Since 2001, Kea Grace has published in “Dog Fancy,” “Clean Run,” “Front and Finish” and an international Czechoslovakian agility enthusiast magazine. Grace is the head trainer for Gimme Grace Dog Training and holds her CPDT-KA and CTDI certifications. She is a member of the APDT and is a recognized CLASS instructor. Shes seeking German certification from the Goethe Institut.
When its particularly cold or a dog is working especially hard, a musher may add raw lard or fat to the rations. At roughly 120 calories per tablespoon, pure fat is an extremely calorie-dense form of fuel. Not only does the sled dog metabolism require a high fat-to-other-nutrient ratio, the extra calories help keep a dog warm and at an optimal body weight.
Many mushers feed their dogs commercial kibble for ease of storage and use. Particularly during the off-season when a sled dog may only need 800 to 1,200 calories a day, kibble is cost effective and time efficient. Because sled dogs need a high-calorie diet primarily comprised of fat and protein, kibble doesnt always provide the best balance of nutrients during the mushing season.
While not technically “eating,” water is extremely important in a sled dogs diet. Every single organ and body system requires water to function, and without proper levels of hydration, a sled dog cant run as fast, as far or as smoothly. If a dog becomes dehydrated enough, he may die within hours. Clean, fresh water should always be available when a mushing dog is kenneled or tied out; when working, water should be offered before training and periodically throughout the run. Broth, shredded meat or other “baits” can be added to water to encourage a dog to drink.
Raw meat forms a staple food in many sled-dog kennels. Not only is it extremely rich in fat, protein and nutrients, its high calorie, packed with water for extra hydration and easy to feed. The average sled dog may eat between 3 and 5 pounds of meat a day — while running at maximum capacity, those numbers may double.
During the race, each team is offered a complete physical exam at each checkpoint. Depending on the musher’s run/race strategy, a musher may elect to have all dogs checked, or may bypass the checkpoint completely. Most mushers will stop in each checkpoint long enough for a brief exam to be conducted.
Dogs in the race can ingest snow along the trail, as well. This is called “snow dipping” and is more prevalent in the warmer races, during which the temperature is at the freezing point or just above. Many mushers will also offer free choice water at checkpoints or melt snow on the trail.
Within 10 days of the ceremonial start in Anchorage, all 14 dogs selected for the final team receive a comprehensive physical exam by a veterinarian either at the pre-race vet check-in in Willow, Alaska, and/or by their personal veterinarian. All dogs are microchipped so they may be tracked from pre-race to finishing under the Burled Arch in Nome.
Dr. Stephens: Unlike our pets at home, sled dogs have extremely high energy needs and typically require 15,000 kcal daily for fuel and to maintain body condition throughout the race. These athletes receive a combination of dry kibble specially designed for their significantly increased demand, as well as added protein. Many meals are offered as “soups,” which are heated, water-and-kibble-based combinations. This encourages water consumption while supplying much-needed nutrients.
Dr. Stephens: Health of the dogs is the number one priority during the Iditarod, and a team of veterinarians works to provide dog care for each participant before and during the race. A month before the race, all dogs that are selected by the musher (up to 24) undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) and screening blood work. The results are reviewed by a boarded cardiologist and an internal medicine specialist. This ensures all athletes are clear of any obvious preexisting conditions that could compromise their ability to compete.
In addition to coats, you’ll notice some of the dogs running with subtler protection: a strip of fur or fleece, typically a coyote tail, hanging around the bottom part of their waists. These garments go by many names—pecker protectors, male wraps, sheath covers, or simply “tails”—and serve to protect male dogs’ un-furry bits from the cold, particularly if there’s a female in heat around who’s apt to get them excited. In this case, real fur serves an important purpose; it cuts wind and sheds urine and ice. Think of it as a ruff for a crotch.
As the top mushers in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race pass the halfway point, readers have been submitting their questions about the race. Here’s a selection of questions, answered by musher and writer Blair Braverman, an ADN Iditarod correspondent this year who ran the race as a rookie in 2019.
Laura Neese arrives in Takotna on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Most mushers carry enough food to get the team to the next checkpoint, plus spare snacks and meals in case they get caught out on the trail, and then replenish supplies from the drop bags they’ve sent ahead to each checkpoint. What do they pack for dog food? In a word: variety. Sure, mushers bring the usual beef, beef blend, chicken thighs, chicken fat, salmon, sheefish, multiple kinds of kibble and so on — and often all of the above, because different meats provide optimum nutrition and palatability under different conditions (fish for warm days; fatty beef for cold). But under such intense activity, sled dogs can’t afford to skip a single meal — and so, even if a musher imposes a strict you’ll-eat-what’s-for-dinner policy the rest of the year, you’ll see them bending over backwards to give dogs what they want during the race. Don’t be surprised to see bacon, pork chops, steak or other treats on the trail — or even mushers sharing their human food with particularly picky eaters.ADVERTISMENT
Blair Braverman completed her rookie Iditarod in 2019, and will be contributing stories to the Daily News during the 2020 race. She is the author of “Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube” (Ecco/HarperCollins, 2016).