Hi boys and girls,

Wishing everyone a great New Year!

It’s been pretty exciting around here. Training has started. I’m still too young but I watch my friends here at the kennel get ready and go for runs. They come home with the best stories about what they have seen and done. I sure can’t wait until it’s my turn to go. My human says it will be very soon that my brother Slate and I can go for a short run.

While I’ve been waiting to join the team, I have been talking with my cousin Irving. Irving lives with Karen Ramstead in Alberta, Canada. He is 2 years old and is trying for a position on Karen’s Iditarod team.

Irving told me that Karen has participated in 7 Iditarods. In 2001, she was the red lantern winner. If you don’t knowwhat that is, be sure to look it up at the Iditarod website. She is currently preparing to run in the 2008 Iditarod. Approximately 70 dogs live with Karen and her husband Mark. Karen races, breeds and shows Siberian Huskies. I asked Irving if Karen had a personal goal, and he said her goal is to break the record time for an all Siberian team to finish. That record is right at 12 days. Karen’s fastest time in 2004 was 12 days, 8 hours. That time was the third fastest time for an all Siberian team to complete the Iditarod.

Karen selected 39 dogs to train for her Iditarod team. 20-24 dogs will go to Alaska with Karen and 16 will make her team. 13 of the 39 of those dogs are rookies. You’re called a rookie when you are doing something for the first time. Irving is a rookie. There have already been a few cuts to the team but Irving is still there and trying his best. I asked Irving about his training. He has already run over 600 miles. Wow! That seems like a long way.

Irving said there is so much to learn. He gets a little nervous sometimes and has trouble remember everything he needs to know. He’s not sure he’ll make the team this year, but he sure is trying hard. The hardest thing he’s had to learn is to “Gee over”. Gee over is a command used when the team needs to run on the right side of the trail. This is a very important command when you are sharing the trail with other teams or motor vehicles. Irving says he just gets so excited about running that he doesn’t always hear the important commands. He knows that means he may not make the team so he is trying harder to listen.

Irving says the most exciting thing he’s done is to go camping with Karen and the team. He said the first time he couldn’t understand why they had stopped for so long so he just leaped and barked, telling everyone who would listen that he was ready to go. He said he learned quickly that after a long run, he needs to rest because another long run is going to happen soon.

Irving says he loves training. He says if he doesn’t make the team this year, he’ll try again next year. He is going to continue to work hard and learn all he can. I wish him the best and I’ll let you know if he goes to Alaska with Karen and the team.

So how are you doing with your goals? My human tried a harness on me and said I will be going on a run soon. I can’t wait because that’s the start of my goals. I’m going to work as hard as Irving has so I can make the team at my house. I’m hoping by the time I write again, I will have pictures of my first run to show you.

I hope you are studying hard and are working on your goals.

Until our trails meet again,

Gypsy