ruled by paws ;; semi - advanced roleplay discussion

[note: got information from here ]
You’ve probably seen a photo or video of sled dogs pulling a musher across the frozen tundra or through a snow-capped forest. Or maybe you’ve been lucky enough to see them in the flesh…er…the fur. What you may not know is that each sled-dog pair plays a different role in navigating the sometimes difficult trails and challenging terrain faced by racing teams.

The dogs are positioned in pairs on either side of a gangline, or towline, that attaches to their harnesses and to the sled. Alaskan challenge rules state that a musher may start a race with a maximum of 8 dogs and a minimum of 6 dogs on the gangline. At least six dogs must be on the line at the finish of the race. Most Alaskan challenge mushers will start the race with the maximum. More dogs = more pulling power.

lead dog position ;;

Perhaps the most critical part of the team, lead dogs set the pace and keep the other dogs on the trail. They are the dogs that respond to the musher’s commands of “gee” (right turn) and “haw” (left turn). Lead dogs must be alert and intelligent so they can find and follow the trail when it is covered over with snow. They do so through smell, sensing where other teams have passed, and feel, by feeling with their feet the packed trail beneath the loose snow covering. They also keep the other dogs in the team moving by pulling the gangline taut. In the past, some Alaskan challenge mushers used only one lead dog. Today, it is more common to see two.

swing dog position ;;

Positioned directly behind the lead dogs, the swing dogs help steer the team around corners. As lead dogs make a turn, it is not uncommon for the other dogs to want to jump off the trail to follow them. The swing dogs pull the team in an arc that keeps the other dogs on the trail and brings the sled and musher safely around a corner.

team dog position ;;

These are the team’s brawn. They pull the sled and maintain speed. On average, Alaskan challenge sled dogs pull 300 to 500 pounds (including sled, supplies, and musher). There are several pairs of team dogs, depending on the size of the sled-dog team.

wheel dog position ;;

These are the two dogs closest to the sled. They are usually the largest of the dogs because they are the first to take on the weight of the load being pulled, especially during starts and climbs. Wheel dogs should be even-tempered as they must withstand the constant slamming of the sled runners behind them.

It is not uncommon for mushers to switch their dogs’ positions during a race. Some dogs make better leaders in certain weather conditions but not others. Sometimes, after a long run, a musher may wish to give a lead dog a break. Dogs who are fighting may need to be split up, or a female in heat may need to be moved away from the males. Sometimes during a race, after a few dogs have been dropped and a team becomes smaller, a single lead dog may be used instead of two.