Alaskan Sled Dogs Tremendous Athletes
Iditarod Race Across Rugged Alaska Terrain Tests Canines
Jan 27, 2009
Sled dogs pull sleds through the rugged, wintry Alaskan terrain during the Iditarod, a race that covers 1100 miles over a period of several days. These hardy dogs are able to thrive in the frigid weather, have the strength and endurance to exercise several hours a day and tremendous aerobic capacity. Exactly how they do it is somewhat of a mystery.
Sled Dogs Extreme Athletes
Alaskan sled dogs are extreme athletes, with athletic endurance and strong aerobic capacity. Every March the Iditarod race in Alaska amazes the world as the teams of dogs pull sleds over an 1100-mile trek through rugged terrain over a nine or more day period. The world's longest sled race is an extreme sport that only the hardiest and most athletic dog can endure. Most sled dogs are Alaskan Huskies, which is not an AKC registered breed.
Racing over the rugged Alaskan terrain is an ultra endurance competition, with the sturdy dogs running through heavy blizzards, below freezing temperatures and winds that may be as high as 60 miles per hour.
The sled dogs have been found to have unique physiological attributes that have not been found in other species.
The mystery of the tough endurance of the sled dog has been the focus of a study by Dr. Michael Davis, a professor at the Oklahoma State University's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Dr. Davis' findings, titled "Metabolic Strategies for Sustained Endurance Exercise: Lessons from the Iditarod," were discussed as a presentation at the American Physiological Society's (APS) conference.
How They Do It - Qualities of Sled Dogs
Dr. Davis and his colleagues have studied the exercise physiology of sled dogs and have uncovered findings that partially explain the hardy endurance and speed of the athletic dogs.
- The sled dogs are able to rapidly adapt to exercise and endurance. These amazing canines are able to adapt to sustained strenuous exercise in 24 to 48 hours.
- Racing sled dogs have enormous aerobic capacity when they are fully conditioned.
- Racing sled dogs need a high fat diet to fuel exercise during periods of racing. A 55 pound sled dog consumes up to 12,000 kilocalories a day, the equivalent of 24 McDonald's Big Macs.
The mechanisms that make these canine athletes premiere in performance are still largely unknown.
.Dr. Davis theorizes that the dog's ultra-efficient energy production may involve the regulation of extremely thin membranes in the muscle fibers and changes in the cells. "These are one-of-a-kind athletes. What we learn from them will undoubtedly tell us a lot about human performance as well."
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