Husky News

Residents came to the Great Lakes Maritime Center Saturday expecting to see big, white, fluffy Siberian husky sled dogs.

What they saw instead was a smaller, sleeker, faster breed of sled dog called the Alaskan husky.

Nature’s Kennel Sled Dogs, located in the Upper Peninsula, had the canines on display in Port Huron.

“I didn’t think they would look like that. I thought they would be bigger,” said Kayla Rusch, 14, of Chesterfield, who attended the event to celebrate her birthday.

HARD WORK: Sled dog Tasha, 6, of Nature's Kennel Sled Dogs in McMillan looks across the room during a presentation at the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron. Tasha and her canine colleagues helped kennel owner Tasha Stielstra teach about sled dogs at the informational session. By MELISSA WAWZYSKO, Times Herald

There were three dogs wandering around the Great Lakes Maritime Center: Mohawk, 12; Raven, 10; and Tasha, 6. All are retired.

The main race team and those dogs are training in the Upper Peninsula.

Kennel owner Tasha Stielstra said her husband, Ed, is training at their home for the Iditarod, an annual Alaskan race that covers more than 1,500 miles.

“Sled dogs are incredibly tough,” said Tasha Stielstra, who does a lot of racing in the Midwest. “The Iditarod covers more distance than any migratory animal. They are one of the toughest animals on earth.”

Olivia Melville, 7, of Livonia sits in front of Tasha Stielstra, of McMillan, who holds Tasha's foot before demonstrating how to put on a protective boot Saturday at the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron. (By MELISSA WAWZYSKO, Times Herald)

Despite their toughness, once off the trail, the creatures revert to being normal dogs.

The canines sniffed around, curled up in the corner and displayed curiosity around the Great Lakes Maritime Center Saturday.

“They can run 100 miles for 10 days straight and then sleep on your bed at night,” Tasha Stielstra said.

The huskies train four of five days a week and they get anxious if they are not out exercising, Tasha Stielstra said.

The dogs can run at a top speed of 22 mph, but drivers pace them at eight to 14 mph for long trips.

They pull a 30-pound sled, and each dog can pull about 100 pounds of weight.

Tasha Stielstra said she once pulled a van out of the snow with a team of sled dogs.

Such a workload requires a special diet, she added.

During an intense race like the Iditarod, the dogs will consume 10,000 calories a day, mostly made up of meat and a high-performance dry dog food.

“It’s a little different than what you would feed your pet,” Tasha Stielstra said.

The kennel owner put on presentations and answered questioned from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and had numerous visitors during that time.

“I think they are pretty cool,” said Samantha Robert, 14, of Warren. “It was interesting to know they could pull 100 pounds and it was neat to see the sled up close.”

Source:  Times Herald