"CHANGING WEATHER IN THE NORTHERN FOREST!"

Lizzy is looking at me with that inquiry look of confusion. Yes, it was a very different week here with unseasonal warm temperatures, wet snow every day (except Monday) and then capping the week off with rain.
It was a poor training week with getting in only one run on Monday as the rest of the week was too warm and with high humidity. This kind of weather can be very hard on the dogs and cause them to over heat. Unfortunately, the forecast is for more of the same for the coming week.
Are we getting an early Spring?
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that supported us under the B.A.R.K. Program. Unfortunately, my food supplier lost the records of those of you that bought the dogs food. I would appreciate all of you that supported us to contact me so I can add your name to the list of Supporters. Thank you again, your support is greatly appreciated.
Also for those interested in the Handler/Trainee position , please indicated that as your title of your email.
Until next week......

"THE INTENSE ATTITUDE OF THESE CANINE ATHLETES ALWAYS AMAZE ME!"

Casper & Stormy here are displaying their intensity on running. It is always a high running these athletes.
This week, the change in diet is showing signs of improving the dogs weight and also their endurance during the run.
The new schedule of running just 3 times/week is also showing an improvement in the teams attitude and speed. However, warm weather and 3" of new snow made Fridays run a little slower. But, their overall performance and team work was improved making for a fun run.
The weather this week was warm and dull with some new snow and frequent flurries. The forecast for the upcoming week is for more of the same with a possibility of rain/snow mix.
Until next week......

"SLED DOG SCHOOL BEGINES IN THE NORTHERN FOREST!"

The pups are now 9 months old and are starting their training to become Sled Dogs. First, they are staked out at the truck and away from the security of their houses. Next they are walked on a leash, allowing them to go and explore what ever they want. As they get comfortable with the leash and start pulling on the collar, the harness is placed on them. When they get used to the feel of the harness, the leash is attached to the tug loop at the back of the harness. When the pups start pulling in the harness, the first lesson is over and they get a snack of a piece of frozen fish as a reward.
The dogs were introduced to a modification to their diet with the addition of more fat to increase their energy and stamina. the running team were also introduced to the new training schedule of three outings per week. This coming week, hopefully, we will see an increase in their overall speed.
It was a beautiful week here weather wise with plenty of nice sunny days.
Until next week.......

"LIFE SLOWLY RETURNS TO NORMAL IN THE NORTHERN FOREST!"

Life is slowly returning to normal after the passing of Apache. The dogs mourned his passing and have not grouped howled since. Butch was most affected and very lonely after loosing his neighbour of 10 years. So, this week Nicky was moved into the main kennel next to Butch and giving him a new friend.
It was a good week for training getting in 4 days of running. I am finding that the teams enthusiasm & speed, during the run, has stalled. To remedy this, I will go to running the team every other day. This type of running schedule should add more excitement for the dogs. This is differant from my past training for Distance Races. This one of the special aspects of working with Sled Dogs, you are always learning something new.
If you would like to join me for next season, please visit the Handler/Trainee page for details.
It was also a beautiful week here with cold, sunny days and very cold, clear nights.
Until next week......

"MIORTUK KENNELS MOURNS THE PASSING OF APACHE!"

It is a sad day today as we mourn the passing of Apache. Last night he died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 13 years. He had his supper the night before and was his normal self and enjoyed his petting.
Apache spent 10 years here with me and ran in many races and always performed great. At Fort Kent and Eagle Lake Races, he was the go to leader to get us out of town and pass all the crowds of cheering spectators. 
He always enjoyed running loose and visiting all the females in the kennel after a training run.
He ran this season with the team and had a good time running with his team mates. He was basically retired at the end of December. 
He will be sorely missed.
Butch, his nearest neighbour for 10 years, gave the most heart breaking howl as we buried Apache.
This is one of worst parts of mushing. It is never easy to say good bye to a companion.
Until next week.......

" EXCITED! YOU BETCHA!"

Here is a photo of Blackie at the start of Defi Taureau showing how excited he is to get going. This photo captures the enthusiasm these athletes have to run.
This has been a very trying week with lots of ups and downs. First, this was a great week for training with some fantastic runs and great trails. However, this week also had its downs with a virus going through the kennel and with one very sick puppy. Lizzy was severely dehydrated from this virus and recovered due ingestion of 9 teaspoons of honey and many small drinks of water with the use of a syringe. She spent the late afternoon and through the night in the chalet. Amazingly she recovered as quickly as she came down with the virus. The next morning she was back to normal eating & drinking without any problems. The other dogs in the kennel are all being effected by this virus. But, luckily none are suffering the same sever effects as Lizzy.
The weather this week was mild during the day with cold temperatures through the night. The forecast for tonight is rain with rain tomorrow and a high temperature of +9 C. Because of this I put in the trail across the lake hoping that after the rain and subsequent cold temperature, the lake ice will thicken making it safer for crossing.
Until next week......

"FOCUSED!"

This photo shows the tremendous focus of these incredible athletes. Here are my leaders Leo & Nanook showing their dedication to the job at hand leading our 12 dog team at the start of Defi Taureau. Without all the efforts of all these athletes, I would not get to enjoy the great experience of riding the sled behind these amazing dogs!
This was a good week for training getting in 3 consecutive days of running. This week, we also introduced Goliate into our team. He is a very fast, smooth runner and in time will become a valuable asset to the team.
This week also ended in very mild weather and with the forecast for more of the same for the  week to come.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Markus Schurtenberger for his generous and continued support under the BARK program.
Until next week......

"FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON!"

The first race of the season took place on the 9th & 10th of January at Saint Michel Des Saints (DEFI TAUREAU). It was a great success with a big turn out of mushers competing in 4 different classes: 6 dog x 10 miles, 10 dogs x 19 miles, 6 dog x 6 miles and Unlimited dogs x 12 miles. All these race races were 2 day events with the combined times used to produce the final results. As this was the first race of the season, it was a learning race for team Miortuk as many of these dogs had not raced before. With living in the bush, most of these dogs are not used to crowds of people, the large numbers of other teams with their dogs and the excitement/commotion at a race. This is also a new learning experience for me as I am new to running Unlimited Class Sprint Races as most my racing experience has been in the Mid-Distance category(50 miles to 200 miles).
For me, this weekend was a great success as I felt my dogs performed well with the training I provided. I know, I require a newer model sprint racing sled that is lighter and more maneuverable than my mid-distance sled (in these races a matter of minutes & seconds make a big difference in the final standings). It was amazing to see the rhythm and coordination of the dogs performing in these Unlimited Class Teams (unlimited class is anywhere from 10 dog teams to 20+ dog teams- at his  race the largest teams were 16 dogs).
This week the weather was rather mild  with extremely cold days for Saturday & Sunday.
If anyone is interested, I have a few nice dogs available for adoption to good loving homes. Please contact me.
Until next week.......

"NATURES BEAUTY EARLY MORNING IN THE NORTHERN FOREST!"

This photo is another example of Natures Beauty along with the peace and serenity here in the forest.
It was a week of extremes here from frigid, windy days to warm sunny days with temperatures around the freezing point.
This week, we started running the dogs with the sled and going for 10 mile runs. It doesn't take too long to get the feel of driving a sled after the long layoff since last season. It felt good to out in the bush with the silence of running with the sled. The dogs also enjoyed the change and showed it with their enthusiasm. What a great way to start a new year and welcome in 2010.
Until next week......