Sled Dogs

 One of the most enjoyable excursions on this Alaska trip was visiting the home of Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team, where we got a ride with sled dogs pulling our cart.  These sled dogs have been bred to race!  When they think their handlers are getting ready to hitch them up, the baying is deafening. 

 The dogs have been specially bred for generations.  Each racing family makes different breeding decisions.  Most are specialized working mix-breeds rather than a single purebred type. Mushers breed them for speed, stamina, and work ethic rather than looks. 

A sled in an Iditarod race is pulled by 12 to 16 sled dogs.  Our cart was pulled by 12 dogs.

And they're off!  It was fascinating and fun to sit behind them and admire their strength and teamwork.

The Seavey's grandfather, father, three brothers and now grandsons have all raced in the 1,000 mile Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome, on the Bering Sea.  There are cups and trophies all around their campus.  This is the grand prize trophy for winning the 2017 Iditarod race.