After a hectic race weekend at the Camp K Dryland Challenge, where the dogs and their drivers left me both humbled and proud, I decided to take the team out away from the other teams, and spend Thanksgiving with 10 of my best friends and 2 of my favorite people. Come along with us for the ride.....
Fall is pretty in central Washington
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Hooking Skala in with the team (at this stage in his development I like to let him free run in a safe place) as we were stepping off property.
Entering the Canal Trails
The Dead Duck Trail, as it was nicknamed after an incident last season that saw me behaving like a crazed Ninja Turtle as I waded into a massive tangled team grabbing and hucking to the side the remains of a male Mallard Duck as the entire team frantically ripped it apart, limb by limb.
Thankfully Anthony was along riding shotgun to handle things like closed gates
Here is Skala, who detests water, pulling the entire team off to the side to try to avoid it. Skala has caused multiple tangles and after completely bowling KitKat over last time we were out I decided that enough was enough and I would put him with a strong male who wouldn't be yanked around so easily.
What resulted was that he would leap OVER Chip to the other side to avoid the water. Finally I had enough and as we approached a particularly large puddle I asked Anthony to swing his ATV alongside Skala to block his right side, and then I drove the team through the center of the puddle, stopping them there. Multiple times with tons of praise and Skala started to accept the water as part of fall training in the PNW.
By the end of the run, and with tons of praise after he waded through each large puddle he was finally just putting up with it. He certainly doesn't like it, as evidenced by the way he high steps through it, but this was huge progress and so much kinder on the team. At close to 60 lbs, when Skala wants to jerk around, he really messes with the rhythm of the team.
After the pouring rain and warm temperatures of the race, we were most thankful for the sunny skies and cooler morning.
Thank you Erin, Anthony and my 4 footed friends, I cannot think of a better way to spend a Thanksgiving Monday!
Dogs traveled here.
.Hooking Skala in with the team (at this stage in his development I like to let him free run in a safe place) as we were stepping off property.
Entering the Canal Trails
The Dead Duck Trail, as it was nicknamed after an incident last season that saw me behaving like a crazed Ninja Turtle as I waded into a massive tangled team grabbing and hucking to the side the remains of a male Mallard Duck as the entire team frantically ripped it apart, limb by limb.
Thankfully Anthony was along riding shotgun to handle things like closed gates
Here is Skala, who detests water, pulling the entire team off to the side to try to avoid it. Skala has caused multiple tangles and after completely bowling KitKat over last time we were out I decided that enough was enough and I would put him with a strong male who wouldn't be yanked around so easily.
What resulted was that he would leap OVER Chip to the other side to avoid the water. Finally I had enough and as we approached a particularly large puddle I asked Anthony to swing his ATV alongside Skala to block his right side, and then I drove the team through the center of the puddle, stopping them there. Multiple times with tons of praise and Skala started to accept the water as part of fall training in the PNW.
By the end of the run, and with tons of praise after he waded through each large puddle he was finally just putting up with it. He certainly doesn't like it, as evidenced by the way he high steps through it, but this was huge progress and so much kinder on the team. At close to 60 lbs, when Skala wants to jerk around, he really messes with the rhythm of the team.
After the pouring rain and warm temperatures of the race, we were most thankful for the sunny skies and cooler morning.
Thank you Erin, Anthony and my 4 footed friends, I cannot think of a better way to spend a Thanksgiving Monday!
Dogs traveled here.
Stay tuned, as race details will follow later this week.......
Thank you! I am glad i choose to go with you than whistler. Glad to ride along and take pictures for you as well! =)
ReplyDeleteDead Duck Trail - Why are sledding trails (and rocks in white water) only named after negative events? Grins.
ReplyDelete