownwinterblast.com).

The dog sledding activities would provide; dog petting area, dog sledding demonstration, and rides to media and special guests of the event. Based on the tasks at hand, six musher families containing 80+ dogs united to provide the necessary resources to ensure the venture was a success.

Armed with dogs, support staff, campers, rigs, sled and all required dog equipment we headed off on our four day camping trip in Detroit. If camping in a major city was not weird enough, we could not even catch a break from Mother Nature as temps were well above normal for early February in Michigan - to the point where the hired snow makers were unable to create a foundation of snow for us to perform on, followed by constant rain showers over two of the four days.

Like any good musher, our adversity showed as we commandeered a grassy median, set up an oval track, and gave the required rides using our wheeled rigs. The petting area was not affected by the lack of snow, and the overhead tent provided protection from the rain showers. Those attending the event were all delighted to have the opportunity to pet the sled dogs and speak with the mushers about the sport - in all, it was reported that an estimated 1.7 million spectators came through the Detroit Motown Winter Blast.

A typical day started with 5:30am live interviews followed by petting and rides throughout the days. The petting area was kept open all day with the dogs being rotated in-and-out every half hour. The rides were every other hour, with each kennel working in half hour increments.

So why would a group of Michigan mushers choose to camp in downtown Detroit? Well, it was all about promoting the sport! This was an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the dogs and the sport to a large group of people who may otherwise know nothing about the sport - we are always surprised how little people outside the sport know about it and these are some of the very same people that have seats on boards and vote on bills and ordinances that can impact our sport.

As mushers, we need to take active roles in promoting the sport if we wish to keep it open in the future. If we don't...who will know of mushing other than mushers? We need to let people know we are out there... we do exist, we are a user group of national and state lands, and that there is a need for kennel licensing. If we can devote time each year to giving something back to the sport, we could all hopefully do something that will have a lasting and positive impact on the sport for years to come.

Participating in this event has allowed us to get to know some musher families a whole lot closer, has introduced us to key people at both state and local levels, has allowed us to introduce our dogs and sport to thousands of people while bringing smiles to many children's' faces. We are very proud of the dogs, mushers and volunteers, and companies that contributed to making this event a huge success.

To get something of value, you must be willing to give something of value in return.

Turning a dream into reality

You are probably wondering what the name UKTOUSA means.

Pronounced "Uck-too-sah", it means "UK to USA". Pretty cool, huh? From the UK to the USA, I was fulfilling a childhood dream to live in America, in the mountains and have sled dogs. It took quite a few years to get here, but here I am... with eleven Alaskan Malamutes, one Yukon Husky and one Hedlund Husky. I couldn't be happier.

Little did I know just how much my life would change once we purchased our first Alaskan Malamute. We had little money and a lot of uncertainty about our new life and our future, but we had our puppy!  Driving home in our newly rented, 13 yr old truck, I remember noticing what the huge feet on this pup!  Both my husband and I were overjoyed with our new pup. By the time we arrived home his name was "Sasquatch".

We were blessed with such a good dog. He had a great personality, was such a sweetheart and was incredibly handsome. So my adventure began with one dog, a sled and a very enthusiastic but naïve musher. Having a spirit for adventure and a devotion to me, Sasquatch loved to sled for hours. Of course, I would think to myself, "Well, if I can go this far with one dog, just think how far I could go with three or maybe four dogs!" Sounds familiar doesn't it? My love for Alaskan Malamutes grew quickly and I had no doubt that that my childhood fantasy of enjoying the mountains and big burly sled dogs was exactly what I was meant to do.

I did everything. I ran a two dog team, a three dog team and a four dog team. I hooked dogs up to my mountain bike, skijored with dogs and hiked with dogs tied to me. Mushing Boot Camp and winter camping by dog team were added to the list of my dog adventures. And the list goes on.

Obviously, as my kennel grew in size I needed to learn a lot, get reliable equipment and meet other mushers! I remember when my newly found friends and I hooked up our dogs together, as one team, attached to a mere 95lb rig! Between us we had, Siberians, Malamutes, an Inuit Dog mix, and a German Shepherd mix. The best part was, they all got along. This was inspirational and memorable.

I've met so many wonderful people through my sled dog activities. All of this made my new life, my life away from my original home, so much more exciting. It gave me a feeling of true belonging and has enriched my life in so many ways, more than words can express. Sasquatch represented a new beginning for us, a dream come true and a future filled with canine love.

Sasquatch is now 11 yrs old. He has raised every pup that has come into my kennel and he has also raised his own pups. In the 11 years that I have had sled dogs, I have learned so much from others and also from my dogs. I know my love for freight dogs will never die. I am in awe of their endless power and capabilities. The love that these dogs have to offer is priceless. My promise to them has been to become a good trainer so that we can enjoy many miles socially with other teams.

Most recently, we've started to take part in races. We are always well received at the races and always well photographed! When we are not training or racing, we take part in obedience classes. There is always an agenda, always a goal. No matter what time of the year, we all work towards achieving our best and spending endless hours in each other's company. When you run freighting dogs, the experience is different. It's hard to be competitive at most races so it can't be about speed. It is just about the joy of running dogs, feeling their strength and power, and basking in their beauty. Who would have thought that an English gal would turn into a gnarly bush woman!!

Misunderstood Equipment and Avoiding Mishaps

The most misunderstood articles of dog sled equipment are quick releases and shock absorbers. Added in the mix are the use of carabiners and other metal hardware during hook up. During hook up, the energy of every dog on the team is focused on one thing: getting going. It isn't a time to trust the security of your team to worn, improper, or poorly chosen components. We thought we would take a few moments and go over the uses of these intriguing pieces of equipment, tips, and preserving their life.

Sled Bridle

Probably the most overlooked piece of sledding equipment is the sled bridle. It takes 100% of the strain from start to finish. Before talking about any other part of hook up, it is important to address this most important safety precaution. Make sure the bridle rope is in good condition, hasn't turned brittle, and the strands of rope aren't frayed. This is one place you can't afford to skimp. The strength of this rope is important and needs to be replaced like your towline with the first signs of wear.

The main purpose of a shock absorber is to absorb shock between the dogs and what they are attached to. A shock absorber is not the same as a bungee that some mushers place under the sled so the bridle has some give, to cushion bumps in the trail or to correct erratic pumping by a musher. Shock absorbers are attached to the sled bridle and the towline by locking carabiners on each end (see page 2 for carabiners). A shock absorber is imperative when using a cable towline or a cable inside the rope towline. With an all rope system, there is a fair amount of stretch from one end to the other. When you add cable, you eliminate most or all of the stretch. The shock absorber puts it back in.

Shock absorbers work well in three areas: protecting sleds, snaps, and tuglines during hook up from "sled slamming", for emergency stops, and in the event of a collision. The protection the shock absorber affords is huge especially on hookup. When the dogs are "slamming" hard and especially when they are doing it in unison, the shock absorber will give. When they are doing this, they can damage the sled (if the snubline isn't hooked up correctly), and break snaps and tuglines. A second area where shock absorbers work well is for those emergency stops when you are braking hard on a moment's notice: a wrong turn, an obstacle, a serious tangle, or dangerous trail (a time when you have to slam your snow hook in and it must grab hard). The last really important use is when the sled has a collision. It can cushion your dogs from cervical injuries or other injuries and the impact isn't as intense. It may save you from a broken towline, necklines, tuglines, or snaps as well.

We include a safety rope to help prevent overstretching the bungee, the biggest reason for shock absorber failure. The other purpose of a safety rope is if your bungee does break, you have a back-up rope to hold the team. Always hook into both.

A shock absorber's strength should match the size of your team. In other words, the bungee should not be stretching when the team is moving down the trail. If you brake hard, you should see the bungee give slightly.  The reverse side is that you don't want it too strong for the size team so that during hook-up, it isn't protecting your equipment and team. Most equipment suppliers offer shock absorbers with different strengths: a small team would be 3-5 dogs, a medium team shock absorber for 6-10 dogs, and a large team for more than 10 dogs. The bungees are different sizes and strengths for each size.

Check the bungee cover regularly for wear. Also check for burrs on carabiners (or rough spots) that could cut the bungee cover and cause premature wear. You can get rid of the burrs on the carabiners by sanding or filing them down. Rotating the bungee periodically will prevent it from wearing in only one spot. It will prolong the life of the bungee as well.

Carabiners

Along with a shock absorber, it is a must to have a locking carabiner on each end of the shock absorber. There are many different shapes, sizes, and types of carabiners. The ones that do not lock are not useful for dog mushers. The ones we recommend are usually an aluminum alloy with stainless steel pins, are very strong, lightweight, and they won't rust, (they can freeze, however). The minimum breaking strength of our smallest carabiner is 6,000 pounds. Anything less means taking a chance losing your team. An extra large carabiner is valuable when using more than one snow hook, snub rope, plus a bridle attachment to hold all the lines. Some mushers double their carabiners as a safety back-up in case one opens. Their entire team is still secure with a back-up.

We have seen mushers try to eliminate one carabiner by looping the towline to the bungee so it is rope on bungee. That isn't a good idea. Not only is it inconvenient to get the towline off but it also makes it hard to rotate your bungee and the rope tends to cinch down on the cover and will probably cause a premature failure of the bungee.

Panic Snaps and Quick Releases

There are several different styles of quick releases, panic snaps, and modifications to each.  We will attempt to identify the different uses of each.

Panic Snaps

For a very small team, a panic snap quick release will hold. For skijoring set-ups they work especially well. We have had occasion to have them pop open, releasing a dog prematurely.  Panic snaps should be used with 1-2 dogs only. They are easy to release with one hand by sliding them open in an emergency, thereby releasing the dog and preventing you from hitting an obstacle (or an embarrassing photographic moment).

Modified Panic Snaps

These consist of a panic snap with a cable loop attached to the side. They are easier to release with gloves or mittens than a plain panic snap. With one hand pulling the large loop, it opens. Again, these are made only for the very smallest team (no more than 4 dogs but 1-2 is better). Remember, everything depends on the tiny hinge pin that holds your team. To use a panic snap on a big team would seriously jeopardize the safety of your team.

Heavy Duty Quick Release

These are the granddaddies of them all. They are the most strong, sure, and reliable. They are sometimes called a pelican style and look somewhat like a puzzle until you examine one closely and practice opening and closing it several times.

A heavy duty quick release is made of two pieces of solid steel rod that hinge shut. There is a loop on each end, and a metal bail that hinges. It is held closed by a non-weight bearing steel ring with a bungee. Once the rope is pulled, the bail opens, and your team can take off. They are heavy duty and work great for large team hook ups.

Sailing Snap Quick Release

There are also two sizes of snaps in the sailing world that work reasonably well and are fairly strong. The biggest drawback is the cost (a large one is at least $40 each). They work by pulling a rope which is attached to a pin that is stronger than the hinge pin in the regular panic snap. The smaller size may not be suitable for anything but the smallest dog teams. The rope tends to hang up on the bail on this particular quick release and that can be somewhat frustrating. You can eliminate the frustration by putting a steel ring on the end but then you are back to adding a weak link.

Pull Stick Quick Release

A pull stick can be made out of any smooth, strong material, such as a round, hardwood dowel, an antler, solid plastic, or a piece of round metal pipe. The advantage is the cost is cheap, they usually hold well (unless the team doesn't pull tight and keep the rope taut on hook up), and there are no moving parts to break or bend. The disadvantage is that the team must keep tension on the line once the stick is in place or the stick can slide out. The tension is what holds the stick in place. They are used with a snub rope that has a good sized loop in the trailing end which doubles back on itself through a loop next to where you are standing on the runners. (See photo left.)

A quick release must be hooked up correctly to work. You can use a quick release in conjunction with a snub rope or you can set up the quick release to either stay behind or travel with you on the sled using shorter ropes. Routing the snub rope or quick release ropes is important so that the sled is under no stress when the dogs pull tight against the quick release. This usually means running the ropes from the carabiner through the opening created by the brush bow and down one side or the other of the sled.

Setting up the quick release

There is nothing worse than trying to release the team with something that isn't set up right. To use a quick release on a snub rope, you will need a loop on each end of the snub rope. Hook one loop into the locking carabiner, bring the rope up through the opening created by the brush bow. While standing on the runners, loop your quick release into the line the same way you loop on a snap. Then pass the remaining rope around a stationary object behind you (no shaggy bark or sharp edges) and hook the second looped end to the quick release. Make a couple of turns around the stationary object especially if it has a small diameter. When you are ready to leave, open the release and you are on your way. For a pull stick release, you must create the middle loop (which is ahead of where the pull stick sits). This is the loop where the end of your snub rope doubles back on itself and you weave your pull stick through it...

Any quick release can break if hooked up incorrectly. They can bend if there is slack in the rope and the team lurches forward and takes up the slack with a big jolt. Make sure the quick release is engaged and that the slack is taken out of the line as you add more dogs to the team.

Snub Ropes

If you are good at making a slip knot and have a post, truck or big tree that will hold your team while hooking up, a snub rope is great. They work well for stopping on the trail if there is a large enough tree to tie off to. Snub ropes can be made of polyethylene rope or solid braid nylon rope. The solid braid rope needs to have a knot tied in the end that hooks to the carabiner and the other end must be melted so it doesn’t unravel. Poly snub ropes usually have a spliced loop at both ends. Solid braid nylon has a slightly stronger breaking strength and a little more stretch than the polyethylene ropes

D and O Rings

A word of caution, we do not recommend using D or O rings for bridles or other weight bearing points (towlines, snub ropes, or rope bridles). Both type of rings may break and leave your team running free. They are appropriate on collars and leashes where only one dog is creating stress on the hardware not an entire team. Don't make the mistake of having the fate of your team be decided by a tiny machine welded steel ring. They don't hold.

Snow Hook Lines and Snub Ropes

Finally, we have seen plenty of mushers hook up their snow hooks incorrectly. The snow hook line and a snub rope should fit into the carabiner that is connected to the back part of the shock absorber. Both fit through the opening created by the brush bow. We have seen teams mistakenly attach their snow hook line or snub rope to the carabiner in the front of the shock absorber. This prevents the shock absorber from working during hook up or during a quick emergency stop. Never tie your snow hook rope or snub rope to a cross piece or stanchion on your sled or you will invariably destroy your sled. The reason for routing the ropes through the opening created by the brush bow is to prevent them from getting under the runner and getting cut.

Gear is expensive. Anything you can do to protect your equipment and team is always money well spent. Learning how to use your equipment properly makes good safety sense. Practice using the equipment so it becomes second-nature to you.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Adanac Sleds and Equipment www.adanacsleds.com

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Midwest Skijorers

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Midwest Skijorers Club is committed to advancing the sport of skijoring in the Twin Cities and upper Midwest.

We endeavor to develop and promote events and activities related to Skijoring.

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http://www.skijor.org

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What is Mush with P.R.I.D.E.?

P.R.I.D.E. stands for Providing Responsible Information on a Dog's Environment. The relationship between sled dogs and humans is one of the oldest bonds of its kind. Modern sled dog owners are proud of their dogs as canine athletes that are bred and trained to do what they love: run as part of a team. Mush with P.R.I.D.E. supports the responsible care and humane treatment of all dogs and is dedicated to enhancing the care and treatment of sled dogs in their traditional and modern uses.