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......