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Turning Heads Kennel

Alaska Dog Sledding Tours

Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!

April 24, 2018 by Sarah

One of the truly wonderful things about living in Seward is our incredible local community. All our human food in our Iditarod food drops for the last several years have been donated by local Seward restaurants and organized by our friends, the Walker family. Our dogs eat the best dog food out there too.

Nothing has been sweeter than coming back to Seward after Travis Beals’ 9th place Iditarod finish to such a supportive community. Everywhere we go, people beam with pride and congratulate Travis!

Imagine our delight, when the Seward Chamber of Commerce reached out to us to be a member highlight. It was a lot of fun sitting down with their questions about our business. Learn about how we got started in our business, our most important business advice, and all about our dog sled tours!

Make sure you check out our Turning Heads Kennel Member Spotlight!

 

The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod

April 18, 2018 by Sarah

The role of Alaska Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod. Original Photo by Kalani Woodlock

It seems strange to think that a little over a month ago, we were in Nome completing a 1,000-mile journey with our dogs. While we work on organizing Travis’ stories from the trail we thought we’d write about the migratory lives that many in the mushing world live in order to fund this crazy lifestyle.

Dog sledding in Alaska is not a cheap sport to participate in and running Iditarod, makes dog sledding much more expensive. Racing a 1,000-mile endurance race requires lots of additional training which in turn requires the dogs to eat a lot more food and go through lots of booties. We go through approximately 6,000 booties over the course of a training season. Our dog food bill is more than our mortgage, utility payment, and truck payment combined! On the low end of the scale, mushers spender approximately $30,000 dollars to train and race a team capable of reaching the finish line in Nome. Lots more, if you plan on running competitively. Of course, regardless of what is said by animal right’s activists, the financials of racing Iditarod do not make sense. Teams finishing in the top 20 are, at best, breaking even. We participate in the Iditarod because we love traveling the trail with our dogs: nothing is more remarkable than going on a 1,000 mile journey with your best friends!

Although many mushers hope for large sponsorships to materialize to offset the heavy financial burden running an Iditarod kennel entails, the majority of Iditarod mushers and their handlers have to figure out how to finance the high cost of running dogs on their own. Many mushers look to Alaska’s booming tourism economy to make their winter dreams a reality. Alaska dog sledding tours help turn many mushers’ Iditarod dreams into realities.

Because the tourism industry allows mushers to continue to work with our dogs, it is heavily favorited by dog mushers. Mushers pursue dog sledding because they love to be around dogs and working in tourism allows this. Other popular occupations for Iditarod racers include construction as well as fishing which are also seasonal occupations here in Alaska.

For our kennel and our Iditarod ambitions, we rely on tourism. We operate two different dog sled tours out of our hometown of Seward, Alaska. At our kennel, we operate a dog sled tour that focuses on providing hands-on experiences to small groups of guests. Our goal is to share our passion for dog mushing and also to educate the public on dog sled racing and sled dog care. The tour includes a fun dog sled ride on a wheeled car through wooded trails where we perform a one-of-a-kind lead dog demonstration, showing off our dogs’ training and intelligence. We love this tour because it focuses on training new lead dogs and takes our guests “behind the scenes” to show how we use positive reinforcement to teach our sled dogs our dog mushing commands.

We also offer a dog sled tour up on Godwin glacier for those seeking a winter-like experience and wanting to experience Alaska dog sledding on snow in the summer. Guests take a helicopter ride up to Godwin glacier, mush for two miles, and enjoy the amazing scenery. It’s really incredible how you can go from a summer landscape to a winter landscape in just a short helicopter ride! Alaska’s beauty constantly amazes us and this tour has been described as “life-changing” and “the trip of a lifetime!” Our dogs certainly enjoy getting to go on a winter vacation and we frequently rotate the dogs between our kennel and our remote glacier camp.

Our tour operation gives us lots of freedom not only in how our tours are conducted but also in how our dogs are cared for. For us, our livelihood also allows us to work with our dogs day in and day out which has major training benefits. We believe our summer dog sled tours really help us as a competitive racing kennel as we can continue to work with dogs and train lead dogs, work on developing young talent, and building a cohesive team. Tourism is also a really great way to introduce people to our sport and teach visitors all about how we care for our sled dogs.

With this to look forward to after returning home from Nome, we slowly began packing up our Willow residence. It almost seemed like we couldn’t leave Willow quick enough — the snow in Willow was melting and after having been gone from Seward for over 6 months, we were ready to return home. So we began the long arduous process of moving.

The process has taken weeks and is slowly coming to an end with the final dogs arriving in Seward. We couldn’t be happier in returning home: our local community has supported us in every conceivable way — from throwing fundraisers, to recommending our tours, to even helping prepare our food drops.

We are excited for summer to begin and for the opportunities that await us. We look forward to meeting new friends and sharing our passion for mushing with our guests. In between, we will enjoy the sunshine, barbeques, gardening, and friends that only home can offer.

We are so grateful for all the support our kennel receives from visitors to Alaska. Thanks for helping turn our dream into a reality and allowing us to live this wonderful lifestyle with our dogs.

Bring on the summer! We can’t wait!

 

Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod

March 15, 2018 by Sarah

Well, he has made the finish line! At 3:46 on March 14th Travis pulled into Nome in 9th place. “Our main goal this year was a top 10 finish and that’s what we accomplished,” He said. After arriving to Nome, we brought the dogs to the Nome Dog lot where warm beds of straw  waited for them to curl up in.

After the final vet check, which is used to help determine the winner of the Leonard Seppala Humanatarian Award, left to take a shower and a much needed nap! A huge thank you to Sophie DeBruin of Stump Jumpin’ Kennel for her and her family’s endless hospitality in Nome. While Travis went to get a much needed nap, I stayed with the dogs. From when the dogs arrive to when the dogs are drugged tested is approximately 3 hours. This gives the mushers (or their help) time to get a meal into the dogs so they can pee when needed.

This year, teams were required to select an individual to stay with dogs until drug testing on the dogs was performed. As I had missed the team immensely and knew the dogs, I volunteered for the job. I gave the dogs a nice snack before laying down some straw and a sleeping bag for myself to hang out in the warm afternoon sunshine with the tem. I curled up with Dolly, who was on my 2016 Iditarod team, and Gremlin.

Travis Beals Finishes 9th in the Iditarod – Iditarod

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Around 7:30 pm the Iditarod drug testing program came over to our team, walked dogs, and took samples. Watching grown adults try to catch dog pee in a little plastic bag is more than a little hilarious! After our samples were collected, I gave the dogs a big meal consisting of beef, chicken skins, a chicken fat blend, and some fish. They drank it down!

After one final pat on the head, it was off to see Travis. When I arrived back at the house, he was already napping. He wanted to be woken up after about a 2 hours sleep.At 9pm I went in to our room “Travis,” I said gently nudging him. “It’s time to wake up.”

Travis had some trouble opening his eyes from how tired he was. “Is that you, Sarah?”

“Yes, it’s me.” I got the distinct impression he wasn’t quite sure what was going on. “Do you know where you are, Travis?”

“I’m in Shaktoolik. Why are you here?”

“Honey, you’ve already finished the Iditarod,” I reminded him.

At that, a huge grin broke across his face and he chuckled. “Oh, right. I knew that.”

We’ve spent the last 24 hours since Travis’ finish playing with the dogs, getting him caught up on sleep, and enjoying our friends and family who are with us in Nome. We really appreciate all the well wishes from friends near and far on Travis’ excellent finish. We look forward to sharing more fun stories and even some videos from the trail in days and weeks to follow.

2018 Iditarod Finishers

Krum
Krum has graduated to the main racing leader this season. She’s a rock solid dog up front who is frisky, fun, and knows how to get the job done. She’s one of the younger dogs on the team at only 3.5  years old but she finished in the 2015 and 2016 Iditarod with Travis and ran to a 7th place Iditarod finish last year with Ray Redington. When Krum isn’t leading the team, she can often be found lounging on the couch inside. Krum is joined by her sisters Granger and Havoc on the team! I expect Krum and her sister Granger will lead a majority of the race!

Blue
Blue! She’s the young gun of the team at 2 years old. She’s done an impeccable job all season, finishing in every race she’s started without a problem. In fact, she’s so good she can be easy to overlook once she’s in the team because she is so smooth and steady. We expect big things from Blue in the years to come, for now, her primary goal is to get as far along in the race as possible, ideally the finish line. I expect if she has any issues, Travis will drop her immediately due to her age. Though she may be small, this little lady is fierce!

Gremlin
Gremlin is 6 years old and one of the smaller females on the team. She has raced and finished in every Iditarod with Travis. She’s a dependable little dog who works hard and knows how to get the job done. Gremlin loves belly rubs and the occasional stint indoors where she can visit with her sister, Goblin. She’s a funny little dog who is like the energizer bunny: she just keeps going and going. Gremlin typically runs in swing but can lead if called upon. I don’t expect her to do much leading but she gives a boost of confidence to the lead dogs when they know she’s right behind them.

Havoc
Havoc is a quirky, expressive dog who graduated from Sarah’s 2016 Iditarod team and believe me, she’s come a long way since then! Havoc wasn’t always a hard worker — she’d travel down the trail well enough but she didn’t pull. Not anymore! She’s learned how to work hard while still maintaining a fun, carefree attitude. Havoc stands out for her extremely expressive “Yoda” ears and her gentleness. This lovely lady is a real gem!

 

Mongoose Turning Heads Kennel Sled DogsMongoose
Mongoose or “Goose” has always been excited to run every day of this season. He’s put on strong performances in the 2016 and 2015 Iditarod. Now at 4 years old, he’s a dynamite force, a solid leader, and a dog capable of charging the team with an electric current of excitement! Goose is also a dog that constantly makes us laugh. He loves rubbing up against things. He also has a very goofy toothy aligator grin. He’s a little on the shy side and prefers to be around people he knows and works with routinely. At dog mushing events, he’s the dog whose feet you can see sticking out from under the trailer.

Dolly
A graduate off of Sarah’s 2016 Iditarod team, Dolly is a phenomenal leader and all around go-getter. She’s one of the most excitable dogs in the team. She’s 4 years old and has single led some of the tougher portions of the race thus far. She’s a fun dog but can be a total pain in the butt: she’s good and she knows it and can sometimes be a little ornery with her teammates. I expect Dolly will do big things for Travis on the coast. She’s always been a real stand out to me, though it’s taken time for Travis to come around to her and let her train with his team. I expect she will be the dog he didn’t know he needed on the coast!

Kip
Kip, like his brother Mongoose, has been ready for Iditarod all year. Each training run he greats with so much enthusiasm that even though he runs in the middle of the team, we often have to hook him up close to last. His excitement spreads quickly to the other dogs. More importantly, Kip is a steady worker who always gives his best. He’s a gentle soul and a rather agreeable dog so he often runs with Dolly as he can put up with her sassy attitude.

 

Fidget
Fidget is THE leading lady, the go-to girl. She has been there every step of the way for Travis in every Iditarod and is the leader he has always been able to count on. When the going gets rough, Fidget gets tough! This amazing lead dog will single lead through the nastiest conditions Alaska can offer and do it with an attitude that says  BRING IT ON! This is one tough dog. She’s pretty well known in Iditarod circles because she is THAT good. Travis felt a pang of pride at vet checks when one of the guys on the insider crew asked: “Where’s Fidget? She’s my favorite dog on the race.”

Check
Check is goofy. He’s a happy go lucky carefree dog. He reminds me of someone with headphones in, grooving to their own beat, walking down some city street. Check does his own thing with a smile on his face. He isn’t the hardest working dog in the team but he is the type of dog who will always find the finish line. Check will lead if he has too, but his carefree attitude and march-to-my-own-beat style don’t always make him a good fit up front.

 

Rowdy
Rowdy is, well, rowdy. Although he is one of the smaller males on the team, what he lacks in size he makes up for in sheer enthusiasm. At the end of a run, Rowdy will be the first dog on his feet saying “WHY ON EARTH HAVE WE STOPPED!” Rowdy will be the dose of pep to the team that they need when the trail gets long and tough.

Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: Into White Mountain

March 13, 2018 by Sarah

Travis Beals departs the 2018 Iditarod from Willow, Alaska. Photo by Kalani Woodlock Photography
Travis Beals departs the 2018 Iditarod from Willow, Alaska. Photo by Kalani Woodlock Photography

Travis is into White Mountain! Travis arrived in White Mountain at 9:33pm and will have to take a mandatory 8-hour rest there. This rest will provide a much-needed break for dogs and musher: it will mark one of the first good opportunities for Travis to sleep since he took his mandatory 8-hour layover in Shageluk 435 miles and 4 days ago. This rest will be crucial for the 77 miles he will have to travel from White Mountain to Nome.

When Travis leaves White Mountain, he is going to need every ounce of energy: it’s going to be one heck of a race to figure out 7th through 10th place. With some of the mushers moving significantly faster than Travis, I expect that he may drop a place or two in the standings but am hoping he will still be able to achieve his goal of his first Iditarod Top 10 Finish.

This race is far from over for Travis but for now, he and his team of loyal dogs get a much-needed rest.

Go Trav, go! Only one more run to go!

Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: The Long Run to Koyuk

March 12, 2018 by Sarah

Wrangler jumps for excitement at the start of the 2018 Iditarod. Photo by Kalani Woodlock
Wrangler jumps for excitement at the start of the 2018 Iditarod. Photo by Kalani Woodlock

Boy, was that a doozy of a run! It’s going to be interesting to hear Travis’ stories from this stretch of the race: getting spun about, ground storms, and just a long, long, long run.

The Iditarod lists the run from Shaktoolik to Koyuk as a 48-mile run. Due to the sea ice that the mushers usually run on getting blown out to sea two weeks ago when the trail crews were going through, the trail was routed closer to the coast and partially overland. This added about 7 miles to the trail when all was said and done so the route was closer to 55 miles.

Travis left Shaktoolik at 12:26pm this morning and arrived at 10:19. His run time was 9 hours and 52 minutes. Ramey Smyth is starting to creep up and did the run approximately an hour faster. If you watch the tracker though, Travis and Wade got lost during the run and ended up running back towards Shaktoolik for approximately 15 minutes.  While theoretically, this was only a 30-minute error, it may have affected the overall speed of the team if their confidence was at all shaken.

I expect that Travis and Wade will take a long rest here, 5 or 6-hours, to recover the team. Richie and Linwood will be arriving at the checkpoint at some point and it will be important to look at their run times before getting a better idea of where Travis really sits.

 

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Recent Posts

  • Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!
  • The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: Into White Mountain
  • Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: The Long Run to Koyuk
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☎ (907) 362-4354

Turning Heads Kennel
31722 Herman Leirer Road
Seward, AK 99664

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Recent Posts

  • Turning Heads Kennel is Featured by The Seward Chamber!
  • The Role of Tourism in Racing the Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Finishes the 2018 Iditarod
  • Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: Into White Mountain
  • Travis Beals Iditarod 2018: The Long Run to Koyuk

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