Cozy pair

Emma and Pearl by the woodstove.

Such a happy day

I have had a few happy days recently, and I am being very understated here.  I am lucky, so lucky.  I have wonderful dogs, a wonderful family, I am a truly lucky person.  I work hard, really hard, but I love what to do.
Yesterday I took out two teams for long runs. During both runs I had so many of those wonderful moments of connectedness with the whole team. I swear that is part of why I do this.  Not just the thrills but the soul satisfying team feeling of being one with my dogs.

 I ran a boy team with Twinkle in lead at first - later she went to wheel.  She is getting older but took the move with grace and worked hard the rest of the run.  Bodhi then ran lead with his son Bonzo.  Now that is cute.  We did a nice loop and then went exploring.  Went up an insane hill that finally leveled off.  Not wanting to go down something I hadn't seen before that might be steeper, we turned around.  What a ride.  The snow balled up over my brakes, cutting off my ability to brake.  The snow ball was so big and wet that it started to pull the sled sideways.  Yikes.  It was more like a snow man.  I repeatedly kicked it off, but it came back.  The downhill was so steep that it was over before I knew it and I resumed more normal sled handling, phew.  We had such a good run though.  I was so proud of the dogs and of me for exploring.

Then I took the girl team out (with Smudge).  Tula and Bridget in lead.  Bridget is really coming into it, she is starting to take commands (for a while she was ANTI command...it was a struggle as some tour customers may fondly remember).  Tula was amazing.  My favorite moment was when we came to a fork where I had taken the boys to the left and asked her to go Gee she did it right away but then realized she lost the scent trail.  She went back as if she thought I had mistaken my command, which I repeated and she returned Gee. She is so smart, and it was a cool insight into how she was thinking about the trail and everything we were doing.  it clearly showed that she knew our other team had been out there just where we had been, although then we took a detour.  Our detour was beautiful, and creeped up and up and up.  Again at a wide flat area I turned the team around, a little nervous of some of the switch back turns.  No problem on my CB Sled, love this Wolf Moon amazing creation.  Carl Brown, you will live forever in lots of people's hearts and also in the amazing sleds you made.

I loved the terrain we went on, lots of high open country.  Openings to gorgeous views.  Nestly low areas wedged between bouldery mountain sides and frozen streams laced with ice.  I vow to continue working hard and trying to do good things so that I may continue to earn days like this...heavenly days with my beautiful dogs.

-Miss W
Owner and Musher
Barking Brook Sled Dog Adventures, llc
http://www.Barking-Brook.com

Following Atticus Book signing

Last night I met a friend and attended a book signing. It was a desperate move in my part to get out of the house, as we have just lost Darka, and I am not ready to face the wailing emptiness.  I had seen a FB post on this author, Tom Ryan, and how wonderful the book was.  I believe my friend Kathy said the book was one of her top 5 favorite dog books of all time, and that is a high rating coming from Kathy!  Rhonda then posted about the book signing and I readily volunteered to meet her there.

It was great!  Tom Ryan is very funny, and I loved his impromtu talk.  His dogs are sweet and obviously adore him, I really look forward to reading his book (the title is Following Atticus).

What I wanted to write a note on was how kindly and calmly Tom Ryan speaks to his dog Atticus.  His other dog Will is deaf and blind so he mostly spoke about Will not to Will.  Anyway, he kept Atticus with him with a few quiet spoken words, asking him to sit just as you might ask someone you love to pass the salt.  It reminded me of an obedience class I went to a few winters ago.  The teacher kept trying to impress upon the class that we must speak in deep voices for our dogs to take us seriously and we must sound firm and, well, bossy.  I told her I simply would not, as I had 25 dogs, and I wanted to speak in my own tone of voice.  There are so many other ways to be the leader and keep everyone safe, healthy and happy.  I can't let my dogs run free as Tom Ryan does his pups, but they are sled dogs and that is not where I want to futily spend my time.  I have many urgent things to guide them through and teach them!

It is interesting to hear my daughter learn to talk to dogs.  I realize she mirrors what she hears from me.  That keeps me honest!  I think often about another little girl who helped in a kennel and how angry and aggressive she sounded as she bossed the dogs around.  It made me sad for her and the dogs.

I am proud to say in the Wicked Local article about us the auther, Rich Harbart, mentioned how gently I speak to my entire 10 dog dog sled tour team.

Here is a link to Tom Ryans blog:
http://tomandatticus.blogspot.com/



-Miss W
Owner and Musher
Barking Brook Sled Dog Adventures, llc
http://www.Barking-Brook.com

Good friends on a beautiful hike

Here is Pearl and Valerie looking at the view on a recent hike up Rattlesnake, right on Squam Lake.

New Tours for 2012-2013 season

We have finalized the lineup of dog sled tours and rides for this coming mushing season.   The dogs will be out in September, getting ready. October we open the doors and start the tours, starting off with fall cart tours of course!
We are officially offering our Learn to Mush hands-on experience.  we are really excited about this, it will be so much fun to share with people.
Come snow we have a new tour, the Runaway Sunday!  It's short, it's sweet, it's perfect.
See our tour page for details:
http://www.barking-brook.com/dog_sled_tours_new_hampshire

-Miss W
Owner and Musher
Barking Brook Sled Dog Adventures, llc
http://www.Barking-Brook.com

Celebrating our first litter

Our first litter, Anuk's litter, was so long ago!  The 4 I have from this litter are now eleven years old!  I originally kept Kubota and Triton, the only 2 boys, but Emma (Leigh) and Darka came back home later and stayed.

At the time of this litter I was still dating my now husband and it was wonderful to include his family in the fun.  My step daughter Alisha still loves Triton and calls him Fluffy But.

The photos below are from a puppy play date at the Berg's house.  They had a litter almost the same age. A few of the people who were getting puppies were there plus some house guests/friends of mine.  It was really fun!

It's strange to finally be doing a dog sled tour business after all these years with these dogs.  2 of this litter retired last year after doing one dog sled tour.  (2 carried on for the rest of the season).  Ironically doing dog sled tours is just what these guys excel at.  They are so friendly and have such eye catching beauty, they pull hard and true in harness, they really are great dogs to work with.

Of the 8 pups only 6 are still alive. Nushka was shot by a neighbor in Vermont, Charm died of liver issues. Two are treasured house pets (Perkins, Juneau).   And as I said 4 live here: Kubota, Triton, Emma-Leigh and Darka.

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.

Jacci holding Nushka.  Love at first cuddle.

Emma's intense and joyful eyes.

In the dog boxes to go home: Perkins, Kubota, Darka and Emma.

Be (Rebecca) holding the dark faced pups: Kubota and Darka.

Rick Holding Emma, Triton and Charm.

-Miss W
Owner and Musher
Barking Brook Sled Dog Adventures, llc

http://www.Barking-Brook.com

Best Friends till the end

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.