Oct 31
I’ve been thinking about trying dog sled out this winter. However I’m deaf and I don’t speak at all. So I’m wondering if I’m out of luck or not?
7 Responses to “How Do Musher Give Sled Dog Command?”
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October 31st, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Since the dogs are looking forward and not back at you for hand signals, I think it would be virtually impossible to run a team of dogs if you can’t speak (Or more like yell) commands at them.
Sorry – But maybe a different sport would be better for you…
October 31st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
http://www.athropolis.ca/arctic-facts/fa…
October 31st, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I’ve always called commands out to my dogs, as has just about everyone I’ve known in mushing.
However, I agree that you could use a whistle to give them commands — the difficult and time consuming part would be teaching them which series of whistles meant what. This is something you should begin immediately if you intend to run this winter.
The two most difficult to teach would be Gee and Haw (Right and Left) — the HikeOut and Whoa commands would be relatively simple for the group.
The only downside to all of this is that I think the dogs really benefit from encouragement and praise while they’re running — while I don’t babble on constantly, I do tell them when they’re doing a good job…as does — again — just about every musher I’ve ever met. While a whistle can help you with commands, it probably won’t be able to help you with praise.
And dogs need praise.
FYI, using a whip to control a team is something of the (long ago) past. The saying, “you can’t push a rope” applies to dog teams.
If all else fails, there are many kennels offering dogsled tours in the winter time — usually an hour-long-or-so ride, where you sit in the sled and the musher drives the team. If you really want to try it out, this would be a good way to do it without having to worry about controlling the team.
Good luck!
October 31st, 2009 at 8:49 pm
yer you need to shout commands to them becuase they are traind to listen to perticular things sorry m8
October 31st, 2009 at 9:49 pm
No, you are not out of luck. The dogs can be trained to respond to a series of whistles. They must be specially trained, but it is not difficult. You can do it if you know how, or a professional trainer can do it. Remember that you are almost always behind them, so they must HEAR the commands. You can use a mechanical whistle that you hang around your neck. The commands can be any way you train them, but an example would be one long whistle to start forward. 2 short whistles to turn right, etc. Of course, you must start with trained dogs-ones who know how to pull- and that is not cheap, but I hope you are successful. Good luck.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:27 pm
The most common commands for a dog team are:
• Hike!: Get moving (“Mush” and “All Right” are sometimes also used).
• Kissing sound: Speed up, faster.
• Gee!: Turn to the right.
• Haw!: Turn to the left.
• Easy!: Slow down.
• Whoa: Stop.
• On By!: Pass another team or other distraction.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:50 pm
they hit them wit whips