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.
Friday I had my 2 grand daughters and we had a fabulous day with puppy walks, crafts time and general play with and with out pups. Here is Khloe with Pixy. Nothing like 2 cuties cuddling!
I wear my bogs year round though you'd think they would be too hot in summer. This is the thing, the grass is wet with dew till late in the morning and I start first chores early. I hate to have wet feet in my crocks or teva's, or WORSE squished bugs! Ugh! Of course later I switch. And of course many days the long walk to the poop pile happens in crocs anyway and freaking bugs and slugs somehow jump in and make mush. Oh what a sad use of that word! Sorry my glorious dogs. "Mush" should sacred. Our times through the fall and snowy winter on adventures and dog sled tours should not get mixed up with slugged slugs.
Pearl had a cancerous tumor removed recently. It grew back in the same spot as it first occurred. My daughter Emma gave up her toddler bed so Pearl could have a nice big bed to stretch out on. We think old Anuk can't get up on this bed, which is good, bcs Anuk tends to leak in her beds.
Pearl is really doing well, good energy and spirits. Miraculous! The vet said she had to remove a chunk of muscle and then pull in muscle fibers from the side, ouchie, right? So proud of Pearl, we love her so much.
Our first away weekend in a super long time. We are in Gorham tonight, staged for the race tomorrow in Berlin's Jericho ATV park. Yahoo. Boys peed...girls have not...sitting outside my motel room with a beer freezing my tush off. Come on girls! That's MUD PIE closest to the end of the truck. Sadly we have to give him back to Jaye this weekend. He was such a great dog this season. I didn't know borrowing a dog could lead to such a bond, but he is a great soul and a hard worker and cute on top of it all.
We were out on a free run today. Awesome trails, nice and smooth, sligtly soft from the above freezing temps. We cruised up to the top of Hicks Mtn at 12mph. Sweet! You know you are in for a good run when you ride the drag UPHILL! These dogs are super strong from a winter of dog sled tours. Love my puppy babies!
Emma with Pearl. Pearl ran on the team Sunday for 22 miles, yesterday for 10, of course she needs a girl snuggle! This is Pearl's last year on the team, she doesn't pull anymore but always looks elegant and smooth at any pace. I love having her with us and love having her in the house. She is a luxury. Thank you Donna J for helping me choose her. Thank you Ann and George for the day Pearl was born...right next to your own litter at the vets. I also want to note Pearl and her siblings are the perfect blend of Alkasiber and Blackwater. Pearl is the first to slow down of her sibs, but all 3 have been my mainstream dogs and my best fury ambassadors. Loving kids up at tours, screaming down race trails when they were younger. Awesome at obedience and of course extremely good looking!
Here is Pearl and Valerie looking at the view on a recent hike up Rattlesnake, right on Squam Lake.
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| A lapful of pups with Emma closes to camera, Kubota's face poking out to the left and Triton face half visible on the right as he burrows in. |
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| Jacci holding Nushka. Love at first cuddle. |
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| Emma's intense and joyful eyes. |
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| In the dog boxes to go home: Perkins, Kubota, Darka and Emma. |
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| Be (Rebecca) holding the dark faced pups: Kubota and Darka. |
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| Rick Holding Emma, Triton and Charm. |
Siepa passed away yesterday afternoon. He was in the kennel with all his friends and fellow retirees in the play area. I thought he was sleeping at first, the scene was peaceful. It was a shock and I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the loss of such a soulful and loving dog, who has been with me since our first dog sled ride. He was one of the first sets of pups and his age mates were the first team. I got him and his sister Nikka right after I bought and moved into my house.
He was a loyal and incredibly loving dog. He was a wonderful lead dog and handsome. His brown eyes were sooooo gentle and told me volumes. I always knew how much he loved me. Even when he became very sick, our time together was special and he was loving and generous to my daughter Emma.
He is burried right above Blanche in our back pasture. He is wrapped in some favorite batik material of mine, harness between his paws, a love note pressed against his chest.
I hope everyone who reads this knows the true love of a loyal dog.
Nikka and I watching the buckets fill. It is hot today and tomorrow is going to be worse.
Awesome Blossom loves to be brushed and groomed and regularly hangs out on our old grooming table. Don't worry Blossom! I will get to you soon! Her daughter Sweet Tart also loves to be groomed. It's funny how some dogs love it and some act like it is torture.
Siepa is 12 and not feeling so great. So we are trying to give him special time. Emma says "he needs Emma-time!".
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| Mudgie Moo at the truck this past season. Looking at me like...enough with the camera HUG TIME! |
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| As a wee lad little Mugglet was pretty cuddlable...who would want to put this plush squishable thing down? |
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| Smidge, as someone accidentally called him this winter...hey a new nickname! |
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| A winter run many years ago. Smoodgie Moo looking so serious... |
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| Munchie Moo being cool as a pup. Big Hakka making sure... |
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| Super Smudge as a geeky teanager. |
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| Who are you calling geek! I am so cool! |
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| If he still fit Smugle would let you do this. |
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| Baby Smudge with out Blue dog way back when. |
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| I often wondered what he would look like with brown eyes, his coloring and mask is SO WILD! Very young in this photo, when he could still go off leash. |
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| Muggle! |
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| Silly puppy. |
-Miss W Owner and Musher Barking Brook Kennel Siberian Huskies and Icelandic Sheepdogs
