Better late than never!
Spring has finally arrived here, about one month later than normal.
The sounds of the song birds, the northern migration of the Canada Geese, the arrival of some very hungry Hummingbirds and the nightly songs of the mating frogs.
The ice on the lake finally went out last week and after the rains this week the last visage of snow has disappeared.
The lake levels are high. But, we are located at a height from the lake that there is no problem here of flooding.
The melt here was very slow, leaving the kennel nice and dry with no water problems.
The dogs are enjoying the Sun and are leisurely laying out basking in its warmth.
The dogs have switched to a new meat supplier and are doing great on the new meat mix (60% chicken & 40% beef).
We have a new family of Fox that decided to build their lair and have their Kits in the forest between the lake and the kennel.
It has taken a while for the dogs to get used to hearing their young at night when the parents are out hunting. 
Last week, I saw the young ones playing and that night the mother came up on the deck for a visit.
Love Spring time here in the forest!
​Until next week........

Leaders are the most important dogs on the team!
Without them, you are going nowhere!
Lila, a friend from France, asked,"How to spot out leaders from an early age, training them with older dogs and the different types of leaders?"
Here, when the puppies are born, I watch for the first puppy to walk, first to eat the mothers food, the first to leave the Puppy House venturing out into the pen. That is usually a sign of a potential leader. An example here was Lilly.
Also the puppy that is more reserved who quietly stays away from the pack observing what the others are doing. This puppy is showing intelligence and can make a good leader. An example here was Hok'ee.
When the puppies are running loose, look for the one that likes to be out front with the others chasing it.
Sometimes a dog that seems shy in the kennel can make an incredible leader.
Little Kira was a perfect example and turned out to be a dynamite Leader being very focused loving to be upfront.
Here, all dogs get an opportunity to run lead.
Usually, I will start them in their Yearling year.
During the training runs, I will keep moving the yearlings closer to the front of the team on each run watching their comfort level getting closer to the front and having more dogs running behind them.
Eventually, if the dog is comfortable at the Point position, it is ready to have a try at Lead.
I will put the dog up at lead with an experienced leader a few hundred feet from the kennel and let them lead going home.
The dogs are excited to finish the run and this will give them a positive experience for their first time up front.
At the finish of the run they get a treat and some special attention to show you are pleased with them. All the team gets a treat at the end of a run, but the Leaders are first to get their reward.
If the dog is comfortable at lead, they are put up front for longer on the "going home" part of the trail, then from half way and eventually from the start. 
This is a slow process to ensure their experience is positive and comfortable.
Usually in their second year, they get to run at lead every second run and always with an experienced leader.
Try dogs at the leader position each season, as some dogs mature later and could be another leader.
There basically two types of Leaders: Command Leaders (Gee/Haw) and Trail Leaders (sometimes called Fairbanks Leaders).
However, in the above two groups there are sub-groups: Pace Setters, followers (they let the other leader set the pace and they will run the speed the Pace Setter sets), Dependable leaders are maybe not the best for longer distances. But, when you need a leader to finish the race/training run, they will do the job and get you home.
Training Leaders  are very valuable for training young dogs and new leaders.
Lastly, Race Leaders are fast dogs that are not bothered by distractions of other teams, spectators and all the commotion around a race.
Race Leaders are the most focussed dogs on your team.
Here I breed for leaders studying the pedigrees of the potential Stud and Mother looking always for leaders in the their heritage.
Leaders will produce Leaders!
The last litter here the Indigo (the mother) is a leader and her father was a leader. Blue is not a leader, but his father and mother were leaders. Of the litter they produced, four of the six puppies are leaders.
If I am going to add a new dog to my kennel from another musher, I ask if the dog is a leader and why the musher wants to part with them.
I only add leaders to my kennel!
Of the kennel of 18 dogs, 11 are leaders.
Lila, I hope this answers your questions and is helpful for you for developing your kennel/team.
The above photos are of some of my Leaders over the years.
Until next week........

 

Spring or early Summer is my prefered time for breeding as the puppies will be old enough to place in the kennel with the adults when training here begins.
Although the puppies will not start training until the next Spring, they can watch the Adults get excited to run and see them going out for their training runs.
So, you decided to breed, picked out the the male & female you want to produce your litter.
Before breeding the female, ensure she is updated on her vaccinations and is wormed.
Supervise the breeding to ensure there is no problems. After they have bred stay with them until the tie is completed to prevent any possible injury to the male or female.
The number of times you breed is up to you. I would suggest at least three times and the last breeding here was every day the female would accept the male.
Once the breeding is done, the normal gestation period is 63 days from the time of inception.
During this period ensure the female has plenty to eat and is well hydrated everyday to ensure she can nurture the puppies before and after they are born.
The pen/whelping house I have here is close to my chalet next to a window, so I can hear when the puppies are born and to be able to go out and check the puppies and the mother are fine.
I like to handle the puppies as soon as the mother cleans them, petting them, blowing in their face and then placing them to their mothers breast.
That way the puppies are bonding with me right from birth.
Daily handling, petting and interaction I feel is very important not only for monitoring their health but also for socializing with humans.
I wear clean cotton gloves when working with the puppies to prevent spreading any possible contamination. 
You should check with your veterinarian for a worming product and schedule for the mother and the puppies. It is normal for the puppies to have Roundworms, so don't be shocked when you see the puppies dispel them after the worming.
Here the mother is fed with the puppies so they learn from her to eat solid food. This greatly helps with the weening.
My whelping pen has an enclosure, house, connected to an outside wired area (bottom, sides and roof). The entire area is elevated about 3 feet off the ground. The House has a large door for access at the front for me and a small door opening leading to the wired pen. This enables the mother to go out there to relieve herself and eventually teaches the puppies to do the same.
With the puppies going outside to the pen to do their business, it makes for a nice clean area for the puppies. You should have a side entrance on the wired portion to allow you to any necessary cleaning of the poop that doesn't fall through. Daily hosing is suggested to ensure cleanliness.
Also in the house, you should have an elevated molding to ensure the puppies won't accidently be smothered if a puppy gets between the mother and the wall of the box.
Normally here the puppies are weaned between 6 and 8 weeks and now the mother can be taken away as her job is done.
Prior to her removal, she is taken away for a few hours every day a week prior to her final removal.
The puppies here are fed two times a day and when they stop eating any left over food is removed. This way they learn to eat in a hurry. This way they learn to have good eating habits when they grow up.
My dogs are ever enthusiastic eaters and never have a problem with food freezing in their bowels in the Winter. I never leave food for them after eating time.
When the pups are old enough, I place a collar on them and attach them to drop chains on my truck. This way they get used to a collar, drop chains and fun interaction with their littermates and me. This is only for a short period of time to get exposure to the outside world.
​I never leave the collars on when the puppies placed back in the puppy pen.
When they are old enough ( had their initial vaccines), they are taken out to a safe place were they can run and explore.
When the puppies are old enough ( around 4 months of age) they are now placed in the adult yard with their own individual houses. I like to place them close to each other for familiarity of neighbours and so they can play. 
I like to start the puppies running here in the early Spring so they can start on snow. Small teams consisting of two adult leaders and two puppies.
Don't worry about them jumping all over each other before the run starts. They will quickly figure things out. The first runs are very important to be fun and stress free. I start the puppies running very slowly teaching them to pull in harness and on a short run getting a treat after the run. I don't worry about speed as when they are old enough and know what to do speed will naturally come.
If you have done a good job breeding the proper pair that are athletic, fast runners, their offsprings should have the same qualities.
Puppy time is a fun time! But it is also a very important time to ensure the puppies develop into great canine athletes.

It is hoped the last 7 weeks articles will be helpful for you.
Remember this isn't the only way; it is however, the way we do it here at Miortuk.
Life here with my canine family is more than a passion!
It is a lifestyle!
I enjoy every morning outside having my coffee sitting on my porch watching my dogs in the kennel and they love seeing me.
I am blessed to live here the Nature and enjoy the simple things of life.
​Until next week.......

This week, I would like to discuss Breeding.
Breeding, to me is a serious issue that needs to be well thought out.
Breeding is not the least expensive way to add to the dogs in your kennel. You have the expense of looking after the mother, raising the puppies (food, vaccinations, added veterinary expenses if there are complications, every day interaction with them for socialization and at least two years of maturity to see if the puppies will actually fit in your team. 
Then if there are puppies that don't fit, finding them good homes.
The least expensive way to improve your kennel is to purchase a dog or dogs from a good musher that is excelling in the races and/or has a good reputation for producing high caliber athletes.
If you are just starting out to build your kennel, I would suggest to purchase a well bred female, a retired leader preferably.
Check out the pedigree, if possible see the dog running in a team, check out the other offsprings and their performance characteristics. Don't be afraid to ask the musher about both the positives and negatives of the dog.
NO DOG IS PERFECT! The same as humans.
The reason for purchasing a female is it is much easier to find a suitable stud for breeding. Also, if she is a Leader, then you have a good experienced leader for training the puppies.
Breeding is a science and requires effort in analyzing pedigrees to ensure the best possible results in the puppies.
I personally, like a pedigree that is Line Bred on both the male and female side. Check to see the number of Leaders in the pedigrees. Although there is no guarantee the offsprings will be leaders, your chances are greatly improved there will be some.
You can never have enough Leaders!
If you build your kennel around dogs that are related, you have a better chance that their performance will be simulare ( body conformation, running stride and attitude).
Whether purchasing a dog or breeding, you should ask the question; " Will this improve my team"!
I have had the great fortune to work with top mushers that helped me to develop a kennel of Canine Athletes that suits me.
My last breeding produce six Supper Athletes and with two leaders for sure and a possible two more.
Breeding is a serious endeavor and should be well thought out!
​Until next week........