Summer Place Dogs

Our dogs are very special to us.  Our current kennel listing is as follows:

Matilda, age 9, runs lead and team

Rosie, age 9, fastest dog in the kennel, runs lead and team

Lillen, matriarch, retired, age 16, fantastic gee haw leader.

Yuki, team, sweetest and shy, age 9, a deep snow, pull you out of anything dog.

Swix, a classic looking sled dog, age 9, runs strong wheel.

Herman, tough and strong, and sweet, wheel or team, age 9.

Buffy, gee haw command leader, age 9, fast.

Tsunami, age 9, a sleeper, very strong, happy wheel dog.

Yeti, age 9, very strong wheel dog, a bit shy.

Kiddo, says she's retiring, but she gets pretty excited when we hook her up, so team or wheel, age 9.

Zoom, an unlikely looking sled dog, but runs fast and happy, team, age 9.

Sherpa, age seven, has really become a great team dog, steady, honest, strong.  Can run lead.

Ruthie, gee haw command leader, fast, head down , let's DO it, leader, age 11.

Buddy, age 14 1/2, retiree from Alaskan racing and UP 200.

Ruby, fast and footloose, happy happy dog, age 11.

Yo, doesn't want to be a sled dog, but a sweet and happy BIG boy! age 9.

Navy, wow, what a grand gee haw leader, new to our kennel from Alaska and loving him, STRONG.  Age 10.5

Eos, superb gee haw command leader, committed, has been to Nome, age 13.

Copper, veteran Iditarod 06, strong, burly, can run any position, age 9, a bit headstrong, happy house dog, thyroid issues so he only runs if he wants to.

Summer Place Kennel Dogs invite you to January race onsite.

We have an interesting lineup this year . Of course, we are an aging kennel, but these 'retirees' are going strong and will be eager participants in our January month long kennel races.

We are printing out the rules for the race.  The basics are:   Racers choose four or six dogs;

we select the pool of available dogs and each team must have one leader, one lesser experienced dog and two team dogs, placed in whatever positions the musher chooses.  Four dog teams race four dogs, six race six.  We will not adjust for weight, but the race marshall (Julie) determines who can run and which size team each musher will drive.
 
The course is spelled out and will be 'signed', but for insiders who know our trails, takeoff (timer starts) is at the picket line, heading out into the bar trail, up into the loop and  back down around ,going haw at the lilacs and heading for home. (timer stops)

Each team is allowed two attempts, if desired, different days, different dogs are fine.

Mandatory gear includes helmet, hook, sled bag and safe snow. Safety first, for people, for dogs.

Each musher should bring an extra working handler with them .  Each musher will unharness and
soup his/her great dogs.

Entry fee is $20 cash or two hours kennel work (harnessing, unharnessing, scooping, souping,
cleaning up gear, etc.)  We will have an awards ceremony in late January with prizes.

Snow

From 57 degrees on Thanksgiving Day to a windy, snow all day day, today.   The accumulation has not been
heavy but we do have snow.  We were fortunate to have Jimmy helping today, home from Madison for the holiday.   He filled holes, hauled straw to each house and gave every dog warm soup in the afternoon.
He also hauled dog food and deer feed.
My family is visiting so we've had a busy few days! 

Summer Place , new Handy "Man" , Katie

Katie is a professional photographer who will be relocating in the Spring. For now we are fortunate

to have her nearby , not only with her photographic eye and skills, but with her knowledge and abilities with handling sled dogs.   Recently we asked her if she would be our new handy 'man' .   All rolled into one,  Katie is as skilled as anyone on a sled, in the various tasks involved in handling these great dogs, and, first and foremost, as a sports photographer.  She is a racer , at heart, and if the chance arises this winter, watch for Katie ! Wow, Katie, thanks for joining us!

Photo:   Center, Katie, right, Kelsey, background, Julie, readying dogs for a run.

8 Dog Team photos

Karen Klenke, photographer, visited us with Bobbi Samme, Florence Mining News and we ran an 8 dog team for them to view.

These are some of Karen's great photos.  Thank you, Karen!

Photos courtesy Karen Klenke,  top to bottom:

Navy, awaiting his turn.
Jim and Katie harnessing Herman.
Eight dog takeoff:  Ruthie, Buffy, Navy, Eos, Rosie, Kiddo, Herman, Sherpa
Eight dogs returning.
Katie, Rosie, Kiddo, Julie, Jim

Races coming

The Alaska Dispatch, http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/alaskas-fastest-dogs-take-center-stage-mushing-season-gets-rolling  has an article on the upcoming Alaskan races to watch.   Aliy Zirkle
and Allen Moore will begin their exciting to watch race season on December 15th.

The Wisconsin Trailblazers sprint organization has published their sprint schedule on their site. The Land O Lakes race is the weekend of February 11-12.

The UP 200/Midnight Run/Jackpine 30 are the weekend of February 14th.  See: www.up200.org

Why Orange?

It is the orange time of the year.... rifle deer hunting season.  The dogs wear orange ribbons, *see their collars*...  the trees wear NO HUNTING signs, and the dogs get restless from shortened exercises.   We don't let them run free when the risk of hunters is around.   Some of them are a bit shy of guns , so it is a long week for them.   Michigan's season opens tomorrow (one mile away) and Wisconsin opens on Saturday.

Photo:  Ruthie, Herman, Buffy, Sherpa, Navy, (white Yeti in background) and Katie await three more dogs for an 8 dog run.   Missing from photo:  Rosie, Kiddo and Eos.