Dog Driver: A Guide for the Serious Musher

by Miki Collins, Julie Collins

This is the most comprehensive book on mushing to date. Not only will you learn all the fine points of mushing, but you will really enjoy reading this book. Learn everything there is to know on mushing while you share in the excitement with this guide.

Genres: Nonfiction

386 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1991

Reviews

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reference for what you would need to know to raise and train sled dogs circa 1991. There is a new version of the book but I didn't pay the $50 to get the paperback copy. I like to read books like this and dream of having a team of sled dogs, without all the work and expense entailed in really doing it. Here are some excerpts I liked:

'Nor do you need a northern breed to run dogs. If you own Dalmatians, Pointers, Coonhounds, Standard Poodles, Collies, Labrador oy Golden Retrievers, German or Belgian Shepherds, Airedales, Weimaraners, Greyhounds, Targhees, Salukis, Borzois, Russian or Irish Wolfhounds, Cocker Spaniels, Norwegian Elkhounds, Irish Setters, Saint Bernards, Spitz, Akitas, Newfoundlands, mongrels, or any of a number of medium-size to large breeds, then you own dogs whose peers have proven themselves in harness.

I like that bit because it mentions my favorite breed, Newfoundlands, although it also made me look up what are Targhees. "Targhee hound dogs are a type of dog used in avalanche rescue at Grand Targhee Resort in Teton County, Wyoming."

I thought this next quote that was part of a conversation on punishment and praise was worth sharing and thinking about:

'The majority of dogs, however, respond best to a healthy balance of praise and discipline.
Our old dog Legs did not respond to praise, and he did not like to be touched. As a leader, he obeyed commands only to avoid punishment, not to please us. When he did disobey a command, he ignored shouting, yet a single hard swat on the rump would miraculously put everything right. No praising, coaxing, or pleading ever had any effect.
On the other hand, Tonto, our first leader, was overly sensitive. He was afraid of making a mistake and eventually refused commands for fear of making the wrong choice. With him, asking for a turn produced better results than demanding one. Spanking him made him freeze up, while wheedling and coaxing made him shine.'

Then I liked bits that just talked about strategy about training dogs:

'Once a pup’s training begins, run him three or four times a week — not every day, and not just once a week. If you run him too much — too far, too fast, too often — he will learn to slack up to protect himself. He will get bored or stressed, his attitude will dry up and blow away, and you might overstress his young body. On the other hand, if he is not run enough, he will lose condition and forget his lessons. The way in which you handle this dog will affect him for the rest of his career. Aim for the optimum number of runs, not the maximum or the minimum. This optimum will vary from pup to pup and will depend upon trail conditions.'

'Vary the length and frequency of the runs so that the dogs do not pace themselves for a set number of miles. This will keep them interested, plus they will be ready for any length of race that you might plan to enter. Within each run, you might ask for a top speed at the beginning and at the end of a run, or for several peaks during the run, or for an all-out blast the whole way if the sprint is only six miles or less. In his book The Speed Mushing Manual, Jim Welch describes interval training, which involves driving the dogs at top speed for one-half mile or so several times during a run to increase their maximum effort and to perfect your control over them.'

'Dogs that are conditioned on short runs do better on short races that demand an all-out effort. Often, these teams are trained only every third day to keep them spirited. Longer races require more stamina and conservation of energy; therefore, these dogs are trained on longer trails. Dogs that run three-day events are run three days in a row during training. They must have the endurance to bounce back overnight, and you must handle them carefully or they will be appalled to see those harnesses come out on the third day of a tough race. You must be able to draw on their psychological stamina. At some point in training, give this team a test to be sure that all of the dogs are capable of a hard three-day event. Run them twenty-five miles for three or four days in a row. If a dog comes in at a trot, or goes lame or goofs up, consider leaving him home.'

Dog sledding and racing just seems like a fun game. Fun to think about the game. Kudo's to those who actually play it.

[Elizabeth Bloedow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely practical. Full of useful and immediately usable information for whatever you're dealing with or just want to learn. The experience the two sisters have is extensive and their book is easy to read, comprehensive, and it's very easy to find just the answers you're looking for. No fluff (fun stories!), gets straight to the point, no page is unused. Each diagram is clearly labeled and each item is clearly identifiable.
I love this book, can ya tell? The visuals of this book are amazing. And all the pictures are fantastic!