It is hard not to love Natures beauty here at Miortuk!
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, every day is new experience.
This week was another week enjoying the adventures here in the forest.
We had some nice warm sunny days and finished the week with a couple of rainy ones.
The rain is welcomed as the forest was getting dry and needed the moisture to help prevent forest fires.
One day this week, I was privileged to observe the family of Fox that have moved their home from the den by my kennel to under the garage of my neighbors. 
It was a half hour of pleasure witnessing this young family with their mother perusing their daily routine. The mother came towards me acknowledging my presence and then continued on with her hunting and playing with her young.
I witnessed her bringing a fresh caught squirrel to her young feeding them. Already with the pups you can see the pecking order with the dominant getting the first taste of the fresh kill and then she made sure the others all shared in the meal.
From what I could see, there are 6 in the litter and are currently the size of a 6 week old husky pup. The males already are more of a reddish color and the females more brownish.
The young were all aware of my presence and were nor afraid to let me observe them as they explored, played with each other and snuggle up to their mother.
It was a beautiful experience, unfortunately I had no camera to capture it.
​It is only in my memory.
Until next week.......

The above video captures the off season life here at Miortuk.
Please turn up your volume as all you can hear is the cry of the Blue Jays.
Yes, the forest is quiet with only the sounds of Nature.
The weather here has finally warmed up  with nice days in the 20's and cool evenings around 5 Celsius.
The dogs are enjoying the warmer weather, early in the morning and after their mid-day meal just basking in the Sun.
The Grey Jays have stayed this year, normally they are only here in the Fall & Winter, to have their young. I have had the privilege to witness the young for the first time. Already, they are the size of their parents and are a solid dark grey.
They will in time get the nice white heads and grey bodies of the adults. 
It is interesting to see the adults already teaching them not to be afraid of me.
These are some of the most sociable birds with humans, coming when called and eating out of your hand.
They seem to always travel in pairs as adults (a male & a female) and it seems that they only produced a pair of off springs. 
The lake water is slowly receding after the Winter thaw.
With the warmer weather, the Black Flies are making their presences known.
They are about two weeks later than normal and hopefully the presence with be two weeks shorter.
​Until next week.......

From early morning to the end of the day, enjoying the beauty of Nature.
This week was the monthly trip out of here to get supplies for the dogs and myself. Although I enjoy the outing, it is always great to get back home in the forest.
The hustle and bustle of city life is not for me anymore!
An outing here is leaving at 9 am and this time returning at 5.30 pm, this trip includes 6 hours of driving just to get supplies.
If it wasn't for the need to get meat for the dogs, I wouldn't even go out monthly.
Life here in the forest is routine with spending time with my canine family, having a morning coffee outside listening to the buzz of the Hummingbirds visiting the feeder above my head and quietly observing Nature's activity of the forest inhabitants.
Listening to the sounds of the birds and in the evening the nightly cores of the frogs.
The trees are starting to bud and the forest showing signs of a rebirth after a long Winter.
To some this may seem boring!
But for me, it the pleasure of a stress free life!
Until next week.......

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 their 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 teat 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........

Continuing the theme, Healthy Dogs Are Happy Dogs.
Last week, we dealt with Nutrition.
This week, I would like to discuss Housing, Kennel Management and Hydration.
It is very important to have good housing that allows the dogs to have comfortable dry warm place to seek shelter.
The housing here are made of plywood with insulated floors, offset door way with an extended framing (to help keep out the rain or snow) and a removable roof.
The offset door way gives the dogs a section of the house to stay away from the entrance to keep out of the weather and to give privacy for sleeping.
During the Winter months fresh straw is added to the house for additional warmth. It is very important to change the straw often as needed to keep it dry. 
Warm/dry housing is important to keep the dogs comfortable and prevent weight loss due to burning extra calories to stay warm.
The removable roof makes changing the straw much easier!
Spring/Summer maintenance on the housing to keep it in good shape and can easily be repaired. 
We also, lift the dog houses with each significant snowfall to keep the houses on the top of the accumulating snow pack throughout the Winter.
This makes a big difference in the Spring when the snow melts keeping the houses above the melt and preventing water flooding the houses.
Kennel Management is a daily occurance to keep our Canine Athletes healthy.
Luckily here the ground is basically a sandy base allowing for good drainage and keeping a nice dry environment for the dogs. It is also easy to fill in the holes the dogs love to dig and keep their area level.
Another daily occurrence here is cleaning the kennel removing the daily scat (poop). Dogs love to have a clean area and enjoy it as much as feeding. 
​They also love to add fresh poop as soon as you clean!
Here, I make this task a pleasurable one, as I take the time to have some one on one time with each dog as I do the cleaning.
They look forward to this quality time!
This time is also beneficial to check on the dogs health, food absorption and with the petting to examine each dog.
I check for any abnormalities as well as observing their coats to be nice/shiny and soft.
During the non freezing months the dogs have fresh water available to them for hydration.
As I mentioned last week, I feed the dogs with a soupy mixture to ensure they are hydrated.
During the Winter months, they are watered two/three hours before training and also right after the run back at their houses. These watering is baited with meat to encourage drinking.
Feeding is done one hour after the run to ensure maximum absorption of the feed.
The kennel here is cut out of the forest giving the dogs shade, privacy and shelter from the wind. 
Half the kennel gets Sun in the morning and the other half in the afternoon.
Getting the Sun also helps in controlling parasites.
The dogs here are tethered and are close enough to have safe interaction with their neighbors.
The males are on one side of the kennel (with a central pathway) and the females on the other side.
This certainly helps with unwanted breedings!
Until next week.......

 
 

There are many aspects that make for healthy dogs; Kennel management, Housing,Exercises, Nutrition etc.
Today, I would like to discuss Nutrition.
I understand many mushers have different methods of dealing with this subject. I want to relay to you the way we deal with Nutrition here at Miortuk.
Please understand, the following is the way we deal with this subject here.
One thing, we can all agree with, nutrition is very important for health of these Canin  Athletes.
Here, we use a predominately a raw meat diet!
Due to accessibility of high quality meat at a very reasonable price raw meat (beef & chicken), our primary diet is meat based with about 10% dry food.
The reason for beef is for muscles and chicken for the fat for energy.
We have found that the beef doesn't have enough fat content to meet the training/racing requirements of our athletes and chicken fat is absorbed by the dogs more quickly.
Here we have very severe Winters with an abundance of snow and extremely cold temperatures. It is for this reason, we need to have chicken as part of our daily diet to maintain the dogs weight and energy to perform to their utmost.
Currently our meat ratio here is 60% chicken, 40% beef 10 % dry food and water for hydration. The mixture makes a thick soup.
We maintain the same mixture all year long only varying the quantity during the different seasons. Obviously more in the training periods and the Winter to meet the dogs requirements.
We try to maintain the same diet throughout the year not to upset the the dogs digestive system with changes of their diet. 
Although the dogs will put on a little more weight during the offseason, they enter the start of training carrying a little more weight which they can work off during training. It is much easier this way than to have them start the season underweight which is then very hard to put weight on them.
Mind you the meat used here is "raw" not cooked!
Cooked meat takes away some the natural properties of the meat.
Never cooked meat with bones as the bones can splinter and cause serious health hazards for the dogs.
We feed here at the same time every day to keep them on a regular schedule.
Dogs like routines!
The amount of food will vary with each dog depending on their requirements and ability to process their diet.
Here, I strive for an absorption of 75% to 80%.
This means the dogs are getting the most out of their diet.
If you are getting more stool than that, they might be fed too much or poor quality diet.
It is understandable that everybody does not have access to the quality of meat we have here so you need to adjust your diet with what is available to you locally.
If you have to use dry food as your base diet, we have found that you should be looking for a food with 30 % protein and 20% fat as minimum.
The primary ingredient in the dry food should be meat!
Read the label of ingredients, this is very important.
Cheaper priced food doesn't necessarily save money, as the dogs will need more volume of food and produce more stool. 
If you want your Canin Athletes to perform to their optimum , you must feed them good!
​Until next week......

 


  

 

Last week, we dealt with Bonding.
This week,I would like to discuss the power of Observation!
Through quiet times just watching your dogs, you can learn a lot.
The video above, shows a fun play time with the puppies.
However, you can observe the Lilly (the brown one) likes to be the leader of the pack and loves the other puppies chasing her. 
Lilly was the first puppy to sample here mothers food ( I like to feed the mother with her puppies so they learn about solid food and they basically wean themselves), she was the first to explore outside the whelping pen and the first to come to the door when I would go to visit them.
I could see right from the beginning that she had leader potential.
This running season she had her opportunity to run lead in the "A" Team.
Lilly was a natural! She is an enthusiastic, focused Leader loving to be upfront running with Venus.
A lot of time is spent here observing the dogs in the kennel.
As all dogs have different personalities, through observation, you can see what dogs are more comfortable with others in the kennel.
It is important match dogs with kennel mates they are most comfortable with and this can give you an idea of who they should be paired with running in the team.
Through the power of observation, you can develop your eyes to pick up any irregularities with the dogs running in the team. Some dogs are more comfortable running on the left or right. You can learn a lot about pairing, seeing what dogs give you their best performance when running with another dog, the most comfortable position in the team whether it is Lead, Point, Team or Wheel.
An example was Sam when in the team, she was always running to the outside and not right behind the dog in front of her. This was an indication that she might be a leader as she wanted to see ahead of the others. However, she was not comfortable at lead, so she was moved to Point. 
That was where she was most comfortable and performed great!
I video every run, that way I can review the runs and observe any peculiarities on the run. This way, I can make adjustments in the team make up. I also can see how the dogs handle different trail conditions. Some dogs like hard packed trails, some deeper snow, colder temperatures etc.
The more you observe your dog the more you will learn about them.
They will tell you where they should run and with whom.
​Until next week.......