Another new year

First race of the year, first time on snow since last Winter. 28 miles with 6 dogs over some of the most beautiful areas in the U.P. Danya and Fiona, Macc, Attla, Goose and Cruise ran over ice, sand, snow, rocks, roots, up hills, down hills....barefoot and were absolutely wonderful. Tried to keep them slow, but they insisted on moving along at a faster pace. We've trained through the warm months of last Fall... I never got more than 17 miles in any one run, but we had over 300 miles total for training. They finished the race in good shape, which was my main goal.

I love our dogs...they are so reliable and hard working, affectionate and focused. They never complain or judge...good friends and trailmates! Jill and Martha also raced the Tahqamenon trails and Ted was our driver and handler. It was a merry group of mushers to travel with!

Our first race apart from MUSH/MiDD events, so we were the "outsiders/strangers" but everyone seemed nice and many were very helpful. Looking forward to next year and training in the U.P. with the dogs, if we can. Ted is thinking about running a team in the race too, so that's another thing to look forward to!

We worked hard and accomplished my goal of getting there, finishing the race with all 6 dogs, and having a good run. Other than helping another musher with a tangle, (+40 minutes) we had a smooth run considering the trail conditions. It was a good learning experience for the dogs, and me. I drive a dog team like I do a car...like an old lady...but had such a nice time, and enjoyed the scenery . Being on the trail with my dogs, alone and with the Superior winds blowing across the trail, was a mystical experience. Certainly NOT the Iditarod, but I am so proud of my dogs for doing all that I asked of them (EXCEPT slowing down) .

Still no snow...54 degrees today and sunny. Tonight we are supposed to get rain, then snow for the next couple days. We'll see....I doubt there will be enough for this weekends race to go. :(

Catching up

So much happens..too much to relate, really.
Burr is the newest puppy, born Dec. 9, 2010. He is from Kirov/Fiona daughter, Pai and Q/Pennys son Bear. Had so much fun raising him in the house with his Grand parents...he learned to use the bells on the door to let me know when he needed to go out immediately, and played with Kirov when Kir felt up to it. It was to be our last winter with Kirov...so it was a blessing to have his grandson. Kirov leaves behind many wonderful memories, friends and offspring in our kennel. He was a one in a million...and is missed more than words can tell.
This Spring and Summer have been wet, hot then cool...then hot again. The older dogs (11-13 yrs old) seem to be handling it o.k., though several go off their feed occasionally, and Storm and Nick are stumbling along. Kiska, who is 14, is still behaving like a big puppy, while her daughter Tesla is showing her age (ll) more so.
Volt, who was 11, passed on recently. He developed an endocrine malfunction, and was being treated, but to no avail. He was euthanized in my arms, and passed very peacefully.
Well, this is all a part of life, and it may hurt terribly, but the days and years we had the honor of spending with the dogs...all of the dogs we've loved and cared for, has to make it worth the pain. Otherwise, why would anyone invest so much in an animal whose lifetime is so short? The days we spend, in their company and working with them...cuddling and caring for them...building trust in another species that doesn't speak our language or understand the passing of time is one of life's greatest gifts. It is impossible to "look down the road" and see a life without them...but inside you know that the great circle is always turning, and someday we will all be gone. SO! put it aside...after all, one cannot dwell on the end of the journey...the destination. It is about the travels, the twists, the turns of life's journey. Dogs show us how to live in the moment...one of their gifts to us if we'll accept it.

LOVE the U.P.!!

Will be leaving for the U.P. in a few hours...am so looking forward to going "up North" again! In January I will be making the trip alone to run in the TCSDR with my 6 dog team . This time, going up to the Midwest Sled Dog Symposium with Sebastion Schnuele as a guest speaker...as well as many other activities pertaining to dog sledding and dog training and care. My friend Karen Garvey is coming too, after she gets out of school. It's so nice to be able to spend time with people who "get" this whole dog thing.
Sounds kind of goofy I guess...but I'm gonna miss my dogs for the 2 days we're gone...seems you cannot spend much time with them without them taking over your heart, and I spend as much time with them as possible. I just like "hangin'" with them...they give me affection and companionship, make no demands (well, Fiona does sometimes) and are always happy to see me. Who wouldn't miss that?! Now that there are so many old dogs in the kennel, I feel especially drawn there to embrace every moment we have left with them...it will be very difficult when they start leaving us, but that isn't to be worried about now. Need to enjoy the time we have left, and make sure the quality of their lives is the best we can give them.

The wind is pretty fierce today...will have to take it easy in the little "toad" (Prius) so we don't fly off the Mighty Mac! If I have to drive 5 mph across I will...its a long way down, and don't think the landing would be fun at all!

The leaves are starting to change into their colors...gotta remember to take my camera with me. Although Karen is an excellent photographer, and will take better photos than I will....she has the good "eye" for it.

As Fall draws near....

Another Summer comes to an end (thank goodness! This last one was hotter than normal and humid.) Attla and Macc, the two new pups from last Spring are growing like weeds and we enjoy them a great deal. Raven and Cruise, last years pups, have developed into true assets to our teams, and though we have many retired dogs, the young ones are giving a new energy to the kennel.
This last month has been difficult due to losing two very special mushers we had the privilege to know...Bonnie Ingham and Monica Terrel were both taken by cancer. Way too soon to leave us, but they fought a good battle and passed with grace...Leaving behind many that admired and loved them.
Training has started, but not as consistently as I'd hoped. Today is humid and in the 80's...too hot to run dogs. Q-Ball overheated on a 1.5 mile trail, had to be carried home and hosed down.
Fortunately he recovered quickly, and seems to be o.k. but it scared the be-jesus out of me. I watch the dogs closely when I train/race them...and haven't overheated a dog until Q. It made me even more cautious on those iffy days (60 degrees, windy, no sun...slight humidity) Always carry cold water for the dogs, and in early conditioning/training, make stops about every half mile to give them refreshment and catch their breath. Q has a heavier coat than most of the other Seppala's I run...and he is a very hard worker (exactly the type to over-heat) Well, I'll be more vigilant from now on.
Once it cools down in the 30-40's I will switch from the quad to the Dyck cart. Haven't had Macc or Attla in a team yet...that will happen soon though. We want them to have a good experience and enjoy running with the "big dogs". They are such nice pups...just have a feeling that MACC is going to be even bigger than Strider or Zev. I guess that Ted will enjoy his team of big boys. I'll have my little Raven and Fiona, Goose and Danya, Attla and Ursula. Kirov will be officially retired this year which is sad....it is always sad when one of your best dogs ages to the point that his life as a sled dog is over. He won't be happy, but with some luck, he will still get to play in the snow with the grandkids and my daughter. That will depend on how he is feeling when the snow comes.
We have 8 dogs that are over 11 this year...all such good dogs that gave so much to us, for us.
Nicholai and Kiska will be 13 in 2011. Kiska is so much like Willow, always smiling and tail wagging, still. Nic is looking old in the eyes, and his hearing is going. We sure love those old dogs, and will miss them when they are gone.
Well, the sun is shining, and I guess it's time to go out and fill some holes.

A New Year

Hootie (heidi)

She was a small female, loving, and somewhat shy...tough as nails, non-demanding, sometimes annoying with her vocalness....cat-like in her affection, the sweetest, most doting mother and our friend. When I was in the U.P. Ted brought her in to the house and she enjoyed her new status. Well mannered, lacking any aggressiveness to man or beast, she mothered all things, even us.
I'd noticed that she'd been losing weight...she seemed to be eating, though not as aggressively as usual. Ted noticed it too when she was inside those couple days. So off to the vet!
He listened to her lungs, frowned and asked me if she'd been coughing a lot. I hadn't noticed any coughing except when she drank water a couple of times. After blood work, X rays and other tests, we found out that our little girl had a "massive tumor" in her lung. Dr. Lepley called me in, showed me the radiograph, explained the prognosis, and said he couldn't believe that she didn't present with other symptoms. But, that is her "MO"...she never complained.
The tumor started at the base of her heart, probably 6-9 months ago...it rendered a lung virtually useless, her heart was sagging onto her sternum, and her esophagus was displaced and probably made it very difficult eat at all. The decision was made to give her the relief she deserved, and so it was done. Ted made it there so he could say goodbye, and be with her too.
We buried her near her friends that have also passed on...and in spite of the heavy hearts we bear today, we are grateful for the time we got to spend with our little silver dog....grand-daughter of the great Beowulf.
It never really surprises me what we learn from each of these dogs that we share our lives with.
For each life that we are responsible for, we have been taught what grace, dignity and loyalty really mean....that living in the moment is the best way to live....loving is constant and without conditions...forgiveness is peace. How can you not miss them, when they are suddenly gone? SO much is taken, but MORE was given.
The young receptionist at the Vet's office asked me how I could stand it...she found it unbearable and couldn't imagine having so many dogs to care for and know that life will end for all of them sooner or later. I told her that I don't think about the "end"...and try to enjoy and APPRECIATE every minute I get with them...you love them, care for them and try to give them the best quality of life you are capable of...that is really all you can do. With life, eventually there will be death...you can let it drag you down now, or push it to the very end, where it belongs. It is never "easy" and I hope it NEVER gets easy to lose a loved one.
So thank you Heidi for the years we had, and while I'm not so sure there IS a heaven for us humans, I'm certain that there has to be one for dogs, as they are much closer to perfect than we will ever be.