SHIRLEY TOWNE

Lead dogs Ned and Tok

Well, the dogs were quite happy to get out for a run. We went to Shirley Towne again. I would think that they would be rather tired of it by now...I know that I am. That is the only place that we are running right now due to terrible trail conditions. It has been a real challenge to get miles on the dogs. I should be doing 40 - 50 mile runs now. At Shirley Towne, it is about a 16 mile run, but it is good training because of the hills. However, we need to be able to get on some trails were we can build up the miles.

Trucking the dogs is a lot more work for me. I have to load up all of the equipment that we need. The sled has to be lifted to the top of the dog box and secured. Each dog has to be walked to the dog truck and then lifted up into a box. Some of the dogs are 65 pounds. I will load the heavier ones in the lower boxes and the lightest ones in the top boxes. I double check to be sure that we have everything that I need and then I walk around the truck and make sure that everything is secure and then away we go. We drive to where ever it is that we are going. Then when we arrive, I have to set up drop chains along the sides of the truck and drop the dogs out of their boxes. The sled needs to be taken off the top of the dog truck and set up. Dogs are bootied and harnessed and the hooked to the gangline and we take off. After the run, the dogs are watered and booties and harnesses are removed and they are put back up into the boxes. Sled goes back up on top and the drop chains are removed from the sides of the truck and stowed. We drive back to the kennel and then each dog is walked back to their dog house. Whew !

Now you can see why I love running from the kennel. The dogs are walked and hooked to a picket line that is right next to where the sled and gangline is. They are bootied and harnessed and then they are transferred right to the gangline that it attached to the sled. Then it is off we go ! So much easier. When we return from a run, we come in and go around the back of the dog lot and the sled ends up right where it needs to be to take off for another run. The dogs are right along the picket line again. However, I don't hook them back to it. I just remove booties and harnesses and one by one I walk them to their dog house.

Ned is a pretty good little leader, but he has the nickname "Pooping Ned" because he does not poop "on the run". He will bring the team to a screeching halt. If I am not paying close attention, and don't see the tell tale signs, I can very easily have a tangled team. It would be so nice if he would learn to just poop on the run like Tok and Thornton ! Maybe someday...