👀 Can Your Dog Handle the Toughest Race on Earth?

Alaska’s 1,000 mile dog race is causing a debate.

It’s one thing to drive 1,000 miles. it’s another to run 1,000 miles…

…and it’s another feat entirely to accomplish that in Alaska’a harsh conditions.

The second half-century for the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, is getting off to a rough start.

Only 33 mushers participated in the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, the smallest field ever to take their dog teams nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) over Alaska’s unforgiving wilderness. This year’s lineup is smaller even than that of the 34 mushers who lined up for the very first race in 1973.

They’ve been doing this for 50 fluffin’ years?!

Yep… and it’s in jeopardy. The small pool of mushers is raising concerns about the future of an iconic race that has taken hits from the pandemic, climate change, inflation and the loss of deep-pocketed sponsors, just as multiple big-name mushing champions are retiring with few to take their place.

The largest field ever was 96 mushers in 2008; the average number of mushers starting the race over the last 50 years was 63.

“It’s a little scary when you look at it that way,” said four-time winner Martin Buser, 64, who retired after completing his 39th race last year. “Hopefully it’s not a state of the event and ... it’s just a temporary lull.”

The Iditarod is the most prestigious sled dog race in the world, taking competitors over two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and treacherous Bering Sea ice in frigid temperatures before ending in the old Gold Rush town of Nome (course map below).

The roughly 10-day event begins with a “ceremonial start” in Anchorage on Saturday, followed by the competitive start in Willow, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) to the north, on Sunday.

Is this an everyone thing? Or an Alaskan thing?

It’s most certainly a point of pride for Alaskans, and the race’s reputation has generated international intrigue over the past 50 years.

This year, a legendary musher shot and killed a moose shortly after the start of the race after the moose injured one of his dogs, so this race isn’t for any pedestrian rider.

It also isn’t for a lot of dog lovers…

…the event stirs up plenty of controversy. Opponents of the Iditarod contend the race is nothing less than abuse, that the dogs are driven to exhaustion, forced to perform in the face of severe frostbite, broken bones, pneumonia, and dehydration.

Supporters of the Iditarod argue these dogs are among the happiest and most cared for animals in the world, basking in the opportunity to do what they were born to do.

The race also commemorates the Great Race of Mercy when Balto, Togo, and other sled dogs raced to bring medicine to Nome during a diphtheria outbreak in 1925.

From agility competitions to kennel club shows to rodeos to the running of the bulls, each event can be plotted at a point on a spectrum of how damaging or enjoyable it can be for the animals involved. Where the Iditarod falls is up for interpretation.

Proponents say the sled dogs are bred not just to run, but to race. Is it safe to assume their genetic makeup allows for them to run 15 miles a day? Marathons? The Iditarod is about the equivalent of 38 back-to-back marathons: almost 1,000 miles in ten days.

At the time of this post, the course is still active and a winner hasn’t been announced. You can view updated standings here.

In the meantime, hold your breath and say a prayer for these canine gladiators.

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

• 🔒 The best home security likely involves NOT owning one of the most stolen breeds.

• 🚗 DoorDasher drops off food at an animal shelter, and he ends up getting a dog for his daughter.

• 💦 Are dog parks old news? Welcome to the nation’s first indoor dog water park!

• ✂️ The “Agents of Snip”? This group from Oregon spays, neuters over 900 pets in Mexican city.

• 🦖 This dog was out for a walk and stumbled upon a 70 million year old dinosaur fossil… no big deal.

• 🚀 This “family dog” just spent 5 years in zero gravity on its way to SpaceX’s space station.

• 🏈 NFL star wide receiver is claiming he didn’t injure this Instagram model… “she tripped over a dog!”

• 🧥 Ok ok ok… does your pet really need a coat? Let’s settle the debate.

• 📸 Your dog photos will soon be able to turn into 3D models!

Today’s Last Laugh:

We’re in for starting our “mullet era”…

@thevoicevendor

#mullet #yorkie #dogmullet