“We all congregate here, around this race and around this sport, because at the core of things, we all want to celebrate and promote and fiercely defend the incredible possibilities that dogs afford us.” — Kristin Knight Pace, Andy Pace, Yukon Quest veterans
As Alaskan winter days grow longer and the snows continue to steadily deepen, the sled dog races, tours, expeditions, exhibitions and other events take center stage. For those who love and appreciate the furry workhorses of the North, mid-winter is the time to gather and celebrate the history, the future, and the exciting present of Man’s Best Friend.
Resolute teams of hardy sled dogs were the primary mode of winter travel in the early days of the frozen North, and the singular capabilities of a good sled dog often meant the difference between life and death. Mail drivers, missionaries, lawmen, doctors, gold seekers, and anyone who needed to travel the winter trails in Alaska depended on the always-reliable dog team, leading the venerable Judge James Wickersham to state in 1938, “He who gives his time to the study of the history of Alaska, learns that the dog, next to man, has been the most important factor in its past and present development.”
Two groups which should be of interest to anyone who appreciates the sled dog breeds are Mush with P.R.I.D.E. and Sled Dog Info, both dedicated to informing and supporting those who work with sled dogs of all types. Sled Dog Info is a free information website, while Mush with P.R.I.D.E. is a membership organization which 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.
Whether you enjoy sprint races, mid- and long-distance races, touring by dogsled, skijoring, dog shows, or sled dog history in books, museums, art shows and more, this is the time of year to show your support for sled dogs and the people who love, work, and play with them all year long! Pick a kennel to support, volunteer at a race, attend an art showing, take a backcountry tour by dog team, visit a mushing museum, or just learn more about these wonderful animals whose history is so interwoven with our own, because their future will be as well!