• Home
  • Tours
    • Summer Tours
      • Helicopter Glacier Dog Sledding
      • Lead Dog Demonstration & Cart Ride
    • Winter Tours
      • Multi-Day Excursions
      • 60-Minute Tour
    • Planning a Dog Sled Tour in Alaska
    • Chat Session
  • Racing
  • Dog Care
    • Our Dog Care Program
    • Our Mushing Philosophy
    • Adopt A Retired Sled Dog
  • Sponsor
  • About Us
    • Meet The Dogs
    • Environmental Sustainability
    • Work With Us
  • Learn
  • News
  • Contact
  • Book Now

Turning Heads Kennel

Alaska Dog Sledding Tours

A Special Focus On The Iditarod Vet Book

December 30, 2015 by Sarah

One of the things most new fans to dog sledding want to know is how are dogs are taken care of out on the trail by vets and how the logistics of so many dogs is managed. During Iditarod and other dog sled races, mushers must carry a vet book. In Iditarod, it is a mandatory piece of gear and mushers are required to have a vet sign it at every checkpoint to ensure the dogs have been examined.

Each dog on Iditarod is given its own unique identification tag. The identifcation tag is composed of two values, a number and a letter.The number refers to the musher. Each musher’s value is determined by their starting position. In 2015, Travis started 56th so each of his dogs had a “56” on their tag. Each dog is then individually assigned a letter. Each musher is given their own tags so we put our tags 56A, 56B, 56C, on each dog on Travis’ team.

 

photo courtesy of Dianne Johnson of thhe Iditarod Trail Committee
photo courtesy of Dianne Johnson of thhe Iditarod Trail Committee
 
At the front of the vet book, each musher lists their dogs name and next to their dog writes down the letter of the tag that dog was given. Additionally, Iditarod takes down the name, tag of each dog, and their microchip number. This way dogs have two identifiers out on the trail: their microchip which can be scanned or their dog tag on their collar.

The vet book is an integral way for vets at different checkpoints to communicate what they see in a dog or in a particular dog team. It allows volunteers to quickly look up the name of a dropped dog and relay it to those back in Anchorage.

 

2015  Iditaods Travis Beals Vet Book. The starting 16 dogs.
2015 Iditaods Travis Beals Vet Book. The starting 16 dogs.
  
travis beals 2015 iditarod vet book. the first page has each dog, their
travis beals 2015 iditarod vet book. the first page has each dog, their “letter”, and their age.
 The vet book itself is rather small and is waterproof. Many mushers elect to tie it to their sled. If you do not have your vet book, you cannot continue down the trail. If you forget your vetbook at one checkpoint, you have to go back and get it — wasting valuable time.

We generally tie our vet books to our sleds so that we cannot lose them. It allows us to access them quickly and prevents the volunteer vets from accidently walking away with them.

Mushers are required to have a vet sign their vet book at each checkpoint. Mushers also have to sign the vet book. The vets may make notes or may simply put an “all good” or a smiley face. Common notes might be about dogs who were prescribed antibiotics.

The vet book is a valuable tool to help mushers and vets make sure that the dogs get the best possible care while out on the race.

This year in training, I am carrying my own “vet book” so that I can practice not losing it. For those who know me, they know my struggle. My book, however, is a bit different. I am using it to make notes about dogs on or directly after a run so that I can keep the best records possible on my team while training myself to hold onto the small yellow notebook. My notes are usually about when I fed or watered and the effects I’m seeing in my dogs. It’s something Aaron Burmeister mentioned casually at the rookie meeting so I figured I would give it a shot. If I’m going to practice carrying a notebook, I might as well make some notes!

Spread the Love...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon

Recent Posts

  • How Mushers Get Home After Finishing The Iditarod
  • Scouting Our Glacier Dog Sledding Camp
  • Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!
  • The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod
Learn About How we care for our Sled Dogs at Turning Heads Kennel
Help Booty The Sled Dogs of Turning Heads Kennel

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required



Have you been on one of our tours?


turningheadskennel

Turning Heads Kennel
Sun’s out, tongues out! . . . #dogsledding #sled Sun’s out, tongues out!
.
.
.
#dogsledding #sleddogs #iditarod #alaska #sewardak

📸 @its_kris_fish
Happy trails & wagging tails. We are back for anot Happy trails & wagging tails. We are back for another for season of sharing our sled dogs and passion for #dogsledding here in beautiful #sewardak 

Thanks to Azura and @its_kris_fish  for the awesome photo!
An absolutely incredibly dog team coming into the An absolutely incredibly dog team coming into the Kalskag (inbound) checkpoint of the Kuskokwim 300.

🎥 by Abby Klager

#TurningHeadsKennel #kuskokwim300 #k300 #bethelak #alaska #dogsledding #iditarod #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #huskygram #huskylife #optoutside #kuskokwimriver #dogsled #mushing #sleddogs #sleddogsport #sleddogsofinstagram #alaskalife #alaskaoutdoors #alaskaadventure #alaskaliving #alaskanhusky 

@thealaskalife @kuskokwim300 @dogsleddingdaily
Travis putting booties on the dogs as he gets read Travis putting booties on the dogs as he gets ready to depart the halfway checkpoint of the Knik 200 sled dog race. 

There were hurricane force winds throughout the race. Semi trucks got blown off the road. Planes parked at the airport were flipped over.

Still, the dogs and Travis persevered — even when they had to go through waist deep overflow.

The team came to the finish line happy and healthy and in 2nd place. Travis also received the Humanitarian Award for Excellence in Dog Care.

We are so proud of him and Braxton, who ran the B team, and also had a strong finish.

#dogsledding #sleddogs #alaska #dogsofinsta #doglife #alaskalife #huskylife #instahusky
💯 #dogsledding #alaska 💯 #dogsledding #alaska
Getting out and enjoying the sunshine together. #d Getting out and enjoying the sunshine together. #dogsledding
Happy Birthday Travis 🥳 Happy Birthday Travis 🥳
Two by two⁠ 🐕🐾❄️⁠ ⁠ Trail breakin Two by two⁠
 🐕🐾❄️⁠
⁠
Trail breaking :)⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska⁠
#denalihighway #cantwell ⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs
BB is a rock star⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #instadog #dogsofinst BB is a rock star⁠
⁠
⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska
Baby Skunk 💕⁠ ⁠ Skunk is now almost 17 mont Baby Skunk 💕⁠
⁠
Skunk is now almost 17 months old and is working hard at being a sled dog.⁠
⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky
We were blessed with some gorgeous skies this seas We were blessed with some gorgeous skies this season. Here's just 1 of the many we enjoyed 💕⁠
⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska⁠
Time Warp! A look back at early season fall traini Time Warp! A look back at early season fall training using the side by side. ⁠
⁠
(Also, what smells so good in the grass 🤣)⁠
⁠
Right now, the snow is melting and spring is well on its way here but we are already thinking about this coming fall and the adventures it will bring us. 💕⁠
⁠
⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska
Dolly & Blue. 💕⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #turningheadskennel Dolly & Blue. 💕⁠
⁠
⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska
Old man Boston 💕⁠ ⁠ Our time left with Bost Old man Boston 💕⁠
⁠
Our time left with Boston is slowly coming to an end but this geriatric sled dog is full of heart. He is the dad or granddad to many of the dogs in our kennel. ⁠
⁠
Each day we have together is a gift. ⁠
⁠
📸 by Kalani Woodlock
Travis and the dogs are in FINGERLAKE on #Iditarod Travis and the dogs are in FINGERLAKE on #Iditarod 2021 🥳 and OUT of FINGERLAKE.

Although his stats haven’t been updated as of this posting, it looks like he got there around 5:10 this morning, making it about a 4.5 hour run for him and the dogs. He rested about 3 hours and is now headed down the trail towards RAINY PASS

Here’s a fun video from one of the last training runs this year. 

🥳🎉 Go Team Go 🎉🥳
Well, he’s off! We’d hoped to livestream the s Well, he’s off!
We’d hoped to livestream the start of #Iditarod but because of the new location, we unfortunately didn’t have coverage!

The starting line up this year:
BB - Blue
Spartan - West
Krum - Granger
Melissa - Queen
Skiff - Jovie
Ohmer - Mongoose
Delta - Tug

Go Travis go!
The countdown to race day has started. Travis is g The countdown to race day has started. Travis is getting in the last few training runs before #iditarod to determine the final few dogs on the roster.

Our trail has one minor road crossing that we usually have no problem with —  as it’s in a wide open area — so we have plenty of opportunity to see cars and vice versa but with it continuing to snow day after day in Willow, the berms have gotten quite high. 

Because of this, after Travis and the team take off I drive down to play crossing guard.

Here’s a glimpse of the team from yesterday. #dogsledding #turningheadskennel
Well we got 1882 lbs of food headed out on the #id Well we got 1882 lbs of food headed out on the #iditarod trail for mushers and dogs. 

A big thanks to Caleb & Dave for helping cut meet, Victoria & Richard for letting us post up at their house, and a huge crew of human volunteers who helped cook Travis’ meals for out on the trail. @dlwalkerak for cooking and organizing and: @zudyscafe @akcarlyn @lonechicharron @woodysthaikitchenak @bakingthyme and Cristian McClain for cooking @majormarinetours for some great snacks and Portage Transport for delivering.

It’s not small feet getting a team ready to go 1,000 miles but this year— with little indoor access —- it really took a lot of careful planning to make sure Travis stays warm and well fed.

Thanks team!
A lot of the time, we are running teams of 8+ dogs A lot of the time, we are running teams of 8+ dogs. It’s more practical with a lot of dogs in training. That being said, there is something magical about breaking things down and working with the dogs one on one in smaller teams. This is especially true for our youngest teammates!

In this video, 16-month-olds Keister and Tucker are working as a lone pair. With no one else to guide them, the pups get their first experience taking commands without the pressure of having other dogs “chase” them. They also get to practice lining out and staying forward oriented.

Working at night with young leaders, a headlamp also becomes a great tool as we can easily show the trail we want the dogs to take. 

#dogsledding #mushing #iditarod #alaska
Under the pine boughs we go. Fresh snow makes fo Under the pine boughs we go. 

Fresh snow makes for fun runs and acrobatic mushing as you dip and dive to dodge the low hanging branches. On occasion, we use our axes to cut out trees too low to safely pass under. These momentary stops are an opportunity for the dogs to cool off and for us to stop and enjoy a warm thermos of tea.
Load More... Follow on Instagram



☎ (907) 362-4354

Turning Heads Kennel
31722 Herman Leirer Road
Seward, AK 99664

Info@TurningHeadsKennel.com

Recent Posts

  • How Mushers Get Home After Finishing The Iditarod
  • Scouting Our Glacier Dog Sledding Camp
  • Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!
  • The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod
  • Home
  • Tours
  • Racing
  • Dog Care
  • Sponsor
  • About Us
  • Learn
  • News
  • Contact
  • Book Now

© 2022 · Pretty Creative WordPress Theme by, Pretty Darn Cute Design

  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • Norsk
  • 한국어
  • Русский
  • Español