Mushing involves a set of specific commands that mushers use to guide their teams effectively. These commands are crucial for communication and coordination between the musher and the dogs. Training sled dogs requires months of dedicated effort to ensure they respond appropriately to these commands, fostering effective teamwork between the musher and the team. The primary commands include:

• Gee!: This instructs the team to turn to the right.
• Haw!: This instructs the team to turn to the left.
• Hike!: This command signals the dogs to get moving or to increase their speed if they are already in motion. Alternative terms like "Mush” and "All Right" may also be used.
• Easy!: Used to communicate a slowdown, particularly helpful when approaching tight corners or when coming to a stop.
• Straight Ahead!: This command directs the team to move forward in a straight line, often used at trail intersections.
• Whoa!: A universal command to instruct the dogs to stop.
• On By!: Used to guide the team past another dog team or any other distraction on the trail.
• Line Out!: This specific command is directed at the lead dog, instructing it to tighten the Gangline and pull the team straight from the sled, preventing tangles. Alternatively some mushers use "Ready" which serves the same basic function but the two terms are not perfect synonyms.
• Come Gee! Come Haw!: Used for executing 180-degree turns, signaling the sled dogs to turn to the right and left, respectively.

While "Mush" is often associated with dog sledding, it is not commonly used as a distinctive command due to its softness. The term likely originated from the French word "marche," meaning "go" or "run," used by early French explorers as a command to start pulling.

• How to Train Mushing Commands (Youtube)
• Mushing commands  (Youtube)
• Basic Dog Sled Commands  (Youtube)
• List of dog mushing terminology (University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program)