What kind of dogs can be sled dogs? Most people think that only Huskies and Malmutes can pull sleds. Many dogs can be sled dogs... even Golden Retrievers!
It takes three things to pull a sled. The dog must have good training. The dog must love to run. The dog must be able to handle cold weather.
To train any dog, the trainer must find a way to help a dog do what he or she loves to do.
Sled dogs love to run. The trainer must find a way to help the dog do what the dog does best.
Sled dogs have special fur. They have a two coats. The second coat adds warmth in cold weather. Two coats of fur help sled dogs handle cold weather. Golden Retrievers have two coats of fur!
Dogs need one more thing to truly love sledding. They need a musher who loves them. When a dog (or a person!) feels loved, they want to do their best.
To learn more about a sled dog's life, Scholastic has information at http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/dogs_life/index.asp?article=dogs_life
Also, there's a coloring book about sled dogs. Go to http://leppro.com/portfolio/pdfs/source/MusherBook.pdf
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