A team of six white, husky-type dogs

Mushing also means playing on a MUSH. MUSH (sometimes said to be an abbreviation for M ulti- U ser S hared H ack H abitat H olodeck or H allucination

Mushing also can be used to describe the kneading behavior of domestic cats when they are content or are preparing to settle for a nap. Kneading is an activity common to all domestic Cats {Fact|date=October 2008}} whereby when in a state of contentment they alternatively push out and pull in their front WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic

Mushing also means bringing in bad fortune for another, especially at poker. Poker is a type of Card game in which players bet on the value of the card combination (" hand " in their possession by placing a bet into

Mushing is a general term for a sport or transport method powered by dogs, and includes carting, pulka, scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carting is the Dog sport or activity of carting, in which a Dog (usually a large breed) pulls a cart filled with Supplies, such as A Pulka ( Swedish) / Pulk ( Norwegian) / Pulkka ( Finnish) from Sami language bulke, is a Scandinavian Dog scootering is a sport where one or more Dogs pull a human riding an unmotorized Kick scooter. Dogsled racing, more accurately referred to as Sleddog Racing is a winter dog sport involving the timed competition of teams of Sleddogs that pull a sled Skijoring is a Winter sport where a person on skis is pulled by a horse a dog(or dogs or a motor vehicle Freighting refers to the hauling of Cargo, historically using a Dog team to mush goods cross-country Weight pulling is a Dog sport involving a Dog pulling a Cart or Sled loaded with weight a short distance across grass carpet or snow More specifically, it implies the use of one or more dogs to pull a sled on snow. A sled, sledge or sleigh is a Vehicle with runners for sliding instead of wheels for rolling "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. The term is thought to come from the French word marche, or go, run, the command to the team to commence pulling. "Mush!" is rarely used in modern parlance, however; "Hike!" is more common in English. Mushing can be utilitarian, recreational, or competitive.

Mushing as a sport is practiced worldwide, but primarily in North America and northern Europe. Racing associations such as the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) and the International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) are working toward organizing the sport and in gaining Olympic recognition for mushing. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games It is the state sport of Alaska. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent

Although dogsled racing gets more publicity and is seen now as the primary form of mushing, recreational mushing thrives as an unorganized sport providing healthy outdoor form of winter exercise for families. Dogsled racing, more accurately referred to as Sleddog Racing is a winter dog sport involving the timed competition of teams of Sleddogs that pull a sled

Mushing for utilitarian purposes includes anything from hauling wood or delivering milk or the mail to rural travel and equipment hauling. Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of Transport from one location to another Dogs have been replaced by snowmobiles in many places, but some trappers and other isolated users have gone back to sled dogs, finding them safer and more dependable in extreme weather conditions. A snowmobile (known locally as snowmachine, snowsled or by the Brandname Ski-Doo) is a land vehicle that is commonly propelled by Trapper may refer to A person who engages in Animal trapping Coal trapper Trapper Keeper, a brand of loose-leaf binder Sled dogs, known also as sleightman dogs sledge dogs or sleddogs are types of Dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle

Equipment

Equipment used in mushing includes at least a dog sled, harnesses for the dogs, and tug lines. A dog sled is a Sled pulled by one or more Sled dogs used to travel over Ice and through Snow. A dog harness is piece of equipment for dogs generally similar to harness tack for Horses There are various designs depending on the type of use whether it be for Depending on the kind of hitch system used, a towline and necklines may also be used. Greenlandic hunters, for example, use a fan hitch, in which each dog has a separate tugline attached to the sled. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the The dogs spread out in a fan formation ahead of the sled as they run, and this gives them more room to maneuver over rough ice or other obstacles. Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia Fan hitches are used in areas where dogs may fall through leads or open water. A fan hitch allows only 1 dog to become immersed and thus prevents each dog from being dragged down. The dog that does fall into the lead is easily rescued. The fan hitch is used in treeless areas and over ice pack.

The gangline (or towline), a single line to which each dog is attached usually in pairs, keeps the dogs in parallel ahead of the sled, and is better for forested areas and / or narrow trails. The gangline is the setup used for almost all races today, such as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Open North American Championship, and mandatory for some races. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, usually just called the " Iditarod " is an annual Sled dog race in Alaska, where mushers Booties, small sock-like coverings for the dog's feet, are used where ice is sharp and granular or when the team is traveling a long distance, to protect the pads of the foot.

Type of dog

Dogs used for mushing depend on the particular application: freighting dogs tend to be large and sturdy, racing dogs light and speedy, with long legs. Breeds used for mushing include Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan huskies, Eurohounds, German Shorthaired Pointers, Greenland Dogs, Canadian Eskimo Dogs, Samoyeds, Chinooks, Seppala Siberian Sleddogs, Japanese Akitas, Pointers and miscellaneous crossbreeds. The Alaskan Malamute is a large breed of Domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) originally The Alaskan Husky is not so much a breed of Dog as it is a type or a category The Canadian Eskimo Dog is a larger breed of Arctic Dogs which are often considered to be North America ’s oldest and The Chinook is a rare dog breed of Sleddog type developed in the New England region of the United States in the early The Akita Inu or Japanese Akita Inu (Japanese Akita is a Breed of large Dog originating in Japan, named for Akita Prefecture, A crossbreed or crossbred usually refers to an animal with Purebred parents of two different breeds varieties or populations

Dog team members

Dog team members are given titles according to their position in the team relative to the sled. These include leaders or lead dogs, swing dogs, team dogs, and wheelers or wheel dogs.

Lead dogs steer the rest of the team and set the pace. Leaders may be single or double; the latter is more common now, though single leaders used to be more common during the mid-twentieth century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Exceptionally a leader may be unhitched (a loose or free leader) to find the trail for the rest of the team, but the practice is uncommon and is not allowed at races. Qualities for a good lead dog are intelligence, initiative, common sense, and the ability to find a trail in bad conditions.

Swing dogs or point dogs are directly behind the leader (one dog if the team is in single hitch). They swing the rest of the team behind them in turns or curves on the trail. (Some mushers use the term swing dog to denote a team dog. )

Team dogs are those between the wheelers and the swing dogs, and add power to the team. A small team may not have dogs in this position. Alternately, the term may be used to describe any dog in a dog team.

Wheel dogs are those nearest the sled, and a good wheeler must have a relatively calm temperament so as not to be startled by the sled moving just behind it. Strength, steadiness, and ability to help guide the sled around tight curves are qualities valued in "wheelers. "

See also

Frank Turner out of Dawson City. Yukon Quest 2005

• American Dog Derby
• Yukon Quest
• Femundløpet
• no:Finnmarksløpet - world's northernmost dog-sled race (Norwegian article)
• Carting for dryland mushing

External links

• Alaska Dog Mushers Association
• New Zealand Federation of Sled Dog Sports
• Canberra Sled Dog Club
• Mushing Magazine
• Photography of Mushing and Arctic Scenes
• No 1 Sleddog racing site - home of the British Mushers Association
• Mushing news & articles