Junior Page
Dog Sleds
After you have worked with your dogs on lead, you will want to go for a ride. You can begin to train your dog using a specially made hookup for your bicycle. Look for ads in sled dog club newsletters for a used sled or rig. Consider what size it is compared with your height and the size of your team. A full adult sized freight sled is not what you want. Shown below is a drawing of a sled which shows all the parts. Click on a part to learn what the part is used for.
Modern sleds are usually made from White Ash or sometimes Birch or Oak wood. Sled sizes range from ultralight sprint racing sleds that weigh about 20 pounds to freight sleds that can weigh over a hundred pounds. These sleds are all built along the same lines, all have the same parts, but the larger sleds will usually have heavier and more parts to support the loads they must carry. Besides the parts shown in the picture, sleds will carry a snow hook, sled bag and bridle. The snow hook is used to hold the team while the driver is off the sled. It is a double or triple pronged hook which is tied to the sled bridle and can be "kicked" into the snow to keep the dogs from running away. The sled bag can be used to carry picnic supplies or a tired dog. The bridle is the rope and bungie system that connects the sled to the dog team gangline.
The drive bow is like the steering wheel of a car. It is used to steer the sled. Sleds are usually built with drive bow at the correct height for the driver. Some drivers like the drive bow lower while others like their's real high.
The brake is shaped like a claw or hawk's talon. It is used to slow or stop your team when you push it into the ice or snow with your foot. Older style brakes had two or three small claws close together. The newer style brakes are known as bar brakes and have two bars spaced far apart and close to the runners. These newer bar brakes work better.
The footboards are the places where the sled driver puts his feet. These are usually made from a material which will provide traction when covered with snow. People have used artificial turf, pieces of bicycle tire, specially grooved plastic and carpet protectors. Whatever material is used, it is usually slightly wider than the runner to provide extra surface.
The sled basket is used to carry things. It can be used to carry a tired dog in a sled bag on a sprint sled, or to carry hundreds of pounds of goods on a freight sled. The basket is usually made of narrow slats with a space between each to reduce weight and allow snow to fall through. The baskets on lightweight sprint sleds aren't very strong. They will certainly carry a 60 pound dog with ease but many won't stand much abuse beyond that.
The runners are narrow strips of wood that the sled rides on. They are usually 1 1/4 to 2 inches wide and are curved upward at the forward end. This curve allows the sled to ride over bumps and potholes in the trail. Modern sled runners are covered with removable plastic runner shoes which can be changed for different conditions ,or when worn. Runner length varies from 7 to 8 feet on a sprint sled to over 10 feet on some freight sleds. Some high tech dogsleds now use aluminum or composite carbon fiber and wood runners
The brushbow is like the bumper on a car. It protects the sled from crashing into trees and other obstacles on the trail. A brushbow is required on a sled at all ISDRA sanctioned races.