Hello again,

Section C Fifth Graders from Walker, Louisiana also wrote questions for Zuma to answer.  I’m still filling for Zuma.  It’s been a lot of responsibility but I have enjoyed reading and answering your questions.  If I can’t answer a particular question, I will leave it for Zuma to answer when she returns. 

Taylor: What are the mushers like?  Mushers are like any other person. They have families, and houses.  Some have regular jobs along with the job of taking care of their kennels. They love their dogs and spend lots of time with them. They all have set goals and work hard to met those goals.
Constance: What is your favorite bootie and why?  I don’t really like booties but know I have to wear them to keep my feet safe. 

Jaylee: Where did you get your name from?  I can’t answer for Zuma but my litter was named after rocks.  My real name is Gypsum.  Gypsy is my nickname. 

Breann: Why did you choose a job on the website instead of being a sled dog?  I’m lucky to be both.  I run on a recreational team.

Steven: What was the most challenging Iditarod race? Explain.  I think each race is challenging in it’s own way.  Also some parts of each race may be challenging while the other parts are easy.  Let me research this a little more and see if I can find a better answer for you.

Andrew: How long has your human had you? What is your relationship like?  My owner has had me since the day I was born.  Our relationship is pretty special.  She says it’s because my litter was the first litter born here and we are very special to her.  She is also the first human that touched me and held me.  I feel really lucky that I got to stay here when I grew up.

Kody: Under what conditions is it easier to run in the Iditarod race?  Colder weather is better for the dogs than warmer conditions.  Warmer conditions make for a slower race as the dogs need to rest a little more.  Snow packed trails make for better runs. 

Tristan: What is the hardest part about pulling the sled?  The sled is pretty easy to pull especially when there are 10-16 dogs on the team.  The harderst part for me since I’m new to sledding is that I can’t chase squirrels or stop and smell all the good smells along the trail.

Colby: Which lead dog has won the most races and what characteristics make him a winner?  This question is asked a lot and I don’t have an answer to it.  We’ll have to see if Zuma knows.

Josh: Why do some mushers drop early in the race?
(We were disappointed when ours dropped and wondered what caused them to stop the race)  Mushers drop out for a variety of reasons but mostly it’s for the health of the dogs on the team or their own health.  You can find out why your musher dropped out by going to www.iditarod.com and going to the “media and press” section.  There is a press release listed for each scratch.

Hunter: If you were to be in a sled dog team, which position would you like to be in and why?  I want to be a lead dog.  Right now I have been running in the swing or team postion because of my age.  I’m hoping next year when I’m 2, I’ll get to try lead.

Victoria: Do you think you would have been friends with Balto? What do the others dogs think about the legend of Balto?  I think Balto is a very brave dog.  I try to be friends with all the dogs I meet so hopefully we would have been friends. 

Patrick: Who is your favorite dog friend and why?  My brother Slate.  We have been together since the day we were born and we have been the best of friends ever since.

Conner: What do your family members think about your profession? Who are your family members?  My family is very supportive of my journalism career.  My family consists of my humans and the other dogs that I live with.  They include my Grandma Lyra, Mommy Paige, my brother Slate, and 5 other Siberians.

Braxton: Where on the trail do teams get attacked by moose? What do the other dogs fear while on the trail? Has anyone been killed?  I think moose can appear anywhere on the trail.  Usually they do not bother a team.  Just like people, dogs fear different things. 

Sara: How many times has your musher won?  Explain why your musher does or does not race.   All of the K-9 journalist follow all the mushers.  While we may have a personal favorite, we as journalist need to be fair to all the teams out on the trail.

Sarah: Who are your friends and enemies? What makes them your friend or enemy?  My friends are the dogs at my kennel.  I try not to have enemies although sometimes I get into little fights with the other dogs.  They are nothing major just little “don’t do that” arguments.  My closest dog friends play nice with me, share their toys (and I share mine with them) and we all play chase together. 

Seth: What do you and your other dog friends play when you are at home?  Playing chase out in the dog run is one of our favorite things to do.  We like to dig holes big enough to lay in also. 

Emily: We ate GORP after testing. What is your favorite candy?  I never get to eat candy although one time I grabbed a jelly bean that fell on the floor.  It was so good but my human won’t give me any more.  Occasionally,  my human will buy special dog biscuits that are dipped in carob.  They are pretty good also but not as good as jelly beans.

One of our classmates brought a half wolf/half Siberian Husky (Sie) to school. We LOVED his ice blue eyes. If you’re ever down in South Louisiana maybe we can arrange a get-together. We can serve crawfish, strawberries, and a sweet confection of pecans and brown sugar called pralines.  That sure sounds good. My humans says I can’t have the pralines because it would be too much like candy.  I think she just wants them all to herself!

I hope I answered your questions.  I really enjoyed reading your letters.  Zuma should be adding to these posts soon so check back in a few days. 

Happy trails,

Gypsy