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Lead Dogs and Their Role in a Winning Team

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Lead Dogs and Their Role in a Winning Team

By Robert Forto

Their names were Yak, Zerlina, Ineka, Rutgrr and Ryche. All share having played an important role as lead dogs for their owner; they were the deciding factor on the mushers’ greatest success.

Rutgrr was Robert Forto’s prototype of a good lead dog. Forto stated, “that he had the perfect combination of speed, strength and endurance, and on top of all that a strong race instinct.” [i]  Forto knew when the stakes were high, he could inspire the team to reach top performance, and this lead dog had just that extra something needed to win races.  Good lead dogs lead the dog team and execute most of the musher’s commands.  Excellent lead dogs, according to Martin Buser also stand up to the musher for the “good of the whole team.” [ii]  Buser teaches his lead dogs to make their own decisions consciously by praising them when they do.  Jacco Ulmann who runs Siberian Huskies in Switzerland adds, “I don’t want a lead dog that takes me on to thin ice just because I told him to do so three times.  A dog is also an independent being and I want to accept that.” [iii]

For many mushers it is important that their lead dogs be reliable. They take responsibility for the entire team and competently lead it with assurance past spectators, public address [1]speakers and other distractions. Some lead dogs also give the musher himself, security and confidence.

A winning team often needs an exceptional pair of lead dogs. For the entire team to truly reach it’s potential, it needs to possess the same qualities.  In this respect, DeeDee Jonrowe warns not to concentrate only on the best dogs on the team; but that it is more important to pay attention to the weakest. “It is this dog that will limit the team’s possibilities.”[iv]

No musher should have only one or two lead dogs. In every top-notch team at least half of the dogs should sometimes run in lead.  The advantage of this strategy is clear. The responsibility for the psychologically and physically demanding tasks of leadership is divided among the dogs, and this allows them time to recover, particularly during long races.  Forto tries to train every dog on his team to run in lead. However he clearly states, “For an important race, I always have my favorites.”[v] A musher who depends on just one lead dog runs the danger of suddenly standing there without it. For even the best lead dogs can drop out of a race due to injury, illness or unwillingness to take commands. Even though the performance of the entire team is always paramount, nothing works without leaders.  Their task is in fact to lead the team to the finish line and to maintain the speeds demanded by the musher.

Renowned musher/researcher Dr. Arleigh Reynolds says that many mushers, in their drive to compete and put miles on their dogs, can potentially over-train their dogs and inadvertently overlook the benefits and necessity of rest. Such oversight can work against the goal and set the team back. This can also cause burnout and stress on the leaders and they may be unable to perform.[vi]

While races generally have easily recognizable trails, dogs sometimes have a hard time finding their way on training runs and guided dog tours. Forto’s adopted Siberian Husky, Ineka, was rescued from an animal shelter in Washington State, and was “born to be a leader.”[vii]  After a plane ride, a night’s rest and a quick warm up the next day, he was leading a team of twelve on a wheeled cart designed for small teams of three or less. This dog would leave the trail on command and would even burrow in deep snow to reach a goal.  Ineka had no trouble running perfectly straight, while many dogs often pull left or right. Such an exceptional lead dog becomes very important on guided tours and training new or inexperienced dogs. They relieve the musher of some of the stress associated with the trail and ensure that he reaches his destination quickly.  A good lead dog is almost like “life insurance” on a tour.[viii]

A musher can not tell the potential of a young dog by external characteristics alone.  To find out which dogs are fit to be lead dogs, the musher should give all dogs an opportunity to run in that position.  In doing so, the most important thing is to make the run a positive experience for the dog.  This is best done on a small team that the musher can easily control.

Three-wheeled training carts and four-wheel ATV’s offer great security for fall training. It is best to hook the yearling pup up to a gentle, experienced leader for the first try.  During fall training, Forto would often hook Ineka up to Nixon on his slower teams.  This procedure not only trained the pup, but also the junior and inexperienced mushers behind the sled.[ix]

Dogs with a high pack drive have shown success when first placed in lead on the way home.  Pack drive consists of behavior associated with being part of a pack. Pack drive is stimulated by rank order in the social hierarchy. [x]  Often a dog with a high pack drive is happiest with the musher, and likes to work with him. They like to stay close to the kennel and follow the musher around.

Martin Buser will sometimes run his puppies in lead on their very first training run. However, most mushers wish to introduce their dogs to the tug slowly.  It is important to create situations for them that even an inexperienced lead dog can manage. Discipline is always a negative experience and should be avoided.

Buser also lets his pups run ahead of the team. Those that want to stay ahead and do not leave the trail are his favorites.[xi] Mushers who want teams with a high proportion of leaders cannot avoid paying attention to this trait when breeding. A musher will find more potential lead dogs among pups of a leader than other litters.  This is a strategy that veteran musher Egil Ellis has been following for years.[xii]

Each training session should be leader training. The constant use of the same commands teaches all the dogs what to do and what is expected of them.  Swing dogs must learn directional commands particularly well, so it is a good idea for a musher to regularly run potential leaders in this position.

An example with directional commands shows how dogs can learn. Shortly before an intersection a musher could give a command like “Haw!” If the lead dog does not respond, or responds incorrectly, the musher should say “Whoa! Stop!” and stop the team and repeat the command. If the dog then pulls in the correct direction, the musher should release the brake and praise it for a job well done. After three failed attempts Forto sets the snow-hook and goes up front to correct the leader.[xiii] The musher should gently pull the team on to the appropriate side of the trail before running back to the sled and pulling the snow-hook. Most mushers walk up to the right side of the team for a “Gee” command and up the left for “Haw”.  In time, many dogs will learn which direction the musher wants to go by the side along which the musher is moving. In the end, the voice command is enough, though for a time the musher might still need to use a hand signal or a jingler. Jinglers also work particularly well in training the whole team to respond to commands.  A jingler is a stick with some noise making attachments.  (See Figure 5)

Clacker
Jingler
Clacker

 

Figure 5: Directional Command Training Aides

In training, the jingler is jingled on the appropriate side simultaneously with the vocal commands “Gee” or “Haw”.  Much like a clicker used in canine obedience training, the dogs are first interested in the sound, a phenomenon referred to as an orientated response.  The canine then instinctively turns their head in that direction in order to investigate this curious sound.  Where the head goes the body tends to follow.  With a correct response the dogs are positively reinforced with enthusiastic praise.  After a number of correct responses the jingler or clacker announces that the praise is forthcoming.  The jingler has now become a conditioned reinforcer; in essence it announces to the dog that the musher owes the canine some praise.

This conditioning could also be accomplished with the phenomena known as sensatory preconditioning which involves the pairing of two neutral stimuli (the jingler and the command) prior to pairing either the command or jingler with the primary reinforcer, ultimately accomplishing the conditioning of both previously neutral stimuli.  This type of conditioning was discussed in-depth in chapter four.  It would however be much easier, and vastly more effective to make the jingler or clacker a conditioned reinforcer by pairing it with a primary reinforcer, whether it is a treat or a simple pat on the head.  The conditioning would be undertaken prior to training in the harnesses attached to a sled or cart.  The jingler would then announce the eminent arrival of whatever primary reinforcer was used to condition it.

If the canine hears the jingler or clacker and expects a nice, tasty treat, most assuredly the dog is going to go in that direction.  Forto has used a jingler and clacker stick for years and has found that the dogs “respond particularly well to this type of command.”[xiv]  Forto thought that this innovation was uniquely his, until he came across it while doing the research for this dissertation. Some of the mushing greats like Roland Lombard and Dick Mackey had used similar devices for years. It is important to note that from time to time the canine must actually receive the primary reinforcer in order to stave off occurrence of a phenomenon known as extinction.  Again, all of these conditioning principles were discussed in-depth in chapter four.

A lot of mushers train the most promising dogs individually in front of a bicycle, while skijoring or on roller-blades, if they dare be so brave. The musher’s contact with the dog is much more direct than when the potential leader is in front of a sled and the musher is driving from behind.  This method can quickly lead to success, especially in directional command training.

Before being given the responsibility in a big race for the first time, a lead dog must have the opportunity to gather experience in smaller races. A dog’s first race in particular needs to be positive and lots of fun. It is practically impossible, even with a lot of money, to buy super-leaders like Egil Ellis’s lead dog Mike. The breeder has invested incredible amounts of time and work in a leader; furthermore, the leader is genetically very valuable.[xv]

Martin Buser is another musher that does not sell lead dogs.  He speaks of dogs with leader potential in high regard and feels it is essential for every musher to train and develop their own dogs. “A lead dog can’t be bought. Why should he perform for me?” Buser states further, “If you sell good leaders, people believe the dog will do all of the work. But the team, all the dogs and the musher, must do the work, not just the leader.”[xvi] Forto shrewdly added, “If I were to sell my good leaders that would be unfair to the competition. I wouldn’t ever have the chance to win!”[xvii]

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[i] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[ii] Buser, M., Web Document http://www.buserdog.com

[iii] Ulman, J., Web Document http://www.huskytrail.ch.

[iv][iv] Freedman, L., Iditarod Dreams: A Year in the Life of Alaskan Sled Dog Racer, DeeDee Jonrowe. Epicenter Press, 1995. Pg. 78.

[v] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[vi] Hoener, T., “The Research of Arleigh Reynolds,” Mushing, May/Jun. 2005. No. 104 Pg. 17.

[vii] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[viii] TR001. Male Tour Mushing Operator. Interviewed by. Robert Forto. 27 April 2005. Interview 11. Bayfield, WI.

[ix] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[x] Forto R., and Bowersox R., ed. 2004. Canine Science Level I course material. Pg.56

[xi] Huber, M., “Lead Dogs,” Mushing. Mar./Apr. 2003. No. 91. Pg. 26.

[xii] Ellis, E., Web Document. http://www.egilellis.com

[xiii] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[xiv] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

[xv] Ellis, E., Web Document. http://www.egilellis.com

[xvi] Buser, M., Web Document http://www.buserdog.com

[xvii] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1.

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Robert Forto is a professional musher and the training director for Alaska Dog Works. Robert Forto hosts a weekly radio show on Dog Works Radio. Robert Forto can be reached through his her website at www.robertforto.com

Dog Sledding 101: The Gee Haw Problem

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Dog Sledding 101: The Gee-Haw Problem

By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and its impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our website at https://teamineka.com

The Gee—Haw Problem

Some mushers expect a leader to turn instantly on command; others give the command some yards ahead of the turn so that the dog can absorb the situation. This explains why some mushers have trouble missing turns. A dog trained to turn instantly will jump straight into deep snow even if he sees a fork ahead. Serious training is required to make a dog leave the trail. The dog must respond automatically, without thinking. A dog less strictly trained often will miss the fork if the musher waits until the team is right on it.

The musher must learn to read his dogs and watch for the communication signals given by them when the dog approaches a fork in the trail. The lead dog will lift his head when he realizes that a decision must be made. The ears will go forward (which way?) or turn backward (what does the boss think)? He might even glance backward. The leader is most receptive to the musher’s commands at this instant. He will not have sized up the situation any earlier than this exact point. A split-second later he will have already decided which way to turn. He might not be able to collect himself and the team in time to change direction.

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Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and the training director for Dog Works Training Centers. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday morning at 9:30 am MDT. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

The Dog Doctor Radio Show

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Sled Dog Psychology: The Slump

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Sled Dog Psychology: The Slump

By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and its impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our new website at https://teamineka.com

 The Slump

 “Has your team slumped yet?” is a common question in January. After heavy training in November and December, the whole team can go into a slump.  In a way, the slump is good, because the dogs learn that they must work whether they enjoy it or not.  The trick is to pull them out of it before the Big Event.

Mushers should first recognize the problem.  Are the dogs eager on the chain or in the kneel, but lack spirit on the trail?  Do you climb a hill and there is no power?  Do they not have any rhythm or unity?  Tugs go slack and enthusiasm wanes.  They bicker, goof off, and look for excuses to mess up.

Next, a musher must determine the cause of the problem.  Are the dogs fatigued, dehydrated, on a poor diet, suffering from infections or bad feet?  Or are they simply bored?  Only in the last case is the problem psychological and this usually goes together with general fatigue.

The musher should rest the dogs for a few days, then run them on new trails, even if you have to truck them somewhere.  Surprise them—head out the twenty-mile trail but turn back after three miles.  Time off is the best bet.  The dogs will bounce back eager and responsive, without backsliding much physically.  This is called peaking the team.

Pep talks along the trail can work wonders.  Most mushers will walk among the dogs, telling them how fantastic they are, even if you have to sometimes lie.  This works well after a bad run.  Maybe the dogs were pushed too hard on a hot day, or maybe the dogs had a fight, and they are now shooting dirty looks at each other.  After correcting the problem and the dogs are going reasonably well, the musher should stop and walk among the dogs.  They will not feel so bad.  On a long, tough pull, frequent stops keep the dogs motivated.  They will not worry that the musher will never stop, so they slack off less. A musher should be careful not stop too often or it will break their rhythm and annoy the dogs.

If the dogs rebel during a slump, a musher should not demand too much; but should not let them take advantage of you either. The musher should just cut the run short.  A good musher will keep the trip home upbeat, because the dogs go to sleep remembering the last thing that they learned during the day, not the first.  If the musher must run them the next day, they should go on a different trail or they will almost certainly have a repeat disaster.

A veteran musher’s advice is to make certain the dogs think you are holding them back, even when they are tired. The question is how? The answer is by using reverse psychology.  When the dogs are tired, they are glad to stop, but after a few minutes, they are usually ready to go again.  This time lapse is called the recovery time.  If the musher asks the dogs to go before they recover, they will have no enthusiasm. If the musher asks the dogs to go afterward, they need no second bidding; this is reverse psychology. 

Many mushers feel that like children, the dogs are trying to get the better of them.  If they think that you want to go, they want to stay, and vice-versa.  The turning point in their mood comes after they have recovered, when they feel like going again.  Standing up, shaking off, harness-banging, braking, and looking back are signs that the dogs have recovered.  It is important to note at this time that most behaviorists believe that dogs are not out to spite their owners, or “get the better of them”.  Whichever view an individual may hold it is important to ask, “What is really happing here, and what is the dog trying to communicate?”

By stopping when the dogs are not ready to stop and by resting longer than they feel is necessary, the musher is using reverse psychology to make them want to go.  It keeps them willing to go on a tough trail.  If the musher knows his dogs well, they will know when their dogs have recovered, even if they do not stand up together.  Shaking the handle-bow, whistling, or clucking brings the dogs to their feet readily.  The recovery period varies considerably, but half a minute to five minutes is usually all it takes.

Lead dogs require special attention because their attitude can hold together a ragged team.  Depressed leaders often turn a deaf ear to commands.  They must be replaced to avoid a worsening problem.  Just moving them back in the team can work miracles; or ask the dogs to go slower so that they are not pushing the front end so hard.

Next Week: Problem Dogs

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Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and is training for the Iditarod. Dr. Forto is also the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto is the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Training Leaders: An Overview

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Training Leaders

By Robert Forto, PhD

I have been a professional musher with Team Ineka for the past fifteen years and I am just getting back into it full time after a hiatus of several years for what I like to call, life getting in the way. I have moved from northern Minnesota to Colorado and there just isn’t enough snow here so I will probably move back in the near future or maybe to Alaska where, as they say, the real mushers live. I cannot say if that is true or not but I am willing to find out.

Each week I bring you a short article about the sport of dog sledding. In the past few weeks I wrote about sled dog psychology and that was a lot of fun. Now we are going to get into training. There are many ways to train a dog team and the mushing greats will tell you it’s all about knowing yourself and knowing your dogs. I have had the pleasure (and the pain) of literally living with a pack of sled dogs and what an experience that was. We will discuss that in later posts. But now, here is a brief overview of training leaders.

Training Leaders

A leader can make or break a team.  Many dogs can be trained to lead, but the best ones are born for it.  Ideally, a potential leader is responsive to praise.  This dog has a sense of responsibility and pays attention. He commands respect from other dogs and is intelligent enough to solve problems, but not a smart aleck. This dog is enthusiastic but able to handle pressure. He sets a fast pace, but one that the team can handle.

A musher can train a leader in two ways; one-on-one, or with another leader. One-on-one training develops a stronger rapport, especially if the training begins at puppyhood, but this method is very time consuming. The musher begins training a “green” dog by harness breaking him. The driver first teaches the dog to hold the tug tightly as the dog stands ahead of the musher. Then, commands are taught by associating “gee” and “haw” for right and left by the driver running behind him and pulling the dog in the correct direction as the command is given. Frequent, short sessions are much more effective than long, tedious ones. A puppy has an attention span of about fifteen minutes. This amount of time works well before burnout begins and the pup loses interest.

Once the dog knows “gee” and “haw” they should be taught to “come, gee” and “come, haw” and to go “straight ahead” past a fork in the trail and “on, by” another team or obstacle. When the dog performs consistently, he can be run with a couple of steady team dogs to build his confidence. At that time the musher can add more dogs, as the dog learns to handle them.

Another leader instead of a person trains most leaders. If a musher sees a dog with potential, this dog can be placed in swing (point) position right behind the leaders for several weeks to a year. The dog picks up commands by taking clues from the leaders. After the dog has learned the commands, he can be placed in a double lead beside a good leader. Until this dog has the ability and confidence to do it alone, many mushers run the trainee on a shorter tug so that the leader is slightly ahead and can easily shoulder aside his protégé.

Many mushers train their leaders with a three-dog team. The driver will first choose a dog with the drive to stay out front.  Then the musher will simply stop at each fork and either wait for the dog to guess the correct response to the command, or pull him in the correct direction while giving the command.  Whichever method the musher chooses it is vital to reinforce a correct response by the potential leader.  For many reasons skijoring is a great way to train a leader; the dog is not pressured by fire-breathing teammates, and the musher’s proximity is close enough that the dog pays more attention to him. A simple tug on the rope gets his attention and turns him right away.

When training a leader, the musher must have absolute control over the team so that he can correct mistakes immediately. To train a dog to always obey the commands; the dog must never be allowed to get away with disobedience. Forto’s leader Yak was spoiled because he was running a team of untrained dogs and none were formally trained. As a result, Yak got away with some things. This dog became too smart for his own good. He would go where he thought the team should go. With stricter discipline he would have likely turned out better. A dog like this needs retraining in a smaller, more controlled team.[i]

If a musher has to stop the team because of a missed turn, the driver must not just stand on the runners shouting. The team should be anchored and the leader should be dragged sternly around while reinforcing the command. This consistency shows that they cannot go where they want to go. The musher is the boss and the team must follow his commands.

Aside from teaching commands, the musher must encourage new leaders to bravely pass obstacles like water, ice, crowds, stray dogs and other teams. If the leader will not go forward, the team will also refuse.

The musher must understand that dogs are not perfect. If the driver cannot perfect a dog, he should work around his limitations. These dogs should not be punished for being unable to exceed their potential.

Double leaders share the pressure and have more power over a bigger team. Often one is fast and the other is sharp, therefore, the strengths of one make up for the weakness of the other. In sprint teams, a young dog that leaves the chute quickly can be paired up with an older one that might start more slowly but come home quickly.

Single leaders do have some advantages. Some dogs perform better alone, plus there is only one dog to make mistakes. A single dog can break a trail more easily, and the musher can trade with his partner back in the team as he tires. Long ago dog punchers sometimes ran a loose leader. Because a single dog could plow a snowed-in trail without worrying about the dogs behind him. This is rarely done today.

If you would like to receive a copy of my dissertation, I sell in .pdf format for $9.10. Please give me a call at 303-578-9881 or train@denverdogworks.com. Please visit our website for our team training and school tours as well at https://teamineka.com

Next week: The Gee-Haw Problem

[i] Forto, R., Interview by James Myers 16 May 2005.  Interview 1. Burlington, Colorado

Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and a professional musher at Team Ineka. Dr. Robert Forto hosts a weekly radio show, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through is website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Training the Adult Team: A Brief Overview

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Training the Adult Team: A Brief Overview

By Robert Forto, PhD

 I have been a professional musher with Team Ineka for the past fifteen years and I am just getting back into it full time after a hiatus of several years for what I like to call, life getting in the way. I have moved from northern Minnesota to Colorado and there just isn’t enough snow here so I will probably move back in the near future or maybe to Alaska where, as they say, the real mushers live. I cannot say if that is true or not but I am willing to find out.

Each week I bring you a short article about the sport of dog sledding. In the past few weeks I wrote about sled dog psychology and that was a lot of fun. Now we are going to get into training. There are many ways to train a dog team and the mushing greats will tell you it’s all about knowing yourself and knowing your dogs. I have had the pleasure (and the pain) of literally living with a pack of sled dogs and what an experience that was. We will discuss that in later posts. But now, here is a brief overview of training an adult team.

 Training the Adult Team

 The best teacher for an untrained dog is a trained sled dog. Dogs communicate in ways that humans cannot comprehend. This is done mostly by body language and slight gestures that only a dog can understand. They learn from each other. It is nature versus nurture. It is innate and ingrained as pack behavior.

For a musher to start with a number of untrained, inexperienced dogs and mold them into a united, obedient team, is an awesome task. By placing a “green” dog with a well-trained mate the driver’s job will usually be reduced from teacher to overseer. The dog sees his companions working eagerly and often catches on with very little prompting from the boss on the runners. Even a single good leader can work wonders with a scatterbrained bunch of trainees. The musher should introduce the untrained adult dog carefully into the team because it might be confused or panicked by the speed, power and a tight, unrelenting towline.

The musher should use a very small team until the dog catches on. The driver must be patient and reasonable. Some dogs do not have the drive to be sled dogs. Just because he is as Siberian Husky does not mean he can cut it in a team—any team.

These new additions to the team should be broken in gently. Even if the dog is a leader, he should be placed in the middle of the team to let him settle in before trying him up front. The training should start slowly, not very fast or far at first. A dog needs time to adjust to his new home, his comrades, to the pace of the team and to the musher’s commands and voice. Some dogs fit right in, but older dogs might take a year or more to adjust. Dependable leaders will teach the musher as well as his crew. Older leaders that have grown too old for racing make excellent trainers for yearlings and new adult dogs.

If you would like to read my complete doctorate dissertation, Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005) please contact me through my website at Team Ineka. I offer the dissertation for sale in .pdf format for $9.10 plus shipping.

Next Week: Training Leaders

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Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and the training director for Dog Works Training Centers. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at https://teamineka.com