Dog sledding is a tradition for Rhinelander family
Flying down a snowy trail with a pack of dogs leading the way has captivated Duncan McRae for more than 35 years. As a true blue “musher,” Duncan finds dog sled racing more than a thrill. “It’s a different sport,” he said. “You get addicted to it.”
This friendly and engaging musher got into dog sled racing after some friends encouraged him to give it a try. At that time Duncan’s son, Doug, was about 12 years old. “He expressed a lot of interest in racing the dogs, too,” said Duncan. “I knew it would be a great family activity to do together.”
Soon the McRae farm, located on the outskirts of Rhinelander, was home to several dog teams that the father-son duo took all over the Midwest in the winter months to race. In fact, Doug became an award winning musher many times over, winning top-dollar championship races in Alaska and Canada. He was even featured in a Smithsonian magazine edition in the mid-1980s. Today, the tradition continues in the McRae family, with Duncan’s grandson, Shane, caring for the family’s dog teams and competing all over the Midwest.
But the art of mushing is more than the thrill of racing down a snowy trail with a pack of dogs leading the way. This is a sport that takes commitment every month of the year and a knowledge of canine psychology that is paramount for success. It can also be dangerous, not only for humans, but the dogs as well. “You always have to keep the welfare of the dogs in mind,” said Duncan. “They come first.”
While Shane does most of the racing these days, the McRae farm remains the place where the sled dogs are housed, trained and nurtured. Siberian huskies are the primary breed of dog that is raced, but mushers aren’t beyond introducing other breeds into their programs. “Today, mushers in Canada are breeding [their dogs] with German shorthair pointers because those dogs can run and they are strong,” Duncan said. “Usually, no two dogs look alike. They’re different colors and sizes.”
Developing winning dog sled teams is a lot like developing an athletic team. For instance, different distance races require certain types of dogs. “Some races are marathons that require the dogs to run 50 miles or more,” said Duncan. “Then there are races that are more like sprints-maybe 10 or 15 miles. Your success at winning these races depends on the type of dog you have. Races that are marathons require a heavier dog that is strong and muscular. Shorter races require a dog that is quick and light on his feet.”
There are also different types of races. For instance, there are races requiring four dogs, six, eight, 10 or 12 racers. Each dog has their place in the lineup. The two dogs in the front are called the lead dogs. The two dogs on the back of the line are the wheel dogs. And the pair of dogs that are second in line are called the point dogs. “The dogs in the front are usually your most experienced dogs,” said Duncan. “The point dogs are usually the smartest of the bunch and it’s important to have good wheel dogs, too. They can make or break a team.”
Training these dogs takes lots of patience and time. The pups are introduced to the sport at a young age. “Dogs aren’t really developed until they are about two years old,” said Duncan. “But at about eight months, you start introducing them to the harness and equipment. Then you gradually condition them to build muscle.”
The McRaes train their dogs with respect and care. “You have to gain the respect of the dog if you want to have a winning team,” said Duncan. “You can’t train a dog using cruelty. That just makes them afraid of you and then they don’t want to please you.”
The McRaes don’t indiscriminately breed dogs, either. “We might have a litter of pups every two years,” he said. “A dog can race up until they are about eight or nine years old. We give most of our dogs that are finished racing away to families who are interested in having a team for their own enjoyment, and some dogs are given to people who are into skijoring.”
Like the true athletes they are, the McRae dogs get fed a top quality food. It is a special mixture made from raw chicken and turkey. And they love tripe. “You have to make sure they get fed a good food,” said Duncan. “They have to have a lot of nutrients to be able to train and run when they race.”
Another aspect of training dogs to race is getting them used to pulling a sled. For years sleds used in this sport were made from white birch and were lightweight. “Now they have developed sleds made from aluminum which can be bolted together,” said Duncan. “I prefer the old-time ones, though. That’s what I am used to.”
While racing a pack of dogs, to the outsider, looks like a great way to get through a snowy landscape, there is plenty of skill involved in being able to control the animals. After all, there are no reins used to steer a team and the only way the dogs know how to stop is when the musher applies the “brakes,” which is a hook that is thrown in the ground. “You learn pretty fast that the number one rule is never, ever let go of the sled,” said Duncan. “You can’t ever let the dogs get away. That’s when bad accidents can occur.”
One time Duncan did have the unfortunate experience of his dogs getting away from him. “Once, I hit something under the snow and I was thrown off my sled,” he said. “I was lucky and someone ahead of me caught the team. They are hard to catch, though. They’ll run right over you if they have a mind to.”
The dogs get the summer off but in October, training for the winter months begins when the weather cools. Then mushers go from lightweight sleds to tying their dog teams to ATVs to train, traversing trails in the woods. “You have to condition the dogs just like you would a runner,” Duncan said. “They need to get their muscles built up before they race or they’re not going to perform, or worse, they will injure themselves.”
In recent years, the sport of dog sledding has felt the effects of low snow winters. “In a lot of ways, I really think it is a dying sport, not only because of the weather but also because it doesn’t draw the sponsorships like it used to,” said Duncan. “Years ago, you could at least break even if you won a few races. Dog food companies would sponsor events and there were first prizes that were up to $10,000. That’s kind of rare now, though. Also, the last few years it’s been really tough because of the lack of snow. Many races were cancelled in this area.”
Despite that, the McRaes remain enthusiastic about the sport and look forward to every season when they can hook up their dogs and go. And what makes a winning sled dog? “They have to have a lot of heart,” said Duncan. “They have to have a certain drive to race and they have to have the desire to please their trainer. That’s really the key.”
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