This month’s question comes from….. Every kid in America: 

What happens if the dogs have to go to the bathroom? Do you have to stop and scoop it up? 

Chocolate Kisses and Goggles

Excitement echoes in the kennel as the dogs, supreme canine athletes, are getting ready to do what they love – RUN! The dogs, like any competitors, are fed the best diets and receive the best care. Yes, dog poop is important to good health. 

A musher knows the characteristics of each dog in their team. They know if a dog has the ability to poop on the fly or stop and drop their chocolate kisses. Some dogs will naturally just give a slight look back, loosen up on their tug, shuffle a bit, but keep going. Some just need their teammates to help pull them along while they do a dance poop shuffle. Mushers know some dogs feel the need to stop.  Those dogs, particularly if leaders, need encouragement to keep going or the mushers will need to slow or stop the team to avoid tangles in the gangline. 

Clean up on a run differs from kennel clean up. A dogteam normally running wooded trails would not clean up poop. But back at the kennel or if skijoring/ canicross public trails, the poop is cleaned up and discarded for composting. 

Enjoy a great run with a dog team but be cautious not to eat chocolate kisses and be sure to wear goggles.

By: Lynne Witte