Part 4 of 4
​FROM PUPPIES TO TWO YEAR OLD’S


Now the big job begins!
The puppies are eating on their own and growing rapidly both physically and mentally.
I usually feed my puppies twice a day, once in the morning and then in the late afternoon.
I want my puppies to be good (ravenous) eaters and good drinkers. This is the way I prepare them especially for the Winter months.
I feed my dogs a wet mixture of meat (beef), 10% dry food and lots of water. I usually prepare my food 4 hours before feeding to let the meat/dry mixture to adsorb most of the water making a pasty mixture.
Because this mixture has so much water, it would quickly freeze in the colder temperatures of the Winter. It is imperative that dogs eat quickly!
I start the puppies off with the same type of mixture. To ensure they eat quickly, I only offer enough feed to ensure that it is quickly devoured. For example, if I have seven puppies, I only offer enough feed for six. The more aggressive puppies will get more food than the more passive ones. On the next feeding the less passive ones are diving into the food to make sure they get their share.
Of coarse, I monitor this to make sure that no puppy loses out.
The food is offered in one pan, smaller to begin with to a much larger pan as they get bigger.
If there is a bully taking all the food, I place two pans of food into the whelping box. The bully will be busy chasing the other puppies away from one bowl to the other bowl. All the time the other puppies are quickly munching down the food from both bowls.
The bully goes without or with very little.
The next feeding, all are intent on eating and not bullying.
The food has now been increased to what I feel the puppies will eat to fill them.
I monitor the feeding and when the puppies are basically satisfied, I remove the pan if there is still food left.
I never leave food in the pen after feeding.
The puppies then learn there is a time line on when the food will be available, ensuring they eat in a hurry.
When, I go out to feed, I will call out “puppies, puppies” letting them know now is feed time.
I make this exercise fun and they come rushing to the door of the pen enthusiastically.
I use the same procedure teaching them to drink. I always bait the water with a little food.
In the pen portion of the run, I always keep a bucket of fresh water if they get thirsty through the day.
As the puppies get bigger, I slowly introduce them life and exportation out side the whelping box/pen.
At first they find this strange and then one, usually the most adventurous one will get things going and then they will all follow suit.
This can also be away of finding which ones could be future leaders.
I like to start them, when wearing collars, to be attached to the truck on drop chains. This gets them used to the collars, chain and ready for their eventual introduction to kennel life and future travelling to the races.
All the time the puppies are introduced to new things, they are closely supervised and played with to make each new experience is fun.
Normally, the puppies are placed in the kennel when they are four to five months old.
I usually place them close to their siblings and also close to adults that will like to interact with them.
I have found that they quickly adapt to life in the kennel.
I always take time daily to interact with my dogs after feeding usually when I am cleaning the kennel.
Once the young puppies are vaccinated, I encourage visitors to interact with them, thus preventing shyness.
Some dogs may look shy when visiting the kennel. However, these are dogs that are a little more reserved until they determine if the visitor is to be trusted. Some of theses dogs have made my best leaders!
Trust is very important with all dogs and particularly the puppies.
Never ask a dog to do more than it is capable of!!!!
Harnessing the puppies for the first time is very exciting.
Depending on when they were born, (I usually like early Summer births) they get to see the adults going out on training runs. As the adults get excited to run, the puppies pick up on the excitement.
On the puppies first run, I like to start with small teams.
This last litter was six puppies, so I started them off with two experience leaders and followed by two puppies. The first run is done very slowly with me ridding the drag mat on the sled. All I want from them is to have fun and most importantly to learn right from the start to PULL!
I will stop frequently to pet them and praise them on their performance.
It is quit normal for them to jump back and forth over the line and try to play with their partner.
But, if you have good leaders, when you give the command to go, they quickly learn to work in the team.
The first runs are very short as you don't want to tire them out and you want them to be enthusiastic to go further.
I always treat my dogs with a dog biscuit after a run as a reward. This too the puppies get, while still in the line hooked up, teaching them that there is always a reward after their run.
After the treat and before I unharness them, I will go around and pet all the dogs in the team showing my appreciation.
I like to start my harness training of the puppies in the Spring when they are around 7 moths old.
As they get more comfortable with what they are doing, I will increase the distance and eventually the speed. The speed is never as fast as they could go! The emphasis here is still on pulling and making everything a fun experience.
I like to get in at least 6 runs before the end of the season.
The puppies. Like the adults are now off team running to the Fall.
The Yearling year is a very important one for the young dogs.
They will now be introduced to running with the adults.
I always start my Fall training running the dogs slowly and building up speed through the season when they are capable enough to handle it.
I set the pace by regulating the speed by training with an ATV or a Snow-machine with a speedometer.
The yearling usually are mixed with the A & B teams to start and then when the A Team that is being developed for my racing team, the Yearling will run more with the B Team.
This is a very important year that they all learn good habits and have fun running.
Rarely will I race a Yearling in their first year!
I like to develop my dogs slowly!
Buy the way, the yearlings are all placed on the truck before they are harnessed and go on the training runs. They go strait from the truck to their position in the team.
This way they are experiencing everything they will do at a race.
Through the season, I like to take the Yearlings to a race so they can experience the excitement, commotion and strangers coming by to see the dogs.
The second year with the young dogs will determine which dogs are capable of competing for a position on my racing team.


SUMMERY


Only after two full seasons of running/racing will I know how successful the breeding was.
Sometimes a dog could take a little longer mentally to mature.
If you have taken the time to read the whole article, you will realize what work goes into the breeding, raising, feeding and training to produce top canine athletes.
Now add up all the costs involved over the two plus years and looking at paying yourself a minimum wage, it should give you some idea why these dogs demand the price they do.
A small kennel/breeder like myself, who doesn't breed to sell, will be lucky to cover expenses.
It has taken me 7 years to produce the type of team/kennel that is competitive.
I have been very fortunate to have some good mushing friends that gave me a start in the Sprint Mushing World with some good bloodlines to start my kennel, to help grow my kennel and mentor me along the way. My thanks goes out to Rosaire Perron, Sam & Eric Laforce and the most influential mushers/breeders/racers in my career Valerie and Laurent Gonsolin.
These are good people that are honest and willing to help.
Many of the dogs that are main stays in my kennel today came from these mushers.
Not all musher/races with a big name are as honest as the above.
Before you make any decisions on buying from or breeding with, ask around the mushing community with regards to do business with the musher.
The mushing community is a small one and everybody pretty well knows everyone.
Good luck on now starting your own kennel.
Now you should know, “Why Are Performance Racing Sled Dogs Are so Expensive”!
OR ARE THEY!!!

Part three!
​BIRTH AND BEYOND


I feel it is important to have the Whelping Box a little away from your main kennel.
I like to have the pack experience the arrival of new members. But, the pen should be far enough away that the mother feels safe and secure.
My pen is between the kennel and right next to my chalet. I can see the pen from my window and hear all the action.
My pen consists of a whelping cabin with an attached wire (floor, sides, top and end)pen.
The cabin has an exit to the wired pen.
The whole pen/whelping cabin are raised on blocks from the ground.
I really like this type of setup as it keeps the puppies clean and helps prevent disease.
The mother can go out to do her business, which all falls through to the ground underneath.
The pen can easily be hosed down and everything is kept clean.
With this setup, I know when the mother is in labour and when the puppies are born.
I have found that the mother usually likes to come over to my open window and complain about her discomfort.
Cobalt was the worst for this and with each contraction we would have a little conversation with me comforting her. As I have said, I am very close to my canine family.
As soon as I hear a puppy's first cry, I go out, pick up the puppy, gently pet it, place it close to my mouth, blow in its face and then place it to its mothers breast.
This way, I am bonding with the puppy right at birth. This way the puppy feels secure with both the mother and me.
I learned this technique from Susan Butcher. She had a great rapport with her dogs.
From now on, I am out there several times a day playing, interacting and petting the puppies and also
giving the mother attention.
On the second or third day, I remove the Dew Claws.
To me this is very important to prevent irritation when wearing booties as an adult.
Of coarse in due time the puppies need to be wormed and vaccinated with Veterinarian supervision/consulting.
I feed the mother in the whelping cabin with her puppies so when they get older they learn to eat solids by sampling their mothers food.
This makes the job of weening the puppies much easier and less stressful.
By following the mothers example of going out in the pen to re-leave herself, the puppies also learn to go out there following her example.
It make house breaking puppies so much easier.
Usually, between six to eight weeks the puppies are weened and the mother is placed back in the kennel. This done slowly taking the mother away for short periods of time and then overnight.
It is important now to make sure the mother releases all of her milk over the next several days and drys up properly to prevent later complications.
Now you are the sole provider for your puppies.

WHY ARE PERFORMANCE RACING SLED DOGS SO EXPENSIVE
(part three)

BREEDING


Before you even contemplate starting a breeding program, take the time to figure out what type racing you want to do and the best type of dog that would fit your needs and temperament.
It is very important to have dogs that are suited to your personality and lifestyle.
That being said, now you should start doing your home work.
Studying pedigrees is very important to reproduce the type of dog you want. By matching dogs with a Line Bred pedigree to similar dogs is most likely to produce dogs that are similar in attitude, composition and stride.
There is nothing more rewarding than running a team of dogs that are running as a well balanced, smooth unit. It is truly an experience to be treasured!
Those are the results you should be striving for.
Breeding is only one part of the equation, but it is the base that everything else will build apron.
Without a good foundation, you chances for success are not very good.
If you start off with a very good female, then it is less expensive and cost efficient to go out and pay for a breeding to a proven top stud that has a track record of producing very good dogs.
Here to keep in mind that both the female and the male are of compatible pedigrees to maximize your chances of producing a very good litter of puppies.
Never be afraid to seek advise from people you trust to have your best interest.
I strive for a minimum of 80% of the litter to be of the quality I need for my team.
Over the years my kennel has improved to the point that I am now very selective of what dogs will fit into my team.
I am not a big breeder, only breed for my own usage, one litter every two years.
I like to keep a relatively small kennel that I can devote plenty of quality time to all my dogs.
Now you have done your breeding and are waiting for the litter to be born.
You need to take time to ensure the female has the proper nutrition and care while caring her unborn pups.
Prepare a whelping pen where she can safely have her puppies and feel safe/secure looking after her new family.
I feel it is very important to develop a close bond with her during this period with at least daily attention and one on one time comforting her through this period.
By doing this, it will make it easier for you to interact with the puppies and not stress out the mother.
Now it is that anxious waiting time looking forward to the puppies arrival.
Until next week......
​

 The second part:

​GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR OWN KENNEL


To the new, inexperienced musher a sled dog is a sled dog.
This is normal as I was the same.
It wasn't until later in my mushing career that I started to learn the difference.
Most of us started off with Siberian Huskies and at the time there were few kennels that actually specialized in Racing Siberians. From theses dogs I could see the difference in confirmation (body structure) that separated this type of dog from the Show Types.
The development of the Alaskan Husky and The Pointer Crosses are all further example of looking for the structural confirmation that will allow these athletes to run with the smoothest motion, with the least effort to produce the speed/endurance required to compete in their specialized field.
Probably the worst way to start a kennel is use your favourite dog Spot (of an unknown sled dog origin) breeding it to your friends favourite dog Bill (also of an unknown sled dog origin) and produce a litter of Billy/Spots.
After, a couple of years of training working with these dogs, you find that (if your lucky) you have one or two that actually want to perform as a sled dog.
Let me explain, this is not the fault of the dog. But, rather the unfortunate coupling of mediocre dogs as the base breed.
This method of starting a Racing Sled Dog Kennel is the most expensive and demoralizing way to start. Not to mention the unfortunate position these offspring’s have with a future in sledding or even finding them a loving pet home.
I remember someone telling me that you can't form an opinion of a great Racing Dog Team until you have experienced being on one.
It is for this reason, I highly recommend that you contact an experienced musher to talk too or even better work with them for a season.
Now you will be armed with the knowledge that few take advantage of.
Personally, I find I learn something new every year by observing top racers and asking questions of them and listening to what they have to say and then incorporating what I learn into improving my kennel.
Now if you want to start a good racing kennel go out and buy some of the best dogs you can afford. Most Racing Kennels have some good dogs for sale that are older that can give you a great start.
Next installment: BREEDING
​Until next week....... 



​

The Blog will be taking a little different approach over the next several weeks to give a deeper insight into the back ground/development of the Current Performance Canine Athlete.

WHY ARE PERFORMANCE RACING SLED DOGS SO EXPENSIVE?

​Many people getting into racing sled dogs wonder why they can cost so much.
On the Semi Pro and Professional Sprint Racing Circuit, performance sled dog can range $1000.00 up to $20,000.00.
I can understand that some people question why anybody would spend that kind of money on Non-Registered Breed of dog, in other words a Mutt!
However, if you were to check the documented pedigrees of these dogs, you find them as complete or more complete than the Registered Pure Breeds.
Before I go any further, I must decree that views responded here are my own and are not to be considered anything other than that.
The racing Performance Sled Dogs of today are the product of many years of selective breeding’s.
One of the major differences between Purebreds and these dogs is a result of the reasons for the breeding’s.
The racing sled dogs we are talking about were bred for performance only and not for a particular look, colour etc. The advancement from the earliest working sled dogs to these performance athletes of today was constant evolution to produce dogs that were faster, more durable and more capable of handling the needs to perform in the desired race categories whether it be Sprint or Long Distance Events.
Some of the earliest innovators in the development of the modern day racing dogs goes back to Attla, Wright, Redington, Saunderson, Butcher, Buser, Streeper and Ellis to name a few.
The above mentioned Mushers/Breeders were all instrumental in the development of the designer racing dogs currently seen on the racing circuits.
It is interesting many of today’s canine athletes can be traced back to some of the Original Attla Dogs.
The Performance Racing Sled Dogs of today are anything but a Mutt.
No, they are not recognized as a Registered Breed nor will they ever be.
These canine athletes of today are constantly evolving in their strive to achieve top performance.

Over the next several weeks, we will get more into the breeding, puppies, socialization, conditioning/training, nutrition and the insight to develop top performers.
​Until next.........

The forest is starting to change to its Autumn splendor!
Already, some of the trees and bushes are changing to their Fall colors.
The Fireweed has turned to silk (seed) and it is a prediction the the first snow is 6 weeks away. That means around the second week of October, we should see our first snow for the season.
The temperatures at night are now getting down to single digits celsius with the days getting shorter.
The dogs are also picking up on the changes and are getting more excited in the mornings anticipating the start of a new season running.
This week, we had several beautiful sunny days with a little rain on Thursday.
This week, I had to force myself to leave here on Wednesday to a big shopping trip leaving here at 7.30 am and returning here at 3.30 pm.
First such expedition in three months.
I can't imagine how others live with all the traffic and commotion with the denseness of population.
I have become a real bush person more comfortable away from society!
I can feel myself starting to relax as I start climbing in the mountains on the way home.
It is great to be back home in the forest with Nature!
​Until next week.......