And powerful athletes they are. A sled dog can pull, pound for pound, more than a draft horse. A team of dogs can average speeds of 8-12 mph for hundreds of miles and 20 mph for shorter sprints. In the late 1800s, when gold was discovered in Alaska, dogs were used to move supplies and people to isolated areas. Dogs were much more practical than horses because they can eat whatever is available, including moose, caribou or fish.
Horses require grain or hay.
A trip to Nome then would take three or more weeks. The most famous run was in 1925, when disease threatened the people isolated in frozen Nome. A relay of dog teams was organized. The goal was to get medicine to Nome as quickly as possible. Villages along the route recruited their strongest dogs and best mushers for the task.