Keepin' up

Hi Ya'll!


Things around our house have been very busy lately...Urban Mushing Class, and Rally class and running and running whenever we can convince (either with puppy dog eyes or traditional husky yowling) mom and/or dad to go scootering with us. Even though they are busy with their New Business or Graduating from School, or Being Sick (which mom is a lot lately) they always make time to take us running.  


Now that spring is here we go out for a long run at least once a week as long as it's not pouring rain like it has been for weeks! We went out with Dad on Monday and he had a surprise for us - a new line for all three of us mutts to run and have a real lead. Windy, Os and I all took a turn in front. It was fun with Os in front - Like a real Team. Then it was Windy's turn and she's so little that Os and I just scooped her up and pushed her along. Then it was MY turn. I was so excited I just took off and drug everyone along with me. Os and Windy didn't even have to pull, I'm big enough to pull both of them, dad and the scooter all by myself! It was a fun fun run! (Jane - Yes he's the biggest of the 3 dogs by far, 58  lbs now! He's 23.5 in at the withers and 27 in long. He is JJ from ears to toes, but from the ears forward he is all Abby ;), he's got 10 lbs on Os and 20 on Windy. Daemon may be big but he's got tons of endurance.) 


We are training in Rally - Me with Dad and Windy Loo with Mom. We are doing really well and hope to start competing by the end of the summer. Mom thinks Rally is Obedience for Sibes, cuz we never know whats coming next and it keeps us interested. Mostly though, I get liver treats and dehydrated peaches so, it really doesn't matter what's next ;).  We are also being the Demo Dogs for mom and dad's second Urban Mushing Class and now have other dogs to run and scooter with. It's really exciting to be the lead on a trail with 4 scooters and 6 other dogs behind you. We get a lot of stare's and "that's so awesome's" but nothing beats the freedom to RUN!

Our Foster brother Osmar is still here with us and Mom is still looking for a forever home for him, though he fits in just fine here. He doesn't try to eat my food or play with my toys so I figure he's a pretty good guy. He is way mellow and just hangs out in the yard watching kids and birds  most of the day with Windy, while I guard the stairs for mom and dad to come home. I guess we all have our jobs. 

Catching up

Hi y'all!

Sorry I haven't written in so long but Mom and Dad have been busy on the computers the past few weeks, and I haven't been able to sneek on one to update you. Mom is busy with her FINAL EXAM...which sounds horrible, worse than going to the Vet! Hope I never have to have one. Dad's stuff is more interesting, it involves typing in all his recipes for his catering business. I like it when dad cooks, there's always lots of snacks and goodies and extra bones for us pups. Mmmm, I love dad's BBQ!

Other than that, we have been doing our regular running, and have a new foster buddy living here at the house.  His name is Osmar (Os) and you can read about him here - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15433935?rvp=1 - Os is a really cool guy, he plays with me even tho he is older than Windy. He is super gentle and he never growls at me, even when I act like a puppy sometimes. The best part is, he is training me how to run like a REAL sled dog. Os has run on big teams in long races, and you'd never even know it cuz he's just an easy going kind of guy.

The first time Os, Windy and I went out pulling mom and dad on the scooters, I was paired with Os pulling Dad and Windy pulled Mom. Os is an easy pulling partner, since he's about my same size and pace, and I don't have to pull him along like I do Windy-snooze-butt. As we started up the hill, I glanced back and Windy was right on our tails! I was shocked, but I knew she would fade soon and settle into her usual smell-the-roses trot. Then, Dad, Os and I could tear up the trails by ourselves. Or so I thought! 4 miles later, she not only was still right on our tails, but she passed us! The two big sled dogs, got passed up on the last few turns by one tiny fiery red head! Man'o'man that little girl takes after her mom!

The next time we went out, all 3 of us pulled Dad. Windy pulled her weight and we all flew down all the trails, and dad didn't have to help on the hills at all. It was awesome...right up until Windy stopped to poop, and we all got tangled.

Here is a picture of Me (closest), Windy and Os (farside) pulling Mom and Dad on snowshoes.

New Furrrrends

Spring is here in Utah, so that means on weekends we get to go snowshoeing in the mountains on Saturday and scootering at Fort Buenaventura on Sundays. It should be this way till Summer comes along in May. 


Anyway, we went out for our regular scootering activities today and got a surprise - a new friend to pull with. Sully is an All-American (Lab Aussie mix) about my size (55lbs or so). He and his mom Meredith train us at our obedience/agility club. This time, Windy and I got to do the training! Sully was attached to a scooter with Windy and Meredith rode with them. Dad and I took off down the trail and got Sully running. Windy taught him how to dig in with his hind legs and lean into his harness. (mom followed behind on foot) It didn't take long, the usual false start or two and we were OFF! It was fun for everybody cuz Windy had help and I got to run and run and run. 


When we stopped and dad was putting a scooter away, a friendly little Pug came by and hopped right up on the footboard and gave dad a kiss hello. I think she wanted to go for a ride.

Snow Dog

Mom n' Dad have been taking me to Pull class for the past 8 weeks and training me specifically for pulling and mushing. Mom was the main instructor and Dad helped a lot. Windy got to be the Demo Dog and she did a good job. Mostly I was there to learn, but I also got to help some of the other dogs learn to pull too. There was one sweet little cow dog that came in just shaking in his boots at the beginning, and by the end he was pulling like crazy...Windy would disagree, but some dogs just need a job to find their inner dog.


This last weekend Mom took us to Snow Basin for some snowshoeing, and the Malamute from our class, Spirit met us up there. Mom and everyone got started down the hill and at first I was having too much fun playing in the snow piles and chasing Windy to do much pulling so I hadn't noticed that Mom's clips weren't closed tight.

When mom finally got us in line and we really started pulling her, her clip popped right open...and Windy and I were FREEEEEEEE.....at first I didn't know what to do, I was running,...but I wasn't pulling...it felt wierd. But after a few seconds it clicked that I was on a trail and I was RUNNING so I just kept on running faster. Windy was right behind me cuz we had our lead on still. We followed the trail and kept right on running until we weren't on the trail anymore, but by this time there were lots of people around and all of them had skis, and we said HI! to as many as we could. One very nice man checked Windy's collar and called mom. I could hear her, but I didn't know she got lost. I wonder when that happened?  Any way the nice man said mom was coming to get us and then - he TIED US TO A FENCE! That wasn't very nice. But I figured we'd just hang out and watch the kids learn to ski, till mom gets unlost. (meanwhile mom had been tracking the dogs along the trail back to the main lodge, and thankfully still had cell coverage!)

Mom FINALLY showed up and untied us from that fence. For some reason, she seemed relieved. She must have been really scared when she was lost. But she told US that WE were the lucky ones - she told me we could have been creamed if we had gotten to the highway. That doesn't  sound so bad, I like ice cream :). Mom wasn't impressed.  

Anyway, mom took us back out on the trails and this time she used 2 clips, and a safety line in case we got loose again, I guess being lost on the trail really scared her. But I don't mind pulling her and I like having mom around so it's ok if the doesn't want to get lost again. Later, we all took a nap together.

Huge!

When Daemon came home with Brad at 43 lbs at 7 months, I was sure he was going to be HUGE...I had in my head a 75 lb Mini Mal-a-mutt! All Brawn and no Brains. Even though I know Sibes don't get over about 60-65lbs....and are always smarter than me.

D-man is no exception to the standard, Even though he is going to make a great Wheel Dog. y'see, we had D measured the other day. He's 23.5 inches tall at the shoulder, the top end of right where he should be. And he weighed 54lbs at the vet. In all he's "a good size dog" as the breeder would say, and not the huge monster dog I was afraid he'd be. Granted the AKC height and weight standard for sibes doesn't take into account that he is nearly 5 ft long from nose to tail base, and can stand up, put his paws on my shoulders and kiss my face.

New Words

I learned'd new words today...Dad's been saying it to me for a few days and I finally got my lips and tongue around it today. Why Wooovve Woooo, Why Woove Wooooo, Why Wove you, I  wove you. I love you!

How Rude!

So, Mom and Dad took us skiiing on Sunday morning and I was SO excited. We got fresh snow and clean air so it was supposed to be AWESOME. I recently had another growth spurt and so Dad has been debating on which harness to use on me and he choose the one that's a little too big for me. I don't like it...it's not padded, it smells like labrador and it's pinchy and scratchy...whenever they use this harness on me I try to run away or I get very loud about having it on. Plus it's RED!  Mom says I pout - how rude! Anyway, Mom and Dad packed us up and we rode up there. Well, once we got to Snow Basin, I could see TONS of friends to play with and run around with. But MOM had to go and get teh car stuck in a ditch so Loo and I had to wait in the car while they got towed out...How Rude! By this time I was itchin to get out of the car and get running, and when they let me out I was so excited I kept getting tied up in my pull line. Mom and Windy were ready to go (mom had both of us since dad is a beginner skier) and I was all backwards in my line. I was telling Windy Loo that she had better wait for me to get unstuck and that my harness sucked and that she was being to bossy! So what does Windy do - She GROWLED and me and took off running! I was facing mom for a couple hundred yards before I got untangled and could join in the run. She just took off running! Can you believe her! And Mom was laughing the WHOLE TIME! HOW RUDE! Anyway, once I got untagled and could run properly, I took off...and mom face planted in the snow! It was SO Funny!