The thing about Jack Russells..The Official VNA Dogs Thread!

[stickyvicky]

I was unpacking today from the shows and left a shirt out. My dogs never chew on my things, it literally has been 5 years since any of them hv destroyed anything. (They shouldn't they have 3 toy boxes of bones and toys! One in living room, one in bedroom and one in office! Gee do u think they are spoiled? ) anyway I saw harvey chewing on a random button that I figured he found and took it away from him before he swallowed it. Then I found this!

I hv one less item to wear to the conventions now! Aaaahhhhg what the hell? Since when does he have a fascination with buttons? Almost every button and snap is off this shirt and a hole where the button used to be! Aaaaaahhhhh! Dogs!!!!!!

[WalterB]

Got stairs?

https://www.facebook.com/PetchaNetwork/ ... 718473443/

[bridgitrowan]

I have been sick since returning to the Arctic so pups have not been getting out much. Bridgit has been misbehaving and taking detours. A neighbor threw out what looks like caribou stew and she just keeps going to eat and chewing on the ice. One night she took me on a detour between houses and deep snow (Indy lost one of his blue boots). Now Bridgit appears to be having some intestinal issues. It is light when I get home from work if I skip the post office and we are having a heat wave it was 10F yesterday. I am hoping we get to stay out longer go on hikes, but I have to rush back to work and don't get home until 10 pm. since we are having the heat wave last night I put their lights on and we went up on the tundra for a bit. It is exhausted getting 8 boots on it was nice didn't need them last nice.

[WalterB]

Yeah, there are special circumstances to keeping and caring for dogs in the Arctic. Even the dogs in the Iditarod race (coming up soon,) wear boots.

Good for you Bridgit. Keep up the good care. You know they love you.

[WalterB]

Why this is a dog thread....

894608163926807.jpg (29.42 KiB) Viewed 69 times

[bridgitrowan]

I just can't image having to put boots on a sled dog team. Those dogs are so excited and bouncing around ready to go. I use to get Bridgit's boots by go around picking them up on the trail after mushers had been out practicing, but those boots were so big on her. Now I just order them and get the xsmall. No mushers around here to follow.

We were able to stay out for a good hour yesterday and take a stroll without boots. I am still not 100%. It was warm enough i was able to take my heavy gloves off to take pics. Ice crystals did start to form on lens and I would tuck the camera back into my jacket. I have not downloaded the photos yet onto computer so photos coming soon. If this heat wave continues up here there might be issues with the Iditarod race. This morning we are in double digit weather above zero but a snow storm is to hit the Brooks Range later today. When I get home from work it could be very fun up on the tundra.

[WalterB]

The Iditarod starts in downtown Anchorage in early March, shortly after the Fur Rendezvous winter carnival/festival. It's a ceremonial start. The article doesn't mention it, but in the early days I'm pretty certain that the race started for real in Anchorage. I remember you could follow the teams east along the Richardson Highway to the Palmer cut-off, where it turned North thru Wasilla and on northward, ending in Nome two to three weeks later. (It is entirely possible that the racers went East out of town even then, and were then trucked North to Wasilla, so I won't argue the point.) During the Rondy, they have sled dog rides in the street (4th Ave,) and also have a 3-day race consisting of 3 - 25 mile segments into the Chugach Mountains east of Anchorage and back. There have been numerous years where they have actually had to truck snow in to cover the streets, due to the lack of snow in the Anchorage area. It's a great celebration that brings everyone outdoors for a little fun and mingling.

It's a great celebration, and one of the things I still miss about Anchorage and Alaska.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iditarod_ ... d_Dog_Race

http://www.furrondy.net/

[stickyvicky]

Wow, sounds incredible! On my bucket list!

[bridgitrowan]

One of my goals was to get a position in a village that the race went through, but those districts only one I would work for. The race has alternating routes each year not sure why. Last year in my geography class I did a unit on the race and we followed the race. The web site has cool stuff for teacher like geo trackers. I am always very careful about who and how I talk to people in the lower 48 about the race because most people want it banned. The only race I have seen was the Arctic Circle/Kobuk 440 when I lived in Kotzebue. I only saw the start and the end, but I was able to collect booties. Bridgit is terrified of sled teams I have a video of her running and jumping on the snow go as a team went by us on the trial. Once we got behind the Park Ranger on her sled and I could not get Bridgit to pass so I made her get on the snow go so I could go around.

In 2007 or 08 it was warm and dogs were dropping from the heat and the fact food spoiled on the tarmac. Last year not only did they have to bring in snow for the streets of Anchorage but there were places along the trail also. Parts of the trail run on rivers and the last part over the sound making it dangerous if it is melting.

Protesters complain that it is cruel for the dogs, but the dogs have better medical care at each stop than the humans. Each stop has a Vet that checks out the dogs to give the go ahead, but mushers will be the first to drop a dog and not risk its health. There are mandatory layovers of very times this is where skill and planning are very important.

As far as I know there was only one death and that was due to a human attack on the trail.

Bridgit at 13 loves to go romp and hunt out on the tundra. She can also find the grosses stuff to eat in the middle of nowhere. She has learned to follow the Ravens. The warm weather is causes the snow/ice to cave in making it tough on the joints (not just hers but mine too). You are running/walking and 1 leg sinks into the snow. Indy will just lay down and bite chunks of ice and eat it like a snow cone.

I have been warned take a ride on a sled is not the most pleasant, but still want to. These dogs pee and poop on the run. I almost had Bridgit doing that when we lived in Kotz. Also when we lived there a musher kept eyeing Bridgit. I finally looked at him and said she is fixed and well he never looked at her again. Iditarod dogs are a mix of husky, border collie, and greyhound.

[WalterB]

Very cool, Bridgit, and all very true. The dogs do get excellent care. The mushers care very much about their dogs, as do the Indians of Alaska. I've heard of people who want to stop the races. And, as usual, they are people who don't have a clue as to what they're talking about.

I imagine it would be pretty cool getting a position along the route helping out. Good luck with that.

And, tell Bridgit - "You're a sled dog. Get over it!"

[bridgitrowan]

The Inupiaq people of this village really don't care for their dogs, but these are not sled dogs. They are chained up outside with little to no human interaction and hopefully sometimes get fed. Most do have a doghouse of some kind. It is hard for me to walk through the village. All the places I have lived dogs have not been treated well. Now the true mushers they do keep their dogs chained up outside, but they exercise them regularly and take very good care of them. I watched Jeff King in an interview after one of his dogs was killed last year during the race and he was fighting back the tears and anger. Also 2 other of his dogs were seriously injured. I forget the woman's name but she was also attacked by this drunken man on the trail and 2 of her dogs were seriously. She was a total wreck when she pulled into the village.

[WalterB]

You are right again, Bridgit. We were talking about sled dogs. Your comment about the general Indian population is well taken. Thanks for keeping me straight.

I remember reading about the drunk who attacked a racer. Pretty sad, but there are sad people everywhere. Too bad we can't all live in peace and harmony.

[bridgitrowan]

It is a beautiful sunny 10F day and not working so we went on stroll out on the tundra. For those that don't follow on Facebook here is a photo from our walk.

[stickyvicky]

Wow so beautiful! I really want to experience that before I die! Alaska is on my bucket list!

[WalterB]

Beautiful country, Vicky. I could tell you great stories about driving my hooker friend down to Valdez for the weekends, lol. But also about salmon fishing on the Copper River and clamming in the moonlight down at Clam Gulch, or watching the Tidal Bore coming up Turnagain Arm. Or the fishing derby down in Homer.

It really islike living in an outdoor zoo.

[bridgitrowan]

Come on up Vicky. There are many looks to Alaska most people think of the beautiful southeast part. That is where most people vacation or they go all the way to Barrow the top of the world. Personally I do not find Barrow a very pretty place and I am glad I did not get the job there. Where I am is pretty but no trees just mountains. It gets to cold for trees to really grow. If I get offered a contract (which I have been told I've been black listed) to come back I will look and getting a snow machine so i can explore more outside the village. Plus Bridgit is really showing her age.
During the summer the real adventurous outdoors people do backpack into the national park here. There are no hotels here this is just a starting point.

Are warm weather is ending this week and I am finding I am not tolerating the cold as well. Bridgit is grounded (meaning not allowed off leash) for two days after she took off on me and did not come when called. She decided to run into the village and between houses leading Indy into danger. She kept running from me while Indy decided to go and play with a big husky, Dike. Dike is a very friendly dog although starving and just didn't know how he would handle this little dog trying to play with him when he is tied up. I am trying to get Bridgit and well Indy must fend for himself. Finally neighbor gets Bridgit and I go back to get Indy. It was so cute he and Dike were just playing. If I could I would so like to take Dike in and so would co worker. Indy would not tolerate another male in the house and she has a little dog and Dike is not so good with little dogs.

[stickyvicky]

Did you give Dike some food?

[bridgitrowan]

Did you give Dike some food?

When we (neighbor/coworker) came into the village (August) Dike was running around free and when he came up to us we noticed that his chain was embedded in his neck. I had promised my mom I would not get into trouble this time. Coworker who worked at the school in the early 1990s she did say something she caused a bit of a stir, but being that people remembered her it did not blow up. They did take care of it. Dike was being taken care of but the young boy who was caring for him drug overdose and is gone for a year. Before we left on winter break she and I cleaned out our refrigerators and she made him a nice meal. She was feeding him scrapes but order him some dog food and feeds him in the morning on the way to work. It has caused some talk. The way dogs/animals up here treated in the villages just tear at me and I hate to say I have to just let it go. When I walk through the village I just have to put blinders on. I cannot walk through the village with Bridgit and Indy. One the dogs just get into an uproar and two Bridgit hates children and the kids here torment the dogs. They like to run up to pet them but also tease them. I have talked to the kids if you see me going the opposite direction it is because I have to get Bridgit away. Some kids on a snow machine were teasing Indy I have to say it was amusing. I finally yelled at one of them that he is deaf. I did talk to them later about it. Bridgit has gotten a reputation especially after a student just walked into my and Bridgit went after him. I forgot to lock my door and I could not get up fast enough. Students now knock and then wait at the bottom of the steps.

Again thank you so much for the boots because the warm weather is gone and we have been having to wear boots. Indy of course throws one everytime we go out so we are down a blue boot, but been lucky to find the others when they come off. It did not feel this cold when I went out in pjs but we did not go up on the tundra. Definitely going to need boots this evening. I don't do selfies but here is a hi and thanks.

[bridgitrowan]

I have had pneumonia and not able to get Bridgit and Indy out like I want to and Bridgit has been acting out. She has been running down off the tundra into the village with Indy following. Now I have to fly out this morning with him for an emergency Vet visit. We are on the morning flight and we don't have time to get to the Vet and back for the afternoon flight so will be spending the night in Fairbanks. I have already spent $500.00 and we have not even seen the Vet which I bet will be another $500.00.

Yea don't trust your dog will lead you back to your house when you are blind (glasses frozen over), blizzard, and running a 102 fever. Bridgit lead me into the neighbors house and her door was unlocked. It was a bit funny at the time but I was about to pass out.

[WalterB]

Well, She led you to A house. That's something. Better than running off and bringing you back a dead mouse, LOL (Good luck on your trip.)