Disclaimer:

Harry: "I speak representing the pack: We, Dan's dogs, are in no way affiliated with Lance Armstrong; we are troubled and pissed at him, given recent disclosure of drug enhancement performances, which we overheard from Dan's TV in the barn, which annoys us too, btw, but we like the ESPN channel and animal planet. Our little joke below was intended to convey our purity in racing power. We're all natural, pure northern MI, Alaskan husky pooch."

Winterfest 2010 -we hauled ass

-Dan's ass, that is. Lloyd here. I'm that dark-n-lovely wheel dog next to JD in the 4-dog team shot. Might interest our fans to know, we got fourth place in the sportclass!!! all boys, no bitches this time -with my nephew Shane and my brother Harry up front, I wasn't sure how this was going to go down, but they made me proud: 20:43.05 day 1; 21:23.35 day 2, for an overall of 42:06.40.

Of course we all watched the 6-dog team smoke 'em too- they pulled 3rd in the 6-dog sport class! Pam and Cooter led, Gus and Spirit held tight in the middle (Gus pulled some strings with Dan to get that spot), and Daisy and T-Bone were the wheels. 29:49.42 day 1; 26:08.48 day 2; combined total of 51:57.90. 6.6 miles of pure paw power. There WERE some nasty rumors around the bumpers after day 1 (mostly from the purebreads)-that Spirit was on steroids; and her boot was a performance enhancing trick, but she handled it just like Lance Armstrong, offered to take any pee test, any time. That shut their fuzzy pie holes up.

Spirit's "After" shot, prepped for 2010!

Hi everybody! Spirit here. I just thought I'd take this opportunity to show off my gut. I have a gut! I get a powder potion with my food, so now I'm magic. I look good, I feel good, -I still get the runs a lot, but hey, so does Dan, and he says I'm running good. He's taking me EVERYwhere these days, probably to show off my gut -but my paws are healing up too. I think this may be my best year yet. I just hope my elders can keep up. I think Shilo's a little sore at me for taking her spot on the 6-dog team for Winterfest 2010, but what can I say? I'm large & in charge! BTW, Aunt D says we don't have a BEFORE shot, but it was just too gross to post anyway.

Slow Motion Video 3-2-1 Launch

2009 Kalkaska fest. 3-2-1 Launch !!!!!

For brief commentary, please scroll down to
"My sister, my nemesis"

She's not my bitch; she's my sister

Gus here, pictured left, next to Daisy. So I'm shy, and Daisy rarely forms a sentence, but between us, we decided to provide everyone with a few concrete stats. At the Kalkaska fest 1/17-1/18, our 6-dog team came in day 1, time: 00:30:21.43, day 2: 00:31:49.55, for a total of : 01:02:10.98; we finished 12 out of 23 teams; that's a 6.6 mile track. Felt good, esp when we heard Grampa T say " "WOW Dan won money, he usually finishes last."

Most recently, at the first annual Fife Lake race, in Springfield Twp, Feb 21-22 -which Dan chaired, worked HIS tail off to make happen for us (Dan has no tail, which we find odd), we came in 3rd!!! The competetion was slim, but we still kicked ass -given nooooo practice the week prior. We ran 2 3.5 mile loops, which Harry says means we ran 7 miles. They say dogs don't sweat, but I sweated that day. They had to wipe off my neck, I was so drenched.
At Newberry, Luce County Airport Race, Jan 24-25, our 6 dog team ran day 1: 00:29:04.15, 2: 00:27:22.86, for a total time of: 00:56:27.01. We ran FASTER than at Kalkaska Fest, coming in at 14th overall.

Our 4-dog team ran day 1: 00:22:31.13; day 2: 00:21:49.37; for a total time of: 00:44:20.50.

And I'd like to close by giving Spirit, our newest Saws-N-Paws addition, some props (and it's NOT because I want her puppies, but I do -she's young, and she's not my sister, good enough for me!). That little furball entered our kennel summer 2008, with daily diarrhea and looking bonier than Shane at age 2; but damn, if she hasn't blossomed. She's still skinny, but she eats like a horse and runs like one too!

Crazy Eyes

My Sister, my Nemesis

Alright, alright. So now that my snow-white sister has had her say, let me, Shilo, tell you the real reason we brought home a little glory in the last race; or rather, let me SHOW you....(please scroll up to view video 3-2-1)

It's Winterfest, Kalkaska, 2009, and the snowflakes were thick, like asteroids all around us, we could hardly see (we need doggles, Dan, doggles), our fur tingling with anticipation. And while I waited to run a race with my team, and Mr. Dave (all of us can't always sled with Dan, so we take turns pulling on Mr. Dave's team this year. At Winterfest this year, it was me, Spirit, Harry, T-Bone, and Dave's boydog, who's kinda weird, b/c he lives inside a human house, but he's got sledding in his blood like us. Ahem, but I digress) I took a short video -with the help of my lovely assistant Mike-and captured, in live action, our secret weapon at the kennel: sister Daisy. You'll notice, as Pam LABORS to keep up with Cooter, Daisy sprints up from behind, yanking the line just a little bit harder, her muscles bulging just a little bit larger, than poor little Pammy's. Sigh. I swear, Daisy's so good, sometimes, when I watch her, it's like watching myself. She's THAT good. If it wasn't for her crazy eyes, I bet no one could tell us apart.