A Funny Thing Happened

Below is a collection of funny stories that our NPSDR mushers wanted to share.

These are the good, not-so-good and maybe even disappointing learning events that happen to us all.

Melissa Mendelson

During deer hunting season last year, I had Kestrel, one of my yearling leader-in-training dogs, in lead during a run. Some careless hunter had dumped an entire deer minus the antlers in the ditch next to the road and Kestrel beelined for it, excited as all heck to get a mid run meal. He tried to drag the whole team into the ditch, but thankfully my other leader got him back on track!

He has a history of pulling shenanigans - earlier that same season, Kestrel spotted a few swans out on a lake we pass every run. He started lunging and barking and trying to pull the team into the lake after the swans, but thankfully he wasn't in lead that day and none of the other dogs were having any of his shenanigans!

Frank Stone

It sounds like a beautiful scene! Alaskan huskies are well known for their ability to pull sleds through snowy terrain, and it's always amazing to watch them trotting down a trail. The snow-covered road winding through a pine tree forest with tall, snow-capped hills in the distance always makes for a stunning backdrop. The sled gliding across the snow leaves a noticeable trail behind it, and the quietness of the area would only be interrupted by the occasional sound of the huskies' barks or the whoosh of the sled moving along the snow hardened icy path. It’s an unforgettable experience to be a part of such a breathtaking and peaceful moment.

As the sun begins to set, the orange and pink hues of the sky creates a beautiful contrast against the white snow. The huskies' thick fur coats keep them warm in the chilly air, the sound of their paws crunching through the snow and the gentle wind in your face just adds to the serene atmosphere.

Northern Pines Sled Dog Race, Iron River WI., NPSDR, sled dogs, dog mushing, snow sleds, mushing

Bob Lee

Dogs have a way of teaching their mushers lessons they will never forget!

In my first year of training my dog team, I had 5 experienced Eurohounds and two 10 month old puppies. Knowing next to nothing about training a team, I decided that the best way to introduce the puppies to the sport was to take them on a short run in harness with the rest of the team. I only had a 6 dog line so that meant taking one pup out at a time.

It was a sunny September day and with the first flawless run completed, I returned to the dog yard with all the confidence in the world that I was a natural (and of course so were my dogs). I had this hard working and very promising Eurohound team under control and responding to every gee, haw, and whoa. I pulled up along the dog yard fence and exchanged pups, never suspecting that this second run wouldn't go as smoothly as the first. I realized that I would have to turn this team around to take them out on the trail again with the other pup. With the commanding tone of an experienced general, I instructed my wife, Lori, to help turn the team around. I unhooked the gangline and had Lori hang on to the neck line while we redirected the team 180 degrees.

After a bit of stumbling and tripping and trying to keep up, we (my wife really) finally got the team pointed in the right direction. Now the ATV had to be turned around. I said to my devoted and unquestioning training partner, "Turn the ATV around. I'll hang onto the gangline and hook them up." As any experienced dog musher could have predicted, the moment the dogs heard the roar of the ATV motor, they took off with me hanging onto the gangline, being dragged (like a wild west scene) down the trail while yelling, "WHOA,WHOA, WHOA!" My wife, who is much smarter than me, knew to kill the engine immediately and join in the yelling of WHOA!!! The team came to a stop 30 yards or so later. Nothing hurt but my pride and my wife laughing hysterically, I learned a very valuable lesson, "NEVER hold onto a gangline of 6 Eurohounds!"

Steph Love

Many years ago, when Richard was helping with a tour at Positive Energy Outdoors, he left with a 10 dog team out our back trail, which is notorious for its steep downhill and sharp left hand turn at the start with a number of tricky corners after that. I left out the front trail, and noticed Richard was running the tour with only one arm when we met up a few minutes later. Once we were close enough to talk on the trail, he said he'd hurt his arm leaving the yard, but he'd be be fine running the tour with one arm (15+ miles). When we got back into the dog yard, he took off his parka and pointed to his elbow. When I touched it, I realized his bicep muscle had detached from his shoulder and was now pooled at the bottom by his elbow! Of course Richard drove himself to the ER, and after a good rest, he was back to mushing again. I will never be as tough as Richard, and I will never stop laughing when I think of that story.

Amelia Gagliano

Not too far from here in Bayfield is the ice road to Madeline Island. Last year my mom had the fun idea to try and take some dog teams out to the island in March after our racing and touring season was over. On a beautiful day we brought two teams over, one of 8 for our two person sled and one of 4 for our other sled. Well, as it turns out the ice road is indeed pure ice, and our break points do nothing to slow or stop teams. This turned into quite an event with 8 strong dogs who are their peak conditioning.

Turning them around ended up being a nightmare on ice and by the end, I was lying on the ground watching 8 of our best dogs running away along the shore of Madeline Island and Lake Superior. Thankfully they eventually tangled and came back, but not for losing at least 10 years of my life due to stress and physical exertion trying to chase them in deep snow. There's more to this story, but the moral here is: if you ever want to run the ice road with a dog team, use less dogs!

Frank Stone

Her name was Mandy. A very log legged and agile running machine. Mandy, like all animals was in search of something very special.

She came to our kennel due to a mishap in the kitchen of her previous home. She was in the house when her owners left for a shopping trip to town. This was when Mandy decided to begin her search for that something special thing she knew was just outside the door. So she proceeded to dig her way out. When the owners returned home to find the linoleum floor at the back door was destroyed, is when her new journey to that something special began.

We took her into our kennel after seeing something very special in her. A willingness to please and be out front of the pack. She was a natural on our skijoring team. Mandy had finally found that something special feeling. The place that gave her (and us) a fuzzy warm feeling that all is right in the world.

Frank Stone

Jarred (JJ) had received a husky (Cody) from a very loving family that had trained the dog well. She would sit on command and do the other kinds of family related tricks. However, the dog was high energy and not really conducive to being an indoor dog. JJ took her in and Cody loved to run with our 4 dog and skijoring teams. She was such a natural, that he made her his lead dog.

During a 4 dog sprint race, a section of the trail came very close to the spectators. For some reason Cody decided to put on the brakes and stopped the team to get some well deserved “pats on the head” from the many spectators cheering for her. To say that JJ was a little upset would be a severe understatement. Cody was quickly demoted to a less important position on the team at our next race.

Time marches on and at another sprint race, Cody was taking on the lead position once again. This time however as a 3 dog skijoring leader. During the race the quick release had dislodged and the team started to run free down the trail with JJ left far behind. As the entire team was making tracks, JJ screamed out “CODY ---- SIT!” She did as commanded and stopped the team. After being reattached to the tug line, the entire team, even the musher, continued down the trail.

What can be gained from such an event?

* What seems like a terrible event one day may look a little different in the future.

* Our pets do as they are taught. Put some good stuff on and the same will be returned.

* Always verify that your quick release is securely attached before you leave the chute!

Claire Carpenter

In the January 2022 John Beargrease Cub Run I had just turned the first corner when one of my wheel dogs fell in the deep snow causing the whole team to tangle. It was a crazy mess. I tried my best but had to have help to untangle the team. That is not even the worst part, my wheel dog that had gotten us into the mess managed to slip out of the harness at the very end of the race with every body watching! Luckily he is a great dog and just ran to auntie Anna when he was called. It was a lot of trouble last year but in the end it made me a better musher.

Derek Nechuta

I was on a training run and dropped a mitten out of reach with 2 miles left in the run. The snow wasn’t deep enough to really set the hook, and the dogs were standing patiently waiting to go. I stretched out and let go of the handlebars for a second and just like that, the sled and the dogs took off in the dark… I ran after the sled screaming in panic, I followed their tracks, they ended up blowing the turn back into the kennel and worry fell over me… I jumped on the quad and went down the trail.. I found them a few miles later, all resting and happy behind the nearest Tavern.