Time for a swim!

Well there are only a few that enjoy the water.  Our two big, tall monsters; Shilah and Tank.  The rest just watch them enjoy it and get splashed in the process.  Some, like Okie, though will put their paws in when it gets really hot.

Tank likes the water a lot.  He makes it all muddy in a matter minutes, jumping in and out and splashing all around.

Shilah wouldn't get in while I had the camera, but I think it's quite obvious, by the muddy water and the low level, that she's been enjoying hte pool.

Okie deemed it hot enough and got her paws wet.

Blue doesn't touch the stuff

Kona prefers to stand in the sprinklers while hunting voles (not pictured).

Shilah enjoys the top of her house too.

Paluk is very vocal about the water (as well as everything else in life).  "I don't like it!"

Isis says "I don't mind it.  I won't willingly step in it but I won't fuss about it if I do get wet.  I prefer to join Kona by the vole sprinklers."

"Didn't you hear me?!  I don't like it!"

Our smallest (Isis) and tallest (Tank) dogs.  They like to play together.

Enjoying some shade.

ATV

We have finally sucked it up and bought an ATV for training our team.  After last season's late season mishap with the cart we decided it was time.  Our kennel had grown in the last year and training had become difficult with a cart that could only handle 4 dogs at a time.  Now we'll be able to run the whole team at once making training more efficient and keeping the dogs in better shape.  Here in the Bitterroot Valley we get snow on the valley bottom intermittently throughout the winter.  It's never much, not enough for sledding but too much for the cart, and melts within a few days.  It would throw off my weekly training schedule trying to get all the dogs 3-4 days a week of running.  Now I'll have more flexibility for those bad (yet good because it was snow) weather days because we'll still be able to run the team by ATV and if it's too icy than we can just skip a day and we'll still be able to get the full training in.  Cobey also was reluctant to run the team by cart because he felt he wasn't agile enough to handle the turn at the beginning.  Now he can run the team too more regularly.  Excited for fall training!

 

Happy Birthday

Happy 7th Birthday Okanogan!!!

Photos

It's now offically the off season for us around here.  It's been too warm to run the dogs.  I was recently organizing my photos and realized there are a bunch of gems I wanted to share.



Okanogan relaxing in the yard. Feb 2012.



Tensaw doing his typical pose.  Feb 2012.



Paluk looking focused. Feb 2012.



Shilah and Tank taking after their mother (Paluk). Feb 2012.



Isis showing off her beauty. Feb 2012.



Isis and Tank playing one year ago when Tank was smaller than Isis.  Now he's twice her height! April 2011.



Paluk in her old spot, she's since moved to a wider location. April 2011.



Okanogan looking beautiful as well!  April 2011.



Kona, Isis and Tank (as a small pup) running around together.  Look how small he is!  April 2011.



Blue, Tensaw, Kona and puppy Isis standing at the door.  Dec 2010.



Puppy Isis relaxing in the kitchen. Nov 2010.



Tensaw, Kona, and Blue giving us some good poses.  Nov 2010.

A trying last month

A lot has happened since my last post. It got so hectic that I stopped blogging. I had been working on training the team for the 10 mile/day race at the Stanley Sled Dog Rendezvous March 9-11th in Stanley, ID. Annalisa was to run the team (well Paluk, Okie, Tank and Shilah with her 2 dogs), as the course is somewhat technical and, me being 27 weeks pregnant, it probably wouldn’t have been the smartest choice of races. In late February, I took Kona, Tank, Okie, Shilah and Paluk on a 4 mile cart run. As Kona and Tank were my leaders I had to help them at some of the turns because they are still learning their commands. On one of the turns on our way home I got off the cart to help them and the brake popped off and the team took off without me. I had forgotten my phone, which I bring with me on runs, and was unable to have Cobey head them off before the downhill. I knew they’d run home but was afraid of the steep downhill to our house. When I finally got home (I had to run 2 miles) everyone but Paluk had made it home unscathed. Unfortunately, Paluk’s rear right foot got tore up pretty bad. I felt horrible and loaded her up and took her to the vet. Turns out no bones were broken or ligaments/tendons damaged just some deep cuts. They stitched her up and I picked her up that evening. I felt bad about it for weeks (and still do) but in all honesty, it could have been way worse and I was very fortunate no one got hurt any worse. With that incident, Paluk was done for the season and I had no way to train the dogs dryland, as the cart took a beating too. We changed strategies and Annalisa was only going to race Tank and Shilah with her two dogs and now was going to borrow 2 dogs from another friend. Last weekend was the race. It was a fairly warm day and the leader Annalisa borrowed turned out to be in heat and wouldn't lead. So they didn't post as fast as times as they were capable of but Annalisa and the dogs had fun none-the-less and that's what it's all about!

On a side note, Cobey and I did another top 5 competition, this time for the Iditarod. My list, in order of predicted finish, was: Dallas Seavey, Ramey Smyth, Brent Sass, Josh Cadzow, and Aliy Zirkle. Cobey's list was: Ramey Smyth, Martin Buser, John Baker, Dallas Seavey and Ray Redington, Jr. I also posted my list to Sleddog Central's Top 5 Iditarod competition on a whim and low and behold this morning I found out I won 1st!!!!

Yesterday, I took Okie, Isis, Kona, Tensaw, Shilah, and Tank on an 8 mile sled up Skalkaho. It likely was our last of the season as conditions are deteriorating quickly around here but oh boy was it a great run. Everyone did great and had big smiles at the end. Not to mention we got in a lot of good passing practice with Nicki's team as neither one wanted to lead once they passed the other team.

Yea, go get my dogs!

Wednesday, as I was headed out the door to get the dogs ready for a run, Keegan came running up to me saying "Shoes on! outside!" He wanted to help me get set up, so we put his shoes on and he joined me outside. When I got the cart out he wanted to ride it down the driveway. This is something he really enjoys and had a big grin on his face. When we got to the end where I hook up the team he exclaimed "Again!" I said, we need to set up the gangline and get dogs. When I was ready to head back to get dogs, I asked Keegan if he was coming with and he gave me a gesture as if to say "go get my dogs, I'll wait here!" I could see the beginning of trouble brewing. I finally coaxed him into joining me and we got dogs ready. By the time we started hooking dogs into the gangline, Cobey had joined us. Keegan had this look in his eyes, like "Yes! WE'RE going to run dogs!" When I said bye and hopped on the cart, tears began to flow! He didn't get to go. The cart is too dangerous to let him ride along at this age and it hurt my heart to leave him. He's been hooked! YES!

The run was less than smooth, as Okie, yet again, decided to turn us around; this time even earlier than usual, in a place we've never turned around before. She would not go forward, no matter how many times guided her back around. So, reluctantly, I placed her in swing (worrying about what this would do to her confidence and morale, I guess time will tell) and had Kona lead. She was doing good but not keeping the pace, as Okie and Isis kept running up on her. I needed a dog with lots of drive to run up front with her, so Tank got his first shot at lead. THEY DID GREAT! Kona listened to my commands, keeping the team on track, and Tank held/pushed the pace. It was a great run with those two; I was very proud! Good dogs!

Saturday, we watched the ceremonial start for the Race to the Sky. It was most exciting because we got to meet Blake Freking and his dogs from Manitou Crossing Kennels in Minnesota. They are our favorite kennel that we follow and were EXTREMELY excited to see them in person! All, musher and dogs, exceeded our best expectations! Great team! We wish them well on the trail, may they have a fun and fast run!

Yukon Quest

Cobey and I made our lists last week for our predicted top 5 finishers of the Yukon Quest. We're following along closely, we'll see how close we are. My Iditarod top 10 list last year was way off. Obviously some on the list are favorites that we had to add just cause. Hope they do that well, it'd be awesome!

Cobey:
1 Brent Sass
2 Allen Moore
3 Lance Mackey
4 Mike Ellis
5 Trent Herbst

Brandi
1 Jake Berkowitz
2 Hugh Neff
3 Lance Mackey
4 Brent Sass
5 Michael Teplin