Dog'ged Juniors

I've been interested in operating my own sled dog team since I was a little kid. I'm 17 now. I've been in love with dogs ever since I can remember, I haven't lived a day without one, I've been training dogs since I was 7 years old, and have competed in countless different dog sports.

But I have one problem, I can't find anyone in Western New York that has experience with mushing or sled dogs. With such an intense sport, I don't trust trial-and-error training. It was in my internet search to find someone, that I found this site, and I was hoping someone could give me some tips.

Anyone that I could talk to one on one to give me some serious training suggestions?

Know any good books that could help me out?

Know any breeders I could talk to?

I tried getting a hold of the Siberian Husky Club of the Niagara Frontier.. but I've yet to have any luck with that. I appreciate absolutely any help that anyone can offer.

Hello! Welcome to the sled dog world!   I ,only being in sleds dogs my self for 3 years, cannot offer you very much information but there is one book that has helped me out a lot when I first got into it and it is called "Mush!"  a beginners guide to sled dog training"  I am not exactly sure of where you could find it where you live but I got it from Black Ice dogsledding equipment. They have a website that you can go to and find what you might need to start you off in the sled dog world.

http://www.blackicedogsledding.com

Glad to hear someone from the East Coast getting starting in mushing! I started out in northeastern Pennsylvania with one (and later on, ten) border collies. There are plenty of mushers around up there -- you just have to know where to look in order to find them. :-)

http://www.pennsleddogclub.com/

http://senecasiberianhuskyclub.org/

http://www.canadian-americansledders.com/

http://www.jssdra.com/index.html

There are also some mentor listings from NY here:

http://www.sleddogcentral.com/beginners/mentor_list_usa_ny.htm

Hope that helps, and if you need more information or contacts, just let me know! Also, if a mentor doesn't work out, I'd be happy to help you get started on your own. Do you have any dogs? Good luck!

I'm not very helpful on sledding, except that I know there's usually a race up at Lake Placid every year. However! Have you done any AKC stuff? I'm in central New York and am wondering if we might have run into each other somewhere.

Well, I was going to post a link to the SDC mentor list, but Sarah already covered it. Poke around some more there on Sled Dog Central, and join the forums over there. I know there is a lot of mushers in New York and New England, and it really is a matter of how far are you willing to drive to meet up with some one.

As for training, best advice I can give is get to know other mushers and train with them. You can learn on your own, but really, you (and your dogs) can learn so fast working with and watching other people.

We are a pretty knowledgeable group here, so feel free to ask anything!

Willow Run - thanks for the link, I fished around on there a little last night. I'm definitely going to buy some books and look around more when I have better free time.

Sarah - if I had ten border collies I would probably be in heaven. I have 4 dogs currently, one Australian Shepherd and three American Cocker Spaniels. thank you very much for the links, i'll definitely let you know what I find.

KateFTQ - yes, I'm quite involved with the AKC! The furthest out I've gone, for the most part, is to Syracuse and that was for 4-H at State Fair. have you ever shown at Henrietta or Romulous?

Megan - thank you. we've got about 2 and a half to 3 feet of snow right now, I thought that might make my search a little easier, but boy was I wrong.

I did some harness and very light pull work with my Aussie a few months ago, I'm thinking about hitching her to my little plastic sled and see what she does, if anything.

Yup - I was at Wine Country one day this year showing Queezle, my Terv, and we've gone to some of the DOTCORNY shows. This was the first year I didn't go to the Fair for 4H. PM me if you're going to be at Hamburg/Nickel City Cluster next weekend - maybe we can meet up!

Starstruck,

How are things going with mushing?? Did you find a mentor??