Growing

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It's hard to believe how quickly the puppies are growing. Little CJ has changed from the polar bear cub to a real dog....well almost. As they grow, each puppy is developing his or her own personality. 

CJ is Ms. Independent. On walks, she explores tree wells and offshoot trails and ignores her smaller sister, Belle who pesters her nonstop. 

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Belle is a heathen. She's smaller than all her litter mates but by far the most spunky and destructive. She's not afraid of anything and will tear the house apart if left unsupervised (and sometimes when supervised).

Fenton is SUPER friendly....especially if you have food. When loose, his sprints over to the 'big dogs' and checks their bowls to make sure they're clean. 

Lefty loves the couch. When inside, he'll jump up on the couch and stay the entire time he's indoors. He's the most shy of the litter but warms up if you have food. 

Here's a sneak peak at the Ducks--- bios and more pictures soon to come! 

SP Invitational Youth Race

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This past Sunday was the 2nd annual SP Invitational Youth race -one of my favorite races of the season! Why is it one of my favorite races of the season? Because this is my chance to brainwash the future and convert the next generation into mushing fanatics. All the neighborhood kids and their friends signed up to race around a groomed track in the field in front of SP Kennel. Each racer selected a teammate from the dog roster of Stormy, Chacha, Cartel, Honda, and Dingle. Parents and spectators spread out around the course to catch fallen racers or teams without their musher. At the end of the race, everyone was a winner, but we did keep time! Thanks to Tessa for the great photos!

Camp Out

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This weekend, the Ryno team headed out for another campout, but this time, we camped 'race style.' We selected a nice warm spot in the hills, pulled off the side of the trail, laid down straw, and rested for a few hours with Amanda Gecas and her team from Boundary Kennel. All the dogs settled into the straw (Amy took awhile to settle down-she was just so excited) and were resting like pros. As I sat by the fire, watching closely, I thought, "wow, these guys are natural campers!" Not ten seconds later, Katy stood up and her harness slid off her shoulders onto the ground. Yes, Katy aka "Scissor Teeth" had stealthily gnawed through her harness as she appeared to be curled up sleeping. Well, I guess that's why we practice! After a few hours, we bootied up and hit the trail for another run. The team was stronger on the second run than the first! Even though we had one harness casualty, the double run and campout was a success! 

What are the pups doing while the big dogs train? Watching football with Derek. 

What are the pups doing while the big dogs train? Watching football with Derek. 

White Mountain Camping Trip

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    This weekend, we loaded up the truck and headed to the White Mountains for the first camping trip of the season. Camping trips are perfect for switching up the training routine, exploring new trails, practicing passing and camping, and just enjoying the wilderness! Not only are camping trips exciting for me as a musher, but they’re also invigorating for the dogs. New smells, new sights, new experiences- the young dogs LOVE it. 

    At the trailhead, we met up with Amanda Gecas and Boundary Kennel. Amanda and her team were joining us on our trip into the cabin. Recall how excited the team was at hook up in the prior blog post, and now times that by two teams! I like to believe that harnessing two screaming, young, wildly enthusiastic teams right next to each other is organized chaos; however, at times it was probably just chaos. Patiently, we hooked up the teams and set off for the cabin. On the trail, the two dog teams had lots of practice passing snow machines, dog teams, loose dogs, and each other. Once at the cabin, we unhooked our teams, fed dinner, and picketed them off the gangline with lots of straw. In a race, the dogs will sleep on the gangline in harness. However, the youngsters aren’t quite trustworthy yet to sleep on the gangline and not chew harnesses, tuglines, necklines, or worst of all the gangline itself. Ryno Kennel yearlings are perfect, but not quite that perfect. 

    After a beautiful clear night, we fed the dogs breakfast, cleaned up camp, and hooked up the teams for the return trip. As we cruised along with the sun rising and the moon shining bright, I realized how incredibly lucky I am. To live in Alaska, to have the support of wonderful friends and family, to spend my day with such incredible dogs, I am eternally grateful.The first camping trip of the season was a huge success.