Second Chance League

Red's Training Log -- March 29, 2004: Even though we've adopted Red, I thought I'd keep some notes about his progress. Today I ran Red in lead with a team of six. Greg followed behind with a team a 7. Red did great for the 1st quarter mile, then he started bothering his experienced neighbor, Darla. He was nipping at her while running and he desperately wanted to play. I wish Darla had put him in his place, but she didn't. I unhooked his neckline and we tried again. This didn't work. Greg was right behind me and Red led the dogs backward into a big tangle. I let Greg pass and then we took off as the chase team. This worked! Red and Darla lead us all the way home without any tangles or problems.

Scully's Training Log -- March 27, 2004: I just picked up Scully from Lynn's house. Scully was spayed today, so she's enjoying an evening indoors. She's very affectionate and likes human interaction.

Red's Training Log -- March 27, 2004: Red ran in today's Valley Funale (the last race of the season for the Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association). He ran in point position, 10 miles, in a team of 6. He got a little tired because Greg's team was in front of me and my team was the chaser team.

We officially adopted Red today!

Red's Training Log -- March 25, 2004: Greg took Red out with a team on 7 for a 14 mile run. Red ran in solo swing position. He did fine. He still pulls the gang line before the team sets out to go.

Red's Training Log -- March 22, 2004: Greg took Red on a 7 mile run with a team of 7. Red has a good gait and can run on either side. In earlier runs he would get tangled as soon as there was a loose gangline, but seems to be quite a bit better now. His back legs splay outwards a bit at the ankles, we're not sure why. He pulls well, and his attitude is much improved. He's less and seems more confident with the other dogs in the yard.

Red's Training Log -- March 19, 2004: Red ran in point position with a team of 7. Once again he did really well. He pulled hard the entire time (around 15 miles). He ran on both the left and right side-- he did better on the right. Red likes to goof around when we're stopped; he rolls in the snow and yips. I'm okay with this for now, but if his actions begin to affect other dogs on the gang line it'll have to stop.

Red's Training Log -- March 16, 2004 Red ran in wheel with a team of 6. We went for a 10 mile run. I tied down the dogs and went to a meeting for two hours and then we ran home 10 miles. The dogs were pretty noisy when I was away from them I couldn't tell if it was Red who was yipping or someone else. By the end of the last 10 mile run, Red wasn't pulling as hard.

Red's really quiet during dinner time (we think this is a plus!)-- he doesn't bark at all and he's very well behaved. Also, he doesn't mind having booties put on.

Red's Training Log -- March 15, 2004: Red ran 12 miles in point position with a team of 8. He was able to run on both the left and right side. No tangles -- even when the gang line was loose. I hooked him up second to last. Today he did not chew his neckline while waiting to go (perhaps he's learning not to!)

Out of harness, Red is an adorable dog who is affectionate and likes to play with female dogs who are around the same size as him. He tends to get growly with bigger male dogs. He knows his name and comes when called.

Red's Training Log -- March 12, 2004: Greg ran Red 40 miles of the Two Rivers Chatanika Challenge 100 mile race. Red was in swing position and ran in a team of 10. I don't have all of the details yet because Greg is still out there, but I know that:

A. Red actually ran the 40 miles and didn't need to go in the sled bag-- something we thought he may need to do since he never ran that far before.

B. Red pulled for the first 10 miles, then stopped pulling, and then switched on/off pulling.

I picked Red and Storm (a shelter dog I adopted who is a really great sled dog-- she has some problems such as crabbing but we're working to fix this) up at mile 13.5 and ski-joured home 1 mile with them.

Red doesn't know how to ski-jour. He runs out in front and then falls behind and stops. However, I'm not focusing training on ski-jouring though, I'm focusing on mushing.

Red's Training Log -- March 09, 2004: Red ran as a team dog, with nine other dogs, on a 12 mile run. He did okay. He's still learning how to get untangled (or his musher needs to learn how to keep the gangline tight). A couple of times the gangline was loose and Red got tangled. He screamed. I stopped the sled and by the time I reached him he'd untangled himself (good boy!). He pulls good, has a strange gait, and is a talker-- he likes to yip when the sled is stopped. I'm trying to break him of his habit of chewing the gangline before we leave the dog yard; I think I'll be successful in training him to stop.

Red's Training Log -- March 7, 2004: Took Red on a 7mile run with a team of 6. He did really well-- no tangles and he ran on the left side! He pulled the entire time.

Red's Training Log -- March 2, 2004: Greg took Red out on a 7 mile run with 9 other dogs. Red ran on the left side in the second row (behind lead). At first he did not run very straight, and got tangled 3 times. After a little practice, he managed to keep up nicely, though when he got tangled he got growley with Duke (one of our lead dogs who was running with him). It was frustrating for him to have trouble. The tangles happened when the gang line got slack (we have a leader who can't seem to excrete and run at the same time), so running him further toward the back of the pack should be a winning strategy for next time.

Red's Training Log -- February 28, 2004: Ran Red as a team dog (one up from wheel) with a 9 dog team on a 7 mile run. He did GREAT! He didn't run and stop as he did during our ski-jour session. He pulled and was happy to be out and about. He wasn't able to run on the left side (he kept cramming up against his neighbor), but when I oved to the right side he was fine. He does get a little growly with his neighghbors, but I think this will be solved in a few more runs. When we got back from our run he had a puppy party with the dogs (we let our logs run around the yard after a run) and got along with everyone-- no fights!

Red's Training Log -- February 27 2004: Brought Red home from Lynn's house and took him on a 4 mile one-dog ski-jour. He pulled me out of the dog yard, but soon after stopped and got tangled behind me. This was the norm for our entire 4 mile trip. Red would lead and pull, then stop and fall back behind me. We'd get tangled, and once untangled I'd start skiing and he ran beside me and eventually he'd run out in front for a little bit and then drop behind me again. He seems to run in front when we were in open spaces and he'd fall back on the narrow trails. He marginally knows the command "On-By."