Dog power has been utilized for hunting and travel for hundreds of years. As far back as the 10th century, dogs were being utilized to facilitate human life. However, dog sledding as we know it today, emerged as a way of life in at least three Arctic regions where there was a plentiful supply of meat through much of the year.
One was on the island of Greenland where so-called Greenland dogs developed as their own breed over time. Inuits valued strong, durable and well-coated dogs. The dogs would help them journey across sea ice and hunt polar bear using a sled built from driftwood and leather straps. The dogs were traditionally roped up as a ‘fan’ team – 10-14 dogs tied individually back to a central line leading to the sleigh or to the sleigh itself and proceeding forward without a clear leader. These dogs are extremely tough in both body and mind; they can withstand hunger and cold well and can be a little hard to train. They are often left to almost fend for themselves on isolated islands over the summer months and hence the breed is one in which genetic selection has often been through survival of the fittest. Dog to dog aggression is, therefore, more common within Greenland dogs than it is in other husky lines where the line has been controlled more by human selection.