Originally Posted by
Siu Blue Wind
As the keeper of a Husky/Wolf, I have to ask, why are you hoping there will be no snow? Yes, these dogs are bred for pulling but IN SNOW! With their double coat, pulling heavy weight for long distances will over heat them!
Why are you even considering taking them? If you cannot pull things yourself, please consider another means because this is straight up forcing them to go beyond their physical limitations and considering the rescues that I am involved with, is cruelty and mistreatment.
Think whatever you want, I've also studied and worked with dogs and wolfdogs throughout most of my life. I know the risks involved, but God gave me the authority above animals to use them as I need, as long as I care for them as best I can, just as He also uses us for His will and cares for us. God gave me these dogs for this reason.
Also, I live in southern Alabama, there isn't any snow here, and I plan on avoiding the north during the cold seasons because it's too risk for me as a human to try to survive in, and also using a bike and pulling a camper on wheels through snow and one ice would just be totally foolish.
Also, to say these dogs were bred for pulling but only in the snow is as if you don't realize wolves are closely related to huskies and run and tackle down big game at roughly 40 mph through deep snow or in the summer heat, either way you look at it the wolves are working their bodies extensively to do it and will overheat sometimes if they aren't careful. This is no different really, except we will go slow with minimum weight, in the coolest hours of the day, and have plenty of food and water as much as we can carry and obtain, and can take breaks to rest.
Also, I never said I can't pull the camper myself. What I said in my post title is "Has anyone ever used dogs to HELP pull?" The whole purpose for me having a bicycle is so we can pull the camper as a team together. I can't keep up with their pace if I just walk, and I also can't do all the pulling myself and I shouldn't have to when the dogs are stronger and healthier than I am, and so far I haven't found a way that they can help me pull while walking. Plus walking is super hard on my body, one reason is cuz I have high arched in my feet.
Lastly, I'm taking them because I have to, but also because God gave them to me for this more than for any other reason really. These dogs are pack animals and would get severe separation anxiety if I gave them to someone else. That's already happened before when I got carjacked in Detroit a few years ago and I was hospitalized, and they were taken to an animal shelter for 3 days. My one husky barely survived, because he never ate anything there and was skin and bones when I got him back. My other one was chewing on fencing and God only knows what else. I am planning to do this bike tour for the rest of my life unless God tells me otherwise at some point, which really shouldn't be more than roughly 2 more years I'm pretty sure; so the dogs have to come with me, this isn't just some 1-2 week getaway vacation thing for me, this is a mission for God.