#mushing

Did you know Denali National Park is the only NPS location to have a sled dog team? These adorable pups are loved on by volunteers and employees year-round but really put in the work during the winter season to assist with park projects that would otherwise not be possible (or take far, far longer to complete).

You can visit them yourself at the park, where kennel rangers are available to answer any questions you may have about their lifestyle. If you cannot make it up to Alaska, their website is informative as well!

Follow@laurenhursttt on Instagram for more National Park adventures and insight

darkwood-sleddog:

Firewalker Alaskan Malamutes, Alaska

Gerry Allen’s Malamute Ranch, Arizona

Kennel Back To Work, Sweden

Nordiclight Alaskan Malamutes, Quebec Canada

Joe Henderson Arctic Adventures, Alaska

Kennel Noatak, Sweden

Malamute Adventures, Australia

Kennel Cahppes, Sweden

Kimbear’s Alaskan Malamute’s, Germany

Klaus Berr, Austria

Sanita Viksne, Latvia

Black Summit Alaskan Malamutes, UK

Packice Alaskan Malamutes, UK

Snowlion Alaskan Malamutes, California

Winterstarz Alaskan Malamutes, Minnesota

#AUSTRALIA????#are they sledding on like… dirt there?

They are using a dryland mushing cart or an atv, both are popular vehicles for training sled dogs on dryland (without snow). These are best suited for larger teams, but many people also do dryland mushing with bikes and scooters!

(above, malamute dog team in Australia using a dryland mushing cart).

(above, alaskan husky team pulling small atv)

(above, Siberian Husky pulling bike in a bikejor race)

(above, two border collies pulling a kickbike (large kick propoelled scooter))

darkwood-sleddog:

The folks trying to diminish ANY of the Iditarod mushers accomplishments and ability to finish the race because “the dogs do all the work” have clearly never set foot on a dog sled and it shows. Mushing is intensely physical  and mental work not only for the dogs but for the mushers. Like lmao do you people really think you just stand there and hold on? Because you don’t.

Maybe idk. don’t diminish the work of athletes in a sport you understand nothing about.

akdogdriver:

Crossing the ice

Brent Sass’s team on the coast