Training Breakthrough for Zala

Zala keeps the line tight while at rest.

Phoenix and Journey lead the second team. Caught this goofy tongue shot!

Zala had been having some difficulty remaining focused when running with Phoenix. Phoenix is a big softie and we think that he just allowed her to not be as serious about leading as she should have been. She would have an occasional interest in what was running through the woods, to the point she would try to scamper off after it, still attached to the team. Letting the line slack a bit while on a quick break and turning her body sideways to see what I was doing were her other offenses. Each time, I would give the command, be it "tighten up" or "on by", then get off the training rig, place her in the desired position, reinforce the command with praise and we would do this over and over again. Training can be very repetitive and frustrating, especially when you wonder how many times you'll have to do the very same thing until it sinks in. Patience is the key. (I sure could use more of that) Then it dawns on me. Hey, this isn't working, let's try something different!

Sometimes the very best teacher for a dog is another dog and the musher just needs to stand by and provide assistance. Today, Klaus would be helping with her lessons.

We like to train and run, for the most part, without necklining the leaders. This means that both leaders must work together but be able to think for themselves and not use the other leader as a crutch. However, there are times when training with a neckline between the leaders can be an excellent tool. Especially when one is very good at something that the other hasn't quite picked up yet. Klaus is excellent at keeping his line tight ALL of the time. He may become interested in things running in the woods but he continues down the trail straight ahead. When we break for either a few seconds or for more than an hour, he keeps his line tight ALL of the time, even if laying down. This is a gift he has always had and if his line isn't tight, there is something very wrong.

Since Zala got her tremendous work ethic from uncle Klaus, we believe that she must have some more of the exceptional traits he holds buried beneath the surface and we want to try and bring them out.

We began today's run with Klaus and Zala in lead, necklined together. We commanded nothing new of her other than the usual "tighten up". Once the neckline when on, she was glued forward with not the least bit of slack in her line. She didn't move her body sideways but only twisted her head to look back, just like uncle Klaus. When the command to go was given, off she went, straight as an arrow down the trail. When she caught a glimpse of a red squirrel scurry from tree to tree she did attempt to dart back behind Klaus for a brief second until the neckline and my "on by" voice command abruptly reminded her of her job description. After that, no reminders needed. While at rest, a tight line she kept. All good behavior received verbal praise from the musher, however not once did I have to get off the rig to correct.

It still amazes me to this day, that one seemingly small change in a team can be made to receive such a greatly different result. It's hard, sometimes, to get outside of our own little boxes. We think that it should be this way so we continue to do it "this way" when, if we would just think to try it "that way" we might save ourselves an awful lot of trouble.

In dog training as in life, there isn't just one way to do something to accomplish the same result. It's just remembering this that is the challenge when we have "this way" stuck in our minds at that moment.

Zala will continue to run necklined with Klaus for the next few runs. Then the neckline will come off and we'll see what stuck and just devise a new training plan there.

Crab Apples are Ripe!

Klaus the handsome

There he is, making sure I am watching

He's thinking about it....

Up he goes!

Look Journey! If I could just reach that bunch up there!

Klaus loves this time of year! He delights in jumping up in the air and grabbing a mouthful of as many crab apples as he can. His niece, Zala, has this fixation as well. The others just mostly stand by and watch, wondering what could be so good about a bunch of nasty sour crab apples.

Phoenix and McKenzie with the Puppies

Topa and White Feather, what beautiful girls!

You can't tell that White Feather is her fathers' daughter...

Topa playfully greets her papa.

Legs run in the family (no pun intended)

These are some big 15 week old puppies when you compare with 70+lb Phoenix.

What a fun group shot!

Fun times

Phoenix in the play bow for the pups

He lays down for them so they don't feel as intimidated. What a good boy!

Phoenix the goof

Today was the first time that papa McKenzie and Phoenix spent a significant amount of time with the puppies, Topa and White Feather. It is so nice to have two big and powerful, intact males who not only get along well enough to live together but also that play carefully with puppies.

McKenzie likes to be a bit stoic and not let the pups know that he likes them showing interest in him. But the second they show more interest in Phoenix, he makes sure to be included.

Phoenix is a goof. He lays down for the puppies so they don't feel as intimidated by him and rolls on this back, legs flailing in the air.

What a show!

Update on New Hampshire Pups

Tumac

Tumac - look at the legs on that boy!

Hana is roughly the same height now as Tumac but has more fine features.

Hana plays follow the leader with Rosie who happens to be Phoenix's sister.
All photos supplied by Lidia at Uktousa Kennel

Tumac and Hana are living the luxury life in New Hampshire as they are still what Lidia considers "bed" dogs before they graduate to sled dogs. Just as their sisters Topa and White Feather, they are growing like weeds and have long thick legs and big feet. Long walks with the pups have determined that they are driven to pull and at the same time enjoy being babied and cuddled by their musher.

There is no better place for these two than at Uktousa Kennel. We are excited to watch them grow and can't wait for the first day they run with the team!

Ilu and Icoa

Ilu and his beautiful brown eyes

Icoa smiles for the camera

Ilu jumps up for a snack on the crabapple tree

Ilu and Icoa are our two Canadian Inuit Dogs. Icoa is 6 years old and her son, Ilu is 4 years old. They are quite the pair!

Since Tukisi and Isis went to their retirement home last month we had been concerned about how Ilu and Icoa may take this change, considering they are now the only two of their kind left in the kennel, surrounding by our freight Alaskan Huskies. They have done very well and a new dynamic has been created in the kennel. They actually seem a bit more relaxed which is exactly what we had hoped. You see, Isis and Icoa had a big rivalry that created tension in the kennel. With her source of tension gone, she can now relax.

Now that the cool weather has arrived, they are more than anxious to be out on the trail and they bounce on their hind legs, peering over the top of the 6' kennels, whenever it appears as though we are loading the truck for training.

Trail Scouting at Audubon Center of the Northwoods

Audubon Center of the Northwoods near Sandstone, MN

The field stone fireplace is the highlight of the building

West wall of main lodge

What will be the musher cabin

Trail view

View from the trail

View from the trail

Not too windy

The rain finally ended and opened up the skies to a beautiful blue with temps in the 40s. Despite feeling "cloudy" from the recent onset of a cold, I took a drive north of the Twin Cities approximately 2 hours and 15 minute to visit Audubon Center of the Northwoods which is where the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources(DNR) Becoming an Outdoors Woman(BOW) winter workshop will be held in February. Points Unknown will be providing the dog mushing instruction and, this being the first year at this location, I wanted to do some trail scouting to determine the best location for the mushing program.

A wetland trail area was recommended. On the site is a new log cabin that we have been offered as our accommodation. I was anxious to visit these trails, thinking that a wetland area would be relatively flat and wide open which would make for the perfect setting for our beginner mushers to get their first safe dog mushing experience.

The Audubon Center is located on a small lake. The site contains hardwood forests, restored prairies and wetlands. The main lodge appears relatively new with a two story high field stone fireplace in the middle. A small nature store is at the entrance of the building. There are various buildings dotting the campus that include a restored barn and farmhouse.

After a quick visit to the lodge, I went directly to the wetlands trail and log cabin, hoping for the best. Finding proper dog sled trails isn't always an easy task, not to mention finding them with the right qualifications for a short and safe first mushing experience. They should be wide and not too windy. There shouldn't be too many trees close to turns in the trail that could reach out and grab an unsuspecting participant. And there should be a loop which means the dogs don't need to be turned around in the trail which could make a nice tangle.

The trail was just what I had hoped. A few minor improvements and additions here and there will make it ideal. There are a few extra turns in the trail that will need to be blocked off with a straw bale to keep the dogs from taking our guests on a ride we didn't anticipate. In addition, some posts could be sunk near the cabin to tie off teams and to stake the dogs out between workshops. The cabin has no heat, electricity or running water but a wood stove and outhouse make it perfect for the mushers. We'll also use the building during the workshops for the introductions and overview before we head out and begin the hands-on portion with the dogs.

Here, you'll just get a taste of what dog mushing is all about. Our hope is that you fall in love with the dogs and want to join us for a more advanced adventure in the future!

White Feather Update

White Feather, a happy and healthy 15 week old puppy (who is in the gangly stage with long thick legs that she sometimes doesn't know what to do with)

If you recall from an earlier post, White Feather began having head tremors shortly after her first puppy shot at 8 weeks old. At the same time her left ear, which had been straight up, began to droop to the side. We consulted the vet and sought input from friends and people on our various email groups to figure out what could have happened and how it could be treated. After all of the input was received we concluded that when she got her first shot she still had maternal immunity and the shot created an oversupply of antibodies in her system and caused an outward immune reaction which, based upon stories we have since heard, could have been much worse. This reaction was the head tremors and cocked ear.

A fellow Hedlund Husky owner suggested we begin White Feather on a round of Melatonin which is a holistic substance that produces serotonin in the brain. We also were to work her up to 500mg of Ester C and keep her at that level for two weeks. Slowly increasing the amount of Ester C given helps to avoid the diarrhea that giving the full dose upfront may cause.

White Feather was watched closely throughout this process and the head tremors were still there but seemed to be less frequent. We are now happy to report that we have not noticed a head tremor in over two weeks! In addition, the ear that was cocked after the shot was given and when the head tremors began to take place is now standing straight up!

What ever it was that caused the tremors to stop, be it the melatonin and Ester C, time or a combination of both, we'll never know. What does seem apparent is that the vaccination caused the problem. We've had other vaccination related problems in our kennel and have changed the protocol since but didn't realize that even a first puppy shot given at an atypically late date (8 weeks old) could create such a problem. White Feather will get another shot to make sure she has proper immunity, but it won't be until 5 months of age and a month before her rabies vaccination. She'll get a booster at a year old then titres will be done at two years to see where her immunity lies in relationship to what is needed.

It has become obvious that over vaccination is a big health concern. Dogs and puppies have had reactions ranging from fatigue to seizures to death from too many vaccinations. If you have a dog, please do some research on the topic to make sure that your dog stays properly immunized but is not unnecessarily vaccinated. Dogs don't need yearly shots nor should they have them.