I was loving this photo of leaders Bodhi and Bridget until I looked closely at the pair behind them! Lol. A moment of canine communication regarding whose paws belong where????
These little moments are few, so it's almost funny/cute to catch one on camera. After a few years of sled dog tours these dogs have become so well matched as a team, yet still there are moments!
An amazing catch of a split second dog conversation. Pema, on the left, and Sweet Tart on the right. Normally Tart is insistently submissive to Pema. But in this micro second she is telling Pema off. Pema is licking her lips, a clear CALM DOWN signal. I am sure anyone can come up with a good guess as to what Sweet Tart is saying....
What a life, to be ready to nap at 930 am! These baby sled dog pups have been playing since 630 today, including for the last half hour in the huge play area. It's wonderful to watch them sprint laps chasing each other in this new addition to the kennel grounds. These 2 boys were recently purchased and added to our 3 pup group. So next year we will have five wonderfully athletic sweet and handsome dogs to add to our dog sled tour team. Actually 2 of ours are girls, so that would be sweet, athletic and pretty additions to the dog sled tour team.
We love this new play area, the dogs get a chance to lope lazy laps on their off days (we are already training with wheeled rigs). It's wonderful to play fetch with all the apples and to see the play group finally all lay down close to each other and nap in the sun and fall leaves.
The play area also has helped get the dogs fit for fall training, as they have had a few weeks running around in it late this summer/early fall.
Our 3 Pema/Bodhi pups are nealy 6 months old. Just a week ago I bought 2 adorable pups from neighboring mushers. I realized I needed even more to add to next years dog sled tour team. The new ones are just 1 month younger than ours, but a tad more tender, quiet and sweet. I realize in comparison I have built confident, fearless and happy puppies. But they are a smidge wild...and now that there are 5 the mischief is getting noticeable. Just this Monday holiday I thought I had the kennel arranged in happy play groups and was enjoying a craft date with my daughter and 2 of my lovely grand daughters. Well I got a call from hubby, pups were out of the huge enclosure and were running wild. They came right to the front door, thankfully! Happy buggers! But only my 3 Pema pups had escaped! The 2 new boys were looking ever so sorrowful left behind in the huge play area. Well, since this escape the pups have been digging inside the kennel too. They clearly understand edges and getting out! It's hard to imagine that they must wait a year to have all this energy harnessed. But I know once they come of age they will be excellent additions to our dog sled tour team. Friendly, energetic, fearless and adventure loving. Just what Barking Brook is all about. In the meanwhile however, I scarce turn my back on them. They climb things, reach things not meant for chewing, scatter things and seem in need of puppy school.
