For thousands of years, Northerners used their precious dogs for hunting, protection, companionship and their sole means of transportation. Today, even with technology at the forefront, sled dogs are still utilized as the preferred ride, if you will. What was once a staple of the North trickled its way into the future, the future of sports. 1908 became the first official Sled Dog race recorded .The All Alaska Sweepstakes race span a total distance of 408 miles that began in Nome to Candle and returning to Nome again. The driver to take the win that year was Mr. John Hegness, with a recorded time of 119 hours, 15 minutes and 12 seconds. Today, sled dog racing is a winter sport. While in the 1932 Winter Olympics held at Lake Placid, NY did hold a demonstration sled dog race, it never officially gained event status.

Some of the favorite breeds used today are the purebred Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute and the hybrid Alaskan Husky, all chosen for their strength, low compact body and double coat which affords them the ability to endure extreme cold. The rare Mackenzie River Husky is no stranger to the snow or ice either, however, any medium sized breed or cross may be used. For two years (1988-1991) a team of Standard Poodles competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, or most often simply called Iditarod. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race is the most famous annual long distance race that began in 1973 as a small event to test the skill of Mushers and their teams. Today it has grown into a highly renowned annual competition that covers a total of 1, 151 miles and generally takes between 8-15 days to complete. The fasted record to date was set by Martin Buser, in 2002, when he completed the race in an amazing time of 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes and 2 seconds!

Rather than against one another, Mushers and their teams compete against the clock. Sprint racing, Mid-distance racing and Long-distance racing vary in distance and courses. Sprint races generally covers between 4 to 25 miles, Mushers use the same dogs on the same course for 2 or 3 back to back events. Mid-distance can either be continuous racing over 100 to 200 miles or heat races, covering between 14 and 80 miles in a day. Long-distance racing has a central staging location. This type of race can be continuous or in stages, covering anywhere from 200 to over 1,000 miles and running different courses each day. Races are placed in categories, by distance and dog maximum. While there can be other team sizes, the main categories are four dog, six dog, eight dog, ten dog and unlimited (or open). It is rare to see more than 22 dogs on one team however this is not unusual on the first day of tightly competitive Sprint races. Dogs may be removed from the team, but never added once the race has begun.

Regulations that had a watchful eye over the first official 1908 race, still adorns the rule book of today. There are several organizations available for more information. The Sled Dog Racing Association and the International Sled Dog Racing Association is great place to start.

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