Sled Dog Psychology: The Slump

By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and its impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our new website at http://www.teamineka.com

 The Slump

 “Has your team slumped yet?” is a common question in January. After heavy training in November and December, the whole team can go into a slump.  In a way, the slump is good, because the dogs learn that they must work whether they enjoy it or not.  The trick is to pull them out of it before the Big Event.

Mushers should first recognize the problem.  Are the dogs eager on the chain or in the kneel, but lack spirit on the trail?  Do you climb a hill and there is no power?  Do they not have any rhythm or unity?  Tugs go slack and enthusiasm wanes.  They bicker, goof off, and look for excuses to mess up.

Next, a musher must determine the cause of the problem.  Are the dogs fatigued, dehydrated, on a poor diet, suffering from infections or bad feet?  Or are they simply bored?  Only in the last case is the problem psychological and this usually goes together with general fatigue.

The musher should rest the dogs for a few days, then run them on new trails, even if you have to truck them somewhere.  Surprise them—head out the twenty-mile trail but turn back after three miles.  Time off is the best bet.  The dogs will bounce back eager and responsive, without backsliding much physically.  This is called peaking the team.

Pep talks along the trail can work wonders.  Most mushers will walk among the dogs, telling them how fantastic they are, even if you have to sometimes lie.  This works well after a bad run.  Maybe the dogs were pushed too hard on a hot day, or maybe the dogs had a fight, and they are now shooting dirty looks at each other.  After correcting the problem and the dogs are going reasonably well, the musher should stop and walk among the dogs.  They will not feel so bad.  On a long, tough pull, frequent stops keep the dogs motivated.  They will not worry that the musher will never stop, so they slack off less. A musher should be careful not stop too often or it will break their rhythm and annoy the dogs.

If the dogs rebel during a slump, a musher should not demand too much; but should not let them take advantage of you either. The musher should just cut the run short.  A good musher will keep the trip home upbeat, because the dogs go to sleep remembering the last thing that they learned during the day, not the first.  If the musher must run them the next day, they should go on a different trail or they will almost certainly have a repeat disaster.

A veteran musher’s advice is to make certain the dogs think you are holding them back, even when they are tired. The question is how? The answer is by using reverse psychology.  When the dogs are tired, they are glad to stop, but after a few minutes, they are usually ready to go again.  This time lapse is called the recovery time.  If the musher asks the dogs to go before they recover, they will have no enthusiasm. If the musher asks the dogs to go afterward, they need no second bidding; this is reverse psychology. 

Many mushers feel that like children, the dogs are trying to get the better of them.  If they think that you want to go, they want to stay, and vice-versa.  The turning point in their mood comes after they have recovered, when they feel like going again.  Standing up, shaking off, harness-banging, braking, and looking back are signs that the dogs have recovered.  It is important to note at this time that most behaviorists believe that dogs are not out to spite their owners, or “get the better of them”.  Whichever view an individual may hold it is important to ask, “What is really happing here, and what is the dog trying to communicate?”

By stopping when the dogs are not ready to stop and by resting longer than they feel is necessary, the musher is using reverse psychology to make them want to go.  It keeps them willing to go on a tough trail.  If the musher knows his dogs well, they will know when their dogs have recovered, even if they do not stand up together.  Shaking the handle-bow, whistling, or clucking brings the dogs to their feet readily.  The recovery period varies considerably, but half a minute to five minutes is usually all it takes.

Lead dogs require special attention because their attitude can hold together a ragged team.  Depressed leaders often turn a deaf ear to commands.  They must be replaced to avoid a worsening problem.  Just moving them back in the team can work miracles; or ask the dogs to go slower so that they are not pushing the front end so hard.

Next Week: Problem Dogs

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Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and is training for the Iditarod. Dr. Forto is also the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto is the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Stefan Teplan und Björn Klauer auf Trekking-Tour durch die arktische Eiswüste: Weiße Wildnis statt grauer Mauern. 50 Huskys statt 100 PS. Polarruhe statt Großstadtlärm. Der Hamburger Björn Klauer machte seine Träume wahr. Jetzt erfüllt er die Träume von anderen – als Schlittenhundkönig von Lappland

(Erstveröffentlichung im Magazin Weltbild, Nr. 2/1999)

Ausriss aus Weltbild 2, 99, S. 23

Hinter seinem Haus, im Vorratsschuppen, hängt ein halber Elch. Seit acht Tagen. Wären es acht Wochen, würde auch das Björn Klauer nicht stören. Hier in Innset, weiß der deutsche Aussteiger, wird so schnell nichts schlecht. 250 Kilometer nördlich des Polarkreises, im Herzen Lapplands, am Ende der Welt, da besorgt die Tiefkühlung allein die Natur. Fast das ganze Jahr über. Nicht acht Wochen, nein „acht Monate lang herrscht bei uns strenger Winter“, sagt Klauer. Von Oktober bis Mai bleibt vor seiner Husky-Farm der See gefroren, der Schnee liegen, umgibt sein Blockhaus in der nordischen Wildnis nichts als weiße Wüste. Minustemperaturen von 30 bis 40 Grad sind dann keine Ausnahme, sondern die Regel.

So etwas kennt man aus dem Archipel Gulag. Aber Klauer befindet sich nicht in einem sibirischen Straflager. Er ist freiwillig in arktische Regionen gezogen. Noch mehr: Er genießt es. Der Mann, der in die Kälte kam, sagt unverfroren: „In Deutschland möchte ich nie mehr leben.“ Kein Traumjob, kein Luxusappartement, keine zehn Pferde könnten ihn zurückholen. Den Traumjob hat er schon. Teuren Appartements zieht er einfache Biwakzelte vor. Und was die zehn Pferde betrifft: Aus Innset bringen ihn höchsten s Schlittenhunde weg. Überallhin in die Wildnis. Ein Satz, mit dem ihn einmal das Skandinavien-Magazin Nordis zitierte, sagt alles: „Gebt mir Hunde! Gebt mir Winter! Den Rest könnt ihr behalten!“

Björn Klauer lebt nicht nur in, er lebt von der Kälte. Von seinen 50 Hunden, Mischungen aus Sibirien- und Grönländer-Huskys, die für das Leben in Polarregionen geschaffen sind. Von jenen, die seine Tiere brauchen, um diese Gebiete bereisen zu können – endlose Wüsten aus Eis und Schnee, in denen der Hundeschlitten das einzig nützliche Fortbewegungsmittel ist, weil alle technischen Segnungen des 20. Jahrhunderts hier von der Gewalt der Natur kläglich versagen. Und letztlich von jenen, die für einige Tage „Klauer auf Zeit“ spielen wollen. Die aus dem Alltagstrott der Zivilisation ausbrechen und in der letzten unberührten Wildnis Europas lernen möchten, was sie entweder ver- oder nie gelernt haben: Ursprünglichkeit zu spüren.

Nach 14 Jahren in Norwegen gilt der Deutsche unter den zahlreichen Veranstaltern von Husky-Touren in Skandinavien als besonders profiliert und populär. Für Günter Kläs aus Düsseldorf, einer der vielen Stammgäste, die Winter für Winter mit ihm auf Tour gehen, „ist Björn Klauer der Beste überhaupt. Das findet man sonst nicht, dass einer so professionell von A bis Z alles alleine macht: die Hunde züchten, die Schlitten anfertigen, das Hundegeschirr nähen. Und dann natürlich die absolut sichere Führung der Touren durch die Wildnis. Da weiß man wirklich, dass man in guten Händen ist bei einem, der alles mit Herz macht.“

Unterwegs in weißer Weite. Ausriss aus Weltbild Nr. 2 / 1999

Klauers Herz für ein Leben unter freiem Polarhimmel schlug schon, als er noch im Bürogebäude einer Hamburger Druckerei saß. Feuer gefangen für das Outdoor-Leben hatte er sogar noch früher, zu Schulzeiten. „Ich bin gerade 16 Jahre alt, als ich auf meiner ersten Wanderung entlang der Ostseeküste; von Kiel nach Flensburg, das Leben draußen kennenlerne. Diese Erfahrungen lassen mich nicht mehr los. Ich fühle mich erst richtig wohl, wenn nichts anderes um mich herum ist als die Natur, keine anderen Geräusche zu hören sind als die natürlichen und nichts anderes in der Luft ist als die Gerüche in der Natur. Ein Urlaub im Auto oder am Strand in der Sonne liegend befriedigt mich nicht, hinterlässt in mir nichts“, schreibt Klauer rückblickend in seinem ersten Buch „Norwegen zu Fuß“.

So berauschend solche Erlebnisse wirkten, so frustrierend war jedesmal die Rückkehr. Klauer konnte keinem Urlaub, „diesen maximal vierwöchigen Besuchen der Natur“, mehr etwas abgewinnen. Kaum hatte er „das zivilisierte Leben mehr oder minder abgestreift, dem Regen, Sturm oder der Kälte immer gleichgültiger“ gegenüber gestanden, war die schöne Zeit „auch schon um.“ In ihm wuchs ein Traum: „Einmal über alle vier Jahreszeiten hinweg, irgendwann, irgendwo ohne Unterbrechung die Natur zu erleben.“

Träume wie diese haben viele, den Mut zur Verwirklichung wenige. Aber wer gelernt hat, „die Güter, die die Natur uns anbietet, zu nutzen“, dem sind Existenzängste fremd. Klauer gab seinen Arbeitsplatz auf und durchquerte, ausgestattet nur mit den dürftigsten Habseligkeiten, Norwegen von Oslo bis an die russische Grenze zu Fuß und auf Skiern – in einer elfmonatigen, 3500 Kilometer langen Mammut-Tour. Fast ein Jahr lang lebte er, begleitet von seinem Schlittenhund Keito, nur in und aus der Natur, am „unteren Rand des Existenzminimums“, hat sich dabei aber „im großen und ganzen pudelwohl gefühlt“.

Ein Privatpilot brachte mit seiner kleinen Beachcraft Stefan Teplan in die nordische Eiswüste. Ausriss aus Weltbild Nr. 2 / 1999

Es kam, wie es unausweichlich kommen musste: Nach einem Jahr in skandinavischen naturparadiesen zog ihn nichts mehr nach Deutschland zurück. „Was“, fraget er sich, „hatte ich dort eigentlich noch verloren – und was hatte ich hier nichtalles zu gewinnen?“ Aussteigen war beschlossenen Sache, Klauer ließ sich zunächst im nordnorwegischen Nyksund nieder, seine Freundin und heutige Ehefrau Jutta, mit der er die Söhne Jan und Morten hat, folgte ihm auf abenteuerlichen Wegen nach: Im tiefsten Winter überquerte sie in einem alten VW-Bus den Polarkreis. Heute hat sie eine Stelle als Sozialarbeiterin.

14 Jahre sind seitdem vergangen. Aus dem kleinen Hundegespann, das sich die Familie anfangs nur für Privatzwecke hielt, wurde eine große Husky-Farm mit professionellem Touren-Unternehmen, das Besucher aus ganz Europa anzieht. Und aus dem deutschen Einwanderer, der mit fast nichts in der Tasche kam, wurde der Schlittenhundkönig von Lappland.

Er hat seine Träume wahrgemacht. Jetzt erfüllt er die Träume anderer. Ein, zwei oder drei Wochen lang können seine Gäste mit ihm die nordische Tundra durchqueren, über zugefrorene Seen, über Berge, durch Birkenwälder – jeder mit eigenem Hundegespann. Der Tour voraus geht ein Einweisungstag, in dem Meister Klauer Anfänger in die Künste des Mushing, wie das Schlittenhundfahren im Fachjargon heißt, einweist, den Umgang mit den Huskys lehrt, Maßregeln für das Verhalten bei Schneesturm erteilt. Expeditionsleiter Klauer fährt dann mit dem Gepäckschlitten, auf dem er einen Kompass montiert hat, voraus und steuert in Tagesabständen Übernachtungshütten, auf manchen Routen auch Lappenzelte (Tipis) an. Erschweren schlechte Witterungsbedingungen das Vorwärtskommen, werden Biwakzelte aufgebaut. „Wir machen hier keine Rennen“, erklärt er, „es ist im Grunde völlig gleichgültig, ob wir eine Stunde früher oder später ankommen.“ Stress und deutsche Hektik muss man hier als erstes ablegen.

Abends am Lagerfeuer, wenn Klauer das zu Hause vorbereitete und dann tiefgefrorene essen aufsetzt, zeigt sich nebenher das erzählerische Talent des deutschen Jack London, der auch den abenteuerlichen Expeditionsbericht „Mit Huskys durch Lappland“ geschrieben hat. Noch spannender freilich wirken diese Geschichten, wenn man selbst mitten drin im Abenteuer steckt und Klauer persönlich zuhören kann, während er heißen Tee oder Grog vor dem Zelt schlürft, neben sich die an einem Stahlseil für die Nacht festgeketteten Huskys, die sich gerade zum Schlafen in den Schnee einrollen, um sich nichts al weite, weiße nordische Wildnis.

Spätestens da werden seine Gäste von einer Krankheit erfasst, gegen die keine Impfung mehr hilft: Klauer hat sie mit dem, wie er es nennt, „Schlittenhund-Virus“ infiziert. Und er warnt aus Erfahrung: „Wer davon erwischt wird, dem geht es wie mir – dann werden auch zwei Wochen Natur pur irgendwann nicht mehr genug sein.“

© Stefan Teplan

Training Leaders

By Robert Forto, PhD

I have been a professional musher with Team Ineka for the past fifteen years and I am just getting back into it full time after a hiatus of several years for what I like to call, life getting in the way. I have moved from northern Minnesota to Colorado and there just isn’t enough snow here so I will probably move back in the near future or maybe to Alaska where, as they say, the real mushers live. I cannot say if that is true or not but I am willing to find out.

Each week I bring you a short article about the sport of dog sledding. In the past few weeks I wrote about sled dog psychology and that was a lot of fun. Now we are going to get into training. There are many ways to train a dog team and the mushing greats will tell you it’s all about knowing yourself and knowing your dogs. I have had the pleasure (and the pain) of literally living with a pack of sled dogs and what an experience that was. We will discuss that in later posts. But now, here is a brief overview of training leaders.

Training Leaders

A leader can make or break a team.  Many dogs can be trained to lead, but the best ones are born for it.  Ideally, a potential leader is responsive to praise.  This dog has a sense of responsibility and pays attention. He commands respect from other dogs and is intelligent enough to solve problems, but not a smart aleck. This dog is enthusiastic but able to handle pressure. He sets a fast pace, but one that the team can handle.

A musher can train a leader in two ways; one-on-one, or with another leader. One-on-one training develops a stronger rapport, especially if the training begins at puppyhood, but this method is very time consuming. The musher begins training a “green” dog by harness breaking him. The driver first teaches the dog to hold the tug tightly as the dog stands ahead of the musher. Then, commands are taught by associating “gee” and “haw” for right and left by the driver running behind him and pulling the dog in the correct direction as the command is given. Frequent, short sessions are much more effective than long, tedious ones. A puppy has an attention span of about fifteen minutes. This amount of time works well before burnout begins and the pup loses interest.

Once the dog knows “gee” and “haw” they should be taught to “come, gee” and “come, haw” and to go “straight ahead” past a fork in the trail and “on, by” another team or obstacle. When the dog performs consistently, he can be run with a couple of steady team dogs to build his confidence. At that time the musher can add more dogs, as the dog learns to handle them.

Another leader instead of a person trains most leaders. If a musher sees a dog with potential, this dog can be placed in swing (point) position right behind the leaders for several weeks to a year. The dog picks up commands by taking clues from the leaders. After the dog has learned the commands, he can be placed in a double lead beside a good leader. Until this dog has the ability and confidence to do it alone, many mushers run the trainee on a shorter tug so that the leader is slightly ahead and can easily shoulder aside his protégé.

Many mushers train their leaders with a three-dog team. The driver will first choose a dog with the drive to stay out front.  Then the musher will simply stop at each fork and either wait for the dog to guess the correct response to the command, or pull him in the correct direction while giving the command.  Whichever method the musher chooses it is vital to reinforce a correct response by the potential leader.  For many reasons skijoring is a great way to train a leader; the dog is not pressured by fire-breathing teammates, and the musher’s proximity is close enough that the dog pays more attention to him. A simple tug on the rope gets his attention and turns him right away.

When training a leader, the musher must have absolute control over the team so that he can correct mistakes immediately. To train a dog to always obey the commands; the dog must never be allowed to get away with disobedience. Forto’s leader Yak was spoiled because he was running a team of untrained dogs and none were formally trained. As a result, Yak got away with some things. This dog became too smart for his own good. He would go where he thought the team should go. With stricter discipline he would have likely turned out better. A dog like this needs retraining in a smaller, more controlled team.[i]

If a musher has to stop the team because of a missed turn, the driver must not just stand on the runners shouting. The team should be anchored and the leader should be dragged sternly around while reinforcing the command. This consistency shows that they cannot go where they want to go. The musher is the boss and the team must follow his commands.

Aside from teaching commands, the musher must encourage new leaders to bravely pass obstacles like water, ice, crowds, stray dogs and other teams. If the leader will not go forward, the team will also refuse.

The musher must understand that dogs are not perfect. If the driver cannot perfect a dog, he should work around his limitations. These dogs should not be punished for being unable to exceed their potential.

Double leaders share the pressure and have more power over a bigger team. Often one is fast and the other is sharp, therefore, the strengths of one make up for the weakness of the other. In sprint teams, a young dog that leaves the chute quickly can be paired up with an older one that might start more slowly but come home quickly.

Single leaders do have some advantages. Some dogs perform better alone, plus there is only one dog to make mistakes. A single dog can break a trail more easily, and the musher can trade with his partner back in the team as he tires. Long ago dog punchers sometimes ran a loose leader. Because a single dog could plow a snowed-in trail without worrying about the dogs behind him. This is rarely done today.

If you would like to receive a copy of my dissertation, I sell in .pdf format for $9.10. Please give me a call at 303-578-9881 or train@denverdogworks.com. Please visit our website for our team training and school tours as well at http://www.teamineka.com

Next week: The Gee-Haw Problem

Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and a professional musher at Team Ineka. Dr. Robert Forto hosts a weekly radio show, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through is website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Training the Adult Team: A Brief Overview

By Robert Forto, PhD

 I have been a professional musher with Team Ineka for the past fifteen years and I am just getting back into it full time after a hiatus of several years for what I like to call, life getting in the way. I have moved from northern Minnesota to Colorado and there just isn’t enough snow here so I will probably move back in the near future or maybe to Alaska where, as they say, the real mushers live. I cannot say if that is true or not but I am willing to find out.

Each week I bring you a short article about the sport of dog sledding. In the past few weeks I wrote about sled dog psychology and that was a lot of fun. Now we are going to get into training. There are many ways to train a dog team and the mushing greats will tell you it’s all about knowing yourself and knowing your dogs. I have had the pleasure (and the pain) of literally living with a pack of sled dogs and what an experience that was. We will discuss that in later posts. But now, here is a brief overview of training an adult team.

 Training the Adult Team

 The best teacher for an untrained dog is a trained sled dog. Dogs communicate in ways that humans cannot comprehend. This is done mostly by body language and slight gestures that only a dog can understand. They learn from each other. It is nature versus nurture. It is innate and ingrained as pack behavior.

For a musher to start with a number of untrained, inexperienced dogs and mold them into a united, obedient team, is an awesome task. By placing a “green” dog with a well-trained mate the driver’s job will usually be reduced from teacher to overseer. The dog sees his companions working eagerly and often catches on with very little prompting from the boss on the runners. Even a single good leader can work wonders with a scatterbrained bunch of trainees. The musher should introduce the untrained adult dog carefully into the team because it might be confused or panicked by the speed, power and a tight, unrelenting towline.

The musher should use a very small team until the dog catches on. The driver must be patient and reasonable. Some dogs do not have the drive to be sled dogs. Just because he is as Siberian Husky does not mean he can cut it in a team—any team.

These new additions to the team should be broken in gently. Even if the dog is a leader, he should be placed in the middle of the team to let him settle in before trying him up front. The training should start slowly, not very fast or far at first. A dog needs time to adjust to his new home, his comrades, to the pace of the team and to the musher’s commands and voice. Some dogs fit right in, but older dogs might take a year or more to adjust. Dependable leaders will teach the musher as well as his crew. Older leaders that have grown too old for racing make excellent trainers for yearlings and new adult dogs.

If you would like to read my complete doctorate dissertation, Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005) please contact me through my website at Team Ineka. I offer the dissertation for sale in .pdf format for $9.10 plus shipping.

Next Week: Training Leaders

________________

Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and the training director for Dog Works Training Centers. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.teamineka.com

På allmän begäran: en beskrivning av ett dragpass, med hastighet.

Det är egentligen inte någon som begärt det, men eftersom vi loggar våra dragpass med GPS, så får man ut lite bra information som man kan koppla till diverse händelser under dragturen.

Nedan finns en bild på dagens dragtur, med lite kommentarer inlagda i bilden. Klicka för full upplösning.

För de som har Google Earth installerat, så finns här en KML-fil, som ni kan öppna i Google Earth, så kan ni se lite hur det ser ut där vi drar.

Sled Dog Psychology: Attitude and Burnout

By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and its impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our new website at http://www.teamineka.com

This week’s article is about a dog team’s attitude and burnout. Many mushers will tell you that they try their best to keep stress down in a kennel. A stressed dog is a slow team and a slow team is no fun. I teach a course at Denver Dog Works on training people to become certified canine obedience instructors. In doing so we spend an entire session talking about stress and your dog and how important it is. There is a very close parallel to human stress and canine stress and you would be surprised how many people deal with it in a way that is detrimental to their dog’s well-being. Well, now take that and multiply that by 50 (the typical size of a professional racing kennel) and you have a big problem on your hands.

Attitude

Many mushers believe that attitude is critical to a strong team.  Others feel, that compared to physical potential and training, attitude is much less significant; that is, a dog cannot run on heart alone.[i]  Since every team takes on a unique character, often complementing the musher’s character, the importance of attitude probably varies among teams. 

At the same time, most mushers today run dogs primarily because they like dogs.  They want their dogs to be happy.  For the recreational musher, attitude is rarely a problem unless severe disciplinary or training problems arise.  Hard working dogs, however, can get so tired of the daily grind that they slip into a depression, provoked by fatigue.  The problem may affect a single dog, called burnout, or the whole team, most commonly referred to as slump.

Burnout

All mushers should learn to recognize depression before a major burnout, and rest their dogs before they have a chance to go sour.  Symptoms of a sour dog include a reluctance to be harnessed, irritability, anxiety, apathy, lack of appetite, decreased performance, rebellion, a refusal to take commands or a change in character.  Whereby a sober dog might act goofy—looking backward, leaning on his partner, or plunging off the trail and the hyper dog may turn sober, apathetic, and sluggish.  Again, mushers must know their dogs.

If the dog is just trying to avoid responsibility, he needs discipline, but if he is truly burned out, discipline will only depress him more.  A musher can not cure fatigue by whipping, kissing, or giving drugs.  Only rest can cure it.  After a tough race a dog needs time to recover.  It may take as much as three weeks for him to truly regain his vitality.  If the musher demands too much, or tries to bring him back to soon, he may never completely recover psychologically.

Sometimes a dog tries too hard in a team that is a little too fast for him.  Perhaps new dogs outclass him this year and he is burning his heart out to keep up.  Or maybe he is older and slowing down.  It is not fair to drive this dog. The musher should put him in a slower team before he burns out, or retire the dog altogether.

A dog that is simply bored is usually helped by time off.  The musher can also run this dog in a different position, behind other dog teams, on different trails, or even the same loop in reverse.  The musher should convey to the dog that he really does care.  Spending extra time with the dog, bringing him inside and making him feel good are excellent ways to remind the dog of this.

Some mushers will take a burned-out dog on a private walk.  After the dog entertains himself for awhile, the musher will call him with open arms, hug him and let him go.  Soon most of these dogs are flinging themselves into the musher’s arms, and wriggling with joy.  Afterward, when the musher cries “Let’s go!”,  that fatigued, depressed dog, is running in circles of insane joy.

Just playing with a dog on the picket line or in the kennel can help stimulate him.  When men are caught in survival situations, experts recommend play periods to relieve stress.  Dogs are the same way.  Play relieves their tension and helps to reestablish the musher’s rapport with the dogs.

Next Week: The Slump

Pg. 63.

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Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and is training for the Iditarod. Dr. Forto is also the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto is the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Sled Dog Psychology: Communicating

By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and its impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our new website at http://www.teamineka.com

Sled dog psychology is an interesting area of study. In order to be a great musher with an exceptional team you need to know everything you can about yourself, but more importantly your dogs. Any musher will tell you that you must become “one of the team” in order to be a successful dog driver. While this means different things to different people, I have found out over the years that “one of the team” has made me a better musher and a better person at that. I have literally lived with a pack of dogs for most of my adult life and that co-habitation has given me a different respect for my dogs (and them for me, I can only hope) but also made me one great dog trainer. You see, I understand how dogs think. I have literally spent thousands of hours observing them and working with them and in doing so it allowed me access into a world that few dog trainers can attain.

This week’s article is about communicating with your dogs. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to leave any comments and feedback. If you have any questions about the sport of dog sledding or training in general please give Denver Dog Works a call at 303-578-9881 or email at train@denverdogworks.com

Communicating

You can communicate with dogs in two ways—your way and their way.[i]  Dogs can learn a number of words, even the names of their close companions.  They also respond strongly to tone and inflection.  They pick out key words and let the rest of your sentences slide, as in “You want to go out?” or “Stay out!’ (This is why you should not say, “You cannot go out”—the dog will not understand.)  The natural human tendency to repeat short phrases helps dogs pick up words. We say, “Good boy, yes, what a good boy.”

If you also understand how dogs communicate, you have an extra edge in training them.  Body language and physical contact play a greater role here than the voice.  Drooling, panting, and shivering are natural processes, but they can also occur at other times, such as when a dog recognizes a friend that he admires (you).  A dog will also shake off a bad experience.  If you have just freed a dog from a choking tangle, and he does not shake off, suspect a possible problem, such as shock or depression.  But a musher must know the dog—not all dogs will reliably shake off even when they again feel great.

Tail wagging can indicate either friendliness or aggression, depending upon whether the tail is waived loosely like a flag or in a slow arc, taut as a wire.  Eye contact, or avoidance of it, shows full attention, dominance, subordinance, or confusion.  No musher likes a dog that constantly looks backward, but unless it has become a habit, the dog is trying to make eye contact for some reason.

Howling brings dogs together and appears to relieve stress.  Most mushers like to make their dogs howl (by intimidating a howl) during long trips; it revitalizes the teams and keeps the dogs happy and secure. Vocalizations are often the sign of a dog’s mood as well.

Physical communication on the musher’s part includes petting for a reward, or putting a dog to the ground, as punishment, or to establish your authority.  Pinning down a rebellious dog proves your authority by sheer physical control.  A dog understands this—you are talking its language.  Some experienced mushers bite a dog’s ear to punish him, and they feel that it is a natural form of communication.  While it is effective, most mushers would hesitate to inflict sudden pain with their face so close to a dog’s jaws.

When you resort to your own language, you can only expect the dogs to obey what they know.  Teaching them a few extra words helps you communicate with them better.  For example, on a long trip many dogs learn the words, “We are going to camp now.”  They will leave the trail to struggle through deep snow to the campsite if they know the reason for it.

Most lead dogs learn that “Trail!” means a broken path to follow.  If they lose the trail and we spot it, most mushers say “Gee, trail!” and the dogs watch for it on the right.  With just a trace of the trail in drifted snow or ice, the dogs may wander away, but a sharp “Trail!” command wakes them up and gets them back in line.  When breaking trail across an untrammeled field, most dogs cross animal tracks without a glance, but if the track is going the way of the team, the command “Trail!” makes the dogs stay on it.

Most mushers also say, “Let’s eat!” at feeding time.  Even if we say it at an odd time, the dogs are up and yowling.  Mushers often use this, or a similar command, to lure in runaway dogs.  Some mushers will use this command to gauge how tired the dogs are.  If a musher stops to snack, and the dogs do not respond to the words “let’s eat!”, they know that the dogs have been pushed too hard.

By communicating with your dogs, you will build a stronger rapport with them.  They will also better understand what you want.  Dogs, especially young ones, sometimes disobey simply because they do not understand what you want.

Next Week: Attitude

___________________________________

Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and is training for the Iditarod. Dr. Forto is also the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto is the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Dog Sledding 101: Training Sled Dogs to Be Good Citizens

By Robert Forto, PhD

 Dog Sledding 101 is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic relating to the sport of dog sledding and it’s impact on the social fabric of America and our canine companions.  I have been a professional musher for fifteen years and was given the privilege of writing my doctorate on the sport of dog sledding: Chasing the Dream: A Study of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding (2005). In these weekly articles I will showcase the sport, the history, how a dog team prepares for racing, and many more topics. If you have a story you would like to share about dog sledding please send me an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com and be sure to check out our new website at http://www.teamineka.com

Training Sled Dogs to be Good Citizens

This article is an excerpt from my doctorate dissertation.

Socialization is the key to making sled dogs safe for kids, adults and other dogs. Every dog is equipped physically and mentally to bite under the right circumstances. In fact, dog bites are the second leading public health hazard in the United States with over one million bites reported annually. Every year several children are killed by dogs, some even sled dogs, and several more are hospitalized with injuries.

Dogs raised in a group are naturally socialized with each other and learn through interaction what is acceptable behavior among dogs.  Sled dogs will be expected to interact successfully with many other dogs during their lives, so it is imperative that they learn how to behave in a group. Sled dogs need to learn manners around people as well. Ideally this is done during the first three months of life, when all experiences are new to a pup and a trainer can have maximum effect on a dogs personality and temperament. 

This researcher encourages trainers and sled dog enthusiasts to socialize their dogs. At minimum these dogs should be socialized at least to the point of accepting handling from strangers and at maximum training the dogs to pass the Canine Good Citizen Test offered by the American Kennel Club. The purpose of the Canine Good Citizen Program is to ensure that our favorite companion, the dog, can be a respectable member of the community because it has been trained to be well behaved in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs.[i]

Can sled dogs be overly socialized? Many mushers prefer their dogs to remain slightly wild, fearing that too much socialization could make the dogs soft or less willing to work hard in harness. But taken to that extreme, these dogs can be unruly and downright dangerous to other teams and mushers. By contrast, four time Iditarod champion Martin Buser often lets his dogs loose as they come out of the dog truck and they stay right with him until they are hooked up.

To some extent the amount of socialization is a personal preference, but it is certainly time that sled dogs can be treated as pets and still be hard workers. As all mushers know, a dog’s life on the trail is relatively short. If these dogs could be socialized, they may even become A.K.C. Canine Good Citizens.

Further research should be conducted on the feasibility for sled dogs to become well-trained pets. This would save thousands of dogs from euthanasia, death by the musher, or worse.

My Dogs

I have been a professional musher for the better part of 15 years. I have been out of the race circuit for several years because, I say, life got in the way. I followed by wife, Michele, to Denver for her to pursue a paralegal career. She hated it and after five years she quit and is now working for Denver Dog Works full time and couldn’t be more happy.

All of my dogs from teams in the past have retired and placed in new homes. Many of these dogs became ambassadors for Siberians everywhere. Many went into homes with families and children, while others continued to race. But I was always mindful of what my dogs were and what their role would be after a relatively short racing career, often about six to eight years. This is what prompted me to earn my certification as an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Many of my dogs passed this test over the years and in one case, we adopted and trained a dog-aggressive Siberian named Juneau. With the help of my kids and their hard work we rehabilitated Juneau and he passed the C.G.C. test! This is a testament to the breed and what a bit of hard work can do for an otherwise unwanted dog.

At Denver Dog Works we always use a Canine Good Citizen Test as a pre-cursor for any working dog that we place in a training program for service work, therapy dogs, our breeding program or any advanced obedience programs such as agility, tracking, rally or protection. While we don’t always do this to our sled dog at the beginning we do it afterwards so that they can be well behaved companions. We are conscientious of our role as training professionals and the handlers of exceptional canine athletes and this is why we strive to live up to our motto: We have the best and train the rest every day.

If you are interested in learning more about canine sports, mushing, working dogs or the C.G.C. test please contact us anytime at 303-578-9881 or contact us through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher racing under the Team Ineka name. Dr. Forto is training for his first Iditarod in 2013. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

This is a much belated blog about our second sled outing with our dogs which occured a few weeks ago. This sled trip was a little more of a fiasco than the first. Once again Nicki was kind to lend us a sled and a dog. At first she was going to give us two of her dogs but after a conversation with another musher we took a different pair. So we put Carmel and Cashew (the two from the other musher) in the lead, Tensaw (our pup) next in the traces, then Blue and Kona in the wheel. With me in the sled and Cobey driving the team we took off. Right off the bat, it was crazy and Carmel and Cashew obviously didn’t want to lead with Tensaw the terror behind them. So Tensaw got a crack at the lead with Raven (Nicki’s dog), who was just added to the team. In this case, Tensaw was only interested in Raven, and Carmel and Cashew just wanted to return to their team. After a few minutes of confusion and tangles, Cobey removed Carmel and Cashew from the traces and sent me off with Raven in the lead, Tensaw second in the traces and Kona and Blue at the wheel.

Things went well until we passed by a man with his small ankle biter dog (that I’m sure the Huskies thought was a cat). The dogs were doing well and ignoring it until Raven make a quick turn towards the dog. By the time I was off the sled and to her she had the dog by the throat and had picked it up off the ground. I got her to release it and it took off running down the trail (the man eventually caught his dog before the other two sled teams came up the trail). After that whole mess, I got the dogs lined out and we continued on. We probably made it about 2 -2.25 miles up the trail before I decided our dogs had had enough pulling (after all they are new to it and need to be conditioned to this type of running/work). The way back was all down hill and we passed by the man with his dog, whom I apologized to and who was very understanding of the whole ordeal. At one point during the run after we turned around and Nicki was still headed up the trail with her team, I switched Raven and Kona in the traces because Raven wasn’t interested in leading. Kona did an amazing job! She is a REALLY hard worker, aims to please and does what she’s asked…which I now realize makes her our best candidate for lead dog of the three. And after that day, I’d say she’d do a pretty good job. Blue also worked really hard. You could tell she was sore and would fall back in the traces but then would surge forward and pull for a bit before falling behind again and continuing the cycle. She worked hard but you could tell she was either tired or her hip was sore.

This was another great mushing adventure and we’re getting pretty serious about it. We want to get a few more dogs, all Siberians, and especially a trained lead dog, Right now we’re putting those plans on hold until next fall/winter season because Cobey is moving to Alaska for seasonal work this spring through fall. But we’ll keep you posted on any new advances in our sled team.

Today we put the dogs to the true test…can they run in the traces pulling a sled. The answer is YES! We met with the Bitterroot mushing “club” in the West Fork of the Bitterroot up Nez Perce. This was a first for the dogs and for us, as mushers. We thought Nicki was just going to put our dogs in the traces with her dogs…but in reality intended to loan us a sled and her lead dog J.C. and we’d run the dogs. So after lots of preparation setting up the gangline, snow hook and sled we harnessed the dogs and got them in the traces. J.C. in the front, Blue in the middle and Kona and Tensaw as the wheel dogs.

We were ready for just pure chaos; the dogs trying to run every which way except for forward, but with such a good lead dog as J.C. in the front they quickly fell into line and just pulled. I took them out first and Cobey brought them back in. It was a nice, easy, gradual uphill and the snow had been packed down some by snowmobilers. It was a beautiful sight seeing them run and they impressed us and the other mushers how quickly they picked up on it. Nicki told us many times she sees this with Siberian huskies because they are bred to do this sort of thing.

All did exceptionally well but Kona was the champ of the day! She pulled hard the whole time. When she’d get tangled in the line she would untangle herself. Tensaw on the other hand does not know how to untangle himself. He got tangled many times but kept truckin’ along like nothing was wrong. While they all pulled well at the beginning you could tell Blue was getting worn out by the end and wasn’t doing her share of the work. Tensaw had some intenstinal distress during the sledding and caused a little bit of chaos when he stopped numerous times trying to relieve himself. The positions we put them in the traces seemed to work out perfectly for them.

All mushers and dogs enjoyed the time immensely. This will definitely not be the last time we take the dogs out sledding…we’re hooked!

Brandi and Cobey

Today was Kona, Blue, and Tensaw’s first day of sled dog training.

Nicki, a musher in the Bitterroot, put on a pull clinic and we decided to take the dogs. It was very chaotic when we arrived, Tensaw began talking to the other dogs and continued to talk throughout the entire training (earplugs next time?). Blue and Kona had done some pulling in harness before, specifically with Cobey on a longboard. Both did well when pulling Cobey and I walking behind them. When the chains were attached behind them, Blue and Kona got very nervous and took a while to get used to them. Once they warmed up to it they did well.

Tensaw the 1 year old male took to it all very well. He pulled hard and was not fearful of it…but he has a distraction problem when it comes to other dogs. He will make a very good sled dog once we get him trained to ignore the distractions. Nicki said all of our dogs, but especially Tensaw, are built well for sled running, they have long torsos which make for better strides. Last in the training today, each dog pulled a wheeled cart with Nicki’s husky J.C. It was thrilling to see them working and pulling; something they were made to do.

The way the dogs responded to the training today gave us some idea of where each dog would ideally work in the traces. Our thought was that Tensaw would be a lead dog (at least of the three of ours), Kona would be a wheel dog, and Blue would need to be in the middle, having dogs behind and in front of her to keep her working. Nicki invited us to join her tomorrow and to put our dogs in the traces with her dogs. More to come on that event!

Brandi and Cobey

wie immer alles auf einmal.  Die ersten 300 KG Hochernergiefutter sind angekommen und auch das Drontal für die turnusmäßige Entwurmung war heute im Briefkasten.

Das heißt für uns jetzt morgen die Entwurmung und nächste Woche Futterumstellung.  Und wenn dann ist wirklich nichts mehr zu tun außer zu trainieren. Falls wir von diesen geistig Minderbemittelten im Dorf nicht wieder über den Haufen gefahren werden.

Have fun

sich cool dabei fühlen 20 Hunde an Stahlseilen vor ein Quad zu spannen sich zu dritt auf selbigem rum zu flegeln und Kilometer auf Teufel komm raus zu fressen, trainieren wir derzeit noch die Hunde in kleinen Einheiten um Ihnen die nötigen Kommandos und sozialen Fähigkeiten für das fahren auf Wildtrails im Gelände,  sowie das Überleben mit dem Menschen als Teil des Teams in der Natur  zu vermitteln,  oder diese Fähigkeiten nach der Sommerpause wieder zu vertiefen.

Den nur so werden wir im Winter wieder absolut harmonische Teams haben die mit uns gemeinsam im Zelt oder der Hütte die Winternächte verbringen können, wochenlang ohne Unterstützung von außen als perfekte Einheit ohne viel Worte agierend.

Ein paar Fotos von der Schlammschlacht gestern:

Und wer mal genau hinschaut wird folgendes bemerken: Auch “fette” und “voll gefressene” Hunde arbeiten super hart ( das ist mindestens der 7te steile Anstieg auf 10 Kilometern,  letztes Drittel der Trainingsstrecke ) wenn man es versteht seine Hunde zu motivieren. Dazu braucht es keinerlei Nahrungsentzug, verhaltensgestörte Hunde durch Ketten- oder Zwingerhaltung oder sonstige “Druckmittel” oder Zwangsmotivationen.

Sondern nur Kenntnisse und Handeln nach der natürlichen Bedürfnisse der Hunde und sanfte, nachhaltige Steuerung des natürlichen Willens zum laufen und arbeiten.

Und dann, dann kann man im Winter auch richtig fahren, überall. Ohne Skiidootrails, Trailmaker , Depotsäcke und schlag mich tot. Und wenn es dann mal kritisch werden sollte, laufen die Hunde auch 400 KM im Tiefschnee mit 600 KG auf dem Schlitten ohne jegliche Nahrung. Für Ihr Team. Ihren Menschen.  Ohne gesundheitliche Schäden ( weil genug Substanz zum “zusetzen” vorhanden)  , “langsam”, aber stetig und sicher !!

Und bringen uns in jeder Situation sicher nach Hause… .

Das sind Schlittenhunde. Nichts anderes….

Have fun



Nachtrag: Und den erbarmungswürdigen Wixern die dauernd die “Eskimos” als Beispiele für Ihre Tierquälerei heranziehen sei mal folgendes gesagt: Das heißt Inuit, den Rohfleischfresser = Eskimo ( man sollte die Worte kennen die man benutzt ) ist eine miese,  rassistische Beleidigung. Und zweitens: Lebt doch erst mal einige Monate  mit Inuit die wirklich noch traditionell leben und ernährt euch selbst mal eben solange fast ausschließlich von Blubber ( Wer nicht weis was das ist soll lernen ). Dann, dann dürft Ihr mitreden. Ansonsten gilt nämlich: Wenn man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal die Fresse halten !!

Nachtrag 2: Man teilt mir mit ich soll doch nicht immer verbal so auf die Kacke hauen und mal freundlich formulieren…. Hm…. Sehe ich gar nicht ein. Das hier ist mein virtuelles Wohnzimmer und da ziehe ich mir die Pantoffeln an, machs Bierchen auf und habe es bequem… .  Aber nun gut Friedensangebot: Statt Nachtrag wie oben folgende Formulierung: Bildung nebst Lebenserfahrung in der großen,  weiten Welt  tut nicht weh und hat auch noch keinem geschadet ) . Ferner soll das den Horizont , so vorhanden, erweitern… . Und eine Universität die einen beißt habe ich auch noch nicht gesehen…

sich cool dabei fühlen 20 Hunde an Stahlseilen vor ein Quad zu spannen sich zu dritt auf selbigem rum zu flegeln und Kilometer auf Teufel komm raus zu fressen, trainieren wir derzeit noch die Hunde in kleinen Einheiten um Ihnen die nötigen Kommandos und sozialen Fähigkeiten für das fahren auf Wildtrails im Gelände,  sowie das Überleben mit dem Menschen als Teil des Teams in der Natur  zu vermitteln,  oder diese Fähigkeiten nach der Sommerpause wieder zu vertiefen.

Den nur so werden wir im Winter wieder absolut harmonische Teams haben die mit uns gemeinsam im Zelt oder der Hütte die Winternächte verbringen können, wochenlang ohne Unterstützung von außen als perfekte Einheit ohne viel Worte agierend.

Ein paar Fotos von der Schlammschlacht gestern:

Und wer mal genau hinschaut wird folgendes bemerken: Auch “fette” und “voll gefressene” Hunde arbeiten super hart ( das ist mindestens der 7te steile Anstieg auf 10 Kilometern,  letztes Drittel der Trainingsstrecke ) wenn man es versteht seine Hunde zu motivieren. Dazu braucht es keinerlei Nahrungsentzug, verhaltensgestörte Hunde durch Ketten- oder Zwingerhaltung oder sonstige “Druckmittel” oder Zwangsmotivationen.

Sondern nur Kenntnisse und Handeln nach der natürlichen Bedürfnisse der Hunde und sanfte, nachhaltige Steuerung des natürlichen Willens zum laufen und arbeiten.

Und dann, dann kann man im Winter auch richtig fahren, überall. Ohne Skiidootrails, Trailmaker , Depotsäcke und schlag mich tot. Und wenn es dann mal kritisch werden sollte, laufen die Hunde auch 400 KM im Tiefschnee mit 600 KG auf dem Schlitten ohne jegliche Nahrung. Für Ihr Team. Ihren Menschen.  Ohne gesundheitliche Schäden ( weil genug Substanz zum “zusetzen” vorhanden)  , “langsam”, aber stetig und sicher !!

Und bringen uns in jeder Situation sicher nach Hause… .

Das sind Schlittenhunde. Nichts anderes….

Have fun



Nachtrag: Und den erbarmungswürdigen Wixern die dauernd die “Eskimos” als Beispiele für Ihre Tierquälerei heranziehen sei mal folgendes gesagt: Das heißt Inuit, den Rohfleischfresser = Eskimo ( man sollte die Worte kennen die man benutzt ) ist eine miese,  rassistische Beleidigung. Und zweitens: Lebt doch erst mal einige Monate  mit Inuit die wirklich noch traditionell leben und ernährt euch selbst mal eben solange fast ausschließlich von Blubber ( Wer nicht weis was das ist soll lernen ). Dann, dann dürft Ihr mitreden. Ansonsten gilt nämlich: Wenn man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal die Fresse halten !!

Nachtrag 2: Man teilt mir mit ich soll doch nicht immer verbal so auf die Kacke hauen und mal freundlich formulieren…. Hm…. Sehe ich gar nicht ein. Das hier ist mein virtuelles Wohnzimmer und da ziehe ich mir die Pantoffeln an, machs Bierchen auf und habe es bequem… .  Aber nun gut Friedensangebot: Statt Nachtrag wie oben folgende Formulierung: Bildung nebst Lebenserfahrung in der großen,  weiten Welt  tut nicht weh und hat auch noch keinem geschadet ) . Ferner soll das den Horizont , so vorhanden, erweitern… . Und eine Universität die einen beißt habe ich auch noch nicht gesehen…

Alaska

me aboard a Holland America cruise ship

My mom and I took a Holland America cruise in August 2001 along Alaska’s southeastern coast. It was the most pleasant time of year to visit America’s coldest state. The views were breathtaking in the daytime. One night, we ventured out onto the dock… big mistake. It was freezing cold, terrifyingly windy (howling), and as dark as dark could be out in the middle of the pitch-black waters. We scurried back inside immediately.

MUST-SEE

view of Juneau from helicopter

1. Ketchikan. The salmon hatchery at Deer Mountain offers a good learning experience, since Alaska is famous for its salmon industry. The best fried fish I’ve ever had was at Halibut Hole along the dock. It was heavenly — smooth, fresh, white fish from cold waters.

dog sledding with a lady from our cruise

2. Juneau. Go on a salmon bake, if you want to watch a cook make your Alaskan meal in the wilderness and eat it in the same rustic surroundings. Take a helicopter ride over the beautiful, snow-capped mountains, land on a glacier, and go mushing (dog sledding) — we got to experience the speed of retired Iditarod dogs, an exhilarating ride. Seeing Alaska from the air, barely above the mountain peaks, is like watching one of those nature videos that shows sweeping shots from an aircraft, but you’re actually doing it and seeing it firsthand. Breathtaking.

Sitka Pier

3. Sitka. Kayak in Wilderness Sea — what a peaceful adventure in crisp, refreshing air. The Sitka pier is picturesque, like a postcard. From there, cruise on through Disenchantment Bay, Glacier Bay, and see Hubbard Glacier. Our ship was so close to the glaciers, I had a Titanic moment; I felt like we could almost touch the glaciers.
4. Valdez. Famous for the big Exxon oil spill but also a nice place for whitewater rafting. The waters are frigid and choppy, which made for a bad combination for me, when the water splashed into my whitewater rafting “warm” suit and ran down my back. Brrr…

Disenchantment Bay

5. Anchorage. Visit the Alaska Zoo, where you can see animals that roam the Alaskan wilderness, like bears. Of course, you can pay a lot more money for shore excursions that take you on bear-watching expeditions but don’t guarantee you’ll see any bears. From our cruise ship, we did see whales in the waters around us.

Yesterday started the International Sled Dog Symposium in Fairbanks. As part of that, they showed an old dog sled movie about George Attla called Spirit of the Wind. He’s considered the father of modern sled dog racing.

We went to the movie. It was a lot of fun. George Attla himself along with many of the actors from the movie were there as well. There was a diverse mix of people at the movie ranging from kids like mine to adults and even village elders. The movie was free and written up in yesterday’s paper so besides those involved in working dogs, several people were there just to watch the movie from Fairbanks. The movie first premiered 30 years ago here in Fairbanks.

There was a festive atmosphere in the theater at Pioneer Park’s civic center during the movie. Many of the older people had seen the movie before although there were many kids and younger adults who hadn’t. Richard got excited during a scene where they are pulling fish from a net into a river boat. He said “I’ve done that! I know how to do that!” When they showed a bunch of large salmon steaks grilling, the crowd let out a group MMMM. Many wows were heard when huge salmon fell out of the fish wheel. There were several group laughs (including some inside jokes that probably wouldn’t have been funny to anyone outside Alaska or dog mushing), ahhs when Attla falls off his sled in a race, and other group reactions not typical of a large movie audience giving a sense of camaraderie to the movie.

Everyone clapped when the final credits were shown, but very few people walked out of the theater. When Attla stood up, we all clapped again even harder then gave him a standing ovation. It was a great moment of the evening.

I’m glad we went to the movie. Not only was it a good Alaskan history movie, but it gave a glimpse of village life not tainted by Hollywood. It was filmed in the late 1970’s but the story takes place during the 1950’s. It featured subsistence activities like trapping, fishing and fish camp, and of course dog mushing. There were also shots of Fairbanks which was set up to be the Anchorage in the 1950’s (although most Alaskans know the Mecca Bar is in downtown Fairbanks not Anchorage). I am going to use this as part of Richard Alaskan cultural studies requirements.

Mushers Workout

By Robert Forto, PhD

If you don’t already know, my name is Dr. Robert Forto and I am the training director and owner of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. I am also a professional musher (dog sledding) and motivational speaker. I have been out of mushing for the past several years because, I like to say, life got in the way. I followed my wife, Michele, to Colorado for her to pursue a career as a paralegal, which she hated and now works with me at my dog training school, but I also retired because frankly there is no snow in Denver, despite what you see in those famous beer commercials. The closest place with considerable snow, at least enough to run a dog team, is two hours away in the mountains and if you plan on going up to run during ski season plan on tacking on at least two more hours on your trip home.

But despite those odds I have announced my intentions on running the Iditarod in 2013 but first things first, I need to get back into shape. The past few years I have had at least two surgeries, one on my groin and one on my wrist and being a small business owner I got lazy and ate on the run without any structure or plan.

Many people have asked about my mushers workout and I am here to share it with you. Use the parts that you like and hybridize it if you must. I can assure you it will get you in the best shape of your life, especially if you plan to run with a team of Siberian Huskies.

Mushers Workout

Day 1

10 minute Warm-Up – Cardio

4 Sets (10 reps) each of the following:

Squats – Lat Pulls – Dumbbell Rows – Standing Calf – Seated Calf – Leg Curl

20 minute Cool Down – Cardio

Day 2

10 minute Warm-Up – Cardio

4 Sets (10 reps) each of the following:

Bench Press – Overhead Dumbbell Extensions

3 Sets (15 Reps) each of the following

Incline Press – Seated Shoulder Press – Triceps Press Down

20 minute Cool Down – Cardio

Day 3

10 minute Warm-Up – Cardio

4 Sets (15 reps) each of the following:

Squats – Seated Row – Barbell Curls – Lateral Rows

3 Sets (25 Reps) Walking Lunges

20 minute Cool Down – Cardio

Day 4

Bike Cherry Creek Trail approximately 20 miles or swim 1 mile in pool

Sports

Continue to play indoor lacrosse and hike Colorado 14ers as a team building exercise for Denver Dog Works.

Diet: Starting June 4, 2009

Goal: weight loss and muscle gain. Loss 30 pounds before the snow starts this winter.

Starting weight: 214 pounds on May 27, 2009

A Sample Day

7 am

Breakfast: a bowl of instant oatmeal or one or two eggs

10:30 am

Snack: Fiber One bar

12:30 pm

Lunch: Lean Cuisine

3:00 pm

Snack: Orange, yogurt or pretzels

6:30 pm

Dinner: Lean protein less than a fist size, one green vegetable and/or salad and sometimes a potato or pasta

8:00 pm

Run, Bike, Swim or Mushers Workout

Diet Downfall:

I love coca-cola and I am on my way to totally quitting. I will enjoy water or low calorie juices.

I encourage all of you to follow me on my journey. I will post my progress on my blog and you can track my progress on f acebook, twitter, youtube and mywebsites. If you would like me to speak at your event or if you need a training session for your employees on team building, motivation, leadership and goal setting, give me a call at 303-522-1727.

My motto is: “Never Forget Your Dreams”, I will see you on the trail!

Regards,

Robert Forto

Robert Forto, PhD

Denver Dog Works

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. He is training for the Iditarod in 2013 and is available for speaking engagements and sponsorship requests. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com