Leader development is a yearly process here at Miortuk.
Last week was the time to try new dogs at lead and see who will be next season's applicants for more lead training.
This season the development has been working with Louis at lead and he is turning into a super leader running with Kira.
We have also been working with Zoe's dog Saphir at lead and she is proving to be a great young leader and will be the basis of Zoe's kennel and eventual Racing Team.
This week, we ran Hok'ee, Pippin, Lloyd,Lance and Levi up at lead.
All the dogs did great wanting to stay up front and lead the teams back home.
We usually start new leaders on the return trip to the kennel as they know they are going home and will get their treat at the end of the run.
It is important to make their first run up front a positive one!
I was especially impressed with Levi who drove hard setting a fast pace and with no distractions.( levi is running at the right with Kira on the left in the above video)
Lloyd did great as well getting a little distracted when we passed plowed entrances to other chalets. Other than that he drove hard and will with more runs turn into a good leader.
Lance also did well driving hard at times and will be better with more confidence with more runs. He ran with his sister Lilly who is quite dominant and can be a little intimidating. He will probably run better paired with Kira on future runs.
All of the "L" litter run lead with at least three of the dogs being Super Leaders!
Pippin was the big surprise as he tends to be inconsistent in the team at wheel.
He is a very calm, laid back dog and doesn't really show the attitude to be a leader.
However, when he was placed at lead, he was very focussed and pulled very hard the whole way home. When stopped, he held out the line and showed he was very comfortable at lead running with Bergen.
Maybe, I was running him in the wrong position all this time.
You never really know who will like running lead unless you try them.
Hok'ee has run lead before and is very focused and comfortable in the lead position.
Next season will be interesting as I will be able to alternate at least three pairs of leaders in the "A" Team and two pairs of leaders in the "B" Team.
of the 18 dogs here only 4 don't run lead and I have yet to try Merry who is always a hard driving dog in the "A" Team.
Overall, it was a very interesting and exciting week here at Miortuk!
​Until next week.......

Yes, again this year my finger tips have taken a beating with the freezing temperatures.
However, the trill and pleasure of working with the dogs here is way better than living in the city and hibernating  inside.
I love my life here!
As usual, the dogs ran great again this week on some nice scenic, hard packed trails through the forest.
We had a major snow storm here the later part of the week with some very high winds.
This caused a delay in the training just digging out.
The dogs all got a nice thick, fresh bed of straw to make them comfortable tonight with the forecast of some very cold temperatures.
Thank you Zoe for all your hard work in the kennel.
Both the dogs and I appreciate it!
​Until next week......

It was a great week here with getting in four days of running.
We had some very cold nights in the -20's and some beautiful days with little new snow.
The dogs enjoyed their runs this week and with some very fast trails.
We got Olive out for her first run in the team after her ankle injury in the Fall.
She was very enthusiastic and ran well with no real signs of a problem. We only ran her 2 miles to start with. It looks like she could use some vet wrap on her ankles on the next run to give her a little more support until her the muscles and tendons get a little stronger. 
We will slowly work her back into running with only short distance and maybe just once or twice a week.
The rest of the dogs are running great and continue to show great enthusiasm for the runs.
​Until next week........

Mushing, like life, is full of challenges!
The important thing is how you handle them.
The above video is long. However, I feel it is important to see how to handle a situation that could have caused some injuries to the dogs in a team.
As mushers, we can not predict or prevent all the situations that can occur when running dogs.
I feel the main thing is the musher stays calm and slowly, deliberately go about the task of handling the challenge.
By doing this, the dogs stay calm, not stressed or panicked and allow you to undo the tangles and get the team back stretched out. 
As you can see in the video, some dogs had the gangline or tug lines wrapped around their legs or body. 
If the dogs were stressed these lines could cause injury to the dogs.
I am not in favor of cable ganglines as they could cut or cause serious injuries to a dog. Rope is more flexible and easier to untangle.
I know this is not a popular thing to talk about.
However, things like this can occur and can be dealt with no bad effects with the team.
In this instance the dogs stayed calm and waited for the command to go.
They ran home with great enthusiasm and most importantly no mental or physical injuries.
Life is full of challenges; meet them methodically and calmly and they will quietly disappear.
​Until next week.....

Another crazy week here weather wise!
Last weekend over 40 cm of new snow, a couple of beautiful days and then a deep freeze with temperatures during the day -20's celsius and into -30's overnight.
We got in two great days of training so far this week with the dogs dealing with soft trails and deep snow.
I was so proud of my young Leaders taking the Gee command onto a non groomed trail with no hesitation, as seen in the above video.
Saphir ran at Lead from the start for her first time and also first time for 7 miles. Very impressed with her.
Next weeks forcast is for more favorable conditions so we can get back to four days running.
​Until next week.........

The advent of a new year with many changes here at Miortuk.
A much needed newer truck, an addition of a new dog Saphir (Zoe's dog) and much more snow.
Between yesterday and today,so far, well more than 40cm of new snow and it hasn't stopped yet.
Luckily, we got everything done out of here on Wednesday, licencing the new truck, supplies for both the dogs and ourselves.
Today, back in the kennel to dig out the dog houses and change the straw taking out the wet and adding nice new dry straw.
We had a good week of training getting in three days of running two teams.
The last few weeks, we have been getting Saphir comfortable in her new home and surroundings.
We started her running in the Team Position and have had her up at Lead.
She is running right Lead in the above video.
Saphir is proving to be a real good dog with a great future!
We are fortunate here to have snow as many parts of Quebec little to none.
Happy Trails!
​Until next week.......

No matter all the challenges in life, they all disappear when running dogs!
Those precious minutes on the trail with a team of enthusiastic huskies makes life so simple and exhilarating.
The smell of fresh unpolluted air, the purity of the virgin white snow, the sting of the frosty air on your face, the beauty of the winding trails through the forest and the peace you feel watching your team performing the task they love.
Life can't get much better.
​Until next week.......

It was a difficult week with the loss of Libby.
However, there are her pack/team Mates that need to run and exercise.
So, the time for morning has passed and the regular routine here at Miortuk continues.
We had some nice runs and some beautiful trails with new snow.
The forest, the dogs and the simple life here heals all.
​But, Libby will live on in my heart.
​Until next week.......

There are so many joys of being a musher!
The peace, serenity, beauty  of the forest living in harmony with Nature.
The thrill of running dogs on picturesque trails in the Fall, Winter and Spring.
Waking in the morning to the serenade from the kennel of my canine family welcoming the beginning of a new day and in the evening saying good night.
The pride and love of seeing the newborns grow up  to be superior athletes.
The close bonding that develops between the musher and his team of devoted dogs in the kennel, on the trails and everywhere else we share time together.
The look of trust and love you see in their eyes as they stand on their hind legs with their front paws on your chest.
The excitement they exhibit when getting ready to run with their screams, digging in the ground or leaping in the air with enthusiasm.
A mushers care, devotion to their canine family and in return the dogs trust and dependence on their musher.
A mushers first love is the dogs!
Yes,  there are many joys of being a Musher!

                    And Then The Sorrow.

The most difficult part of mushing is losing the life of one of their pack.
With the passing of each and every canine companion, a piece of my heart is torn away!
Few can understand the heartbreak!
The loss of a trusted friend!
This morning at 4am, we loss a dear, beautiful little soul, Libby.
Libby was such a joy whether in the kennel, in the team or in the chalet.
She wa a sweet loving friend and supper athlete always enthusiastic to run and always giving her best.
She loved playing with her sister Lilly and the two made a great pair of running together at Point.
Libby loved to dig and was constantly excavating her territory around her house.
Saturday, Libby went off eating and vomited some clear liquid with little pieces of straw in it. The first thought was that she had eaten some straw, which is not uncommon, from the bedding in her house.
Normally there is no problem or the dog will go off its feed for a couple of days.
But as a precaution, Libby was brought in the chalet for the night and was treated with some honey (helps with nourishment and makes the dogs thirsty) which will increase the dogs desire to drink water for hydration until they get their appetite back.
Libby did drink some clear water on both Saturday and Sunday morning.
Libby was walking around and enjoying being in the chalet and getting some loving.
When she was brought in the chalet Sunday evening, she attitude had changed.
She was lethargic and wouldn't drink.
She spent a over an hour quietly laying with me on the couch, placing her next to mine.
When we took her outside to relieve herself before bed she had a stool filled with digested straw. Early hours of Monday morning, Libby was showing signs of pain and discomfort. She was given some Mineral Oil to help her pass whatever was causing a bowel obstruction and soon after with the aid of a massage passed a one inch in diameter stone the she must have swallowed.
After she fell into a peaceful sleep and seemed fine.
An hour later, she passed away sleeping.
Today she was buried in the forest next to the kennel and facing East so will face the sunrise every morning.
RIP my sweet little Libby........
​
Libby on the left running with her brother Lloyd

 

It was great week here for running dogs getting in four days of training!
We received a little fresh snow midweek adding a nice cushion on the trail.
Thursday & Friday, we ran the dogs at racing pace to see how they could handle the increased speed.
They handled the speed with no problem on the 7 mile run and then on Friday on the 4.5 mile run. On the Friday, they were very fast, hard driving and enthusiastic.
Soon we will increase the mileage to 10 miles runs and return to slower speeds until they get used to the longer runs.
This week, Louis had a run up at lead again and did a great job.
We switch him to lead position at the halfway point of the 4.5 mile run so he gets to run the homeward bound part of the trail. After a few more runs, we will try him from the start and do the whole 4.5 mile run at lead.
It is fun to work new dogs in the lead position.
​Until next week......