Zeus recovering

Zeus swallowed three rocks that did not pass, requiring immediate gastrointestinal surgery. He's a
recovering house dog now and very obedient and sweet... we just want him better.

Zeus had surgery

Zeus had surgery yesterday following an xray showing rocks in his stomach. This is our first known rock eater, poor guy. We checked on him late day and they had retrieved three rocks and were about to finish the surgery. He stayed overnight and possibly again tonight.

He is a very sweet and good dog and we hope for his complete recovery. We will add him to

our house dog roster now and hope to fix up a rock less pen for him when he is able to return outside. Eos will miss her best buddy/brother as a pen partner.

Photo: Zeus, right in photo, Eos, left in photo.

Generations

We have a new helper, Tanner, who already knows the 'ropes' with dogs. He took out two teams for very short runs the other day which always makes the dogs happy. We hope he'll be here during the summer to work around the kennel. He hopes to race sprint next winter again.

Walk back in kennel time

In 1996 Jenny Van Marter came to SPK to train and race our dogs. She trained hard, used a heavy sled and went through all kinds of challenges to win her first race. It was minus forty at start time in Land O Lakes, so we had to wait until minus 20 for takeoff. She won the four dog class. Yesterday she sent us photos from that year which are so heartwarming. We had so many challenges as we learned together about sled dog racing. Jenny was a great sport and talented.

Photos of the original kennel dogs are precious. In the team photo it is Scuba and daughter,Stardust in lead; Scuba's sons, Geronimo and T. Rusty Bear in wheel. What a great lineage. Only Glory remains from that family in our kennel.

Beautiful sweet Balto

Balto, age fourteen, in this photo the pretty white and brown wheel dog, racing the Nicolet

Sprint, crossed the Rainbow Bridge today. We loved her great face and fur and feet and

spirit. One day she climbed two ten foot fences to get into another pen. She did almost hang

herself one day in a thunder storm, trying to scale the fence. Her back legs finally gave out on

her. On this team, Skinny and Glory in lead, Sulatna in wheel with Balto.

And more is coming

Six to ten inches of snow, possibly, tomorrow. After a weekend of heavy cleanup, here it comes again.

Still Winter

Yesterday started with ice rain building up into an inch of ice slush. The pens were a mess, tarps covered and frozen. After a day of cleaning up, the storm came back and this morning we have not only ice rain but new heavy wet icy snow, bending again all of the protective tarps. The dogs are quiet this morning. We've gone from loud wild thunderstorms and a few warm days back to winter. Maybe they think we skipped summer this year. The roads will be treacherous again this morning as I wind my way two miles down the road to my son's to care for his animals while they are out of town. If I can speak for the dogs, they say 'enough already'. Daylight is about half an hour away and the wind is wild right now. A year ago at this time we were enjoying wildflowers. Three of the older dogs are showing strain on their back legs, Balto, particularly.

Photos before the ice and snow:

Impression from Sierra lying on the frosty grass.

Apache, son's dog, taking a trail stroll with me and his ball.

Trail Erosion

On April 1st we declared our trails unsafe for any further dog team travel. We've rec'd snow since then but the trails are still not safe , especially now that we are again in a meltdown , of sorts. The ice has eroded and mud holes take its place. SLOPPY is the description for all out here.

Waiting

It's a bit like watching a pot boil, spring meltdown. If you watch it, it takes forever. We, who love snow, have given in and agreed it's time for it to melt down for yet another year. Last night we shoveled and tossed buckets of water from pens, but chopping drains once again frozen is

a bit more difficult. This last refrozen ice is stubborn about melting. Maybe today? but then again comes snow/ice rain in the forecast. We just have to wait.