Young Dogs

Here are some pictures of the young dogs I have been training this spring.
The brown leader posing nicely for the camera is my super leader Ghost. He is eleven and a half years old and retired from racing. He is doing a fantastic job with these youngsters, though. He still has the speed and desire to keep these talented young dogs strung out for the five to ten miles that we are running.

The other dogs are all getting their turn at lead. On this run it is the yearling male Thorn. His tug line has been shortened so that he is a few steps behind Ghost. This makes him less nervous about being up front at such a young age. It also makes it easier for Ghost to keep him in line and heading down the trail.
Side by side are yearling sisters Fern (brown) and Thistle (black).
Thistle has a very alert and curious personality while Fern is more mellow and all business in harness.
Then there are the two year olds Cinder (head up) and Soot (head down).
The sun is going down as we turn for home.

I was trying to get a scenic shot here of the sun-washed mountains in front of us, but the dogs were pulling so hard that the brake would not hold, and the shot came out blurry.
Here is a better look as we come out of the trees. You can see from the fence posts that we have lost about two feet of snow.
Home is just another mile across the field.