Sled Dogs in the History of the Interior

Dog traction has probably existed for at least a thousand years, and dog teams were already in widespread use by native Alaskans when the earliest European and American travelers reached the North. As Alaska was explored and settled, dog team transportation grew in importance and was commonly used until the 1930s to carry mail and freight among widely dispersed towns, villages, and gold camps. Native and non-native explorers, trappers, traders, gold miners, clergymen, law officials, the military, and later racers all used dog teams. As sled dog racing evolved, breeding, training, and care also advanced, and the Alaskan Husky became the breed favored by racers after developing over time from several breeds selected for speed, endurance, toughness, and the quality mushers call drive. Though its background includes wolf, Malamute, Siberian Husky, Indian village dog, and other canids, the Alaskan Husky is presented as a home-grown product of Alaska. From 1927 to the present, Fairbanks has hosted major sled dog races that earned it the title Sled Dog Racing Capital of the World. Its Open North American Championship, the oldest continuously run event in the sport, consists of 3 days and 70 miles of top sprint racing and annually attracts thousands of spectators and participants from Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48. Since 1984, Fairbanks has also co-hosted the Yukon Quest, a 1,000 mile endurance race following gold rush trails between Fairbanks, Circle, Dawson, and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. From their early role as part wolf and fellow hunter to their modern status as carefully bred, trained, and well nourished athletes, sled dogs and the Alaskan Husky have been central to the Interior's history and development.

Farmers Loop, Alaska · United States