<P> The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long - distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome , entirely within the US state of Alaska . Mushers and a team of 16 dogs , of which at least 5 must be on the towline at the finish line , cover the distance in 8 -- 15 days or more . The Iditarod began in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams but evolved into today 's highly competitive race . Then a record , the second fastest winning time was recorded in 2016 by Dallas Seavey with a time of 8 days , 11 hours , 20 minutes , and 16 seconds . As of 2012 , Dallas Seavey was also the youngest musher to win the race at the age of 25 . In 2017 , at the age of 57 , Dallas 's father , Mitch Seavey , is the oldest and fastest person ever to win the race , crossing the line in Nome in 8 days , 3 hours , 40 minutes and 13 seconds . Dallas finished second , two hours and 44 minutes behind . </P>
<P> The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long - distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome , entirely within the US state of Alaska . Mushers and a team of 16 dogs , of which at least 5 must be on the towline at the finish line , cover the distance in 8 -- 15 days or more . The Iditarod began in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams but evolved into today 's highly competitive race . Then a record , the second fastest winning time was recorded in 2016 by Dallas Seavey with a time of 8 days , 11 hours , 20 minutes , and 16 seconds . As of 2012 , Dallas Seavey was also the youngest musher to win the race at the age of 25 . In 2017 , at the age of 57 , Dallas 's father , Mitch Seavey , is the oldest and fastest person ever to win the race , crossing the line in Nome in 8 days , 3 hours , 40 minutes and 13 seconds . Dallas finished second , two hours and 44 minutes behind . </P>
how many dogs can you have in the iditarod race
how many dogs can you have in the iditarod race
16
16