Three dogs to veterinarian

Yesterday was a vet day. Liller (11 year old main leader) went in for her 2nd mammary surgery (a major lump, but good prognosis). This tough gal is , at the moment, sleeping on her blanket in the house. She has a very dense coat and is, in her previous owner's words, a 'forty below dog'. Of all of my dogs, she and Skinny are most 'village tough'. They are the parents of the pups. She is not ,willingly, a house dog, but seems to be doing ok.

Skinny (ten year old main leader) also went to the vet for his chronic cough. We wanted to rule out, among other things, blastomycosis, and he did have blood work, but looks more like an asthmatic problem. He has been on Temeril P which has been a major appetite booster for him, but, off of it, he has no appetite, so will wait to see the results. He's also in here on his bed.

Sulatna (photo) has to be referred to the University system hospital and will need surgery for her large growth, a major surgery (which may be a strangulated lipoma). She is twelve and retired and beautiful . She is very sensitive and it will be very tough on her (and therefore, on me). She is also in here on her bed. And, of course, Chena, is in here on her bed. They're all doing well , side by side, and, surprisingly, only meant my getting up once in the night for them.

That was a forty mile round trip , twice, yesterday, so today we'll stay home.

Thanksgiving 2006

The deer enjoy their feast along with the rest of us!
There were five of them, all does.

Opening Day

A few years ago a fawn lost her mother and she hung around Martin's pen all summer. Since then we've had a fawn born back there with Solo protecting it (we wondered if it were 'our' doe) and when the shooting starts ,the does gather behind the dog pens.

This is one from yesterday. After I took this photo a few white tails sprung up in the trees. I hate to scare them and was sorry I took the photo, but a few minutes later there was the doe still standing there. It must feel like a safe zone to them and it is. The dogs were upset on and off all day with the loud shots that seemed so near to them, but all was safe here.

Ten dog finale to fall training

With a nice ten dog , seven mile run, we ended the fall training season , because of rifle deer season. The dogs all looked great today. It will be two weeks before we can go out again, so they'll get a little bored. We have nice depth in dogs, just need a little more depth in humans to run with them!

Retiree Rescues

Five of these six dogs came here as rescues. They love to run together in the fields. Five of them are aging with some health problems, but they are great companion dogs. Three of these in the photo have lived here ten years.

Over the years we've taken in nine dogs as rescues. That does not include the sled dog retirees to whom we've been able to give an active and loving home. While people say the dogs are lucky to be here, it is really we who are the lucky ones, many times over. Giving a home to a dog who has been abandoned or lost or abused is some of the most rewarding dog experience one can have.

Giving a lifetime retirement home and to be able to continue to run with wonderful retiree sled dogs who are beyond their abilities to race big races anymore, is amazing. As always, I say, I wish they could talk. I learn something every single day from them . It is a marvelous gift to be able to live with these incredible athletes in their retirement (in my retirement) and to be able to continue to let them run.

All in a dog's day

Today was crammed full. Days always begin with feeding and/or souping 38 dogs. Then I clean the pens and haul the waste. Today was dishwashing and bootie washing day. Various dogs free run while I do these chores. Part of this is hauling water to all dogs with pails, since hoses now are put away for winter.

Then I loaded the truck for the dump, hauled the garbage, went to WalMart for supplies and then to the vet's office to consult on seven different dogs. I headed home with three packages of medicine and three appointments for dogs.

Once back here, even though it was warm (40 degrees) I decided to run my trails with a few dogs that hadn't run. There are two young brothers (Tsunami and Yeti) who are a handful for me alone, but I did take them out. They were way too excited though, to go together, so I only put Tsunami in the team. His mother, Frita, led with Medio , and Quattro ran in wheel. It was a difficult run, at first, but finally they got into it. (Tsunami has paw in bowl in photo).

The second run was a five dog team and went very well and fast. All superstars in the making :)
(Ruthie, Buffy, Rosie, Medio, Herman).

Then because of hunting season this would be the last day for awhile for trailwalks so we took six dogs for a walk together. Evalina runs like a rocket and she must have snagged a blackberry bush as she came back with a bleeding tongue, but other than that the dogs had a great time.

The day ended with water and treats for all.

What we watch

On a run like this, we have a lot of things to watch. I usually check their gaits, how they match up, at what speed they go from a trot to a lope (each dog), if they keep their heads down, ears back (listening), who takes the command first, correctly, etc. Ysterday we eased from 8mph, to 9mph, to 10 mph and then to 11 and 12 mph. The moisture kept the dust down well.

When we return we record the miles and the observations, making it a bit easier to setup teams as we go through the year. In this photo, the real veteran is Lillen... black dog in swing (behind the black leader, Ruthie). We are just starting up so they are working hard, but Lillen is relaxed, yet alert. (Herman and Quattro in wheel, Medio with Lillen, swing, and Buffy, Ruthie, lead).

For instance, yesterday Liller and Matilda were running with well matched lopes at 11mph, an efficient gait. The wheel dogs seem to be tiring faster than usual and I'll be checking the bungees and the length of hookup to see if I can make it a bit easier for them.

The Orange Coats are Coming

Getting last miles before the rifle deer season. It began a few minutes ago in Michigan (one mile away). The first blast caused the dogs to howl and Skinny must have seen a running deer from the front porch as he was wild with excitement . They usually bound through here on both opening days (MI and WI).

We can't take the trails after the openers until at least Dec 1st. The season begins in Wisconsin on Saturday and it surrounds our 80 acres like a war zone. The dogs are getting their last miles for a few weeks now. All dogs will have blaze orange ribbons on their collars just in case they leap a fence . They have been known to do that when the rifles blast nearby.

Yesterday we ran two six dog teams, each 6.4 miles. Two dogs did run both runs for 12.8 miles
(Ruthie and Medio). This photo is of young Matilda , her first time in lead with her mother,
Liller . Liller has a very dense coat and it take a long time for her to shed out (as she is here).

Matilda was so excited to run out the gate in lead, yiping as if to say, "Look at me, I'm in lead!"
She responded well to commands although she needs a lot of work on them.

Racing Lineups

Just checking on the lineups for the races in the UP200 weekend.
http://www.up200.org/

So far, for the UP 200, there are 40 signups , plus 3 on the waiting list.
For the Midnight Run, there are 41 signups.
For the Jackpine 30, there are nine signups so far. Our kennel has Bib 4, with driver to
be determined.

This is our team at the Start last year. Our kennel has raced in three Jackpine 30 races, highest finish in third.

Day after the big snow

The dogs seem happy to have snow. We ran some of the trails with the Skandic today.
It's a bit early, though, as 40's predicted for next week. It helps to have the snowmachine out to make walking paths as well as trails.

Lillen likes to supervise everything from her pen or out on trails with me.

What a difference a day makes!

We accumulated about 8 inches of new snow within a short period of time. The power has been off and on about seven times. All dogs have new straw and seem to be happy about this fluffy stuff that kept me shoveling gates and making paths .

Sulatna, retiree

Sulatna, a dear retiree who is a house dog, always enjoys checking out the dog yard.

As sweet as she is, vibes she sends out have young ones submitting, rolling over, as soon as they see her coming. She has an elegance and runs faster than any dog , with ease. She's playful and loving as well.

Great leader, Skinny

Skinny has a few health problems, age ten, and he grieves each time we leave the yard without him. Today we let him lead out, first team, first dog. He is responsive, eager, tough and smart.

A deer (doe) came to the edge of the trail, leaped across right in front of them, and he just kept leading right down the trail, not a flinch. Didn't even look at it as it ran off. He's been many miles over the Alaskan mountains/forests and I wish he could talk.

We ran 1.7 miles.

Frita's Family

11.09.06
Today was the day to run dogs who have not run. Tomorrow will be the same.

Frita's family is a bit of a hodge podge... Big Yepa, Bigger Swix, small Yuki, small Zoom, Big Yeti,
Big Tsunami and Big Yo.

Frita can't run long with her bad hip, but she is an excellent leader and runs so happily.
In the hookup, Yepa, who is usually quite good, ate the leader tug line. Strike One! I replaced the tug. She pulled out of harness. Strike Two! (still going). She growled at Yuki. Strike Three and Out. Everything is training.

Swix who seems like a huge, but very sweet, elephant compared to the others, ran in wheel. We ended up with amicable Medio in lead with Frita , Yuki alone in swing, and Swix alone in wheel. It was a good , but short (for Frita's hip) run. (1.2 miles) Swix did pull out of harness early but ran with it as it was.

Alaskan Photos

This is a link to June Price's wonderful , often updated, photos from Alaska. They cover sled dogs, Iditarod, the great Alaskan scenery... thanks for sharing your link, June. What a great way to travel there !

June has published articles and photos for Iditarod and is the initiator of the large Idita-Support Group. She moved lock, stock and barrel from Florida to Alaska. Many of us love to stay tuned to Alaska through her photography and writing.

http://sunhusky.com/photos/

Latest Cabela's link, thanks, June!

June Price of Alaska does some great photos of Alaska and I'll ask for her permission for her link. This is a link she provided to the Cabela's latest article on Jeff King's innovations.
Always something interesting on Cabela's site. Worth a bookmark, for sure.

http://www.cabelasiditarod.com/coverage_2007/cov07_nov6_01.html

Camping on Chena River

This is another older photo, but brings back good memories of a great time. Aliy and Kaz Zirkle offer great trips after Iditarod, or, as in this case, in November.

Snow in Alaska, two degrees; up to 60? here today

This is a photo of four of us in Two Rivers,
Alaska, November of 2001 (not sure on year).
We had just returned from camping on the Chena River with , left, Kaz Zirkle, me, Eunice and Aliy Zirkle. We had taken off under a full moon at frigid temps and had a wonderful time with the dogs. I believe the temps were minus thirty over that night, minus twenties as we ran dogs that week.
Checked yesterday and five inches of snow in Two Rivers. This a.m. two degrees and light snow. Hear the have just 5 inches on ground, so slippery for ATVs and not enough for sleds.

Two different worlds, at times, other times temps fairly similar to ours. Today we expect to get up to high fifties, even 60 degrees, too warm to run, doggone!

Deer in road

Ruthie and Buffy (four year olds) led us swiftly by the deer carcass, out and back, no problem.

Click on photo. A good training 'tool', trail distraction.

Liller's family, near Florence

This photo is taken about 3 miles from the kennel, at our turnaround. There was no trail at the turnaround but these dogs are so trail savvy that they just made the turn in the same place as last year's. The iron ore grade doesn't seem to be as bad on their feet this year. Only one hole in a bootie. It has been graded but there are deep! holes in mid trail, have to watch for them. Another plus was that shy Medio showed no reaction to traffic on his 12.6 miles of running. (Liller,* Buffy,* Medio,* Kiddo, Sherpa, Herman) * back to back 6.3 mile runs.

Out of the Gate

Getting out of the gate was the biggest challenge on this 6.3 mile run. Buffy hesitated on the 'haw', altho Ruthie was ready. All summer they know the gate is closed and we don't go that way. Once on the railroad grade/trail they were very eager to run. It was cool and windy (29 degrees). We ran into two dead deer carcasses, one in mid trail, but "pick it up" and they ran right past like pro's... good dogs. On the second run I brought a shovel and moved the carcass off the trail.

Two teams: Buffy, Ruthie, Kiddo, Medio and Quattro; LilleR, Buffy, Kiddo, Medio, Sherpa and
Herman. Kiddo, Medio and Buffy had 12.6 miles, all others, 6.3 miles. It was 29 degrees, sunny but windy/cool. Liller (age 11) set a great pace and showed no signs of tiring. I kept them at mostly 9mph, some 10/11, and near the deer, 13mph.

These were all of the same family(siblings and Mom, and granddaughter) and have sprint and distance lines combined.

Time for new scenery on runs

No, this isn't this year, it's a run with ten last fall and we need to get to this before the rifles come out for deer season. The dogs love our trails, but they are getting a bit bored with the usual routes and need a change of pace. Hopefully we'll get 'out of the gate' today or soon.

Our trusty leaders who can be relied on to listen on the critical turns 'out there' are not able to run the distances, so Buffy will be on for taking commands, along with Ruthie. Looking for someone who wants to get 'cold' with me on that open long run . (Nineteen degrees this a.m.)

Drove to get a ton of dog food yesterday and unloaded it. Whew, glad to have another month's supply. It's a 200 mile round trip, so takes most of a day away from dogs.

Cougar sites in Michigan

These are two links to the new DNR sites for cougar spottings in Michigan.

This is the one to help identifying a cougar presence.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_43573---,00.html

This is a general article on cougars and the Michigan DNR efforts to learn/educate about their presence.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--155021--,00.html