About the musher: Martin Massicotte, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Q: How many dogs do you have?
A: I have 20 dogs in my kennel including yearling, this summer I plan to have 2 litters of puppies
Q: How old were you when you started using dogs to pull a sleigh?
A: I was 8 years old when I first used my house dog to pull a sleigh, it was a big St-Bernard!!!
Q: What commands do you use to instruct your dogs, and what do the commands mean?
A: I usually say OK when I start in the trail, Gee to turn on right, haw to turn on left. When I asked the to up the hill, I told them “on monte” in French.
Q: How fast can you go on a dog sled?
A: The dogs can go at 16 miles per hour, it’s about 26 kilometres per hour. But in average, the run about 10-11 miles per hour.
Q: Do you have a favourite dog on your team? If so, do you keep it a secret from the other dogs?
A: I have number of dog that I prefer for different reasons. Amick, a male of 6 years old, is my best leader, he have a lot of energy and communicate his enthusiasm to the rest of the team. Sally, a female of 3 years old, is also a very good leader and she has a lot of drive and she’s fast. Shadow, another leader is the one who works the hardest and it’s probably the most beautiful dog of the team. Franklin, also a very good leader, he’s the brother of Sally, he is very athletic and he is very funny with people.
Q: If I was going to become a musher, what is the most important thing I would need to know?
A: You have to know that it’s a vary demanding sport in time, but our dogs give us such good moments in return.
Q: What has been your happiest moment while out with your dogs?
A: When I fist came to the Hudson Bay Quest in 2015, I loved running my dog team under northern lights, a magic moment…
Q: What do you feed your dogs? Have you ever tasted dog food? Would you taste it if you were dared?
A: I feed the dogs with dry food (kibbles) and meat. For sure I never tasted it.
Q: Are you good with other animals?
A: I could, but I prefer to focus on my dogs.