I wonder what the dog's choice would have been, had he been able to weigh the risks for himself.
Many jobs that dogs do are not needed anymore, theyare mostly for sport. The hunting dog is a prime example, we hunt for sport not for need. Boars kill a few dogs and tear up even more, but watch these dogs as they load up for a hunt and you can see that they are pumped for it. They love it and they live for it. Hektor's father is a battle scarred vetran of hundreds of boar hunts and he shows no signs of not wanting to go, no sign of fear of the boar and after all it is what he was bred for.
I do not know any sled dogs, but I would be willing to bet that the drive to run is high, and that the dogs love it. I have read stories of those injured still going over to their traces to be harnessed and showing disappointment when not harrnessed. They will run until they drop because the love of the run is bred into them.
read about Isobel who is blind but still has the heart and the drive and the desire to pull
http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/blindsleddogleadsthepack
I know there is a push by some to ban the Iditarod and other races like it, IMO this would be a shame. What needs to be banned are those few who abuse their dogs, and they are becoming the minority. The dogs are doing what they were created to do and I think that if you asked most and they could speak you might be suprised by how many who would be willing to give up a life as a pet for the chance to pull a sled.
Hektor is from hard hunting lines and I suspect that even he would rather hunt than do the activities that we do. You can just tell by being around him that he was bred for the purpose of going head to head with a boar,
Owned by:
Gunnar the Bee Eating Vizsla and
Hektor the Pig Dawg Dogo Argentino
"I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though. ..." -- Barack Obama