We haven’t been out training for at least week due to the snowy weather conditions closing our training grounds. Snow is great, but it closes roads and makes trees fall down over trails.
After a late start to the day, we took the dogs out for a training run on some very frozen trails.We split the team up and ran two teams of two; Mookie with Benny and Basil with Snowy. Continue reading
I can’t remember when I bought my first pair of inov-8 running shoes, maybe 5 years ago. I’d read about them online, after wanting something that was more suited to running than my Hunter wellies. At the time, the only other alternative in the fell running category were the traditional Walsh shoe which seemed positively primitive when compared to the inov-8s. I was one of the first mushers to start using them for dryland husky racing – the combination of wet trails, mud and snow made them ideal. There’s now a huge range to choose from with even more amazing features.
The first time I used them with the dogs, it was like getting four drive for your feet. You can tell that some very clever people have sat down and just simply created a range of high tech functional running shoes with the purpose to perform incredibly well on the hill. I’m an engineer that loves technical stuff done well. My inov-8 shoes easily rank in my alltime top 10 most amazing bits of tech. Continue reading
Torches have improved hugely since we got our first huskies. They’re now alot brighter, lighter and the batteries last much much longer. We’ve tried many different brands of torch and now just stick with Petzl. I think Petzl call them ‘head lamps’, which must be a throw back to their origins when they invented the concept of putting a lamp battery case on a head strap. I’m pretty sure we could open a mini museum illustrating the evolution of the Petzl head torch over the last decade with all the versions we own. We use the torches for walking the dogs in winter evenings, sorting stuff out at races in the dark or just finding our way back from the pub.
Using a head torch means you have both hands free to get on with what you’re doing and also the light is always in the direction you are looking. The head straps are really comfy and the new LED versions weigh very little and fit in most pockets. Continue reading
More often than not, we’re out with the huskies in the rain. It wasn’t until we bought our first husky that I owned my first pair of Hunter Wellies. Up until that point, I’d thought a welly was a welly. How wrong was I!
The basic hunter wellington boot is superb. Wears well and has a sculptured, snug fit that’s designed not to pull off in mud. I’m on my second pair, now in 13 years of ownership. My new pair have a vibram sole, giving me a little more grip and comfort. I used to almost exclusively race in my Hunters because it was either raining or we were racing on trails with the odd deep puddle or muddy sections. I could easily jog up hills with the hunters, as I used to prefer running with dry feet in ‘proper’ wellies over wet feet in trainers. There’s a huge difference between normal wellies and premium wellies. Things have changed since getting my superb inov8 fell running shoes, which I’ll rave about later. Continue reading
I think we’d really struggle to enjoy the snow and cold weather without our Sorels. When you spend a full day standing on a frozen trail or icy carpark, you need some serious footware if you want to keep warm. Originally introduced in 1959 by Ontario-based Kaufman Rubber Co. they became the world’s best-selling cold weather boot. Unfortunately in 2000, Kaufman Footwear went bankrupt, and the Sorel trademark was bought by Columbia Sportswear. Helen has an original pair of Canadian Sorel Caribou, and Guy has a pair of the new ‘designed in canada’ Sorel Caribou. The new boots are just as good as the old boots. Continue reading
Dr. Billinghurst’s most important piece of writing is the book “Give Your Dog a Bone.” Because cats and dogs have different food requirements, (cats are obligate carnivores while dogs are omnivores with a carnivorous background), he decided they each needed their own book, and that he would write the dog book first. Thus was born “Give Your Dog a Bone.” This book was launched at a 3 day Bichon Frise conference in western Sydney on the 17th November 1993. The book was advertised in all the canine breeder magazines throughout Australia.
“Give Your Dog a Bone” proved an instant hit, with many breeders adopting its ideas. Since that time it has been making steady inroads into the minds of breeders and dog owners throughout the world. To date nearly fifty thousand copies of this book have been sold. Continue reading
The Complete Siberian HuskyThe Complete Siberian Husky by Chris & Caroline Kisko and Sheila & Simon Luxmoore is ideal for those thinking of getting a siberian husky, as well as those wanting to learn more about working, showing, breeding & health of Siberians.
The athletic, powerful Siberian Husky has worked for man as a sled dog for more than 3,000 years. Today, the Husky is still employed in his original role by racing enthusiasts, but the breed’s versatility and stunning good looks have also enabled him to become a much-loved companion and show dog, popular with owners the world over. In this comprehensive book of the breed, the authors explore the history of the enigmatic Siberian Husky, and trace his development to the present day. Continue reading
Gary Paulsen was in his forties, an internationally famous children’s writer. Then he was overtaken by his passion – a passion for Alaskan dog-racing and a passion for the wild, beautiful landscape of the Arctic. Winterdance is the story of this passion.
Award-winning author Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod, a gruelling 1180-mile race across Alaska, in dangerous ignorance and with fierce determination. After a spectacularly inept period of training and an even more spectacularly inept start to the race, Paulsen and his team of 15 dogs ran for 17 days through the beautiful, treacherous arctic terrain. They crossed the barren moon-like landscape of the Alaskan interior and witnessed sunrises that cast a golden blaze over the vast waters of the Bering Sea. Enduring blinding wind, snowstorms, dogfights, frostbite, moose attacks, sleep deprivation and hallucinations, he pushed on. Continue reading
How to Train Racing Sled DogsThe Speed Mushing Manual by Jim Welch is an invaluable reference guide for buying, breeding, feeding, conditioning, training, equipping and racing sled dogs.
A clear and concise book on training sled dogs to race. There are specific examples to clarify most techniques and ample support for the effectiveness of each method. Continue reading
Early start to a Sunday morning saw us traing at Crosscliff in Dalby Forest. I took Basil, Mookie, Benny and Snowy out for a 3 mile loop. Had a few issues getting snowy and mookie to go round and not under the first forest gate. Then Benny decided he would go the opposite side of a post to the others, which brought him to a halt fairly quickly. Just running one team meant we did the whole trip in 3 hours.
First night rally is looming, guess we should charge the batteries.