It was a great week here with great weather and no flies, just perfect!
The weather here was more like September with cool nights and warm days. The fly problems are mostly gone. Also resemblance to September type conditions. If these types of weather conditions are any indication of the future, it should be a good season to start Fall conditioning in early September and get a good start for the upcoming racing year.
This week, we introduce the remainder of our two yearolds. 
Teal is a terrific little female that will run anywhere in the team with enthusiasm. She has had some experience at Lead, but needs a strong partner to give her the confidence for head on passing. She & Sophie make a great pair of Point Dogs.
Cobalt, as well as being the mother of Hurit, Halona, Hinto & Hok'ee, is turning out to be a great little Leader. She started running Lead last Fall with Max and ended the season running Lead at the Wolburn Race (where we turned in the fastest speeds of the season). She loves running Lead & the extra attention she gets from me. Since she had the puppies, she has become devoted to me & has won my heart. It is not uncommon for her to speak to me to get my attention.
Willy ran Lead most of last season with the arrival here of Angel. He is a fast, powerful & focused Leader. He ran in all the races last year , but not at the Lead position. I felt he was a little to immature for the pressure of the Lead in a race. This year, he is more mature and will definitely get race experience at lead in suitable races. Nicky is Willy's brother and has been slower to mature. I feel he does not have the confidence to be a leader. However, with the right partner, he has displayed he has the ability to be great race dog. I expect him this year to come into being a great Team Dog. He is fast, strong and displays great determination when paired with the right running mate.
Next the three yearolds will be introduced.
Until next week.........

Yes, we finally received some much needed rain. Sunday evening, we received a heavy rain/thunder/lightning storm that lasted for two hours & then an all night rain that continued off & on through Monday. Some more rain on Tuesday & again on Wednesday. The hot/humid weather finally broke on Wednesday evening. The temperatures the rest of the week were seasonal. However, the humidity returned on Friday.
There will be nine dogs in the team this year that two year old. So, I decided to introduce them over the next two weeks.
This week, we have the five sisters: Lizzy, Katie, Annie, Vicky & Sophie. They are all born here out of the Blackie/Cannelle breeding. These girls are all good runners & hard workers. Katie has possibilities for running Lead & is very confident. Lizzy is probably the fastest of the sisters. She is an extremely smooth mover & will run on either the right or left side. Annie runs good at point but, is more comfortable in first team position. She has no problem running either the right or left. Sophie is a real good Point dog. Vicky will run anywhere on the team & will get some leader experience this year. I am very happy with all these girls & their progress. I am expecting  great performance from all of them this year.
Until next week.......

Another hot, humid week here with temperatures reaching 31C & with the humidity the temperature felt like 40C. These temperature along with no rain is making the forest very dry. Hopefully the forecast for rain next week is correct.
Went to an auction this week in Montreal looking for 3/4 ton truck for transporting the dogs to the races this coming Winter. Unfortunately, no luck as the only unit that would meet my requirements went for more than I had budgeted. Maybe, I will have better luck in September at the next auction. 
The photos above are of Blue & Indigo who are two yearolds & will be in their second year of running/racing. They received some race experience last season & showed great promise. Indigo is slatted for Leader training this season. Blue can run anywhere in the team & will get some leader experience this season. However, he is also a very good Wheel dog with lots of power & speed. Both of these dogs are enthusiastic to run and focused performers.
Next week, I will introduce the nine three yearolds.
Until next week.......

Finally, we have received cooler temperatures today giving some relief from sweltering heat & humidity. Luckily, we did receive some rain this week. However if the forecasts are correct, we are going to need more as it is supposed to be hot & sunny all week. It don't take long for the forest to dry out with this type of weather. With the early Spring and the low snow fall this past Winter, the water in the lakes & rivers are low for this time of year.
The dogs are certainly enjoying the cooler temperatures at night and are smart enough to have little activity during the hot days. They due enjoy the shade of the forest & their houses. It is important to constantly monitor their hydration & keep them well watered. With the heat/humidity the House Flies are back attacking their ears. This seems to be about a month early. Thankfully with the use of Swat, I am able to keep the flies from bothering the dogs.
On a cooler note, over the next few weeks, I am going to introduce the team for this upcoming season. Above are this years rookies: Halona, Hurit (impossible to get her to stand still for a good photo), Hinto & Hok'ee. These dogs are all one year old (Yearlings) and this will be their first year training/racing. All these dogs had some harness training in the Spring. However, running in a team will be a new experience for them.
Until next week.........

Yes, it was a wet week here with several days of much needed rain. The forest was getting very dry and all the hot weather wasn't helping. We had a brief but violent storm with high winds, heavy rain & lightning pass through here on Saturday afternoon resulting in the loss of hydro until 11.30pm. 
The photos above are of Indy & Fille that were bred on the 19th of June. These two dogs are owned by friends of mine, Valerie & Laurent Gonsolin. We have entered an agreement, along with Rosaire Perron, to share the the expectant puppies. 
Indy is from Laurent's, Rudy Ropertz,T.Streeper lines on the male side & K.Starflinger (Ellis) lines on the dams side.
Fille is the sister of Blue and is a Popeye/Visa breeding (see Blue's pedigree).
This breeding should produce some great puppies.
This breeding will continue along with the Ellis Lines in my kennel & with a partial out cross with Indy.
After the storm yesterday, the temperatures cooled down & today the dogs are enjoying the cooler temperatures and playing with their neighbors.
Next week, the forecast is for the return of the hot/humid weather. 
For anyone interested, I have posted a copy of my unpublished manuscript, "Mothers Don't Let Your Children Grow Up To Be Dog Mushers" under the page of the same name. I hope you enjoy it!
Stay cool & thing SNOW!
Until next week.....