hat Kind Of Dogs Are Sled Dogs?
In books and movies like Call of the Wild, huge, vicious huskies pull sleds for hundreds of miles over the Alaskan tundra. A Moment of Science wonders, what kind of dogs are sled dogs?
Husky
Most champion sled dogs are not pure husky: in fact, the “Alaskan Husky” isn’t really a breed at all: it’s a mix of various breeds. Although not pure bred, every sled dog must be carefully bred for life on the trail.
The dogs need heavy coats to protect them from the cold, and tough feet to prevent injuries. Unlike the tough dogs in the movies, dogs with softer feet wear booties when they run.
Sled Dogs
The dogs also need compact bodies to maximize endurance. The sled dogs’ remarkable endurance is thanks to their large heart-to-body ratio, and their ability to carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, which is about three times that of a human being
On film, large dogs seem powerful, but their size decreases their ability to use oxygen efficiently. In competitive dog-sledding, dogs usually weigh less than 55 pounds and can comfortably trot over 70 miles a day.
Temperment
A sled dog also needs the right temperament. They must love running and be sociable and obedient. Like wild dogs, each team has a hierarchy, but the dogs struggle for position by taking aggressive or submissive postures such as squealing and rolling. Real dogfights are rare because the dogs are carefully introduced and trained before going out on the trail.
The careful crossing of northern dogs, like Malamutes, with southern breeds like Greyhounds produces dogs with the right stuff to be sled dogs.
雪橇狗是什麼品種？
在書裡或者在像《野性的呼喚》之類的電影裡，巨型凶猛的哈士奇在阿拉斯加的凍原上可馳騁數百英里。《科學一刻》欄目想知道，到底什麼樣的狗是雪橇狗呢？
哈士奇
大多數冠軍雪橇狗都不是純種哈士奇：事實上，所謂的“阿拉斯加哈士奇”根本就不是一個品種，而是由多個品種雜交而成。儘管並非純種，每條雪橇狗在其拉雪橇的生涯中都需精心餵養。
狗狗們需穿戴厚重的保暖服以免受寒，以及擁有強健的足部以防止受傷。與電影裡面強壯的狗狗不同， 足部柔軟的狗狗在奔跑時會穿上短靴。
雪橇狗
狗狗們需要結實的身軀以使自身耐力最大化。雪橇狗耐力持久，主要是因為它們的'心臟對比其身體而言相當之大，並且它們將肺部的氧氣供給給肌肉的能力是人類的三倍。
在電影裡，體型巨大的狗狗看起來很強壯，，而事實上它們的體型弱化了它們利用氧氣的能力。在雪橇狗競技當中，通常體重在55磅以下的狗狗每天能夠輕鬆地慢跑70英里。
性情
雪橇狗需性情溫和。他們必須熱愛奔跑，溫順友好。正如野狗一樣，每個狗群都有頭狗，但是狗狗們通過極具侵略性的長吠或者表達順從的滾地等動作來獲取位置。狗狗們混戰的機率較小，因為在進入雪橇隊之前他們就已經受到了良好的引導和訓練。
