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Zuma's Paw Prints
Dear Friends, We dogs have family in the Iditarod as do the mushers. For example, some of Dan Kaduce’s dogs are litter mates. You can tell by the theme of their names: Wonton, Fried Rice, Kimchi. Can you figure out the theme? Litters of sled dog pups are typically named to fit with a theme. …
Dear Friends, Teams are coming into Nome like crazy now! The mushers share about their amazing dogs that continued to lead the team and work together. Dan Kaduce is the only musher to have his entire team still with him in Nome, all 14 dogs! Why do some teams come in with fewer dogs? …
Hello friends, Congratulations Slater, Pink, Garnet, Marble, Morello, Lucy, Woody, Tock, Capone, Pop, Arlo, Kutuk, Jackson and Draco! These are the K9s that helped Brent Sass win the 2022 Iditarod. 11 dogs on the team came under the Burled Arch in Nome with tails wagging and smiles on their doggie faces. Awwooooo! It was quite …
Dear Friends, What an exciting day this will be! We may have a champion come into Nome! Right now, the mushers are looking pretty tired. We dogs get much more rest than the humans; the mushers must be sure to take care of us first, feeding and resting us. After that, they can rest. At …
Dear Friends, I hope you are enjoying watching the progress of the teams going down the Iditarod Trail! The varied landforms and weather on this race make it hard to predict how quickly a team can progress. Traveling through the Farewell Burn, frozen moguls of snow had formed like speed bumps. Sled runners broke, sleds …
Dear Friends, You may have noticed that sometimes mushers and teams blow through checkpoints with a very short stop. The volunteer checkers need to check sled gear, number of dogs, and get a signature from the mushers. Veterinarians check the teams quickly. Why don’t the teams stay longer in each checkpoint? Some mushers feel that …
Hello friends, BOWWOW! What a race! At this writing only 16 miles separates Brent Sass and Dallas Seavey. 39 miles beyond Seavey is Aaron Burmeister. With Sass only 181 miles from the finish line, this is a nail biter. Speaking of the finish line, my friend Lucy from Michigan wants to know how they came …
Dear Friends, Sled dogs are amazing animals! They are loyal and work as a team. Loyal means being committed to a team or a person, always willing to do what it takes to help and support. Veteran musher Jeff King took over Nic Petit’s team at the last minute when Nic couldn’t go. Jeff says …
Dear Friends, Most of the mushers and dog teams have taken the mandatory 24 hour rest now. Even though you don’t always hear about it, the teams usually have their own run-rest schedule all along the trail. Some teams move for three hours and then rest for three hours. We also get fed and …
Dear Friends, Sled dogs like cold. We sleep outside and have wonderful fur coats with two layers. The inner layer of soft hair is like a blanket next to our skin to keep us warm. Guard hair is the outer layer that protects us from ice, snow, and dirt. The ideal temperature for us to …