Sunday, December 30, 2012

Doofs!

I took the team up Skalkaho again today. This time without Keegan. This allowed me the opportunity to run the team farther. I realized right before we took off that I DO have a GPS...it's on my phone (Doof!). So I fired that thing up before we took off.

I initially had Shilah and Tank in lead but as Shilah is a horrible dipper (and by that I mean she practically stops the team every time she dips for snow. I don't mind if they dip as long as they don't disturb any other dogs' gait). I placed her in swing and gave Okie a stab at lead again. After that switch, things were going much smoother and Okie did great!

We passed by the spot we turned around at yesterday and determined we indeed went 9 miles. I was trying AGAIN today to make the falls but by 6.25 miles we weren't there I decided the team had gone far enough.

On the way back though I was glad I had Okie in lead because Tank would have probably taken us off the mountain (Doof!). He's not the brightest teammate; he smelled something so he was going to follow his nose, right off a steep drop off. Okie looked over there and within a split second decided that was a BAD idea and she pulled with all her might to keep the team on the trail. This short "tail" may seem dire but do not worry, it wasn't as bad as it may sound. I have complete trust in my dogs (especially Okie's ability to lead the team past distractions and hazards) and I have to believe Tank has self preservation instincts and would not have followed the plan all the way through. I can only hope.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN_cjeXtfMQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Little Musher Training up Skalkaho

After loading up the dogs, I went in to tell Cobey I was leaving and Keegan informed me he would like to go. We dressed him up in his gear (which included a nice new, warm REI fleece jacket from THE Grandparents for Christmas).


We went up Skalkaho today. The trail conditions were better than I expected; much better than last year. Other than Keegan initiallyh telling me he now did not want to go (which was no longer an option), prep went off without a hitch and we were down the trail! I don't have a GPS so I don't know exactly how far we went but it was between 8-10 miles. They did great. I had Shilah and Tank in lead and, other than Shilah being a very disruptive dipper, they took us down the trail straight and at a good pace. They passed all skiers smoothly, even though you could tell they wanted to visit.


Keegan had fun too and was glad he went. I was glad we all went too.


[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTwcXle_zAc?rel=0]

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Fishmas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUuMpqS4WyY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Kona says "This is the best Christmas EVER! This dog is a fish Popsicle!"

Today, my family had our annual Christmas day run down by the Columbia River in Kennewick, WA. My sister's dog, Riley, (as well as Kona) rolled on a dead fish. Kona couldn't lick herself but Riley was accessible.

Merry Christmas from the ByDog Siberians!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Jingle and Okie

Last Christmas, Keegan got a story about Jingle the husky pup and a "talking" stuffed Jingle came with it. "Jingle even loved to sing" is one of the lines that makes Jingle sing a little husky tune.


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 Tonight as I was feeding dogs I realized Okanogan has a very similar song (though it also can have a barking ring to it at times).
Maybe they're long lost siblings?! See the resemblance?



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Monday, December 17, 2012

Contrast

Gotta love fresh poop on new snow! So easy to find it and even easier to scoop! SNOW!

Also this season our eldest has finally decided he does like snow! Which is a big relief to us, as the best time of the year is when the dogs and we can go play! He even likes joining me to feed the dogs!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Happy (belated) Birthday Tensaw

Oops! Sorry Tensaw. You got your Happy Birthday's on the day but the post is a day late. Plus, you got the best present ever, a run in the snow! So...

You are such a wonderful, goofy, cuddly dog, after my own heart. You are one special guy!

Happy (Belated) Fourth Birthday, my Tenny Bear!





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Saturday, December 15, 2012

On the sled again!

Went out on the sled for the first time this season. It was glorious! The dogs did phenomenal! Keegan came along. He did great too and had lots of fun. Worlds better than last season when he wouldn't even put a snow suit on without pools of tears. The dogs are in much better shape this year and pulled us through some thick trail. Everyone was glad to be out in the cool, crisp morning! Including a local training partner, Nicki Arndt. We had a tangle with her team and it was trying for everyone but we made it through and the rest of the run definitely made up for it! Here's to the season! May it be enjoyable.



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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Pinky and the Brain

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Okanogan has been having trouble with our out and back runs, the only training option we have from our house. She's been turning the team around without command so she's be relegated to swing where she still helps with gee and haw but doesn't turn the team around. So I've been running many combinations of dogs up in lead.


The last two days, I ran Isis and Tank together. I've labeled them "Pinky and the Brain" from characters in the '90's cartoon with the same name. Tank is Pinky. He's work horse of the operation and the sidekick that will do whatever Isis, "the Brain" commands. In the cartoon, the Brain devises evil plots to take over the world. Isis definitely has plots, be they evil or not, to take over the world, or at least her immediate world.


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On Saturday, no evil plots came to fruition. There was a short detour in an attempt to follow a running herd of deer but they listened well and continued course down the road. Sunday was another story, the evil plot to obtain a rabbit for dinner, led to a long pause in the run as I attempted to drag 6 dogs back up to the trail, 5 of which wanted rabbit; Okanogan just wanted to run.


Tank and Isis are a funny combination as Tank is about twice the height of Isis and they are very opposite personalities but are buddy-buddy. They complement each other well in lead but without the stability of Okanogan running by all distractions we are sometimes in for a bit of an adventure.


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Speaking of adventures, Keegan got his shot at his first training today with the team. It was a very chilly day but we bundled him good and I think he had a blast. He tried talking to me the whole time but I couldn't hear him most the time. At one point I heard him ask, "what's 'gee'?"


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Good times with the ByDog Siberians!


Love your puppas!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Speed, Focus...okay not really focus...

Our training runs have been great lately! Unfortunately, I've not been running my "gee haw" leader, Okanogan, in lead because she's been my "haw-around-when-I-don't-want-her-to" leader as of late. None of the other dogs know gee/haw, at least in the gangline (they do quite well when we canicross).

Isis has been a great little, solid leader but the pace she keeps is slow. Kona is always solid but also holds a slow pace. Tank will run lead but doesn't do anything but run fast. Usually a pairing of Tank with Kona or Isis keeps the team moving forward and at a good pace.



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(Pic caption: Isis and Kona leading on Saturday)

Today I decided I wanted speed, pure speed. I put Shilah and Tank in lead. Shilah was definitely the brains of the operation (she's turning into a nice leader). Learning her gees and haws; just not confident enough to act on them if her co-leader gives her some resistance. She has a weakness for bunny rabbits, but what Siberian doesn't (even Okie does, she just runs faster but, when in harness, leaves them alone). And boy are there a lot of bunny rabbits along our training route. But if you tell Shilah to "leave it" she'll often drag Tank (or other leader) on by it. Earlier in the week, she found a bunny carcass, that was fun....for the dogs....

So this evening, Tank and Shilah led the team and we were flying! Okay, for most teams a max speed of 14 mph is not flying but that's a pretty good clip for my team. Usually, we average between 9-11 mph, today we averaged between 12-14 mph! Without Okie up there it still takes me getting off the ATV to help lead them around some turns but it's all good training, and it's much less frustrating for every being involved than the alternative.

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(Pic caption: Shilah and Tank leading the team getting a drink before we turn around)

Though Okie is a great backseat driver. When she's in swing she doesn't turn the team around unless I command and it helps guide the less experienced leaders! Go TEAM!

Always love your Puppas!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhbCGevviL4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Slow but steady run in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. Gotta love the view (not the dog butts...the panoramic).