The end of the season is creeping up on us quickly as I sit here looking out of the window. The snow is almost gone and the birds are returning. The sounds of the birds and the frogs are in the air and the rabbits are stirring up the dog yard. The weather this season has cooperated very well compared to the last few years. Almost all of the races went on as planned and the touring businesses have been going strong. Not only is the snow a must for a good season of running dogs but it is also very critical for many of the local economies.

I would like to thank Randy for taking care of getting the last edition of the Newsletter out. As he explained I was trying to get the team ready for some racing. Randy did an excellent job and his help will be rewarded. While I am in the thanking mood I would also like to thank all of the contributors and readers who have participated in this newsletter.

This past weekend I attended at musher potluck organized by Rebekah Chapman and Stan Passananti. It was held in northern MN. This was an excellent event that was very laid back and offered a great opportunity to talk dogs. An informal discussion session was held where everyone participated in talking about checkpoint strategies and also nutrition. One of the best things about an event like this is that it provides the chance for mushers to get together when there is no pressure. Racers and non-racers alike have the chance to compare notes and tell stories from the trails. I would like to encourage all of you whether mushers or not to attend these events. It is a great way to be involved in the mushing community and it also is a great way to help support the sport.

Now that summer is upon us it is time to get things in order for next season. In keeping with that theme I would like to invite anyone who has something to add to this newsletter to please do so. Hopefully we will all have a little time to let others know our thoughts, ideas or stories.

Thanks for the support,
Eric Morris

Answer:

I try to give my dogs some quality time off at the end of the season. This gives the dogs time to relax and recover from the season. To keep them in shape during the summer I make sure I continue to feed the same quality diet I feed in the winter, I only feed less. I will also free run my dogs behind the four wheeler on a semi regular basis. The number of runs will be dictated by the weather.

Eric Morris

Hello everyone,

I just thought I would update everyone on the end of our race season for 2004. After the Iditarod ended, Ken decided to switch the team over to open class sprint racing. He combined 6 of his fastest Iditarod dogs with 10 yearlings and 2 year olds who had been training primarily with our handlers, John and Julie, all season. All the dogs had a really good base of long, slow miles on them. So Ken focused on speeding the team up and getting them to stretch out. He did many short training runs, 8 to 12 miles in length with a goal of getting the dogs to feel comfortable at speeds of 18mph, rather than the 8 to 10mph speeds from Iditarod. It takes a pretty exceptional canine athlete to make this switch, but Ali and Rulon managed to really pull it off, running in lead in virtually all of the sprint races.

Ken first ran a warm up race in Minto, a tiny community about 3 hours north of Fairbanks. Then he trucked the team down to Anchorage, and flew on Alaska Airlines to the western Alaska village of Kotzebue. Kotzebue is a town of about 3000 residents, with a great dog mushing organization. They hold both long distance and sprint races for all ages all winter long, culminating in a big spring festival week of racing. That's what Ken headed out there to participate in. There are many different classes of races with the headline events being the Kobuk 440 (440 miles) and the Arctic Circle Championships Sprint Race (3days, 25 miles each day). There is a substantial purse on both of these races, and thus they draw many out of town competitors. This year, there were several Iditarod mushers competing in the Kobuk 440, including Jeff King (with 2 teams), Aaron Burmeister, Ray Reddington Jr, Ed Iten, Melanie Gould, and local favorite John Baker.

Ken was the only Iditarod musher in the sprint race. I asked him what his Iditarod competitors thought of his defection to open class sprint. He said he couldn't help ribbing them a bit at the finish banquet, saying the toughest thing he had to deal with all weekend was overeating and oversleeping! That's not quite true, but the Kobuk 440 is arguably one of the toughest races in the world, even tougher than Iditarod in some years. The trail is difficult, there is little opportunity for rest, and the weather can be atrocious. I don't think Ken or his dogs were too disappointed to be missing out on that! In the end, Ken finished in 2nd place, being narrowly defeated (40 seconds) by Bill Kornmueller. Although Ken was a little disappointed not to manage to pull off a victory, he was very proud of his team for doing so well.

After the Kotzebue race ended, Ken spent one day learning to ice fish with nets set under the ice before chartering a Cessna 207 to Shishmaref. Shishmaref is located on a tiny barrier island in the Bering Sea, and is a very traditional Inupiat Eskimo community. We've been there once before to race, in 2001. I was the first woman ever to win their sprint race, and was pretty amused by how surprising it was to everyone that a girl could beat the boys! Anyhow, this year was Ken's chance to show off and he managed to win the 3 day, 36 mile/day event pretty easily. 36 miles is a long way for a sprint team to run. Tonight is the banquet for the Shishmaref race, and Ken is pretty excited about the entertainment, which includes several local dancers as well as the King Island dancers, from an even more remote community.

These spring races are some of our favorite times racing ''s really amazing to visit these communities and become a part of them, even if it is only for a short while. The dogs (and humans) love the lengthening days and warm sunshine, and with the season winding down we can relax and enjoy ourselves without the pressure of making sure the dogs are ready for the next event.

Back home at the kennel, both Julie and John are gone. John was on a 6 month visa and had to go home to Norway, where he enters the army reserves as part of his mandatory military service. He says he is working to save up money for his next trip to Alaska! Julie bought a Toyota and headed back to Maine for her summer job as a sea kayak guide. Her new friend Peter went with her for the drive. I have been working long hours at my new job for Chena Hot Springs. It's a great opportunity for me; I am working on a geothermal power plant and a garden/greenhouse to grow produce for their restaurant. We have a new handler for the summer, Jillian, who is a reporter for a Whitehorse paper I met during the Yukon Quest this year. She is taking a 6 month sabbatical to learn more about mushing, and has jumped right into the swing of things. She ran her first dog team yesterday! Yes, we still have plenty of snow up here, but it is melting fast.

Gwen

This time of year many mushers are focusing on getting their puppies started. There are many ways to get this done here is ours.

We like to get the pups going at between 5-8 months of age. We plan our litters so that the pups are generally reaching that age in the spring when we have more time to focus on them not the racing dogs. We believe the puppies should have been chained for at least a week before they are first harnessed and longer than that is no problem. They learn to respond to the limits of their chain and that transfers into the neckline pressure they will get when they are first hooked up. Our gangline has cable necklines so that chewing is not an issue and they don't get corrected for that. We put two strong leaders in front, and often a person as well, to help pull forward very slowly. We will mix pups and calm adult dogs in the team as needed to stabilize things and WALK with this team very slowly for just several hundred yards the first time or two. Look now for pups that are having more difficulty than others. Watch also for those that are already looking like sled dogs. Well bred sled dogs often do well on the very first hook-up and seldom take more than 3 hookups to show you they have potential. There are exceptions to this certainly and many of them turn out to be great sled dogs so don't be disheartened if they all don't go right away.

Once you have a group of pups going well you can eliminate the human assist in front and stretch your training run to one or two miles. Keep it fairly slow at this point (6-9 mph) We like to keep pups going four to five times a week for at least a dozen runs, more if possible in your schedule. Don't get puppies too tired or correct every little thing that comes along. We don't tolerate true fighting but make sure you can discern between that and a little tiff that is the product of their understandable confusion in these early lessons.

Like most training,
Keep it positive!
Keep it short!

End of Season Blues

The sledding season has ended for those of us in Mid- to Southern Minnesota. It always seems to be such a sullen time of year for us, as we put the sleds into the storage building, take the dog boxes off the trucks for my husband Brian's apple and honey business to begin, and sadly watch the ice break up on the lake in front of our home.

At the same time, there's a feeling of anticipation for the upcoming fall training season, with questions and thoughts such as: How will my new dog work in the team next year? I wonder if my new pup will be a good leader? That darn Stryker, I am glad Klaus is becoming a good leader because Stryker is starting be such a weenie about leading the team up hills. (Back to Mushing Boot Camp because I am sure this is my fault!) And last but not least, the endless sketches of what dog to run where, when, and on what schedule. I think this is a problem I have. I have been told I am a chronic planner.

In between all of the putting away and cleaning of gear and planning for fall are the plans for the dogs for the summer. (I keep using that "plan" word!) How do I keep these guys busy all summer long so they don't revolt? There are many different ways for people to keep their dogs happy, in the off season. For some people and dogs it's just nice to sit and relax and not have to do too much after a long winter of many miles. I, on the other hand, can't seem to sit still and just long for projects.

My dogs live in kennels, in packs. They get out and run and play every day, in many different combinations. This, in itself, it a major undertaking. This dog with this dog but not with that dog. Then put away those two dogs and let the other two out with the remaining three. Okay, this may be a management nightmare for some. Maybe this accounts for the facial tick and the stress in my life!

A well socialized dog and an obedient dog make for a happy owner. Not saying that my dogs are, by any means, always obedient. But I like to think I give them the opportunity to be! I "plan" to take three dogs to a different type of class per summer season. Puppy Socialization Class, Obedience Class or Agility Class are the three from which I choose, depending upon who needs what. Icoa is nine months old and needs the basic obedience. Klaus is an up and coming leader, so I want him to gain more confidence by going to Agility Class. Adja. Where do I begin? This dog is my best and worst dog all wrapped up in one. This is the dog that made me wonder if I was ready for Inuit Dogs or even dog sledding at all! I have overcome some of those fears and after much consideration I have decided that THIS DOG is going to obedience training, even if they kick me and my obnoxiously boisterous sidekick out on our butts! Wish me luck.

Now I am drawn back to thoughts of winter and all the fun we had, trying to escape the thought of obedience training with Adja! We didn't do any big trips this year as we had planned. We were finishing up a cabin in the north woods, which will serve as the base for many future sledding adventures. Brian did undertake a most memorable adventure trip during the winter of 2001. I have included details of it below.

Have a wonderful summer season and please give input for what you would like to see in future additions of the "Freight Dog" section of the Makin' Tracks Newsletter!

Late January 2001 found the ice covered lakes in Northern Minnesota full of knee deep slush from the early accumulations of snow. Dog sled travel was laborious and wet and I wanted to get my dogs in shape for a March Hudson Bay trip. So, rather then slog around in northern Minnesota, I planned a solo trip to Lake Nipigon in southern Ontario.

Called the seventh Great Lake, Lake Nipigon is 60 by 40 some miles large and the islands in the lake are large enough to have lakes on them. Due to the volume of water in Nipigon, it typically does not freeze over completely until early January. So the early season snow is not able to accumulate and create the slush which is so common in southern Canadian lakes.

I had been to Lake Nipigon twice before with Lonnie Dupre when he was training for his Greenland expedition so I was familiar with the lake. I arrived near Beardmore Ontario late on Saturday evening February 17 and slept in my custom dogbox/sleeper with my nine dog team on a logger truck pullout. Sunday morning I drove into town and stopped at the only restaurant in town, the Finlander. The Finlander is in a turn of the century mining building that was moved into town. It's a rustic building with a wood floor and a nice fieldstone fireplace. There were some locals sitting at a large table and seeing the dog truck out front, invited me to their table. They were quite interested in my plans and I went out to the truck and brought my maps in so we could discuss various aspects of winter travel on the lake.

Lake Nipigon is a jewel of a lake as far as the fish habitat is concerned. Large fifty plus pound lake trout roam the deep waters and the lake is also known for its large brook trout, which can easily reach eight pounds. A limited number of commercial fishing permits are given for the lake and several of the locals work on the lake as part of this industry.

The most affable in the group, John Peters, had many suggestions to make and several good stories to tell. I left feeling like this was a town where I would definitely make a point to spend some time in the future.

I parked on the east shore of the lake at the park landing, which is the only access in the winter. The parking lot is plowed and is used by commercial fishermen. I unloaded my sled and started sorting through my gear. The weather was nice, around 10F and sunny. Soon half of the town was passing through the lot. Apparently word spreads fast in a town of 200 people.

I hooked up the nine dog team and I was quickly bouncing across a wind packed surface with maybe 9 inches of snow. This was exactly what I was looking for when I left the northwoods of Minnesota behind. The going was good and I made the twelve miles to Flatland Island in about 3 hours and followed a well worn wolf track trail around the island to camp on the north side to get out of a rising south wind. I had been on the road the previous night quite late so I slept soundly that evening and awoke to ravens fighting over a scrap of food.

I was on the leeward side of the island and the lack of wind combined with the sunshine made for a great morning. From Flat Land Island I could see Kings Head on Shakespeare Island and the rough ice between. This portion of the lake has the most current running through it and is the least stable area of ice. I found twelve inches of ice, which is plenty for travel, but I would later find three to four feet on the northern portion of the lake where the water is more static.

I headed north from my camp to Endekwis Island which is near Kelvin Island and the largest island on the lake. The dogs were running well as the conditions were ideal. My GPS showed we were averaging 5.8 mph and we easily made the twenty miles to Endekwis. The wind had switched around and was now blowing in my face from the north and it looked like a change in the mild weather was coming. My wife Linda had given me a Bruton altimeter as an advance birthday gift. The little device proved quite useful on this trip as it provides a barometer reading in addition to temperature and wind speed. I took a reading of 3F at sunset with a barometer reading of 29.28.

Tuesday morning broke with a gale blowing full force from the NW. I was again on the leeward side of the island which made breaking camp and the dog hook up tolerable. I must admit I was not prepared for the full force of the 40 mph wind I hit when I came around the side of the island. My route was essentially a clockwise route around the lake which left Kelvin and Gieke Islands in the center of the "watch". Today's travel was from 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock, clockwise around the watch, which took me through the most exposed area of the lake ice. The winds come out of the bay where the tall cliffs act as a wind tunnel. Within an hour, bucking the wind, I had to pull into a bay on Kelvin Island to add more insulating layers. My lead dog Bingo had to take a zigzag route forward so that they could avoid having the wind directly in their face. The lake ice here was windswept with patches of bare ice so, even with the head wind, we made fifteen miles to Outer Barn Island where we camped early due to the high winds. I wanted to spend a night below Outer Barn Island, as the 700 foot cliffs make for a spectacular setting. As I set up the tent on the leeward side of the island, I watched fifty foot tall snow cyclones race out of the wind tunnel and head SW across the ice in front of me. It was a spectacular display of wind and I felt we had gotten a fair taste of what Lake Nipigon had to throw at us.

That evening, the sky cleared and the wind died off a bit and the northern lights were out. I peered out from the tent and was surprised to see the dogs sitting up quietly looking seaward. Apparently, they too were in awe of the moment.

The next day proved to be my longest, as I made twenty three miles and progressed from 9 o'clock to 1 o'clock on my rotation around the lake. On the north end of the lake, I came across a well worn skidoo trail which was being used by Frank Goodmand. I met him and his crew of two as I pitched camp. He proudly told me he had been commercial fishing on the lake for forty seven years and had been out at fish camp for fifty three days straight. He recollected how in the early days, before snow machines, his dad and he had used sled dogs to haul their nets and fish on the lake. He seemed tickled that I was out on dog sled running some of his trails.

The barometer fell overnight to 28.88 and I awoke to a minor white out which ended in a hazy fog. I headed south, as I was now forty one GPS miles from the landing and used a compass in the haze and fog to find my way down to the "gap" on Mckellar Island. As I pitched camp, the sky cleared and I had a gorgeous sunset with a view of Humbolt Bay to my south and east. This portion of the lake has less exposed rock and more rolling terrain and it reminded me of photos of Alaska with the ice snow and hills. I found a set of fox tracks coming off the island and heading the 8 miles of ice to the shore of the bay and pondered why a fox would risk being caught out on the ice by a pack of wolves.

My last day on the trail was warm and sunny and the twenty five miles took its toll with the heat on the dogs. They did well, however, and we made the miles in five hours counting two rest stops. As I hit the landing, I was proud of the team. We had clocked 130 miles in 5 1/2 days and I felt, for the first time this winter, my team was ready for Hudson Bay in March. While it had been a snowy winter, I had not really put many long distance miles on the team. Slogging through deep northern snow was not the kind of training I wanted for my dogs as preparation for a 400 mile Hudson Bay trip where I expected to find some hard packed conditions.

In the end, the Hudson Bay trip to Arviat turned out to be much more difficult then we had planned, with the Nipigon solo trip proving to be the best run of the winter, as we made plenty of easy miles and the dogs were not exposed to such brutal weather and trail conditions.

I highly recommend Lake Nipigon as a destination for freight dog owners. You'll find sub-arctic conditions, in an easily accessible location, two hours north of Thunder Bay and the scenery and people are just great.

In the last issue of Gear Tips we covered the Fast Trax style of plastic and what types and colors are pertinent for what type of trail conditions. This time around we are looking at the real start of plastic runners, that being QCR or Quick Change Runner. The QCR system consists of a lightweight aluminum dovetail rail that is secured to the bottom of the wooden runners of any sled. The easy change plastic is then guided onto the aluminum dovetail and slid toward the front of the sled and is held in place by two screws in the front of the runner. This system was immediately adopted by racers being that it was such a big step from the screw on plastic which was very time consuming to replace. The QCR rails take a little bit of experience to install properly as you must maintain even spacing between the dovetail rail and the wood of the runner to ensure that the plastic will slide on and off easily.

The plastic and the aluminum rail expand and contract at different rates and can make what was a nice fit when you put your new set on in the warmth of the house a very tight fit when at the first checkpoint at 10 below. However, many people offset these rates by adding shims under the aluminum runner prior to screwing to the wooden runner. A strip or two of electrical tape is all that is needed. Either you put the rails on right and ensure a good fit or you will definitely need to purchase a plastic slide tool and bring a hammer. Sometimes it is just cold enough to still be a tight fit and I have used the turkey cooker at the checkpoint to heat up water and put the plastic runners in the warm water for a while, and then quickly slide them on. The trick there is to do it quickly.

The original plastic was routered to get the inverse dovetail form which tended to vary slightly from set to set at times. Now it seems that all the brands out there are heading toward the extruded plastic method which creates a more consistent form each time.

CB Sliders are yet another style of plastic that will fit QCR rails which has a slightly different design than the QCR sliders. These sliders are 5/16" thick. They are wide enough to protect the wooden runners from wear on the sides. Its raised edges give it a concave shape which aids in the steering and reduces drag.

The next product in the age of lighter faster, stronger is the Matrax runner system which is very similar to the Fast Trax system we talked about last issue. Matrax requires replacement of your trusty wooden runners with a lightweight aluminum runner. You can continue to use the same QCR plastic which slides onto a poly sleeve that attaches permanently to the bottom of the aluminum runner. Its shape or design is a cross between a steel I beam and the letter H which gives it excellent stability while maintaining flexibility. There are even two different weights of runners to choose from. Typically the sprint and some mid-distance teams use the lightweight while the heavier runners are used by freight, camping and long distance teams.

The fit can be snug on this style so there are a couple of tricks to keep in mind to make changing them as easy as the wooden style. First, I learned this one at one of the John Beargrease checkpoints this year, keep runner plastic rolled up with the smooth side in until you go to put them on which keeps the plastic groove open. To remove the old plastic use a screw driver, work it under the end and peel it off. Some people use wax or grease to put them on.

There are currently two styles of QCR sliders to choose from:UH 4000 , typically yellow this UHMW polyethylene is the more durable of the two styles and is available in ¼" and 3/8". This plastic is used when training and has good to fair glide at all temperatures. The other nice thing is that it is waxable.

XH which is black is softer and therefore less durable than the UH. However this plastic contains natural wax in its makeup which makes for a very smooth pre-waxed runner once it is extruded to form. It is only available in the ¼" thickness. Being that the makeup of this runner is for superior glide especially in colder temperatures it is softer and requires that you scrape it with a blade of some sort to smooth out grooves and scratches.

I understand that if you can take the time to become good at waxing your runners you will decrease drag and increase your glide tremendously. I have not tried it myself yet but did bookmark a couple sites that contain tips for waxing depending on the conditions and style of wax being used. Check these sites out when you have a chance, maybe it will give you that extra edge whether it is racing to the finish or racing to the best Lake Trout spot on your winter camping trip.

http://www.swixsport.com/

http://www.nesdc.org/Waxing/waxlab.htm

http://www.openoffice.net/toko/e_waxwizard.cfm

Stake Outs

Spring is the ideal time to think about improving your dog yard. I thought I would share a few of my experiences with a couple of stake out systems. I'm partial to iron pipe do to its durability and availability here in the Midwest. Iron pipe is sold in 21 foot lengths so you're able to get 4- 63" pieces per length of pipe. The length of your stake many need to be varied depending on soil types and annual snowfall. I like to drive my stakes in the ground about 30". A post driver available at most farm store works well for this and won't peen the end over.

Pipe size: The two sizes I like are 1¼ schedule 40 and 1" schedule 80. Both can be a little though to find; try a plumber's supply house. What makes the 1¼ nice is a 1" pipe fits inside perfectly allowing you to use a reducing elbow and pipe nipples to form your swivel. I been told a floor flange works well too. A system using 1 inch schedule 80 works equally well if you have the availability of a torch and small welder. The same length pipe can be used. I fashion my swivel out of ½ or 5/8 round stock or rebar cut to 30" lengths. Heat and bend the last 6" to form a 90, welding a heavy 5/8 lock washer on that end to attach your chain too. On the longer leg weld a large fender washer the size of your rebar about 2-3 inches below your bend. This acts as a rain cap and smooth surface for your swivel to turn on.

Additional tips: Use a heavy hammer to peen the end of your pipe closed. This will make it easier driving them in the ground. Drill 2 -1/8 weep holes in your pipe: one near the bottom and one at ground level. Your stake outs will fill up with water; I don't know how it gets in there but it does.

Good Luck

Spring training south of the range

Good Morning world!

Glancing over at the clock it reads 6:30 am. I've got my to-do list downstairs on the kitchen table and shortly I will meet & greet it with a cup of coffee.

The sun glistens and shines over the mountaintops; the air is crisp and cool these early hours, April mornings. Most of the dogs are still in their houses; a couple are out stretching and a few others are flirting with the idea of getting up.

Sabine is out visiting Eddie and Henry this morning. Sabine is 4 months old and she roams as she pleases with a lucky smile.

By feeding time this morning they will all be out of their houses interacting, playing, and barking for the food bucket to draw closer.

April 14, 2004, 11:00am. The thermometer reads 45F.

I'll be hooking up a string of 10 this morning for a fast run out 16 miles and then a smaller puppy team to follow. The puppy team will run out just short of 5 miles. The dogs are feeling a little more anxious than usual these days since we've been winding down the season and the running has been a bit slower paced due to changes in my schedule with work and moving locations.

There are more than adequate amounts of snow still hanging around, and plenty of good weather. This makes for fun and comfy spring training for all, including the puppies. The snow softens up by early afternoon and hardens right back up around 6. The weather is so good in fact I think I'll wear my just my favorite wool sweater, a little red cap and my lightweight ski pants. It's that nice! Where else can you mush and catch a tan right now? It's absolutely wonderful!

Welcome to Paxson, Alaska.

We aren't scrambling around like crazy chickens these early days of spring just to train by daylight hours, for the daylight hours are more plentiful than ever. The sun sets around 9:20 pm and each day we are gaining more minutes of daylight. By July we will have sunlight around the clock.

There's this sense of urgency I think we all feel in the winter months of Nov-Jan. Those three months provide us with very little daylight hours where the sun is rising sometime between 10 am and setting somewhere around 2:30 pm. You're feeding, shoveling, hooking up your team in the dark and coming home in the dark. The only light you're wearing is the headlamp. However there are those mid day hours you are out on your long runs just dazzled by the beauty, thankful for the light. It's something every musher here in Alaska has come to understand and appreciate.

Gliding along on the trail by daylight hours - studying each dog, their gait, their speed and endurance, team participation, making speculations, taking mental notes, and evaluating as you head down the trail.

"Who will lead us out of the yard today?" I think to myself as I look out at the dogs in the yard. "Why not all of them!"

That's right, I train all my dogs to run up front and eventually they all do. You may think it would take a long time to get all your dogs to run up front. I guess that would depend on how many dogs you keep. However, speaking of 30 dogs, I would bet you could work 90% of them up front by peak season and 45% will lead you racing. Some dogs will obviously make better leaders than others depending on the dog personality and characteristics.

I believe every dog can do it, is capable of doing it, and will run in lead with the right trainer and training program. This takes a good dog person who is willing to take the time to work with the dog and its individual needs. This could mean days of redundant training and commanding. Some dogs develop slower than others and take more time and attention. Time and patience are the key words.

I have found within my own personal experience that dogs with the serious emotional and behavioral issues with time and patience will run up front. Up front with a good attitude! You may find that some of these dogs you almost overlooked turn out to be some of the best you've ever had.

I've bought expensive dogs, dogs for less than half of that top dollar, and then there's been dogs that were for free and rescue. A few of my rescues have turned out to be better than some of those in which I paid that top dollar for. Surprised?

Some of these dogs came to me with very little confidence due to lack of miles and experience. Dogs that are sold after running several Iditarod races; these dogs are still solid and running well however weren't excited or enthused any longer to run in wheel, or just team, or just lead positions. And then you have dogs overlooked for other reasons such as short legs, runt of the litter, funny color, picky eater, and or something else. You get the picture.

Give your dogs the opportunity to move. Try your leaders in team and wheel and run your wheel dogs in team and your team dogs in lead. Give them the opportunity to try something new. Take a dog that looks a bit down in one position and put him somewhere else in the team. You may see a different dog in your next run. It's truly simple and I think that's the key; keeping it simple and remaining flexible. Move them around. It's ok if they don't work well in swing; maybe wheel is where they are more comfortable. Lead may be the place for that quirky dog that you say is a picky eater. It's too easy to become rigid in our thinking and get stuck on something that used to work for us, or what worked for another has to work for us. There are many things that work; it's just finding what works best for you and your dogs.

I rescued 3 dogs this summer that were terrible- picky eaters, lacked trust and confidence and had a poor nutritional diet. These dogs weren't personable when I went to look them over and I could barely touch them.

However I was able to research their bloodline, past, and meet the owner. All three dogs were only 2 years old and had a very nice build despite the nutritional deficiency. They were being passed on due to their age and lack of miles and experience.

These dogs would bark continuously through out the night the first 2 weeks and stick their noses up when it came to feeding time. Frustrated? You bet.

Chewing lines now too? Great! Chewing more lines, even better! Ah!

I had a feeling that if I could get them on track nutritionally speaking that I could get some weight on those little skinny bodies and they would mature into the dog I had hoped they would be.

If I could get them to feel comfortable with me then we could work on trust. I need them to trust me enough to handle them and hook them up to the line, working forward with me and the team. Now here was the biggie: If I could build their confidence and get them excited about being here, maybe, just maybe, I could teach them to redirect their energy and focus into the run.

What an exciting concept!

I started out sprint mushing in Wisconsin and looking back I recall someone asking me which dogs were my leaders. Out of 20 dogs I had, two I was absolutely sure of, keen on and totally set in my ways about. Sport and Yogi I would say.

We'll be running out on Paxson Lake today up towards the Old Denali Hwy. This is one of my favorite places to gee-haw train. We have wide open land out here to train dogs and trails going off to the right, to the left, and The weekenders who have holiday homes come out on snow machines creating a gazillion trails; it's wide open.

It's gorgeous outside and as I look out the picture window this morning I can see the snow buntings feeding on the straw from the dog beds. The swans have returned and we saw our first robin just yesterday. The mountains are right here too. You feel like you could just reach up and touch one. There's enough snow to still feel a touch of winter below your paws, and train dogs up to the glacier.

Welcome to Paxson

I still wonder from time to time how I got here and when I was blessed with such love and support.

Remember, this newsletter was created for you. We encourage your input on any sporting dog related topic. If you have tips, questions, or suggestions, please send them to us.

Training Tips: training@redpawfeed.com

Dog Health or Yard Maintenance: dogyard@redpawfeed.com

Traveling with Dogs: traveling@redpawfeed.com

Feeding Strategies: feed@redpawfeed.com

Gear Reviews or Suggestions: gear@redpawfeed.com

Question of the Issue, Either your answers to the current question or to pose a question: QOTI@redpawfeed.com

Any other topics: editor@redpawfeed.com

To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this newsletter, email your request to makintracks@redpawfeed.com

Makin' Tracks accepts advertising from non-profit groups that benefit dogs and dog sports. Please show your support by visiting the organizations below. If you would like to see your organization listed here, please contact editor@redpawfeed.com.

What is Mush with P.R.I.D.E.?

P.R.I.D.E. stands for Providing Responsible Information on a Dog's Environment. The relationship between sled dogs and humans is one of the oldest bonds of its kind. Modern sled dog owners are proud of their dogs as canine athletes that are bred and trained to do what they love: run as part of a team. Mush with P.R.I.D.E. supports the responsible care and humane treatment of all dogs and is dedicated to enhancing the care and treatment of sled dogs in their traditional and modern uses.