Life with Siberian Huskies

If Leonhard Seppala is in an article. I’m going to read it and probably like it. He’s the top tier that all mushers and sled dogs aspire to be. A true legacy and hero to both man and dogs.

https://www.inverse.com/science/the-science-behind-sled-dogs?fbclid=IwAR2-ca3KEXQjZ2ifNssDG-Nity0BnkiSFft3T04a3L_2mMbWJ3_s4tF9f6Q

The Proper Way to Raise and Train a puppy:

BLUF: That’s military Lingo for “Bottom Line Up Front.”

BLUF: You raise and train them to fit your life, not the lives of others.

Now, you can join a bunch of groups that will tell you how it should be done. That is according to their own experience and does not take into consideration the personality of you, or your dog(s). In other words that information is for the most part useless. That’s like telling someone how to raise their children based on how they did it. There is no one case that fits all scenario.

There are a lot of people out there that think they now everything, about everything. Off leash is okay, biting is okay, and a lot of other topics that they demand you follow their rules. You cannot group all of this into one box. Especially with working dogs, they have their own way and it’s not the same for everyone of them.

It’s okay to seek information, but take it with a grain of salt. You have to find what works for you and your dog(s) and use what works, and throw away what doesn’t. It sounds simple, and it is, if you keep in mind your own goals.

Don’t get caught up into the mindset of people who claim to know it all. Dog ownership and training is about combing two worlds together into one compatible family. That’s what you strive for. That is the goal, the goals of others don’t matter to you or your dog(s). You have to find your own way. It takes trial and error, that is why experience from others can help. But there is no magic bullet to fix all problems.

You have to do that. Don’t be afraid to try.

Like all families, you will make mistakes, you will grow, and you will learn how to deal with each other. You accept the weaknesses, and strengths of each member. And out of that, you make it work. That is dog training that means something. Nobody can teach that, it’s a burden you have to take on and figure out. Not that trainers don’t have knowledge that can help. They do, but it may or not may fit your situation. Nobody can know your dog as well as you.

Learn everything you can about your dog and its breed traits. That is the key to understanding them as much as we can. You build your life around your dog’s needs, but they have to give back and accept your rules as well. You have to achieve a working partnership for all to be happy and productive. Easier said than done. It all starts on day one of bringing that new life to your home. Don’t fail that new life you have accepted. They are counting on you to be the guiding light in their lives. You have the power to make them have a life well-lived. Don’t let them down. They need you more than you need them.

Ivan’s education continues: Dogs training dogs.

This is the third run with the bike. Never mind the two walks that occur every day. You will see he gets distracted by a walker. Next, I trick him by going straight instead of left, and up to our driveway. You can see him pulling hard to make us turn left, but Cooper heard my “straight on” command and we made him go with us. Then in the culdesac, a barking dog distracts them both for a moment. This is the education and the experience gained for the young one. The six-year-old Cooper does the real work. The total distance for this run was one mile, top speed 15.5 Mph. I only do this once in a while as he is still growing. Cooper pulls most of the weight. Somedays Ivan needs to burn off more energy than walks can provide. Oh, and the music is by my old band.

There Was A Time:

There was a time not so long ago,
when Northern dogs ruled the snow.
Before man invented the snowmobile,
they relied on dogs with hearts of steel.

For in those lands full of frozen drifts,
when life and death can suddenly shift.
Dogs born under the northern lights,
their lives they would surely sacrifice.

Without a care for the ore of gold,
or the riches it could bring the bold.
These dogs ran for the love of man,
for he was the leader of their clan.

A pat on the head, a bit of meat,
maybe some beans for a treat.
Together they opened a vast frontier,
never thinking they might disappear.

They bide their time, like days gone past,
soon the winter will come and last.
Men will need them like in the past,
need their hearts and love steadfast.

So, love your dogs and hold them near,
together you’ll face the final frontier.
There was a time not so long ago,
when Northern dogs ruled the snow.

By: Todd Johnson 2018

Caribou Maine is the answer. Snow Country, and perfect for sled dogs. Most of our pups are sold before they are born. Why is that? Because we health test the dam and sire, and the pups DNA with Emark. Breeding pairs are cleared of genetic defects by Embark DNA testing. Hips, elbows, and eyes are OFA certified.

Puppies go to working homes first if available. Next they go to homes whose owners have the drive, and time to give them the exercise they “NEED!” There are no shortcuts on high-energy dogs. If they don’t get what they need they will eat your house down to the ground. Nobody wants that! These dogs were bred to run and pull a sled or bike, or you. They are not content to be locked in a crate 8 hours a day while you are at work. If you can’t do that, then they are not for you. They are working dogs, and they have to work to be happy.

You can find us on FaceBook @ https://www.facebook.com/northlanesiberians

21 weeks old. 41.5 lbs. 21″ tall at the withers. Ivan got his first Big Boy collar. Not to mention his trip to the vet to get his last booster shots for Distemper and Lepto. I’m pretty happy he’s gotten over throwing up in my truck from motion sickness, now that he is tall enough to see out the windows. Works for me.

He’s an outcross to reduce COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding.) He’s 3/4 Seppala Siberian lines by blood and pedigree. Yes, those bloodlines leading right back to Leonard Seppala, and the original Togo. The dogs that saved Nome in the great Serum race of 1925. And yes, he is just as much of a pain in the ass. He is just like the original Togo when he was a puppy. Read up on your history if you are interested.

My mission along with my partner in Maine is to preserve this line. It takes time and it takes outcrosses bred back up etc. They are history, and they are amazing dogs. They are what every Siberian Husky in the lower 48 and now they are worldwide. They are legends and were the first of their kind. These dogs are not normal Siberians as you would know them. Who wouldn’t want to preserve that?

138 days old and walking is not enough to keep this guy drained of energy. I hooked him up to wheels with my best leader Cooper. Less than a half-mile run but it was enough to get him drained. A good training run and this boy is a born runner. Sure, he looks around and gets distracted, but he is learning to be what he was meant to be. It will come together in time. He’s the progeny of two lead dogs in Maine. He shows great promise to continue that trait. I’ll take the pain now and reap the rewards later. That’s what it takes to have sled dogs you can be proud of. You put in the work first.

There is nothing that compares to being pulled down the road or on a sled by some of God’s most beautiful creatures. They are not forced, they love it as much as I do. Just being allowed to share in the glory of the run is a religious type experience. If you have the chance, go take a sled dog tour at some point in your life. It will change you. You will learn that Peta is all wrong about this activity.

Just think about this. You are in the middle of Alaska and the only thing you have for transportation are your dogs. Are you going to beat them and force them to run? I can tell you that is not possible. If they don’t want to run they won’t. They run because of the love they feel for their musher. The bond they form together with us is for a lifetime. From birth to death, he gives them everything he can. And the dogs give back everything they can. Why? Because it’s a partnership forged years ago in ice and snow. That is the essence of the Dogs of Winter. Man and dogs, needed each other to survive. That bond still exists today in the heart and soul of every Northern breed. Humans are the ones who don’t understand them.

137 days old. 38 lbs. and 21″ tall at the withers. This guy is growing up fast. Already he is a powerhouse in harness. Long legs makes him fast as well. He moves so well, just a smooth gait that covers ground at an amazing rate for his age. I think he’s going to make a great sled-dog.

Ivan @ Cooper School Day 2: Dogs teaching dogs. I did all 3 dogs together early this morning necklined together. It went really well. This was a quick afternoon training session with the young pup. You can see that Cooper looks before he crosses the road. Ivan learns from being pulled by the neckline and has to follow. I don’t use “Gee Over, Haw Over” because Cooper knows we are not going into the ditch, and why would I complicate it with another word? He would go into the ditch if I said “Straight” after the “Gee.” But we have enough road time together he knows what I want. The proof is at the end when I didn’t see the driveway and told him “Straight.” It was quickly fixed by another “Gee.” Good dog!

I walked Cooper at least 500 miles his first year and taught him the commands before I ever hooked him up to a bike. Even then a squirrel can ruin your day. Now that he is almost 6 years old he’s a veteran and the best one I can think of to train Ivan. Ivan will learn faster this way and I won’t have to put in the miles on foot starting from scratch.

I’ve had people ask me why “Gee and Haw” instead of right and left. There are a couple of reasons. One is that it is a traditional command for sled dogs. That makes the dogs and musher’s interchangeable. Two is about how easy it is to issue a command at -20F and your face is frozen. You can’t issue a command that takes enunciation when your lips are frozen. Haw, and Gee, are easy to grunt out. Nobody knows where this started but it was used in the early days when directing draft animals to pull wagons, plows, etc. If it works don’t try to fix it.

His name was chosen for his Siberian background. Be careful what you name a dog as it can come true. He is a handful and then some. The progeny of two lead racing dogs, he has it in his genes to be hard-headed and incorrigible. These are great traits for a sled dog. Not so much for also being a house dog. Ivan is a force of nature. At 4 months he is everything you want, at home not so much. He needs to work to control his energy and zest for life. That’s my job and it’s not an easy one. He will mature, but until then all hell is brought down from the husky Gods to see if you are worthy.

He is now 4 months old. 37 lbs. and 20″ tall at the withers. He pulls like a tank, and has no end to energy. 3/4 Seppala Siberian lines. His attitude is that of the original Togo. He is a total pain in the ass, but that will transform to sled dog greatness in time.