Sled Dogs as Tethered Active Agents: Part 1

A sled dog team comprises an active network of diverse, interacting, multi-legged agents, coupled together by a network of tethers, all assembled and driven by a human controller. With interactions spanning spatial, social, and physical dimensions, this “tethered” collective provides new challenges in terms of description and data collection. Here, we describe how high resolution drone imaging, bespoke animal-borne sensors, and observational behavioral data are used in conjunction to study sprint-racing sled dog teams as they partake in regular training activities. We show how this multi-scale data can be combined to create a comprehensive mechanistic description necessary to inform mathematical models and to uncover how these extraordinary teams of diverse dogs run together as an active network. Additionally, our work sheds light on some of the unique challenges and necessary considerations when implementing multiple tools and technologies alongside animals in the field.