Mushing today However, recreational mushing has also become a popular activity for tourists visiting colder climates. In great contrast to the Alaskan Gold Rush mushing, in the modern practice of training and driving a team the dogs' well-being is of great importance and the use of force is not tolerated.
What is the purpose of dog mushing?
They needed transportation to get into the wilderness and the only way to get there was by dog sled. By the early 1900s, dog sledding, often called mushing, became a common way of traveling during the winter months in many northern expanses of the US and Canada and also grew as a form of recreation.
What are sled dogs used for today?
Although sled dogs are still used for transportation in some rural communities in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, their main role now lies in racing, or “mushing.” The Iditarod and the Yukon Quest — a race from Whitehorse, the capital of Canada's Yukon territory, to Fairbanks, Alaska (considered even more challenging ...
What is the purpose of Iditarod?
The Iditarod Sled Dog Race carries on the racing tradition started in those early days. It commemorates those intrepid mushers (including Seppala) and their dogs, who fought through blizzard conditions to bring a life-saving diphtheria serum to Nome in 1925.
What are dog sled teams used for in Alaska?
At one time, people who lived in the Arctic regions relied on sled dogs as their main mode of transportation. Sled dogs also have been used to transport supplies, mail, and medicine. Dog sled teams can travel at speeds up to 20 mph. Such travel requires endurance and speed.
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