Your plans

[Glacier]

Glacier has shown me that it can be done! My whole family has been telling me that shelter dogs can never do that, and some can't, but Glacier, how many huskies of yours are rescued?

Stephanie

21 of the 23 are rescued or rehomed. Only Muskwa and Earle have been with us from puppyhood. 15 are from the local humane society. The others came from other mushers or we rescued them on our own.

Good luck with your plans. I'd strongly advise that if you want to sled with them, that you get one trained lead dog. Lots of them are available as rescues in certain areas. Lots of mushers get rid of their dogs as they approach 9 years old. A 9year old dog can still potentially pull for a few years and a trained leader will make things much easier and more fun for you! Check out the Second Chance League in Fairbanks, AK. They ship dogs for the right home and only rescue trained sled dogs.

[BC_MoM]

Well.. whenever there is a Visa pup available, I plan on scooping one up.

I'd like to get it into the puppy play school here that we would attend twice a week, get into puppy obedience and continue through all of the stages of obedience. (Not necessarily for competition)

I would like to enroll it in agility and herding. Especially herding. I love it.

[jesse_3]

21 of the 23 are rescued or rehomed. Only Muskwa and Earle have been with us from puppyhood. 15 are from the local humane society. The others came from other mushers or we rescued them on our own.

Good luck with your plans. I'd strongly advise that if you want to sled with them, that you get one trained lead dog. Lots of them are available as rescues in certain areas. Lots of mushers get rid of their dogs as they approach 9 years old. A 9year old dog can still potentially pull for a few years and a trained leader will make things much easier and more fun for you! Check out the Second Chance League in Fairbanks, AK. They ship dogs for the right home and only rescue trained sled dogs.

Wow, I thought that about half, or a little over were rescues! That is awesome, and makes me even more excited! Thanks for the advice too, I will definitely remember that. I am going to start to keep a notebook for things like this. I went to a sled dog demo, and they had two huskies there, and they were gorgeous! Every day I think of this, and I am eager to learn more and more.
Although, I don't understand why a musher would just "throw away" their older lead dog, this dog has probably been with them for a long time. It breaks my heart to hear things like that.

It is fun to read everyone's plans! It makes me excited to hear about everything happening, and I wish you all luck! I am hoping to get Jemi' into agility, and I am waiting for the call back on if they are going to have classes here this summer or not!

Can Chis even do agility?

Absolutely any dog can do agility, maybe not professionally, but in your backyard. My three-legged girl Jesse has no problem when I have her do jumps. She has proved the vets wrong with her jumping, and she just enjoys it! As long as the dog enjoys it, they can do it.

Well everyone, I can't wait to read about your plans as they near and you are able to do them!
Stephanie

[Glacier]

Although, I don't understand why a musher would just "throw away" their older lead dog, this dog has probably been with them for a long time. It breaks my heart to hear things like that.

Competitive mushing is a whole different mindset. A top racing kennel simply can't keep every dog it produces. The dogs aren't pets, they aren't family members..they have a job and when they can't do it, there is another dog right there who can. Most mushers are pretty happy to give a dog, even a really good one, to someone who can actually still use them and give them a happy retirement.

The four trained leaders I've been given--Paxil, Sleet, Pingo and Sundin came from 2 kennels--one big one, one small. Sleet and Paxil were both still perfectly capable of pulling, but hated being yard dogs. They wanted to be in the house and hanging out with people. Their musher couldn't accomodate that and she knew I could. I also believe she knew Paxil was sick and she couldn't afford to treat her, so she did the next best thing--found her a home with someone who could and would.

Pingo and Sundin came from the same distance racing kennel. Both were bumped from the owner's A team and were sitting in the yard. It was a waste of their talents and pretty miserable for them. He wanted them to go someplace where they could still do what they love and be happy dogs again. None of those four had been abused in any way by their first mushers, they just couldn't meet the needs of a more demanding mushing style. Both former owners still check in on them occasionally and would take them back if neccessary.

One of the reasons I don't compete is that I just can't think like that. I will someday, not too far off, have an old & slow team!

[GoldenLuv]

Well in 2008 or late next summer i am gonna be getting another golden retriever when we are down in Missouri or i am thinking about getting a shepard but i know i will have another golden.. Probley a male but depends on if i don't go crazy from the all the furkid's i have now..