Short and Sweet

Posted on July 8, 2012 by alaskanarcticexpeditions

I get a kick out of the way Shorty darts around in circles, wooing and whining, begging for a scratch and a tummy rub. She’s tireless. I wish I had her energy and that seemingly eternal youth. I expected her to calm down as she grew older, but Shorty remains as playful at 10 years old as when she was a puppy and I hope she stays that way forever.

I’ve heard that a dog’s environment shapes and molds them into who they are. And Shorty, being in the presence of other energetic and cheerful warrior type dogs has grown to be just like them. There’s a lot to learn from dogs. It’s hard to comprehend the influence they have on you if you allow them to get in your heart.

Shorty’s name is reflective of her stature. She definitely has short legs, which doesn’t hinder her pulling ability, but it does give her the disadvantage of a slightly slower trot than my other dogs. However, on the other side of the spectrum, dogs who have disproportionately long legs, or hocks, are at a total disadvantage especially in deep snow. While breaking trail, their legs sink so far into the snow that they have a tough time keeping up with the other dogs because they cannot retrieve their footing fast enough. Shorty, on the other hand, can “swim” through deep snow like everyone else, just a little slower, that’s all.

photo by Angus Mill

When Shorty was young I believed she would be an excellent leader in deep snow because of her slow, yet powerful trot. She also exhibited an uncanny sense of direction, so I figured she’d be a great lead dog on sea ice as well where there are no landmarks and it takes a talented dog to run a straight route, which she was. But it was during a blizzard when I realized that her leadership was not exactly what I was expecting.

We were traveling along Alaska’s Arctic coast. The team was pulling a heavy load in 12 inches of fresh snow. It was slow going so I figured it would be a perfect opportunity for Shorty to learn the art of leading the team. There wasn’t anything between her and the perpetual white horizon, no obstacles or distractions, just an open expanse to run straight and true. When I placed her in lead alongside Bear she glowed with pride. Her thick, bushy tail bristled and waved in the low, orange winter sun. But behind us the sky was turning gray and far in the distance a blizzard stewed. It was around -20°F and strong wind gusts pushed against my back sending a chill to my bones, but I wanted to cover as many miles as possible, and take advantage of the wind before visibility fell to zero and we would be forced to camp. I grabbed two long wooden poles of driftwood from the beach, tied them to my sled’s handle bars and stanchions and attached my sail, which is a large square piece of heavy canvas with grommets around the edges to prevent tearing.

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The sail caught the wind like a small parachute and off we went. Now, with Mother Nature’s usual destructive force propelling us along with little effort from the dogs the pace had increased considerably. Shorty’s little legs tried to keep pace, but to no avail. She looked a little surprised when she saw the swing dogs catching up and running beside her. She glanced to her right, and then left. I could practically read Shorty’s mind as she wondered how could she slow these guys down: Oh I know, I’ll make some radical turns every which way. That’ll do it. She swerved quickly back and forth, zigzagging, and scrambling over ice ridges, and bee lining for the deepest snow she could find, but the team kept pace. In fact, the other dogs thought it was a game and enthusiastically chased her. All the while, Bear, outweighed and outnumbered, tried his best to keep the team on course. Finally, Shorty realized that there wasn’t any way possible to escape, so she wheeled around and headed toward me and the sled, effectively tying the entire 22 dogs into a jumbled knot.

It was a long time before I tried Shorty in lead on the sea ice again, but eventually she learned not to worry about running too slow and she became an all around fine leader.

Shorty is still as playful as ever and her goofiness makes Andrea and I smile on a daily basis. She’s a true testament to the old saying: you’re only as old as you feel.

The makings of a Champion Lead Dog

Posted on June 4, 2012 by alaskanarcticexpeditions

…Continued from Part 1

At first, Champ led the team like a regular rookie, with lots of enthusiasm followed by bewilderment, and then fear. Most rookies get over the confused stage quickly, but sometimes the fear of leading your peers takes quite a while to overcome. It’s not natural for a youngster who is the lowest in the hierarchy, to be running in front of the adults. In a young malamutes mind, it’s not how things work. He’s supposed to be following them. But the fact is an adult doesn’t care who is leading them as long as they’re doing what they love to do. Although Champ was uncomfortable in lead and periodically glanced at me with concerned eyes, he still kept plodding along with Farmer and Shorty.

Champ on the left with Shorty in the middle, and Farmer on the right

When we traveled higher in elevation the snow became thigh deep and that’s when everything changed. This is when a leader’s fears get tossed aside, because now I’m the leader breaking trail on snowshoes in front of the team. So the lead dog doesn’t have to worry because he’s just another team member, and his only concern is keeping up with me and everyone behind him is soon forgotten.

The dogs love it when I lead. As soon as they see me unlash the snowshoes from the sled they howl like there’s no tomorrow. It’s very strange. It seems to be more natural for them to be led, but it makes sense because according to early explorers’ historical accounts the Inuit didn’t have leaders per se. They led the teams themselves, the same way I do.

Champ is on the right and showing what he’s made of.

Yet, when we are traveling in relatively good snow conditions or on the sea ice, I allow my leaders to lead and I am either riding, or walking beside the sleds. But they are most enthusiastic when I am in lead. Nonetheless, their speed doesn’t differ very much whether they are following me, or they are traveling on their own, which tells me a person’s walking pace is probably the most comfortable speed for them. If the historical records are accurate, it would explain why malamutes prefer a slow pace.

However, a small, light weight, and narrower bodied malamute will travel faster than a big heavy guy. For example, a team of 80 lbs., narrow built malamutes are going to average a slightly faster pace than a team of 100 lbs. malamutes. So, if I have one small leader along with a couple of big leaders, and we’re traveling on a trail, hard pack snow, or sea ice, the small leader will speed up the team’s pace a little, but not enough to cause discomfort to the heavier freighters. This is one of the reasons why I chose Champ for a future leader. He’s lighter and smaller boned than my current leaders, Farmer and Shorty. So he will increase the team’s pace while traveling on hard pack or sea ice. But, on the same token Champ will travel the same pace as the larger leaders when we are breaking trail in deeper snow, and this is where the iron will and intelligence come into play.

A lead dog has to figure out how to bust through chest deep snow and keep ahead of the team. A smart and determined dog will try several different methods until he succeeds. Most dogs try to hop at first, but this exhausts them quickly. Then they try other techniques, like plowing through with their chest, or they develop a sort of swimming movement, both of which work well. If a dog has the mental stamina and a strong will he will figure out what works best for him. Shorty, for example, has found a creative way to kick her front legs out like she’s marching to bust through deep powder snow. She has relatively short legs so this works well for her.

When the going gets tough, Champ gets going.

But the most important characteristic for a good trail breaker is a dog’s body width. The width gives them stability and allows them to plow through deep powder. Some dogs may have all the components to be great leaders, like a wide body, strength, passion, and intelligence, but still they cannot keep ahead of the team when the conditions get tough. The element that they are lacking is an iron will.

A dog’s will, or tough mindedness, is a paramount characteristic for a leader. Often it takes several years for a dog to develop this trait and sometimes they never do. I have found that it’s a characteristic that can be passed down genetically, and most northern sled dog breeds carry it.

Champ comes from a lineage of great leaders going back when my lead dog Mitch had guided me and the team over the Continental Divide over two decades ago. When I had selected Champ to lead and replace Bear, whom has retired, I was counting on these leader traits to prevail. Sure enough, after two months of encouragement and additional coaching from Farmer and Shorty, Champ was breaking trail like an old pro.

Now, Champ is lying outside my window as the sun is creeping back over the horizon. He’s probably wondering why winter had passed so quickly, and wishing he was still leading the team across the treeless Arctic landscape under the green glow of the aurora. Bear, Champ’s grandfather, is lying beside him, relaxed and content on the cool moss under a swaying spruce tree and probably also wishing winter’s frost was in the air. But Bear figures at his older age he cannot possibly be expected to lead the team like he once had and recognizes his leader’s position is passed on to Champ. I bet Bear is wondering if his grandson will follow in his footsteps and become capable of safely guiding the team through blizzards, and if he will learn to navigate by wind direction on the sea ice. Or maybe Bear is wondering if Champ will be strong enough to break trail over the Continental Divide and have the courage to stand his guard against threatening wolves like he had when he was young. I’m confident Champ will be like his grandfather in every way and carry on the family tradition. After all, he’s Champ!

The Makings of a Champion Lead Dog

Posted on May 28, 2012 by alaskanarcticexpeditions

What else could we have named the fat little red pup that was hopelessly lost and then found? After all, he was a survivor, a true champion. The name Champ fit him well.

When he was a few weeks old, Champ had wandered away. Andrea and I searched and searched for the little guy, finally giving up late at night. But the following morning he showed up, sitting comfortably in the tall green grass where we had last seen him, wagging his tail and ravenously hungry. Andrea tells the story very well in a previous post, Spirit of Adventure .

Now, two years later Champ has lived up to his namesake. On the 2012 Arctic expedition, the rookie took to lead position like an old pro and exhibited leadership and maturity like a veteran. Being a lead dog isn’t for everyone. It’s a tough business, especially if you’re breaking trail, but I knew Champ had it in him.

Here’s Champ on his first expedition. Happy and ready to take on the world!!

There are certain characteristics that make a good leader. First, it’s ideal the candidate has some smarts. I mean, he or she has to be intelligent enough to figure out the best way to maneuver the team across the landscape with the most efficiency. This might sound simple, but actually it’s not. A lead dog must learn to avoid deep pockets of snow which lie in hallows, and around brushy and grassy areas. They have to learn to travel on a straight course up and down steep hills, navigate through blizzards, and remain focused on their job without fooling around and stopping to sniff caribou turds and tangling the lines.

Secondly, they should be athletic. Some dogs are naturally more athletic than others. The third and fourth characteristics are the most important. A great leader must have an iron will and be tough minded, someone that doesn’t ever, ever give up and perseveres through the toughest demands of the environment and snow conditions. A tough minded, iron willed dog is a God send. When you’re against Mother Nature’s onslaught of devious weapons like getting your butt kicked in a blinding blizzard, or you are breaking trail through waist deep snow and your snowshoes feel like lead weights, the team is getting discouraged, and you’re losing heart, a tough minded, cheerful warrior of a leader will keep the team and you going.

The fifth characteristic, which is the catalyst that binds all of the ingredients together, is passion. When you have all of these traits in a leader, you’ll have a dog that will guide you to hell and back while wearing a smile and wagging his tail.

Champ is on the right and learning the ropes from the old pros, Farmer on the left, and Shorty is in the middle.

Last winter, Champ started in swing position, which is directly behind the leaders. Even swing is an extraordinary accomplishment for a rookie. Rarely, do I ever start a youngster there, but Champ is a light boned dog and I felt it was best for him positioned there until his body was strong enough to handle the rigors of solid heavy pulls and breaking trail. The swing position is a relatively stress free environment, although swing dogs are just as important as leaders because if they can’t keep up with the lead dogs they can drag them down, slowing and disrupting the entire team. It’s an easier position physically and I usually reserve it for old timers since they know what they’re doing and they can follow the lead dogs’ trail, widening it for the rest of the team. There’s one thing about old timers and veteran dogs though, they are master trail-breakers so when times get really tough they don’t have a problem helping out the leaders break trail.

Trail breaking is an art and a skill acquired from many years of experience, and there are no better teachers for rookies than the veterans. So, I placed Champ between two old guys, Bruno, which is Champs father, and Texas. Texas is a solidly built 11 year old gentleman who in his hay day was a real powerhouse and one of the strongest pullers I’ve ever had. He’s traveled with me for nearly a decade covering more miles than 10 Iditarod 1,000 mile races. Together we’ve been through it all…falling in crevasses, breaking through thin ice, battling hurricane force winds and surviving -100°F windchills.

The old timer Texas with eyes of wisdom.

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Bruno, who is 10 years old, was a phenomenal command leader in his younger years. He has the same reddish white coloring as Champ, and he’s a smaller guy than his son, but he’s almost as trail wise as Texas. It didn’t take long for Champ to learn the basic trail breaking techniques from his two mentors, but you really don’t learn how to do something until you actually dive in, get your hands dirty and just do it. So one day I placed Champ in lead.

Here’s Bruno – father like son!!

To be Continued…..

Farmer’s Crop

Posted on January 11, 2012 by alaskanarcticexpeditions

Our lead dog Farmer sired three pups. They are shown in the photo below, left to right; Major, Penny and Barney. They are six months and around 70-75lbs. It had just snowed a bunch and they are out exploring the new, white snowy world.

Hey dad, how’d you get over there?