Monday, December 13, 2004
Night Run
Heath came over today and we ran all the dogs. Heath took 7, including Crackerjack and Cheyenne, and I took 8 including Furlon. We had a mess at the road crossing, running into a team coming the other way, but managed to get across once everybody straightened out. Further on down the trail we ran head on into a skijorer and PJ (young leader in training) slammed on the brakes fast enough to cause a nice little pile up as everyone ran over the top of her. All the SCL dogs behaved themselves throughout.
I managed to take the camera out, but the results won't be making any magazine covers. This is Furlon on the left, Silky on the right and Miller in wheel screaming to go. Ashley's busy getting a snowbank facial:
Here we have Cheyenne in front, Lilly (white wheel dog) and Crackerjack next to her (no crackerjack isn't radioactive, it's just the reflective strips on his harness):
Lilly and Crackerjack (behind her) back in the dogyard:
That's Heath giving Lilly and Crackerjack some attention. Cheyenne is in front next to the tree:
I managed to take the camera out, but the results won't be making any magazine covers. This is Furlon on the left, Silky on the right and Miller in wheel screaming to go. Ashley's busy getting a snowbank facial:
Here we have Cheyenne in front, Lilly (white wheel dog) and Crackerjack next to her (no crackerjack isn't radioactive, it's just the reflective strips on his harness):
Lilly and Crackerjack (behind her) back in the dogyard:
That's Heath giving Lilly and Crackerjack some attention. Cheyenne is in front next to the tree:
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Off the bike and onto the sleds. Heath Sandall came over today (at -28°) and we took out two teams. Heath ran 5 dogs, including Cheyenne, and I took out 8 dogs with both Furlon and Crackerjack. Carol dropped off Crackerjack with me earlier this week, and this was his second run with my dogs.
Crackerjack came into the yard and, as promised, seemed to instantly get along with all the other dogs. Carol warned me about Crackerjack's penchant for digging and he was true to form. He quickly excavated through the hardpack, but came up short when he ran into frozen gravel. Tough luck, Bud! His first run was less than stellar, though. He behaved well in harness, but was off his tug for the better part of the run. No necklining, just that tugline going loop-de-loop-de-loop as he loped along with the team. On today's run he really improved, keeping his line tight at least 90% of the time.
Furlon ran in swing today, and each time he goes out he seems to become more confident in himself. He's on his tug 100% of the time, and completely focused on making forward progress. I'm still running Cheyenne by herself in the team, but she has also been well behaved and focused on the job, with no 'issues'. We made one pass on the way home, and all 3 SCL dogs did fine. Cheyenne does like to trot - that's pretty much all she's shown so far even when running the 4 wheeler at 15+ mph. That's about as fast as I like to push with the geriatric dogs in the team. Once I put some of the faster dogs together and let them go, it will be interesting to see when/if she breaks out.
Crackerjack came into the yard and, as promised, seemed to instantly get along with all the other dogs. Carol warned me about Crackerjack's penchant for digging and he was true to form. He quickly excavated through the hardpack, but came up short when he ran into frozen gravel. Tough luck, Bud! His first run was less than stellar, though. He behaved well in harness, but was off his tug for the better part of the run. No necklining, just that tugline going loop-de-loop-de-loop as he loped along with the team. On today's run he really improved, keeping his line tight at least 90% of the time.
Furlon ran in swing today, and each time he goes out he seems to become more confident in himself. He's on his tug 100% of the time, and completely focused on making forward progress. I'm still running Cheyenne by herself in the team, but she has also been well behaved and focused on the job, with no 'issues'. We made one pass on the way home, and all 3 SCL dogs did fine. Cheyenne does like to trot - that's pretty much all she's shown so far even when running the 4 wheeler at 15+ mph. That's about as fast as I like to push with the geriatric dogs in the team. Once I put some of the faster dogs together and let them go, it will be interesting to see when/if she breaks out.
