The History of Dog Sleds
Dog sleds are a team of dogs attached to a sled, sleigh or toboggan. Also known as mushing (the use of dogs to pull a sled over snow), dog sledding began around the tenth century. Learn here why and how dog sleds were first used, what early dog sleds carried and what type of dogs were used.
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Where Dog Sledding Began
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The use of dog sleds was, at first, restricted to the harsh Arctic regions of the world where dog traction was efficient and horses were considered impractical. The earliest evidence of dog sledding appeared in Canada and then later in Siberia. The Inuit people of Canada are recognized as the first users of dog sleds.
Why Dog Sleds?
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Even though dogs were relatively scarce in the upper regions, and more expensive to purchase than a horse, a dogs' endurance was much greater than the endurance of a horse and they could survive treacherous terrain much better. A team of six dogs could haul 500 to 700 pounds on one sled.
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Cargo
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Dog sleds were commonly used to allow people to travel, deliver food and trade goods, haul wood and carry household goods. They were also utilized for hunting, sporting activities and delivering the mail. In remote regions, dog sleds were sometimes the only way to connect to the outside world.
The Dogs
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Dogs were chosen over horses because of their strength, intelligence and endurance. Early on, a sled could be pulled by as little as two dogs and at most six. The ideal number, however, was five because of the possibility that one dog would be lost during any given trip. The most common dog was an Eskimo dog (Alaskan Eskimo dog) but also used were the St. Bernard, the Newfoundland, the husky and the Malamute. Dogs needed to have thick coats and weigh between 80 to 100 pounds.
What Did the Dogs Pull?
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The mode of transport attached to a team of dogs was either a sled, sleigh or toboggan (originally called a sledge). Sleds had to be narrow enough to stay within a limited width, needed to be waterproof, and able to withstand sub-zero weather. Typically they were built from ash, a very durable wood. Sleds that carried passengers were called carioles.
Mushers
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The first dog sleds were "driven" by two men, one man packed the snow using snowshoes ahead of the team so the sled would not get stuck. The other man ran behind the sled to keep it in position. Both men were referred to as mushers. Disobedient dogs were whipped by the second musher.
Harnessing
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Dogs were harnessed in a single line with each dog attached to the dog behind. The last dog, the wheel dog, was attached to the wheel of the sled. Ahead of the wheel dog was the swing dog(s) followed by the point dog(s). The dog(s) in front were the lead dogs. To attach the dogs, a long trailing line was attached to the sled to secure the dogs while they were being harnessed. Securing the dogs was necessary because mushers needed their energy to pull the sled, not run free. Before untying the dogs, the mushers would lay out the harness line and hitch the dogs one by one starting with the most reliable dog. Once all dogs were harnessed, to protect their paws from jagged pieces of ice, moccasins made from moosehide were put on each paw.
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