Big training day...

[finn's mom]

Man, that looks like so much fun. I really need to get somewhere that I can participate in something like that. Not for competition or anything, just for hobby. Nothing like tired dogs! And, they seem to love it, even just from the photos you share!

Hey, quick question...when you say Paxil "corrects" Tehya, what exactly does she do? Does she just pull her over to where she needs to be, nip at her, bark at her? I'm curious how they communicate when they're in harness.

[Cinder & Smoke]

MUSH, Kids ~~~ Snow's a-comin!


Now - HOW'D she do that >>>?

In the first pix (from the "sled") --- Teya is on the Team-LEFT side;
in the from-the-front pix, she and Paxil have "switched sides" - Tehya is on the Team-RIGHT side!
Being tied front & back with the tug and neck lines - HOW'D they DO that?

And a qustion about your War Wagon that they tow ...
That ATV/4-Wheeler looks like a Jeep *tricked out* as a MBT (Main Battle Tank)!

What's the yellow-tipped handle for? Maybe a Axe with the blade carried loose?
Is that for your occasional need to chop a fallen tree?

And WHAT do you carry in the large "Dawg Box" behind the seat? Looks like enough room for
a tent, sleeping bag, stove, grub, change of clothes, Dawg Food - and maybe a "spare dog".

Front winch, nasty lookin tires, YEE-HAW - let's go MUSHIN!
You guys could tow a Semi if you hooked everything together.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Tamara, you and those dogs never cease to amaze me. The skill you have in training them and them keeping each other straight. It's just incredible. I can't wait to see them in the Yukon covered in snow. Take me away!!!!

[Glacier]

In the first pix (from the "sled") --- Teya is on the Team-LEFT side;
in the from-the-front pix, she and Paxil have "switched sides" - Tehya is on the Team-RIGHT side!
Being tied front & back with the tug and neck lines - HOW'D they DO that?

And a qustion about your War Wagon that they tow ...
That ATV/4-Wheeler looks like a Jeep *tricked out* as a MBT (Main Battle Tank)!

What's the yellow-tipped handle for? Maybe a Axe with the blade carried loose?
Is that for your occasional need to chop a fallen tree?

And WHAT do you carry in the large "Dawg Box" behind the seat? Looks like enough room for
a tent, sleeping bag, stove, grub, change of clothes, Dawg Food - and maybe a "spare dog".

Front winch, nasty lookin tires, YEE-HAW - let's go MUSHIN!
You guys could tow a Semi if you hooked everything together.

They switched sides when Tehya missed a "haw"-(left turn). Paxil dragged her the right direction by ducking behind her a bit and jumping over Tehya's tugline. Paxil is very good at getting her team going the right direction without a tangle. She also doesn't have a side preference so she doesn't care when she has to move! Several of the dogs have dominant sides that they greatly prefer to run on. A couple won't run on their off side at all. Bad things happen when Pingo is on the right!

The ATV is actually 21 years old. It's a 1986 Kawasaki Bayou 4x4. Really, it's a piece of junk, but it's a workhorse and it's paid for! I asked on a sled dog list once what other mushers would recommend for a new dog training ATV and just about every reply I got said find an 86 Kawasaki Bayou! Kinda blew my excuse for a new ATV!

The box on the back holds extra lines, harnesses, booties, sometimes the chainsaw and my emergency bag--never leave home without enough basic survival stuff to make it through at least one night. If I had to, I could load a dog into it, with the lid up. I've never had to load a dog on the ATV and hopefully it won't happen any time soon.

The stick on the front is an axe handle, no blade. I carry another axe on the sled with a handle for clearing fallen trees. I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but the handle with no blade is for keeping loose dogs out of my team or getting them out. I've spent four years patching Franklin back together psychologically after a loose dog attacked him and I didn't stop it in time. Not happening again. I have frequent problems with loose dogs who's owners can't/won't control them, jumping my dogs while they are working. If your dog is that dumb and you have that little control, I will protect my dogs from yours.

[Cinder & Smoke]

The ATV is actually 21 years old. WW!

The stick on the front is an axe handle, no blade.

The handle with no blade is for keeping loose dogs out of my team or getting them out.

I've spent four years patching Franklin back together psychologically
after a loose dog attacked him and I didn't stop it in time.
Not happening again.
I have frequent problems with loose dogs who's owners can't/won't control them,
jumping my dogs while they are working.
If your dog is that dumb and you have that little control,
I will protect my dogs from yours.

WOW! --- 21 years "young" ... and still Training Dawgs!
That ole ATV could prolly handle a training run without the 2-Legger even coming along!

As for the "stick" and its purpose ... I sorta thought along those lines.
You have nothing to be ashamed of nor fear flaming ...
You have a right and an obligation to take care of YOUR Kids if / when they
are harassed by another dog! Hopefully you won't need to use it.

Tehya ~~~
Practice your lessons - HAW is turn LEFT; GEE is turn RIGHT ...
maybe write those on your front paws with Arrows pointing L & R.

[Glacier]

Hey, quick question...when you say Paxil "corrects" Tehya, what exactly does she do? Does she just pull her over to where she needs to be, nip at her, bark at her? I'm curious how they communicate when they're in harness.

For commands that Tehya misses, Paxil will just drag her to the correct response. Paxil never misses a command and she's freakishly strong for her size and age. She's a better training leader than Pingo. Pingo occasionally likes to pick her own trail and she's not as strong as Paxil for dragging her partners in the right direction. Pingo's gifts are things that can't be taught--a natural sense of direction, can find the best part of a trail to run on and an amazing safety sense. If Pingo won't cross ice, wants to turn around, stops in her tracks, there's a reason and arguing with her is likely to be lifethreatening.

When Tehya is being a puppy and goofing around, Paxil and Pingo both give her a little snarl--no nips or bites, just a curled lip and little growl. Much the same way the old dogs tell her to back off when she's too playful with them in the yard!

As soon as I can catch Sundin, I'm going to try her beside him too.