7 dog walk

The trails are mostly ice free now, just a few in back woods and some hills that are still too slippery for ATV and walking dogs. Cold weather for next week may bring some more snow, however. It's very early to be snow free.

Spring

Still a bit of ice on some of the woods trails, but ok to run/walk now.

8 dog team; 7 dog walk

We ran an eight dog team yesterday, just a hint of too warm, but a short run.

Skinny and Buffy ran lead; Buffy did her circle dance as we took off, so have to work on that with her. Skinny set her straight. The rest of the team included Lillen, always perfect; Ruthie, always straight ahead, head down happy ; Medio, Rosie, Kiddo and Herman. Every dog was happy to be on the team andm after their initial excitement, it was a near perfect run. While we shortened it for Skinny's sake, he seemed to tolerate it very well yesterday.

Afterward, we took a 7 dog group on a trail walk. Chena, Sulatna, Timber, Tanni, Sierra, Evalina and Frita. Not one of these dogs is of the same family and all get along well, no growls, turf, etc. As with the team, each one was just happy to be on an outing. All a part of training... they can have fun when they all get along.

Just finished reviewing my vaccine records. All are in order, no one due until August.

Straw System

Spring is so scruffy looking, but there is a system to clean up.

First, tools are important! A good axe is the first tool, for chopping. Then pitchforks and flat ended shovels. Then good rakes. I have a small aluminum rake from Sweden that is my favorite for digging straw out of houses. When I first had the kennel I did this without an ATV, just a wheelbarrow. Gone are those days!

First, we trench all of the pens so the ice can melt and flow out. This is done as soon as it looks like there will be some good melting. Once the trenches are cut the meltdown proceeds rather quickly.

The dogs like to free run, one at a time, while I clean their pens. Dogs left in pen are busy watching the runner so I can work.

Then, we pitch fork all of the straw out of individual pens. This requires a lot of sun, wind, air drying as the wet straw is too heavy for me to handle.

We use large cans on wheels to transport the straw from pens. We haul these on a rig, first to the waste pit. We cover the winter waste with the winter straw, mulching of sorts.

The rest (and bulk) of the straw is hauled out beyond into the land and spread around to decompose.

The whole process for one person is two to three months of steady hauling. It's not a time of year when it's easy to find help... it's dirty work and not too appealing for most helpers.

For some reason I actually enjoy this work, at my own pace.

Free running

Medio is one of the best about free running, alone. He explores, watches, but doesn't chase, deer, visits other pens and is very social with all of the dogs. He is very shy with unknown humans, however. He'll be four in June and runs in lead and team.

Today looks cool enough to run a team. I checked the trails yesterday, still some ice, but hopefully we can go around it. The ATV is already at the hookup.

Different this year

While there is plenty of trenching, chopping, digging and hauling to do in this meltdown season, there is much less packed snow/ice this year than usual. The chopping of the back pens (concrete) particularly is easier ( a relative term). Usually I have to chop a trench behind the individual pens, as well as in front. This year there just wasn't a pileup.

What we have more of this year, than usual, is straw. We had such a long frigid snap that we compensated with more straw, in houses, on pen floors. Hauling wet straw is back breaking so we put it in rows/piles to dry out a bit before hauling. This is NOT a pretty time of year, but the dogs are welcoming the sunbathing opportunities.

The drive is all but impassable. We don't encourage visitors in the Spring.

I've started, with my pitch fork, to pile straw for later hauling. The process for hauling straw usually takes one person a period of two months (with all of the other Spring work). It may take longer this year. We try to remove most of it, although I'm also adding it in muddy areas.

Spring

Spring is here in force today with temps of 72 degrees and major meltdown in the pens.

The dogs are free running in the mornings, but with this warmer weather we have to run them solo or in very reliable pairings. The Spring smells are just too tempting for them to not run down into the woods, chasing birds, bunnies and squirrels. Skinny is the greatest adventurer and he's still breaking down his gate, if given the chance. We can take longer walks now with ice gone from most of the trails.

And, thunder storm season has begun again much to the dismay of Skinny, Sulatna, Balto, Frita, Power, Yo and Liller. Chena has reached a stage of deafness in which she can't hear the thunder. She is enjoying the melt down 'ponds'. Our trails are river like in some places. The mud is too soft for vehicles.

This blog will be our kennel journal through the summer months.