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Turning Heads Kennel

Alaska Dog Sledding Tours

The Hardest Part Of Competitively Racing Sled Dogs

April 29, 2015 by Sarah

The races are over. The season has ended. The snow occasionally falls sticking to the ground for a few short hours before the sun breaks. We are ready for spring and are busy working on preparing for future seasons of competitively racing sled dogs.

We are proud of having an 11th place Iditarod team but we are already setting our sights higher for Iditarod 2016.  This year’s goal was to place in the Top 20 of Iditarod and get the Most Improved award. Travis took that goal and he ran with it, all season long, until finally, he made it a reality.

Growing Upon Our Success

So now, after the race, our biggest question becomes: How do we improve off of this year’s success? The only way to continue to be successful is to analyze your strengths and weaknesses and figure out where you can improve. Racing sled dogs requires constant assessment of yourself, your dogs, your training schedule and your racing schedule.

Part of improving our kennel began years ago when we took the best dogs off of Travis’ Iditarod 2013 and bred them. We decided that we liked the sheer enthusiasm, speed, and gait of Copper and bred him to several of our best females. One of the pups from that breeding, Mongoose, excelled so much he made the 2015 Iditarod team. We expect to see his siblings join him on the race squad next year. Now, almost two years old, we know what breeding with Copper produced the best results and we are repeating it.

We are also planning to breed our superstar leading lady Fidget, again. All 3 of her puppies ran Iditarod this year and all 3 finished in either 10th or 11th place. That is beyond impressive. She had 100% success at producing Top 20 Iditarod finishers.

We have also decided to split a litter with Paul Gebhardt. Paul has a very distinct line of dogs and some of the hardest working dogs in our kennel trace into his lines. This year, Travis made sure to watch Paul’s team cross under the burled arch in Nome. “We are buying dogs from him,” Travis said as we watched Paul’s team come in a few hours after Travis finish. I agreed whole-heartedly so in early April, we purchased three dogs from Paul and made arrangements to split a litter. Travis was excited about the dogs but I am really looking forward to raising this litter after having seen their older siblings.

Facing Tough Choices

With all these new young dogs being bred and others now reaching maturity, some difficult decisions need to be made. How many dogs do we really want to own? How many dogs do we really need to be successful?

So we’ve started answering those questions.

This past fall we started making preparations by starting to find potential home for dogs who would be retiring. Most of our dogs are young, but we have a few older dogs who, at some point, will certainly retire. We started an email list for those who were interested in adopting a retired sled dog and we welcome anyone who is interested in doing so to Fill Out Our Adopt A Dog Questionnaire. It is by no means a commitment but if we have an older dog come available for adoption it would allow you to learn more about the dog.

But that wasn’t hard, that was an easy thing for us to do. We want our dogs to find good homes!

The hardest part of competitively racing sled dogs is having to ask ourselves which teammates in our kennel could be performing better elsewhere? What dogs in our kennel would benefit from being in another kennel and would be an asset to another musher?

We had to answer these difficult questions so that we can continue to focus on our goal: Be Iditarod Champions. It’s been long and hard and its involved some late nights trying to figure out how to proceed.

We made a very difficult decision: we decided to sell some of our dogs.

On Monday, we said goodbye to some of our favorite teammates – teammates who for a long time were the foundation of our kennel — and we wish them well in their new life and know that they will bring their new owner as much joy as they brought us.

We are thankful they all went together to a musher in Canada. We don’t think they could have gone to a better home. Their new home has 140 acres and will focus on 200 and 300 mile races, where these dogs will be superstars. Their new musher is excited to have them and we are excited that we found our dogs such a good home.

We’d like to honor these dogs for all the hard work and love they gave us.

Ayla

Ayla after a dog sled tour in Seward
Ayla at our home in Seward, Alaska

Ayla joined our kennel last summer and spent the season training with us. She was an incredibly fun dog to work with and was very happy and hard-driving. We are certain she will do big things in the years to come.

Pinky

Pinky gives a good stretch after a dog sled tour
Pinky gives a good stretch after a dog sled tour

Pinky was born the summer of 2012 when we first started doing dog sled tours. I was in the hospital at the time and remember Travis bringing pictures. I was so excited when I got home to finally meet them.

An Alaska Mushing Tour featuruing Pinky and Mary
Pinky (left) and Mary (right)

Pinky has always been an incredible dog. She is an impressive force up front and started racing with us this year. She never quite fit in with our team because she was such a hound dog. Big, white, floppy eared and nothing but lean muscle. She is a happy force to be reckoned with and we know she will become the new backbone of the team.

Freddie

Freddy helps give dog sled tours in Alaska and likes to tip his dog house over.
Freddie was famous at our kennel for tipping his house over. He tried to knock it over every single day.

Travis will be the first to admit that Freddie is a great dog but for whatever reason, Freddie has never quite fit in here. He is a hard working dog and has excelled in 200 & 300 mile events, finishing every mid-distance race he’s entered. He was a part of Travis’ 2013 Iditarod team and was left out of the 2014 team at the last minute, which Travis later regretted.

Freddie is fathered by famous dog named Solomon who was owned by Jon Little and later by Jake Berkowitz. Everyone in the mushing world is currently breeding Solomon dogs. Just like how Lance’s Zorro became a popular stud when he was winning, Solomon became known for his hardworking attitude and his insatiable appetite.

But we’ve never been the type of folk who went with the crowd. Freddie is beautifully gaited, extremely hardworking, and is a terrific eater. We know he will make his new owners happy and help propel them to success.

Mary

PageLines- Mary.jpgIf you had told me this fall that we would sell Mary, I would have told you that you were crazy. Mary has been with us since the beginning. She helped Travis finish his first Iditarod in 2013 and has been a stable presence in our kennel. She is incredibly reliable, unbearably sweet, and saying goodbye to her was gut wrenching. She runs lead flawlessly and is truly a great dog.

We will miss you so very much, Mary. We wish you happiness and success in your new home!

Weiser

Saying goodbye to Weiser was so hard for me that when I walked him to the truck I stopped, put him back on a house, and sat with him. Were we really saying goodbye? Weiser was the dog that took me out of the starting chute of my very first 200 mile race, the 2012 Tustumena 200. He solidified my love of racing sled dogs by his performance, his love, and the love he gave me.

Sarah Stokey in the 2011 Tustumena 200 Dog Sled Race
Sarah Stokey in the 2012 Tustumena 200. Photo courtesy of Clark Fair.

He has always been a force in the team and in the kennel. During our summer tours when we had large groups of people it went without saying that Weiser would be hooked up: he was so strong. When he leapt in the air, it didn’t matter how heavy the load was Weiser would undoubtedly budge it. Big, broad-chested and incredibly strong he was an incredible force. On top of that, he became a good leader and had a great gait. He was the complete package!

When we had our first logo made, Weiser was put front and center on it. He was, and still is, the face of our kennel.

rp_logo.jpg

Goodbye Weiser! We know you will have incredible adventure and great success in your new home.

 

So Now What?

So now we spend a few days looking at the empty houses in our dog lot. At night we talk about how much we loved these dogs and how even though they are gone they are still with us. They hold a piece of our hearts just as we hold a piece of theirs.

They are gone but will never be forgotten. They are not with us, but we carry them with us knowing all the love and hard work they gave us got us to this point.

We are sad. We are heartbroken. But we know we did right by our dogs, our kennel, and ourselves. We are happy in knowing that our dogs went to an incredible home.

And we take comfort in knowing that Canada really isn’t all that far away.

Already, I want to visit.

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Turning Heads Kennel
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.
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 💕 Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 💕
Sunshine, mountains, and snow in the not so distan Sunshine, mountains, and snow in the not so distant future.🤞🏻

#turningheadskennel #dogsledding #falltraining #iditarod #mountains #optoutside #instadog #husky #huskygram #instahusky #mushergram #alaska #seward #dogsofinstagram #iditaroddogs #mountainlife #fall #falltransition #winteriscoming #oneteamonedream #trainhard
These spectacular fall days are 💯 #dogsledding These spectacular fall days are 💯

#dogsledding #dogmushing #instadog #dogsofinstagram #sleddog #husky #huskylife #huskies #instahusky #iditarod #seward #alaska #alaskalife #instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogs #happyplace #fall #dogstagram #huskygram
In the early days of fall, sometimes the cool morn In the early days of fall, sometimes the cool morning air gives way to a lingering sun-kissed warmth. When that happens, the dogs are all too eager to mush down the many little stream beds near our home.

#iditarod #dogsledding #mushing #seward #alaska #instadog #instahusky #explore #explorwithyourdog #iditaroddogs #instamush #huskygram #huskiesofinstagram #huskynation #huskylove #getoutside #optoutsidr #outdoordogs #turningheadskennel #sewardalaska
Hobie, with a salmon snack.⁠ ⁠ Our dogs eat fi Hobie, with a salmon snack.⁠
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Our dogs eat fish as part of their diet. Did you know that at the height of training and racing, sled dogs consume a whooping 13,000 calories a day? These dogs can pack away the food!⁠
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Salmon is a great snack year-round as it is high in water content. It helps keeps the dogs hydrated in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter!⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky #yumm #salmon #fishsticks #munchies #bigappetities
Calysta and Goblin demonstrate some of the gear we Calysta and Goblin demonstrate some of the gear we use to protect our dogs out on the trail.⁠
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#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska #dogmodel #dogjacket #nonstopdogwear
Can't wait for those early mornings on the trail w Can't wait for those early mornings on the trail where the night fades into day.⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska #nature #907 #photography #naturelovers #beauty #photooftheday #wilderness #alaskaphotography #outdoors #wanderlust #alaskaliving #naturephotography #travel
PHASMA. ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ Or as we lovingly call her " PHASMA. ⁠
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Or as we lovingly call her "Spazz-ma" ⁠
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Phasma is a happy, high-energy, go-getter and is fun addition to any team.⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs ⁠
#turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs ⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky
Goodbyes are the hardest part of mushing but an in Goodbyes are the hardest part of mushing but an inevitable part of owning a kennel. It never gets easy.

Today we said “see you later” to 8 dogs: Lizzie, Wrestler, Vrabel, & Mouse who left for Delta Junction and Schooner, Zema, Breck, & Check who headed off to Nome.

Dogs leave our kennel for various reasons but  generally it can be summed up by that they will have more and better opportunities elsewhere or to provide talent in their new home that is needed.
Just because they leave our yard, doesn’t mean they leave our heart. 💕💕💕

(And yes, I still cry every time )
- Sarah
🎶The best way to spread some cheer is singing l 🎶The best way to spread some cheer is singing loud for all to hear 🎶

#mushing #sleddogs #huskies #elf #iditarod #alaska #dogsledding #kennel #seward #sunset #singing #howling #howlforhealthcareworkers #dogs #instadog #dogstagram #travelingdogs #dogsofinstagram #turningheadskennel #love #lovetosing #spreadjoy #hAppy
Life is better shared with dogs. 💕 So proud of Life is better shared with dogs. 💕
So proud of this incredibly talented group of athletes. We are lucky to share such an amazing life together!
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#dogsledding #iditarod #alaska #explore #denalihighway #mushing #bluesky #getoutside #optoutside #huskygramn#magic #explorealaska #wanderlust #instadog #huskies #huskygram #dogstagram #sunlight #winter #snow #peaceful #happydogs #workingdogs #epic
Earlier in the year we broke a lot of trail. So gl Earlier in the year we broke a lot of trail. So glad as this year #Iditarod is going to be SNOWY!
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#dogsledding #mushing #alaska #eureka #explore #sleddogs #huskies #musherlife #instadog #workingdog #dogslife #happydogs #winter #getoutside #optoutside #wanderlust #alaskalife #snow #snowy #instahusky #husklove #travel #travelgram
The #iditarod race team is busy training hard 😂 The #iditarod race team is busy training hard 😂😂😂
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Don’t be fooled — Fun, rest, and recovery are JUST as important as miles in leading up to race day!
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One week til the #Anchorage start! We’re ready! Are you?!
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#dogsledding #mushing #huskies #instahusky #huskygram #dogstagram #workingdogs #doglife #dogteam #sleddog #sleddogs #mustlovedogs #doghouse #ilovedogs #mush #alaska #doglovers #instadogs #instadog #alaskanhuskies #alaskaphotography #dogmushing #northernlife #dog #doggo #dogphotography
Down to the last few days before #Iditarod 2020. W Down to the last few days before #Iditarod 2020. We did a HUGE shout on our facebook. Did you see it?⁠
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>> https://www.facebook.com/turningheadskennel/⁠
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#instadog #dogsofinstagram #dogslife #mustlovedogs⁠
#husky #huskies #huskygram #instahusky⁠
#getoutside #explore #adventure #explorealaska #alaska⁠
#denalihighway #cantwell #turningheadskennel #iditarod #dogsledding #sleddogs #dogsledding #mushing #northernlife #alaska #explore #travelgram #snow #winter #optoutside
Suns out, tongues out! Vrable & Wrangler . . . . Suns out, tongues out! 
Vrable & Wrangler
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#iditarod #dogsledding #happydogs #instadogs #dogsofinstagram #mushing #alaska #husky #huskies #huskygram #instahuskies #mushlovedogs #mustlovedogs #explore #optoutside #winter #snow #workingdogs #explorealaska #workingdog #travel #travelgram #instatravel
Delta. This spitfire finished the 2019 Iditarod w Delta.

This spitfire finished the 2019 Iditarod with Sarah and the 2020 Kuskokwim 300 with Travis.

Delta is an amazing, tenacious dog. We love her intense personality punctuated with moments of goofiness.

This dog is 🔥🔥🔥 Go Delta 🎉 
#dogsledding #iditarod #dogsofinstagram #sleddogs #mushing #mushinglife #huskygram #instahusky #instahuskies #huskiesofinstagram #instadog #instatravel #dogsofinsta #optoutside #alaska #alaskanadventures #thealaskalife #explore #happydogs #mustlovedogs #itsadogslife #🐾
Meet Birdie. Yesterday, she and her teammates had Meet Birdie.

Yesterday, she and her teammates had their pre-race ECGs and bloodwork. This is mandatory preparation in order for a dog to be eligible to compete in #Iditarod

The ECGs look for cardiac arrhythmias and heart murmurs that may otherwise go undetected. The bloodwork that is done also helps ensure everyone is physically sound.

These incredible scientific tools are an important part of the pre-race dog care that goes into competing in a 1,000 mile long race.

Many incredible volunteers put in countless hours to help mushers ensure that dogs heading out on the trail don’t have any unseen medical conditions.

Thank you to everyone for their hard work!

#dogsledding #mushing #winter #dogsofinstagram
Movin & groomin! . . . Trail work never ends. Keep Movin & groomin!
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Trail work never ends. Keeping our trails in tip-top condition is a full time labor of love and requires constant work. It’s a part of dog sledding often overlooked as it goes on “behind the scenes” but it a crucial part of keeping our dogs safe and healthy. Good trails means stable footing and less chance of an athletic related injury such as a muscle strain. Thanks @alaskabackcountryaccess for the snowgo to use.
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#dogsledding #iditarod #mushing #snow #snowgo #trailgrooming #dogs #huskies #huskygram #getoutside #mustlovedogs #alaska #winter #explorealaska #instadog #workingdog #snowdog #snowdogsofinstagram #huskylove #travel #winterwonderland
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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
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