August 5 - Sled Dogs

In past posts I have written about guide dogs. Sometimes I have written about one specific dog known to me and at other times I have written about guide dogs in general. The guide dogs that I have met over the years are in quite a different category than the sled dogs I encountered on a shore excursion in Skagway, Alaska.

The excursion we took was absolutely brilliant. We took a short bus ride from the ship to the kennels where we were introduced to Casey. Casey showed the small group of 18 of us a facsimile of the sled she had used in her first Iditerod race. The Iditerod is the longest cross country sled race held in North America. It is run annually and competitors need to pass a series of elimination races before they are even allowed to compete.

I was quite amazed as Casey showed us the long list of items she was required to take with her on the run. She explained that priority was always given to the care of the dogs and that at the various pit stops along the route, veterinarians were there to assure that the dogs remained healthy. She said that even though there were required rest stops, her own biggest hurdle was sleep deprivation.

Following the chat, we moved to the kennels themselves and the dogs came out to meet us. We were behind a chest high fence but this was no barrier for the dogs. They were obviously excited to meet the new visitors and nuzzled up so that we could scratch their ears and pat their backs and noses.

Apart from some initial barking, the dogs were quiet as they inspected us. The barking began when Casey hitched them up to the sled. They were obviously wild with excitement at the idea of going for a run. As Casey straightened and untangled the lines, the dogs urged forward. It was clear that they knew what was in store! When Casey released the brake, the team took off at the speed of light!

After the quick run around a gravel path, Casey came back to show us some of the puppies. We were allowed to hold and cuddle these. The puppy I held was a soft but very wriggly bundle. He was also surprisingly heavy. We were warned that the puppies weren’t trained so I was glad that I could escape without my clothes being soiled!

The next part was the absolute best. When the five or six little puppies were back in their kennels, Casey brought out the cutest little two week old pup for us to see. I was delighted that I was close enough to actually see the tiny thing and I could definitely see how Casey could become so attached to her charges. 

Our encounter with the sled dogs was one of the best parts of our Alaska experience and I would highly recommend the excursion to anyone who happens to be in that part of the world. There is a picture with this post. It shows the tiny two week old pup in Casey’s hand. 

 

2 week old sled dog pup.