Dog sledding (sled = sled + dog = dog) was not born as a sport but as a necessity, it represented a means of transport which consisted of sleds pulled by groups of dogs (mute), the dogs were mostly dogs of the Nordic breed ( Siberian Husky, Greenlandic, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed).
The use of dogs for towing sleds was the work of the ancient Siberian populations, these nomadic groups used sleds not only to move but also to transport meat, hides and other utensils, furthermore the dogs were quite efficient because they were very fast and gave a I also contributed to hunting trips.
The dog breeds used to pull the sleds, and the technique consequently, also spread to nearby Alaska and later to Canada and Greenland.
Sled dogs and more generally dog sledding were the great protagonists of the "gold rush" where the pioneers moved with all their tools exclusively using their own pack of sled dogs.
Now sled dogs are used with the original purpose only by some Inuit populations where progress is slow to arrive, in other countries dog sledding has become a sport with its own federation, internationally with the International Federation of Sleddog Sport (IFSS ) and as far as Italy is concerned with the Italian Musher and Sleddog Sport Federation whose acronym is FIMSS
By now established as a sport, dog sledding aims for recognition by CONI and also for the inclusion of this discipline in the Olympics.
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How to practice.
The native technique of dog sledding is that of towing a sled, over the years other ways to practice this sport have spread, it can also be practiced on land without the presence of snow using special tools such as bicycles pulled by dogs, tricycles or quadricycles and even scooter prototypes.
The driver of the sled or any other tool is defined as a musher, one cannot improvise as a musher, in fact to be able to drive a pack one must have received lessons or at least be accompanied by some expert who in any case will explain the basic rules.
The number of dogs that make up a pack varies according to the specialty and other factors.
Dogs.
The dogs that make up the pack, contrary to what some believe, are not strictly purebred dogs on the contrary, most of the dogs used for competitions are crossbreeds between several breeds (Nordic dogs and hunting dogs), the dogs used they are Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute and Greeneland. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, mestizo dogs are also used which result from crossings of several breeds, although there is no standard, nor will it ever exist, there is a tendency to distinguish these dogs with the name of Alaskan Husky.
Competitiveness and fun
Dog sledding has taken on a truly competitive profile with various teams competing in the many competitions that are organized every winter.
This aspect has also led to a selection of dogs intended for this activity by choosing resistant or fast dogs based on the discipline, which is why many times we also see dogs of non-Nordic breeds.
Dog sledding is not only for competitive purposes, on the contrary, in recent years it has become an activity that can be carried out like skiing, in fact, there are numerous dog sledding schools that allow you to practice it, the school provides an instructor, the sled, the dogs and all the equipment, all we need is the willingness to learn.
Dog sledding is a healthy activity from all points of view, it can be practiced by people of all ages and allows you to stay in contact with nature, especially with dogs.
Dog sledding is certainly one of the best disciplines that can be practiced in the snow.
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