Sled Dogs Research Articles

An ethnographic framework for identifying dog sledding in the archaeological record

For at least 9000 years dogs have been pulling sleds across the Arctic, facilitating subsistence strategies and migrations. Despite the enduring presence of dogs in the Arctic there is an absence of comprehensive studies of the material culture associate with dog sledding, including the diverse technical elements needed for the activity. This study proposes a framework for the recognition of reliable archaeological indicators of dog sledding. The outcome is based on comparisons between ethnographic information of the dog traction technology and archaeological sites from the Arctic regions of Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland using multivariate analysis. These sites were selected as case studies to encompass the breadth of geographical and Inuit cultural diversity where dog sledding traditionally has been practiced. We argue, that by using this framework it is possible to study dog sledding in the Arctic prior to the Thule Inuit period and gain more knowledge about the origin of the practice. By combining sources from ethnography, history and archaeology, our framework identified items involved in dog sledding that were universal to the practice as well as items that were regionally specific. However, the most reliable evidence for dog sledding is the presence of both sled parts, dog bones and equipment for harnessing the dogs.

"Dogs on Call": A Community-Engaged Human Subjects Training with Hospital Based Therapy Dog Teams.

Problem: As community-engaged research (CER) methods evolve, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) must adapt policies to facilitate CER research. This paper describes a novel collaboration between hospital-based therapy dog volunteer teams (CERs), academic faculty, and an IRB. Subjects: CER volunteers delivered a canine-assisted intervention to hospitalized adults in a clinical trial. Methods: IRB members and faculty developed a human subjects protections training tailored to the volunteer handlers' role as study interventionists including an interactive video- and discussion-based training with a knowledge assessment. Findings: Fourteen volunteer handlers were trained. The expedited IRB review period was similar to national average rates (18 days.) Volunteer handlers have conducted 107 research visits with little patient attrition. Conclusion: Tailored human subjects trainings facilitate research with interventions delivered by people who are not typically involved in research. Bespoke CER human subjects training requires collaboration between researchers and IRBs and flexibility in IRB policy regarding CER.

Self-affirmation in sled dogs? Affordances, perceptual agency, and extreme sport

ABSTRACT We argue that extreme endurance sport can be valuable for some nonhuman animals. To make the case, we focus specifically on dogsled racing. We argue that, given certain views about the nature of self-affirmation, perceptual agency, and affordances, sled dogs are capable of realizing significant value through extreme endurance running. Because our focus is on the axiological question of the nature of the value of the sport for its participants, we do not claim that extreme dogsledding is ethical; indeed, we acknowledge the morally objectionable aspects of the practice in its current form. Still, we offer our argument as a critical step in providing an adequate moral justification for a reformed model of dogsled racing. If it is permissible, that is likely because it offers some significant benefits to sled dogs. Given some assumptions about sled dogs’ capacity to be guided by both internal and external affordances, those benefits include self-affirmation.

Jingle Bells: How Do Bells Affect the Wellbeing, Safety, and Identity of Guide Dog Teams?

Abstract Some visually impaired individuals will attach a small bell to their guide dog’s collar to locate them acoustically, yet existing literature on this topic is lacking. This paper analyzes how bells can affect the wellbeing, welfare, and safety of guide dog teams. The ways in which bells alter personal, social, and collective identities are also explored. Results are based on autoethnographic data from the researcher’s six years as a professional guide dog mobility instructor and 12 anonymous online survey responses from participants who have lived with a guide dog. This paper concludes that although bells can offer benefits, they are not a solution for all guide dog teams. Alternatives such as collar tags, GPS devices, walking with sighted volunteers, or training guide dogs to nudge their human partner’s hand when called are addressed.

Skijoring as a way to develop physical endurance in humans and dogs

Relevance. Everyone knows that you need to maintain your health and good physical shape. But few people know that you can exercise together with your dog. Skijoring appeared in Norway at the end of the 18th century. Initially, skiing with a dog was used as a way of transportation, as well as for training the leader of the dog team. The first competition took place in Alaska at the beginning of the 20th century. Competitions have been held in Russia since the 1990s. But before that, this sport was developed in the USSR as a military-applied discipline and was called «towing a skier with a dog». Now, as in the USSR, it is developed in domestic dog breeding. The dog and the guide, as the dog trainer is called, must overcome a certain distance with boundaries for target shooting. In fact, this is a biathlon, but only with dogs. Currently,skidjoring is widespread in the world, World, European and Russian championships are held every year. The purpose of the study is to reveal a little-known, but very interesting and useful topic - playing sports with a dog. Methods and organization of research. Sports with a dog is an opportunity to spend free time with fun and, most importantly, with benefit and to improve the physical shape of not only a pet, but also a person.In skidjoring, as in skiing, athletes use skating and classic ski moves. They alternate depending on the segment of the route. Skating in contrast to the classic course requires a special rolled track. It was also noticed that the technique of skiing in skidjoring is noticeably different from the technique in skiing. In the skidjo ring, additional coordination is required from a person, since the body receives an additional load from the pulling dog. Conclusions. Skidjoring classes should begin with overcoming smooth straight segments and gradually increase the speed and complexity of the route. Thanks to skidjoring, not only a dog, but also a person will improve their endurance. Also, thanks to this sport, they will be able to improve their relationship with each other.

Skijoring as a way to develop physical endurance in humans and dogs

Relevance. Everyone knows that you need to maintain your health and good physical shape. But few people know that you can exercise together with your dog. Skijoring appeared in Norway at the end of the 18th century. Initially, skiing with a dog was used as a way of transportation, as well as for training the leader of the dog team. The first competition took place in Alaska at the beginning of the 20th century. Competitions have been held in Russia since the 1990s. But before that, this sport was developed in the USSR as a military-applied discipline and was called «towing a skier with a dog». Now, as in the USSR, it is developed in domestic dog breeding. The dog and the guide, as the dog trainer is called, must overcome a certain distance with boundaries for target shooting. In fact, this is a biathlon, but only with dogs. Currently,skidjoring is widespread in the world, World, European and Russian championships are held every year. The purpose of the study is to reveal a little-known, but very interesting and useful topic - playing sports with a dog. Methods and organization of research. Sports with a dog is an opportunity to spend free time with fun and, most importantly, with benefit and to improve the physical shape of not only a pet, but also a person.In skidjoring, as in skiing, athletes use skating and classic ski moves. They alternate depending on the segment of the route. Skating in contrast to the classic course requires a special rolled track. It was also noticed that the technique of skiing in skidjoring is noticeably different from the technique in skiing. In the skidjo ring, additional coordination is required from a person, since the body receives an additional load from the pulling dog. Conclusions. Skidjoring classes should begin with overcoming smooth straight segments and gradually increase the speed and complexity of the route. Thanks to skidjoring, not only a dog, but also a person will improve their endurance. Also, thanks to this sport, they will be able to improve their relationship with each other.

The Stone Age Sannikov Land: human dimensions

The New Siberian Islands are one of the most remote and hardly accessible regions of the Russian Arctic. Due to that, their discovery and initial study took about 300 years. For dozens of thousand years during the Late Pleistocene, this area was a part of drained arctic shelf, a part of which still existed around 9000 years ago. In certain sense, it was the Sannikov Land of the Stone Age. In 1914, the Zhokhov Island became the last one to be discovered out of large islands of the archipelago. Fifty years afterwards, archaeological material was found on it. The Zhokhov site, studied in 1989–1990 and 2000–2005, is one of the northernmost archaeological sites in the world. Human activity at the Zhokhov site falls within the interval 8300–7750 14C years ago, with the most intense occupation spanning 8050–7900 14C BP, that is, roughly CA 9000 calendar years ago. Excavations yielded a unique collection that includes lithic material presenting microprismatic technology, polished stone tools, a variety of artefacts made of non-durable materials (diverse osseous material and wood), including hunting equipment, home utensils, basketry and birch bark products, as well as sled parts. Excavations yielded a large number of animal bone remains, almost exclusively belonging to the reindeer and polar bear. It is shown that in the reconstructed annual economic cycle of the Zhokhov dwellers in winter, the most important role was played by polar bear hunting. Mass procurement of this dangerous animal for food is a unique hunting specialization, while mass accumulation of his bone remains can not be taken as an evidence for the bear cult. It is shown, that the Zhokhov hunters widely used dog sleds and thus the land transportation system was the most important innovation of the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The Zhokhov site environments of 9000 years ago were quite comfortable for the Arctic regions. Open landscapes were the most important feature of their habitat providing unlimited opportunities for traveling across the region, especially in winter and spring and thus provided conditions for effective movement of people goods, and genes including long-distance transport.

Trained dogs can accurately discriminate between scents of saliva samples from dogs with cancer versus healthy controls.

To determine whether dogs can be trained to utilize olfaction to differentiate between saliva samples from dogs with cancer and those from healthy control dogs. Canine patient saliva samples were collected (October 2020 to July 2022) from 139 dogs diagnosed with malignant tumors and from 161 healthy dogs (control samples) for use during training and testing of the dog detection team. Samples from canine patients were collected prior to treatment with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Six pet dogs (mean ± SD age, 5.4 ± 1.9 years) were trained for odor discrimination between healthy control and malignant tumor samples. Training of the dogs, using a reward-based positive reinforcement method, took place 1 to 3 times per week for a period of 6 months (January to June 2022). After training was complete, a subset of samples not utilized during the training sessions were selected for use during odor discrimination testing of the dog team. The trained dogs could accurately distinguish between samples from cancer patients versus control dogs with a mean sensitivity of 90% and mean specificity of 98%, and with mean positive and negative predictive values of 95%. This study serves as preliminary evidence that dogs can be trained to detect differences in scent between saliva samples from cancer and normal patients. Further studies should expand upon these results with a larger sample, varied tumor types, use of non-cancer diseases as controls, and exploration of this technique in feline patients.

Conditioning-induced expression of novel glucose transporters in canine skeletal muscle homogenate.

Athletic conditioning can increase the capacity for insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose uptake through increased sarcolemmal expression of GLUT4 and potentially additional novel glucose transporters. We used a canine model that has previously demonstrated conditioning-induced increases in basal, insulin- and contraction-stimulated glucose uptake to identify whether expression of glucose transporters other than GLUT4 was upregulated by athletic conditioning. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 12 adult Alaskan Husky racing sled dogs before and after a full season of conditioning and racing, and homogenates from those biopsies were assayed for expression of GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4, GLUT6, GLUT8, and GLUT12 using western blots. Athletic conditioning resulted in a 1.31 ± 0.70 fold increase in GLUT1 (p <0.0001), 1.80 ± 1.99 fold increase in GLUT4 (p = 0.005), and 2.46 ± 2.39 fold increase in GLUT12 (p = 0.002). The increased expression of GLUT1 helps explain the previous findings of conditioning-induced increases in basal glucose clearance in this model, and the increase in GLUT12 provides an alternative mechanism for insulin- and contraction-mediated glucose uptake and likely contributes to the substantial conditioning-induced increases in insulin sensitivity in highly trained athletic dogs. Furthermore, these results suggest that athletic dogs can serve as a valuable resource for the study of alternative glucose transport mechanisms in higher mammals.

Political Corporate Social Responsibility in Small Tourism Business: The Case of a Finnish Sled Dog Kennel

Political Corporate Social Responsibility in Small Tourism Business: The Case of a Finnish Sled Dog Kennel

Ocular and Superficial Body Thermographic Findings in Sled Dogs before and after Competition

Competitions involving sled dogs are rapidly growing and body temperature assessment could represent a prompt and non-invasive method of screening for potential pathological conditions during or after activity. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate if thermography is able to monitor the pre- and post-competition ocular and superficial body temperature variations during a sled dog competition. It subsequently compared the data relating to the ocular temperatures in different race types: mid-distance (30 km) and sprint (≤16 km). Results showed a statistically significant increase in post-competition ocular temperature of both eyes, regardless of the length of the race. The relative increase in the temperatures of the other body surfaces was lower than the expected values, probably due to the influence of environmental and subjective factors such as the type of coat of the Siberian Husky or subcutaneous fat. Infrared thermography has therefore proved to be useful method in sled dog competition conditions for screening superficial temperature variations, as the investigation is normally conducted in an external environment and often in demanding work conditions.

Wolf-dogs in Greenland. Interbreeding of Greenland Sled Dogs and Arctic Wolves (Research Note)

This study explores the purposeful interbreeding of Greenland sled dogs and Arctic wolves in Avanersuaq, North Greenland. The paper is based on qualitative data gathered during extensive interviews using North Greenlandic/Polar Inuit dialects and Kalaallisut in North and West Greenland and from relevant literature on the relationships between dog sled driver, sled dog, and Arctic wolf, including genetic studies of Greenland sled dogs. The intent of the study is to understand the human practice of interbreeding sled dogs and wolves in Greenland. Among Greenlanders, it is widely believed that the Greenland sled dog and the Arctic wolf once mated and have had offspring, and that these hybrids have been transformed into Greenland sled dogs. Somehow, today’s storytelling of the wolf-dog is taking the shape of a myth. The question remains: If it did happen, how did it begin and how did it end, and what is the truth behind the story? We thus take a qualitative approach to investigating this phenomenon of the interbreeding of Greenland sled dogs and Arctic wolves. Results show that the Arctic wolf and the Greenland sled dog have indeed crossed paths and have been purposefully interbred, which has resulted in documented cases of wolf-dogs in the sled dog communities of North Greenland.

Blood parameters and hormonal status of sled dogs Siberian husky breed before and after racing

The investigation of the physiological characteristics of sled dogs of Siberian husky breed seems relevant, since dogs of this breed recently play an important role for animal husbandry in the Far North in Russia. Blood samples have been taken before the racing and immediately after it. The study of hormones in the blood of Siberian husky sled dogs before and after the racing showed that the testosterone level dropped sharply after the racing by 7.6 times, which can be explained by the significant energy consumption of the dog's body during the racing. At the same time, cortisol as a hormone that protects the body from stress, regulates blood pressure, participates in the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, has significantly increased by 3.6 times (P&lt;0.05), which indicated the activation of the body's protective systems during the period of exposure to stress. The content of estradiol had not undergone significant changes. The exertion affected the content of red blood cells their decrease occurred (by 7.3%), a similar dynamics in hemoglobin level was observed. It was found as the result of biochemical blood tests that the creatinine level after racing increased by 4.6 mmol/l. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase decreased by 31.5 and 30.8 units/l, respectively. The content of lactate dehydrogenase increased by 31.3 units/l. The level glucose in the blood of sled dogs after racing decreased from 5.0 to 4.5 mmol/l, which was quite understandable by the significant energy consumption of dogs during the racing. The decrease in the content of total protein and its albumin fraction during the racing by 6.0 and 2.5 g/l, respectively was found. Moreover, the decrease in albumin level was statistically significant at P&lt;0.05. As the result of the racing the level of creatine phosphokinase increased by 24.3 units /l, and the content of triglycerides decreased by 0.12 mmol/l.

A Sled Dog Model for Positive Health Effects of Weight Management and Exercise

Obesity is a significant risk factor for metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. Physical activity and/or dietary modification can reduce the incidence of obesity. Marginal fitness levels limit the efficacy of exercise training, and most humans choose from a wide range of dietary strategies to lose weight. Despite these limitations, exercise in the absence of weight loss may offer protective benefits against the development of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. To examine the benefits of exercise training with and without weight loss, we measured changes in metabolic indices in conjunction with moderate body weight gain, exercise training with no intended change in body weight, and exercise training with bodyweight reduction in a healthy canine model. We measured glucose transporter type 4 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells, plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6, and insulin levels before, during, and after weight gain, exercise, and weight loss. Weight gain increased plasma glucose, while exercise increased glucose transporter by 4% in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We also observed changes to plasma glucose, glucose transporter 4, and tumor necrosis factor-α which may be indicative of reduced insulin sensitivity with exercise and weight loss, potentially due to the high energy demand coupled with low caloric availability.

Multi‐locus DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonality of foraging ecology of western spotted skunks in the Pacific Northwest

AbstractThere are increasing concerns about the declining population trends of small mammalian carnivores around the world. Their conservation and management are often challenging due to limited knowledge about their ecology and natural history. To address one of these deficiencies for western spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis), we investigated their diet in the Oregon Cascades of the Pacific Northwest during 2017–2019. We collected 130 spotted skunk scats opportunistically and with detection dog teams and identified prey items using DNA metabarcoding and mechanical sorting. Western spotted skunk diet consisted of invertebrates, such as wasps, millipedes, and gastropods; vertebrates, such as small mammals, amphibians, and birds; and plants, such as Gaultheria, Rubus, and Vaccinium. Diet also consisted of items, such as black‐tailed deer, that were likely scavenged. Comparison in diet by season revealed that spotted skunks consumed more insects during the dry season (June–August), particularly wasps (75% of scats in the dry season), and marginally more mammals during the wet season (September–May). We observed a similar diet in areas with no record of human disturbance and areas with a history of logging at most spatial scales, but scats collected in areas with older forest within a skunk's home range (1‐km buffer) were more likely to contain insects. Western spotted skunks provide food web linkages between aquatic, terrestrial, and arboreal systems and serve functional roles of seed dispersal and scavenging. Due to their diverse diet and prey switching, western spotted skunks may dampen the effects of irruptions of prey, such as wasps, during dry springs and summers. By studying the natural history of western spotted skunks in the Pacific Northwest forests, while they are still abundant, we provide key information necessary to achieve the conservation goal of keeping this common species common.

Indigenous Knowledge: Revitalizing Everlasting Relationships between Alaska Natives and Sled Dogs to Promote Holistic Wellbeing.

Indigenous peoples have documented their culture's history in oral stories, revealing lessons about holistic relationships fostering perseverance. Despite vast differences in time, relationships and stories are equally important today. Athabascans retain their values, life skills, and wellness through cultural practices. Creating opportunities for youths to learn through reciprocal relationships increases wellness in Indigenous communities, highlighting the significance of community-developed programs that connect youths to their place and culture. Athabascan youths in rural Alaska get hands-on experience and Elder mentorship working with sled dogs in the Frank Attla Youth and Sled Dog Care-Mushing Program (FAYSDP). Through a community-based participatory research partnership with the community of Huslia and Jimmy Huntington School, we examined how FAYSDP affects youths, and how relationships within culture and land promote wellbeing. Fifteen middle and high-school youths shared their perspectives on how FAYSDP impacts them and their community using photovoice and digital storytelling. Nineteen adults contributed their perspectives in focus groups. We used emerging themes (inductive) and Athabascan cultural values and elements of social capital (deductive approaches) to analyze the qualitative data. Findings illustrate how FAYSDP promotes wellbeing by empowering youths to apply what they learn to generate their own knowledge, while centering communities around culturally significant practices such as dog mushing. It connects youths to their home and their cultural values, using dogs as the driving force to bridge generations and foster youth wellness. We discuss implications for community-based programs that engage Elders as teachers and the land as their classroom to promote youth holistic wellness.

Short-Term Efficacy of Capacitive-Resistive Electrical Transfer Therapy in Short-Haired Sled Dogs in Middle-Distance Competition.

Achieving the successful recovery of sled dogs is one of the key tasks for veterinary teams involved in clinical care for middle-distance sled dog competitions. This study compares the efficacy of capacitive-resistive electrical transfer (CRet) with that of massage in the treatment of lower back pain in 40 short-haired sled dogs during a medium-distance snow sled race (LekkarodTM-2021). The dogs were divided into two groups: a CRet group (20 dogs) and a massage group (20 dogs). All subjects received a single 18 min treatment session and were evaluated one hour after the end of the treatment. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed in which pre- and post-treatment pain measures were evaluated in relation to age and type of treatment. Older dogs were found to have higher significant pain scores before starting treatment. Both treatments reduce pain short-term in all cases. However, post-treatment pain values were significantly lower in dogs treated with CRet when compared to dogs treated with massage. The results show that capacitive-resistive electrical transfer has better short-term results and is beneficial in both younger and older dogs, making this technique attractive to veterinary teams working in canine sporting competitions.

Effect of multiday endurance exercise on total body water and calculated body composition in racing sled dogs

Prolonged multiday exercise in dogs is often associated with a caloric deficit that can lead to changes in body composition but may also result in an increase in lean body mass due to a conditioning effect. To test the hypothesis that multiday exercise decreases fat mass but increases lean body mass, body composition was measured using deuterium oxide dilution in a team of racing Alaskan sled dogs competing in a multiday race. Twelve dogs completed 961 km in 6 days, resulting in a 3% decrease in body mass (P=0.003) and 16% decrease in body fat (P=0.005), and an increase in total body water as a fraction of body mass (P=0.01). Within the study population, there was considerable dog-to-dog variation, with 2 dogs gaining fat mass and 2 dogs losing over 40% of their pre-race fat mass during the measurement period. These results confirm that dogs participating in multiday exercise events are at risk for loss of body fat reserve, likely due to a net calorie deficit. However, individual dog responses to an exercise challenge can be highly variable, emphasizing the need for careful assessment of individual dogs.

Serum myostatin decreases in exercising and aging Alaskan sled dogs, while growth and differentiation factor 15 remains unaltered.

To evaluate the serum concentrations of myostatin and growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in Alaskan Husky sled dogs participating in a 350-mile (560-km) race and in an older population, and to examine correlations between changes in serum concentrations and body condition scores (BCSs). Dogs were recruited from 3 teams of Alaskan Huskies participating in the Alaskan-Yukon Quest sled-dog race and retirees from a research sled-dog colony. Serum samples and BCSs were collected prior to racing, midway, and postrace; and in an older cohort (13 to 14 years). Myostatin and GDF-15 concentrations were assessed using commercially available ELISA kits. The median myostatin prerace concentration (9,519 pg/mL) was significantly greater than the mid- and postrace concentrations (7,709 pg/mL and 3,247 pg/mL, respectively). The prerace concentration was also significantly greater than that of the retired sled group dogs at 6,134 pg/mL. GDF-15 median serum concentrations did not change significantly across any racing time point (approx 350 pg/mL) or in the older cohort. No significant correlations were observed between changes in BCS and myostatin or GDF-15 concentrations. Serum myostatin decreases dramatically, yet no correlations to loss of BCS could be found. Myostatin signaling may be involved in maintaining hypertrophic signaling during intense exercise. Neither racing distance nor geriatric/retirement status appears to have an effect on serum GDF-15 concentration. Myostatin was less in the older, retired sled dogs compared to the younger racing cohort. Such differences highlight the roles that fitness level and age play regarding myostatin levels.

Animal-informed consent: sled dog tours as asymmetric agential events

Standing in the way of a stronger voice for animals used in tourism is Cartesian and contractarian thinking on the part of operators and ontologically and epistemically constructed barriers by theorists. This paper pushes the animal ethics agenda forward by developing a novel, first-of-its-kind animal-informed consent framework in tourism under the assumption that sled dogs do, in fact, consent or deny consent through their emotions, preferences, behaviours, and physical state. The Five Domains model of animal welfare focused on the subjective experiences of animals is used to build the framework. The discussion culminates with a discussion on asymmetric agency, which speaks to the lack of balance between human and animal agents working in the same events.