sled dog

noun

: a dog (such as a Siberian husky or Alaskan malamute) trained to draw a usually heavy sled typically with other dogs over snow-covered terrain
Sled dogs were originally used in colder regions (as of northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Antarctica) as work dogs to facilitate travel and transport of supplies but are now popularly used elsewhere during the winter especially for racing.

Examples of sled dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Both a Minnesota man testing a snowmobile for his employer in the Alaska backcountry and the company have been cited for reckless driving after the machine slammed into a sled dog team on a training run in December, killing three dogs. Mark Thiessen, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 For example, the researchers found variants that may have helped sled dogs grow strong bones and muscles, as well as a thick coat. Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 28 Dec. 2023 The government slaughtered their sled dogs and sent their children to residential schools. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2023 Kathleen Morrill Alas, fame is fickle and fleeting, even for heroic sled dogs. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 27 Apr. 2023 The Gunflint Mail Run, another sled dog race that takes place in Cook County, Minnesota, northeast of Duluth, has also been postponed until Feb. 10 and will only host a maximum of 15 teams this year for the safety of mushers and dogs, organizers announced on the race website. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2024 In early 1925, a relay of sled dog teams carried a lifesaving serum to the town of Nome, Alaska, where a diphtheria outbreak was spreading among children. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2023 The Iditarod is the most prestigious sled dog race in the world, taking competitors over two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and treacherous Bering Sea ice in frigid temperatures before ending in the old Gold Rush town of Nome. Mark Thiessen, ajc, 2 Mar. 2023 Balto led the sled dogs on the last part of the trip that got a diphtheria anti-toxin to Nome, Alaska, to counter an outbreak of the disease. Rich Lowry, National Review, 17 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sled dog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1692, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sled dog was in 1692

Dictionary Entries Near sled dog

Cite this Entry

“Sled dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sled%20dog. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sled dog

noun
: a dog trained to draw a usually large sled especially in the Arctic regions

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