Sled dog breeding

[res]

I might move to Canada when I get out of vet college

You are an American citizen, Canada is a foreign country. You really need to look into how long they are going to let you stay... And you will need a passport to get there.

What you *could* look at is gaining all the work experience possible as a vet *assistant* here in the Lower 48. Make yourself really stand out. Then keep an eye on the vet tech job market IN Alaska. Apply to every position. I can tell you that every clinic I worked at/with/talked to in Alaska will PAY for their assistants to become techs. They mentor you and help you through the courses and tests. There are no colleges in Alaska offering vet tech classes, so all the courses are outside a college, but you still end up a registered tech.

Oh, and pay wise? When I left Alaska, it was $25/hr for a tech position.

So you would kill 2 birds with one stone - you get to move to Alaska, AND you get free financial and educational assistance to become a registered tech.

 

[Half-Pint]

SternRose, one thing you HAVE to remember is that
YOU ARE NOT IN A NORTHERN STATE WITH A MARKET FOR SLED DOGS!!!

What you breed and produce NEEDS to meet a different standard than a working competitive sled dog in a northern state. Why? Because you are 99.9% likely to be selling to PET homes with no intention of mushing. Therefore, you SHOULD abide by the recommendations given by others in regards to standards and testing.

If you ever move to Alaska, by all means, breed willy nilly. Knock yourself out. There will be a market for low-quality sled dogs with hobby mushers, skijorers, youth mushers, etc. And then you can also learn the joys of culling if/when you produce something so crappy that no one wants it, or your dog yard gets over-run with litters you cannot afford to feed.

There is a lot of advice being given that you need to heed BECAUSE YOU ARE IN KANSAS. Absorb it, don't toss it away.

When did the OP ever state that she was hoping to breed dog to dog willy nilly? That is uncalled for. From what I can see/read, she has good intentions but needs more research and time to mull over the advice given. What is not going to help is you exploding because she isn't MEMORIZING EVERY SINGLE WORD. This was a thread made to help, not to attack people.

 

[res]

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/search/jjj?query=veterinary

Alaska Craigslist jobs search "veterinary"

And it is pretty consistent that there are this many positions available... Pretty high turnover rate at some clinics (cough, cough).

 

[res]

When did the OP ever state that she was hoping to breed dog to dog willy nilly? That is uncalled for. From what I can see/read, she has good intentions but needs more research and time to mull over the advice given. What is not going to help is you exploding because she isn't MEMORIZING EVERY SINGLE WORD. This was a thread made to help, not to attack people.

I think the OP has a lot of potential to be a knockout dog owner/breeder/competitor IF she listens to the advice she is given.

We are now on page 27 of this thread. OP is young. She has been getting lots of good advice, but lots of it isn't sinking in quite as deep as it needs to be. I stand by what I posted.

 

[SternRose]

There's just a lot of opinion on this thread I'm getting confused!! and there's a lot of arguing on her!

 

[Starfire669]

I've been to the Iditarod many, many times, as well as other Alaskan races, both sprint and distance. I've read every publication I can get my hands on about competitve dog sledding. Americano Blue *IS* right regarding Alaskan huskies and Sibes (in regards to being a competitive sled dog). Modern Sibes, and especially Mals, don't have a snowball's chance in Florida of being competitive in actual races.

"AKC standard" Sibes are good for a recreational sled dog, but there are a very few teams of Sibes that actually compete, even in the Iditarod. But they don't win. Their breed type is meant for long SLOW distance, not the fast distance of todays races. Sibes and Mals kick but for getting heavy sleds from point A to B if there isn't a time limit.

And Sibes in a sprint race? Not sure I have ever seen a team of Sibes in a sprint. They just are not built for it.

.

I do not keep up with modern sled dog racing, so I won't argue about what today's fastest sled dog breed is. But if you research the Siberian Husky you will discover that the man responsible for making them a big hit in the US, Leonard Seppala (not positive on spelling) was laughed at for buying small runty dogs. However his dogs won their races against the popular sled breeds of the times, and his dogs became the common ancestor/foundation stock of today's Siberian Huskies. He was also the owner of a lead dog that participated in the Serum Run that saved many children from diphtheria. I can't remember if his dog was Togo (who too the longest, most dangerous leg of the run), or Balto the dog that became famous for that run. But back in the day, the Siberians were the fastest sled dogs, but they also looked to weight about 10 pounds less than today's Siberians, so Sibes may have lost some of their competitive ability. But they are built for speed over long distance.

 

[SternRose]

It's cuz of the show dogs getting breed into the sled dogs.

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
if you don't check, how do you know that you've never had a problem? you don't. PERIOD. every BYB I know has "never" had a problem.

 

[Starfire669]

It's cuz of the show dogs getting breed into the sled dogs.

Umm no, the Siberian husky foundation stock came from actual working Siberians. the problem is people thinking a larger dog is better in harness. Leonard Seppala won because everyone though his runty 40-50 pound dogs couldn't do the job. But they were the perfect size, bred and kept by the Chuzki (once again wrong spelling) for generations before discovered and brought to the US. Our larger Siberians of today could not compete with the original Siberians imported by Seppala. Sad but true, even with guidelines designed to preserve a breed, changes crop in and are then written into the guidelines. Luckily Siberians are one of the few breeds that haven't changes as drastically as say German Shepards. The original working GSDs had a straight back, modern show strains of GSDs have sloped haunches. Why breeders of show stock decided to go for the sloped rear ends I don't know. But today there are 2 distinctive lines of GSDs the working lines that are still herding dogs, and show lines. I have seen both and I personally prefer the original straight backed working GSDs, but that's my opinion.

 

[SternRose]

Umm no, the Siberian husky foundation stock came from actual working Siberians. the problem is people thinking a larger dog is better in harness. Leonard Seppala won because everyone though his runty 40-50 pound dogs couldn't do the job. But they were the perfect size, bred and kept by the Chuzki (once again wrong spelling) for generations before discovered and brought to the US. Our larger Siberians of today could not compete with the original Siberians imported by Seppala. Sad but true, even with guidelines designed to preserve a breed, changes crop in and are then written into the guidelines. Luckily Siberians are one of the few breeds that haven't changes as drastically as say German Shepards. The original working GSDs had a straight back, modern show strains of GSDs have sloped haunches. Why breeders of show stock decided to go for the sloped rear ends I don't know. But today there are 2 distinctive lines of GSDs the working lines that are still herding dogs, and show lines. I have seen both and I personally prefer the original straight backed working GSDs, but that's my opinion.

This is what I learn from. I make a mistake and I'm correct in a NICE way. But we all have are moments.