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| The Team Our dogs are kept outdoors in what we refer to as the dog yard. Each dog has its own house and is tethered within a safe distance to allow interaction with canine neighbors without the fear of tangles. There are also a few patio block based kennel runs for securing females in heat and the occassional litter. The dog yard itself is surrounded with welded wire fencing which serves two purposes: to keep our dogs in and other animals out. Each evening before the dogs are fed, they are given an opportunity to exercise and run around the dog yard together. We strive to adhere to the Mush with PRIDE standards. 2004, we fenced in a wooded area at the rear of the dog yard. This newly created section serves as the exercise yard. The dogs are free to run around and dig to their hearts content. This space allows the dogs to really stretch out after a weekend traveling in the truck, between races or the few summer months when it is just too warm to put on the harnesses. Our dogs undergo a gonioscopy once in their life-time. In addition, we submit our dogs to bi-annual CERF exams. When finances allow, we check hips and thyroid. Plus, we also DNA test our breeding prospects. Every strain of Siberian Husky has known faults. No strain is exempt. It has been said that if you are in the business of breeding dogs long enough, you will likely have seen one of every illness or genetic condition. It is our goal therefore to use this understanding and work to the best of our ability to "breed with a vision toward performance and genetic soundness". We will always first consider when planning a breeding, using performance tested animals. To us, this means a minimum of two full seasons in harness with an acceptable evaluation as to the dogs performance on the team while racing and training, endurance, focus/mental aptitude, recovery time, eating habits, personality, condition of the dogs feet and ability to maintain speed and travel across varied terrain without frequent injury. As members of the SHCA, our dogs are first measured according to the Standard set by this governing body. All dogs are registered with the AKC and or the CKC (should we happen to own a Siberian who originated from Canada). Phenotypically, we prefer dogs with shorter coats than you might be familar with, especially when you think about the famous and historical show line Siberian Huskies from New England. Here in New England, it is not unusual to deal with 80F humidity ratings in the fall and spring when the thermometer is reading 52F. Yes that is over the 120 degree benchmark. In order to extend the training season, we have found that the shorter coated dogs are better suited to this climate and to our style of racing. Some of the titles our dogs have earned: CGC -> canine good citizen RN -> rally novice SD -> sled dog SDX -> sled dog excellent SDO -> sled dog outstanding We are no longer members of the International Seppala Siberian Sleddog Club. However, during it's infancy, we did support the project by dual registering a few dogs with the Continental Kennel Club because we were led to believe the sole and only purpose, was to build a world wide directory of purebred Siberian Huskies and promote competition. |
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