This was the week to start some new Leaders.
This week Lilly, Lance and Hok'ee were given opportunities to run up at lead.
Lilly did a great job up there with her first run, she started 1/3 way through the run. On her second run this week started at Lead and displayed a true talent for this position driving hard right from the start. She was very focused throughout.
Lilly is a natural leader and displayed this leader mentality as a puppy being the first to walk, eat solid food and always free running in front of her siblings.
Hok'ee had a couple of short experiences at Lead last season, running a couple of miles towards the end of the runs just to get exposure. On Friday, he started at lead was very focused and hard driving doing an excellent job.
Lance ran good up front but had distractions due to females in the team being in heat. He definitely shows potential and will get more opportunity to be upfront when there is less distractions and is more mature mentally.
Training new leaders is very important to give all the dogs a chance in the lead position.
There are several other dogs that will have the opportunity at lead over the next several weeks.
The Winter weather has now settled in here with snow and freezing temperatures making the trails here pristine and with hard packed base.
​Until next week......

Another week with poor running conditions due icy trails.
However, we were able to get two days of running on Thursday and Saturday.
Thursday, we had warmer weather enabling us to train two teams on soft trails with some water. In the video above, you can see the importance of having great Leaders!
All day Friday and into Saturday morning we received about 15 cm of wet snow and nice temperatures allowing us to train two teams.
The dogs are doing a remarkable job considering the challenging conditions.
I am always amazed at their desire and ability to perform!!!
Today was spent spending 4 hours on the road travelling to pick up 40x55lb blocs of meat (beef/chicken mix) for our canine athletes.
This routine will be repeated again in 5 weeks.
If you want the dogs to perform like champions, you need to feed them like champions.
This coming week the weather forecast is for below 0 temperatures and more snow.
It looks like Winter is finally here!
LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER OUR VETERANS THAT SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR OUR WAY OF LIFE!
Until next week........
​

This week the weather dictated the running schedule.
​The week started with a nice snow covering of the trail and making for the first nice snow run of the season.
Unfortunately, Monday night it rained and that night it rained and the temperatures fell below freezing causing the trails to turn to ice.
The icy trail conditions prevented us from running through until Friday Morning when we had a light coating of wet snow to enable us to get out for the second training run of the week.
With the new snow and coupled with the three day layoff, the dogs were going crazy to run.
The dogs are progressing nicely with their conditioning allowing us to get their speeds up to 28/29 km/hr.
Wednesday was spent going to Joliette for shopping for supplies for the dogs (32/18 kilo sacks of dry food for the dogs from Dalphond Pet Supplies) and some human supplies. This was an all day affair with 5 hours of travelling time.
The supplies should last us for most of the Winter with the exception of meat for the dogs.
It was nice to get back home to the peace and serenity of the forest.
​Until next week.......

This week was the first full week of scheduled training.
We ran two teams, one of 10 dogs and one of 8 dogs, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday were rest days.
This is the normal training schedule we like to follow.
It is important for the dogs to get rest days for the muscles to recover from the exercise. 
The dogs are doing great and on Thursday & Friday, we ran Levis on the 10 dog team and moved Hok'ee over to the 8 dog team.
We are now running all the "L" litter on the Open Class Team.
You can see Levis on the right side at Wheel running with his father Blue.
The weather here this week was perfect for running with below zero temperatures at night into the early mornings. We also had some more snow flurries which helped soften the trails making it good for the dogs feet.
The only dog needing booties was Venus who has very sensitive paws.
Some of the dogs needed their nails clipped to prevent the nails splitting/breaking on the frozen ground.
​Chloe & Leo leveled the boys side of the kennel before the ground froze too hard.
This morning the lake had some ice forming on it for the first time this season.
It looks like Winter conditions are going to arrive early this year.
HAPPY TRAILS!
​Until next week.......

It was a great time here at Miortuk with are first week of training.
The dogs are settling in very quickly to their training routine.
It always amazes me how fast they adapt to team running.
It is very important at this time to keep the speeds down to do proper conditioning and not over stress the muscles with going to fast.
A muscle injury at this time of the season could put a dog out of action for the balance of the season.
Now it is slow and easy!
The above video was filmed using Chloe's GoPro Camera mounted on the harness of Yoda, one of our Leaders.  
Her and Indigo stay calm until they start to run.
Both Chloe & Leo have adapted to life here and are a great help with the dogs.
They have quickly mastered the routine with harnessing and getting the dogs hooked up in the teams.
The weather here this week has been a mix with rain, snow flurries, warm and below zero temperatures.
All are runs are completed in the morning to ensure the coolest temperatures for safely running the dogs.
​Until next week.......

A busy, exciting week here at Miortuk.
On Thursday Chloe & Leo, from France, arrived here to start their adventure as Handler/Trainees learning about Sled Dogs and life here in the forest.
After a introduction to the dogs and learning how to harness them on Friday, we set off on Saturday for our first training/conditioning run of the 2018/19 season.
Our first run was with two teams, one with 10 dogs and one with 8 dogs, going 4.5 miles.
All went extremely well with the dogs performing great and enjoying getting back in harness.
Both Chloe & Leo did a great job for their first sortie.
They also had the opportunity to meet and feed the Grey Jays, a local wild bird the spends the Fall/Winter/Spring here. 
It is a fun experience to have them land on your hands and take pieces of bread.
Also on Friday, We had our first snow flurry of the season.
It is great to get back running the dogs!!!
​Until next week......

This weekend was Thanksgiving here at Miortuk.
It was time to reflect on all the blessings of living here in the forest with the Nature, friends and of course my dogs.
It was a wonderful few days spent with some good friends and having great meals.
Yesterday afternoon and last evening enjoying the company of friends gathering around a nice campfire on a beautiful/cool Fall day.
Chloe & Leo, a couple from France, arrive to start their adventure here with Sled Dogs and our training season will begin!
The dogs are ready and the weather is now turning cooler to affiliate the start of another great season.
To all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving.
​Until next week....... 
 

 Years ago, I asked a musher what he looked for when picking dogs for his Sprint Team? His answer was, "Black Dogs!".
When asked the same question by that musher, My answer was :"Fast Dogs"!
In order to be fast dogs they all have to have athletic builds, good bloodlines and desire to excel.
Here at Miortuk, there is no preference for color or gender.
Here there is a consistency of bloodlines that has produced hard working, durable, enthusiastic speedy athletes.
With this being said, We have (now and in the past) more female Leaders!
Most of the Leaders her are females with the exception of Max.
He had the same attributes that our female Leaders had. He was the same size as many of the female Leaders and great attitude.
Here, we have discovered that female Leaders mature quicker, more focussed,  a greater desire to please and be upfront.
Currently of the 18 dogs in the kennel, 10 are female and 5 of the females are Leaders.
I definitely have a young female that has great Leader potential and another that is a possible.
However that being said, there are two young males that are also displaying Leader potential.
The last litter bred here have 4 of the 6 pups showing potential for lead.
That should not be to surprising as we bred Leaders or dogs with Leaders on their close backgrounds in hope of producing Leaders.
Female are a little smaller and seem less prone to muscular injuries and strains.
We have been very fortunate here being injury free for many years due to a one month conditioning program at the first of the season.
Yes, here at Miortuk "Females Rule"!
​Until next week.....


​

Life here in the forest is not complicated. It is just living and co-inhabiting with Nature.
The week after the holiday weekend, on the first of September, when most Summer Cottagers close up their chalets for the Winter; the Grey Jays returned. 
It is amazing to me that these very friendly birds are not around during the most populous time in the Summer.
They will spend the Fall/Winter/ Early Spring with me here in the Northern Forest.
They love to interact with us here and will happily accept food from our hands.
They are very gentle when they perch on your hand accepting pieces of bread which they quickly hide in the pine trees and then come back for more.
They will talk to you and let you know they are present.
I even had one tap on my patio door, letting me know that I hadn't put out its morning treats.
It is a simple life here.
​Until next week.........

This week really marked the start of Fall here at Miortuk.
The leaves are turning color, the Hummingbirds have migrated South and the Canada Geese have started their migration.
This morning at midnight the first large flock of geese flew over the kennel and more migrating geese were seen through the day. The flocks this year are larger than last year and their journey to their Winter Habitant has started a little earlier.
Although, we had a relatively warm week, the nights are getting cooler and by mid week coming the daytime temperatures are going to be in the mid teens.
It is also the time to start preparing human food for the upcoming Winter.
Most of the preseason chores are done and next week will be nail clipping time for the dogs. 
Everything will be ready for the start of training for the first of October when this seasons Handlers arrive.
It is really a beautiful time of year here!
​Until next week......