Mike Tierney Memorial Race

Milan NH

1st Place

At the last minute and with much support from a few close friends, we decided to head north to this race which was in memory of one of my best friends who took his own life. Feeling devastated by the news and mourning the loss, I didn't anticipate racing but when the race was re-named in his honor, it felt like the right thing to do.  My team comprised Pretty Pear, Gunsmoke, Bonnie, Driggs, Chimbey and Jackson.  The trail was fast, hilly and turny not to mention super fun.  Pear and Gunsmoke lead from the start and Bonnie teamed up with Gunsmoke to bring us back across the finish line. At 10 years of age, Pretty Pear is in outstanding physical shape and set a blistering pace.  Bonnie stepped up and lead the second half of the race with Gunsmoke, getting her chance to lead. She and Gunsmoke brought us over the finish line in 1st place.  I was very proud of the dogs and myself for letting go of grieving and to turn sadness into joy in memory of my good friend Mike.

 

Small Team Training and Kraken Proves Herself As a Leader

 

KRAKEN aka Neena

 So that little peanut who is driving hard, well.. don't let her size fool you !  She is an absolute beast in harness, all business. No messing around, totally reliable and trustworthy and has now become a main leader.  She is highly intelligent and soaks up the miles, the commands and the connection. What incredible little dog. Related to Gunsmoke and Bonnie all three from Brenda Mackey in Alaska. Outstanding work ethics, beautiful temperaments, fit and healthy dogs with huge hearts. Kraken is now officially a Main Leader and not yet 2 years old.

Kraken 'The Mighty Sea Monster'

 

November Training Run

 

The Tide Of Change

 Despite the problems of the world at this time, I decided to remain positive and focus on the dogs and their training.  With no tours happening at this time, it is all about fun and training, banking the miles and working closely with each dog and developing some new leaders.  It has been one of the best training seasons in years for me.  More like the old days and I have been loving it, it has been soul food during this difficult time and of course with having to keep my tour business closed.  It was pivot but one that is bringing many different rewards and I'm enjoying it immensely.  With an aging kennel, I am seeing retirement for more than I thought would be retiring but I'm hoping for a while, the will still enjoy some short runs as they transition.  As a forever home, all my dogs stay with me for the duration of their lives.  Their senior years are my golden years with them, I wouldn't miss it for anything.  While retiring from my team is sad on many levels, their lives won't change too much, it's more about how it affects me no longer bringing them on adventures and sharing many miles and memories together.  It is much harder on me I think.

Chimbey, another outstanding leader and big, powerful girl out of Miss Squish and Gunsmoke. She's just a sweetheart of a dog

 

Tinkerbell, outstanding leader out of Miss Squish and Gunsmoke, the older she gets, the more like Rosie she becomes

 

November photos, we had some early snow which made it feel like a traditional winter

 

FAVORITE RACE PHOTO

Blue Mountain Race, Grantham NH

We had some problems right before the start and I had to

switch out Tuliq who was in co-lead with Gunsmoke.

Something really spooked her which is unusual for her as she almost always in lead.
I placed her back in the team which seemed to make her happy and

I placed Gunsmoke's daughter Tinkerbell in co-lead, it was her time to step up and shine
 and well...

the rest is history !

DOUGIE AND COOKQIZ

Gorgeous photo of Cookqiz (right) and her big, burly son Dougie

Cookqiz now retired and 11 years old is in great health and loving life.

Dougie is the biggest, most gentle teddy you could ever meet....

not to mention a powerhouse!

TULIQ

Rosie's beautiful daughter. She is a very gifted leader and like her mamma, super devoted. She is a natural nurturer and a very intuitive soul

Dogs Having A Blast This Season

Here is Gunsmoke with his sweet daughter Tinkerbell
She looks remarkably like Rosie and her
grandmother on Gunsmoke's side

She is a natural leader
and as you can see from the photo... very hard driving

Right behind them is our amazing Hana

What happy dogs !

Super Fit and Strong

Great 6 Dog Team

Tuliq and Gunsmoke pairing up this season

Tuliq is rocking the trails
and leading a lot of tours

She has grown so much
in confidence and is now
running and leading just like her mamma Rosie

8 Dog Strong

We recently had a battle with mother nature

but for today, this day... we had a beautiful day

2 yr old Chimbey (Miss Squish x Gunsmoke)

Another 'WOW' for this sweet beauty

She is as big and as strong as her brother Jackson

All four pups are amazing athletes, super smart

with great coats and feet

She has the best of both parents and both lines

multiplied by 10 !

2yr Old Driggs (Miss Squish x Gunsmoke)

Wow! 

He is turning out to be the most outstanding leader

Sweet, gentle, super driven, quiet and devoted

what an outstanding litter of pups!

All four are upcoming superstar leaders

Two Of Our Powerhouses!

TJ

Just a remarkable, devoted athlete and companion

He is in fabulous shape this season and will soon be

turning 7yrs old, TJ is so sweet and so very strong

B'Zhoo

Big and muscular, like TJ.. he is in amazing shape

already this season. Such a gentle sweet soul

who gives his best 100% of the time

He lives with Miss Squish's and Gunsmoke's babies as

he thinks they are his and has raised them since being

8wks old

Nellie and Daisy 'The Mitten Twins'

These beauties are now 10 yrs old

Nellie is retired but Daisy is still running and

running really well

Senior Losses

We experienced the loss of a number of our seniors as we headed into the Fall of 2016.  It was a very difficult and sad time for us.  As a forever home for our sled pets, we experience the cycle of life from raising them as puppies and watching them bloom into amazing dogs and athletes. We then spend hours upon hours together each and every day. We train and run our dogs ourselves and as all of them are house trained, they take it in turn to be in the house with us each and every night. We sleep together, eat together , work together and play together.  So when we lose one of our furry family members, it is indeed a heavy loss to us all.  We lost Tiger-Lilly, then Washakie developed a fast growing cancerous tumor on his leg and only had weeks left with us.  Both Lilly and Washakie needed assistance to move around towards the end. We held and carried them and reassured them of our love and commitment to them.  No sooner had we said our good-byes to Lilly and Washakie, we then said a painful good-bye to Zudnik. Zudnik was 15 yrs old, he was still in amazing good health until his last few weeks.  He leaves behind one remaining sibling, Tonka, who is almost 16 years old and is still able to walk around, he eats well and loves very short walks and being in with a bunch of girls.  Tonka is our last remaining physical link to our very first sled dog, Sasquatch, when our journey first began.....