You gotta be kidding! Who in his right mind would even think of starting a Jamaica Dogsled Team in a country with no snow? You gotta wonder what the creator of this wild idea was smoking. That is exactly what everyone, including the family of the founder, was saying. “Dad, you’ve really lost it this time”.

Meet Danny Melville, our illustrious leader and founder (not exactly your normal, everyday business guy). His Jamaica Dogsled Team is a heart-warming tale of tails that includes Jimmy Buffett, Scotland, Minnesota, Yukon, the Iditarod and more.

Danny was in Edmonton, Canada shopping for dune buggies he needed for his Jamaican adventure tour business when he tripped over this “metal frame with wheels” in the corner of a fabrication shop. He was told it was a dog sled with wheels so it could be used in the summer when there was no snow.

“What, no snow", hollered Danny?! Mush mon!

Enjoying the JDT Experience with Chukka Caribbean Adventures

The owners of the shop ushered this giddy Jamaican to the door encouraging him to contact renowned dogsled trainer/coach, Alan Stewart near Aviemore, Scotland. That was the beginning of what has become a spirited adventure filled with plenty of licks ‘n laughs.

Before he knew what hit him, Jamaica's first musher, Devon Anderson, was bundled up with winter clothes and was on his way to Scotland to start his training under Alan. Alan couldn’t believe it. Devon was amazing, a natural. The dogs would do absolutely anything for him.

With Dogsled 101 completed it was back to Jamaica. Within weeks Alan showed up with his flip-flops and with Minnesota’s famous dogsled trainer Rick Johnson to train the team's spirited island mutts - most from the Jamaica SPCA. We’re not talking Huskies we’re talking real mutts, mutts that are so uncontrollably happy to be fed, patted and loved that they are just as likely to pee on the feet of anyone with a kind word as they are to give them a big lick.

No Flip-floppin’ for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

Danny was flyin’. The press was abuzz with Jamaica Dogsled Team news and training was going great. Danny quickly realized that the Team needed additional financial support and international visibility.

One afternoon Danny and Jimmy Buffett were wastin’ away in a Margaritaville in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Between gulps of Margaritas, Danny told Jimmy about his Jamaica Dogsled Team. Jimmy started roaring. He thought it was the coolest thing this side of Key West and agreed to have Margaritaville become the official sponsor of the team.

And the beat goes on...

	Newton Marshall officially starts the 2010 Iditarod.

The Jamaica Dogsled Team has achieved more than could have been dreamed when Danny started the team. The team's mushers have competed in several major events and are consistently producing great results. Unbelievable!!

In 2010, JDT musher Newton Marshall made international headlines when he became the first Caribbean musher ever to finish the famous Iditarod. This was after also completing the world's toughest sled dog race, the Yukon Quest, in 2009. Meanwhile, the team's sprint musher, Damion Robb, won a race in Ontario and had two second and two third place finishes in his other four races this year.

Media Darlings

The team has been the subject of a full-featured documentary called "Sun Dogs", featured on a PBS Design Squad episode and been profiled by a number of media, including a feature-length film titled "Underdog", an ESPN E:60 episode and many others.

Join Us

We'd love you to come see the team for yourself. Visit the team’s base in Ocho Rios, Jamaica where you can experience the Jamaica Dogsled Team tour and actually race in a sled pulled by the real Jamaican Dogsled Team. You could also choose the Team Encounter. Meet the dogs, our mushers and enjoy a fun filled time with Chukka Caribbean Adventures. (http://www.jamaicadogsled.com/tours.php)

We also have super-cool products available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds from all purchases goes to help the underdogs…the less fortunate mutts at the Jamaica SPCA. Check out our online store at http://jamaicadogsled.spreadshirt.com/

Mush mon!  Mush! Anyone can be a winner.

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NOW THE REAL HISTORY OF SLED DOG RACING
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Sled dog racing is one of North America 's oldest winter sports and can be traced back to the Eskimos and Northern Indians.  They depend on teams of sled dogs for faithful companionship, assistance in hunting and as a sole means of transportation during the long winter months.  In 1908, the first formal racing event the "All Alaskan Sweepstakes" was run from Nome to Candle and back, a distance of 408 miles, with a winning time of 119 hours, 15 minutes, 12 seconds.

In January 1925, Nome once again became the site of another historic race.  Diphtheria was discovered and the supply of antitoxin was inadequate to avoid an epidemic.  A reply of 22 native and mail teams forged through the rough interior of Alaska and across the frozen Bering Sea to deliver the serum on time.  Sled dog teams have also aided exploration of northern frontiers by Byrd, Peary and Amundsen.

The dogs of today's racing teams have strong, slightly arched backs, well-angled shoulders and a deep chest, denoting good lung capacity.  Compact tough feet and a protective coat of hair aid the dogs.  Size is also a very important factor with most racing dogs averaging 23 inches at the shoulders and weighing less than 55 pounds.  An overweight dog, like an overweight person cannot run marathon distances at a competitive pace.  Drivers favor dogs that are even-tempered, gentle and able to stand the pressures of a rigorous training and schedule.  A sled dog may put in 2,000 miles in a training season and be transported in vehicles many thousands of miles over the coarse of a 3-month season.

Sled dogs are among the best cared for animals in the world.  Because the sport is based on athletic performance, the Musher must be constantly alert to anything that might endanger the health of his or her dog team members.  Many mushers use a balanced and fortified meat-based diet to provide the compact, highly digestible high quality protein and energy that the dogs need.