Overcast skies...finally!

Yeah! The skies were overcast long enough to go out for a good 9 mile hike to the beach and back. "Team Arctis" was hooked up, along with two of their friends from Three Dog Bakery in San Clemente. Another good way to train basic commands while dealing with plenty of distractions, like rabbits, squirrels and other dogs. At the halfway mark, we took a water break at beautiful Ritz Cove.

Video of our recent training runs

Here's the video to go along with the pictures below of our recent training runs at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. During the warmer months, we just take the dogs out on early morning runs to practice trail behavior with other teams, basic "on-by's" and "gee over's".



...and just a reminder: our dogs are well hydrated before we go out on a run. We make sure, that the runs are kept short and slow, and that the dogs get plenty of rest in the shade in between.

There's always work to do!

Even though we're currently going through a rather warm period here in southern California, we still manage to squeeze in a little bit of groundwork exercises in the early morning hours. Fortunately, we have quite a few folks that come out every weekend to work on commands, discipline, and trail behavior, plus we constantly mix and match our dogs, so we're able to put together larger teams of 6 and 8 dogs, instead of the more common 2-dog scooter teams.
For more information about our local group, please visit UrbanMushing.com

Click here and here for a few pictures of the last three weekends at Fairview Park.

Summer's Here!

Yes, summer has finally arrived in southern California. For the past week, we've been laying low, taking it easy on our walks, and just kinda hang out on cool tile floors, close to the fan with plenty of water. Unfortunately, that only worked for the canine members of our family, not the human ones; those had to keep building carts. A bit ironic to build sled dog equipment in the summer heat, don't you think?





Anyway, today was the day we went out to Fairview Park and met up with a few members of our Urban Mushing group to take the dogs out on an easy run in the early morning.
We hooked up an 8-dog team to one of the Arctis carts, and took them to the rest area, where we kept switching teams for short runs so we could work on commands and improve team work.
An impromptu mushing clinic, if you will.

More pictures are here.


Note: please keep in mind, that our dogs are well hydrated before we run. The "runs" are about 3/4 mile at a time at a slow pace with plenty of rest in the shade after each run.

Siberian Husky's 2nd Birthday

Our little clownboy Silver celebrated his 2nd birthday and shared his cake with brother and sisters.
Usually the rambunctious, always curious, never shy puppy, he didn't quite know what to make of the candles and tried to get away from them as soon as he could, so the somewhat fuzzy picture is the best we could get.

Thanks to our good friends at the Three Dog Bakery in San Clemente for the doggy cake!

Help a Marine bring a black lab home from Afghanistan

This post may not be related to sled dogs, but since it involves two excellent causes, rescuing dogs and supporting the troops, we'll post it on our blog.

Miranda is a black Labrador that has kept Red company while on deployment in Afghanistan. She is a sweet, lovable dog that we are trying to bring home. If we are able to raise enough money, we will be able to offer her a safe, loving home in the San Diego area. For more information, please read the full article here: Bring Miranda Home

If you're thinking of getting a dog, please remember to save a life and rescue. Click here for a list of rescue organizations.

To support the troops, please check out these links;

• United States: Operation Support Our Troops
• Bells Of Freedom
• Canada: Canadian Forces Support
  
• Canadian Heroes
  
• Germany: Feldpost
  
• Soldatenglück
  
• United Kingdom: Support Our Troops
  

4th of July Fun Runs

Unfortunately, our beloved marine layer did not stick around for very long in the morning, so we had to run the dogs early, slow and short distance, but we still managed to have a good time on the trails at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, as well as Laguna Niguel Regional Park. Sunday's run might have had more excitement than some had hoped for; there's just nothing like two loose Huskies running down the trail at breakneck speed, just to be found relaxing on a cool patch of wet grass a little while later. All's well that ends well.

Siberian Husky Missing! Reno NV

Donner's been missing for a few days. He escaped from the yard. He is a very
leggy, short coated Siberian Husky with VERY tall ears. He is black and white
and bi-eyed. Please contact Barbara Schaefer with ANY INFORMATION - 530-277-7749 cell; 530-273-4894 home.

It would be wonderful if you could get this information to your local groomers
and veterinarians.