Running In The Rain

Running in the rain;
Just running in the rain;
Such a wonderful feeling;
I'm happy again.
NOT!
The running part is wonderful, but not the rain. It doesn't even help cool the dogs down as their fur coats shed the rain, and it just makes the air more humid.

Huckleberry has finished her three runs in a row in lead, and Raspberry is the next to try it. He is doing fantastic. What a great dog. The experienced leader I am pairing him with is Current. She is handling her new role as teacher quite well. She pushes him out around the puddles so he can't stop for a drink. He holds the line out when we stop like a pro, with no training from me, I might add. Well, okay, he has been conditioned by constant work in the team and seeing only good examples in lead, but I gave him no specific, individual training on holding the line tight. He seems a shoo in to make my racing team this year.

Huckleberry

Huckleberry is Blueberry's sister. She has now had her turn in lead and did almost as well as Blueberry. Huckleberry did not have the advantage of skijoring with me last spring, but she is fast catching up to her sister as an excellent leader prospect.

Happy Birthday Berries

Happy Birthday to Blackberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Huckleberry and Blueberry. Today they turned two years old. They are no longer yearlings, so they should be ready for some serious training and racing. This was our superstar litter out of Holly and Pinto.

Pictured at twelve weeks old are Huckleberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Raspberry.

Goldie

Goldie passed away today. She was the oldest dog at 15 years old. Goldie was Mike's pet - a mutt of unknown ancestry who showed up at his place at perhaps six months of age. She was pretty small when she was full grown, but she got drafted into Mike's team until she was too old to run. She pulled hard as long as you went slow enough.

Goldie liked to eat. At one time she weighed 40 lbs although her ideal weight was around 28 - 30 lbs. Here is her favorite spot at Mike's feet while he is cooking. She is waiting to clean up little bits of ham or cheese or potato that he spills.