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Those Cool Alaskan Sled Poodles
January 24th, 2008
In my post 12 Nifty Things About Poodles, I mentioned those standard poodles who ran the Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska for John Suter from 1988 through 1991. He’d begun mushing poodles in the mid-1970s, competing in the 1976 Chungiak Sled Dog Race. In 1992 Suter’s daughter Esther tackled the 154-mile race with her poodles, and other mushers are adding poodles to their teams.
For a grueling race in ice and snow, the dogs need boots even if they’re regular Alaskan Huskies or Husky-Hound crossbreeds. Mushers can be downright snobby about their sled dogs, as is clear from Mark Hamilton’s opinion in the newsletter of the Inuit Sled Dog International, Dog Sled Racing vs. Sled Dog Racing.
Still, as reported by Angus of Alaska in the It’s an alaskan dog’s life, poodles can not only be great sled dogs, they’re also really good for impressing the ladies for their owners down at Koot’s in Anchorage, so they’re definitely double-duty dogs!
As january goes on and on and on, and February’s foreshortened period of white stuff still looming, thinking about poodles who love the snow is good. If ever I take up skiing I’m going to use my poods to get me to the top of the run so I don’t have to pay for a lift ticket!
Check out this article on how to keep those poodles warm during winter.
Links:
Poodle Sled Dog History [John Suter's site]
Poodle History: Draft/sled dogs
How to Train a Winning Dog Sled Racing Team
CrazyUnclePaul: The Iditarod Dog Sled Race
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2 Responses to “Those Cool Alaskan Sled Poodles”
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It’s unclear to me from your writing whether you consider me “snobby”, or you’re just referencing something in my writing which to you illuminates “snobby” behavior in mushers. If the former, having just re-read that piece, I’d appreciate your advising me of exactly what in that article that you find “snobby”.
But enough about me, who are you? My writing goes out under my name, why are you anonymous?
M. B. Hamilton
Hi, Mark! Thanks for commenting. I’m sorry if my tongue-in-cheek wording offended you - I’m a clown, always go for the obvious. Because I’m a “Poodle Person” I thought it was obvious that people who take a great interest in their dogs (working or playing) are “snobby.” Lord knows Poodle People can be among the snobbiest! Catch the juxtaposition there?
Welcome to my humble blog. Surf around a little bit, see if you can find some indication of Poodle Person snobbishness - I’m quite sure there’s plenty here you could find! Peace…