| It all began six years ago when I made a visit to a | | | | more difficult could three be? The home were we |
| local dog sled race and was intrigued with the | | | | got Misty still had four dogs looking for homes. We |
| skijoring event. I had one mix breed from the shelter | | | | visited again and came home with Aiko. Of course |
| and had convinced myself that she really looked like | | | | the obvious next step is to get a fourth, then we |
| she had some Alaskan in her. Other people seemed | | | | could both skijor with two dogs each and we could |
| to think she was a Shepard mix. Not deterred I | | | | even get a sled and try dogsledding with a team of |
| signed up for a skijoring lesson and fitted her with a | | | | four! |
| harness. She did alright as long as the instructor was | | | | Once I started sledding I began to think about how |
| skiing ahead of us holding out biscuits, but when I | | | | much faster I would be able to go if I was running |
| tried it at home on our own she was having nothing | | | | six dogs rather than four. This led to buying a pair of |
| to do with it. We tried a few more times before I | | | | dogs from a gentleman out of state who had been |
| realized that I should just let her chase Frisbees | | | | breeding racing Siberians for around thirty years. |
| which was her real passion in life. Plan "B" was to visit | | | | Toots and Nemo gave me a taste of a whole new |
| the shelter and look for a "real" sled dog. As luck | | | | level of performance. I also bought them knowing |
| would have it my partner stopped by the local | | | | there was a possibility to breed and we wanted to |
| shelter and there was Jake the Siberian husky. She | | | | build on this line of dogs. The following spring we did |
| thought he was gorgeous and he sure pulled on the | | | | our first breeding between Toots and Nemo and |
| leash when she took him for a walk. I stopped by to | | | | ended up with four beautiful pups. We were only |
| check him out and had to agree, he was a handsome | | | | planning on keeping two but we had issues with |
| devil and he really did pull on the leash. We brought | | | | Toots not caring for the pups and we had to bottle |
| him home the next day for a trial visit and he's still | | | | feed all four of them. After that experience we just |
| with us today. | | | | couldn't part with any. That bumped our dog yard |
| Jake took to skijoring pretty well due to his basic | | | | from six to ten in one shot. |
| Siberian pulling instinct which was an improvement | | | | Misty has moved on to our friends home where she |
| over my other dog. We had a great winter with both | | | | can enjoy semi retirement. Jake has taken a spot in |
| of us learning how to skijor. It looked like so much | | | | on the couch and is much happier sleeping on our bed |
| fun that my partner was envious and we decided we | | | | than being a "real" sled dog. We have purchased two |
| really should get another dog so we could both skijor | | | | other adults as a couple of our first dogs are nearing |
| at the same time. There just happened to be a | | | | retirement age so we're holding at eleven now. I am |
| woman near by looking to place her entire dog team | | | | giving tours now so I need to maintain a solid eight |
| so we went to visit. No, we did not come home with | | | | to ten dog team. |
| the entire team. We exercised restraint and only | | | | You can see the slippery slope you can start down |
| brought home one, a pretty female named Misty. | | | | when you pick up that first innocent little Siberian |
| Now we each had a dog to skijor with and I got to | | | | Husky! Some folks keep going and have dog yards |
| go out with two a few times. That was a mistake | | | | with forty, fifty, or even one hundred dogs. I don't |
| because I found out how much fun it is to skijor with | | | | intend to go that far and feel like eleven or twelve |
| two. Now I thought since we were doing fine with | | | | (alright, maybe fifteen) is plenty to handle. That said, |
| two dogs (our first had passed away) how much | | | | beware, they are contagious! |