What can go wrong...

Took the B team out today for a longer run down around the lake loop trail. Devlyn decided that he wanted to go with, so we bundled him up and went out to harness dogs. Things went well at first, the dogs were all running well except for Wrangler. She was by herself just behind the swing dogs and appeared really unsure of herself on this run. She'd run well with Banjo on the last run, so I was surprised to see her tail flagging at me and her looking back. We stopped and I put Plato up with her, thinking that might help her confidence; but, this just didn't seem to do it. So, I pulled her back farther in the team and paired her with good ole' Achilles, a very hard working hound who is out of our first hound breeding that we did. Wrangler did a bit better after that, but was still off today. About halfway through the run, Horus popped a neckline...then Banjo did too! How crazy! And these are cable necklines...that should tell you how bad our guys chew at hookup. So, I stopped and replaced necklines...then as we got going again, Munchkin popped the leader neckline off her collar. Ok, no worries. We got that sorted out and Banjo's neckline came unsnapped from the gangline. Devlyn tried to go up and snap it back in, but Banjo was so skittish that he couldn't do it, so I took care of it and off we went. Until we hit the lake. Dutchess wanted to go to the right, even though there was a trail straight across. I went up and pulled Dutchess and Munchkin over to the straight trail, and they jumped back to the right. Up I went again, pulled them over, and off they went to the right. After about 5 times of doing this, I was very frustrated. I pulled Dutchess's harness over, plopped her back on the straight trail (a few choice words in there) and tried to go. Guess what?!? Back to the right she dove. So, I had Devlyn go up to the leaders, pull them over as I got them going. I picked Dev up on the way by and we headed off. Another musher dropped down on the lake at that point running 8 dogs and a toboggan sled. We waved and went on up off the lake. The dogs took a misturn, but this time, Dutchess listened and we got going the right way.

We headed up a ways and I decided that it had been such a screwy run, why not push it? (ha ha ha) So, I put Deez up front with Dutchess. He actually did ok, but he didn't have enough umph to get 9 yr old Dutchess moving faster...which meant that Banjo and Munchkin, the swing dogs, were running up on the leaders. I had to keep the team lined out at a slower pace. Things went ok until we passed the fenced Siberians and Deez all but climbed under the swing dogs. At this time, I just had to laugh. I patiently went up and lined him out, untangling the mess he'd made and off we went home. Then, when Manny tried to secure the front of the team upon our arrival in the dogyard, Deez did an about face, circled around BEHIND the swing dogs, ran out the other side and practically flipped out when Manny caught hold of the leader necklines. Crazy! That entire run was just a mess...but like Andi told me, that's what makes mushers better. It isn't those "perfect" runs, where everything goes smooth and the run is a breeze. It's those runs where good Ole' Murphy rears his ugly head (by the way, I'm convinced Murphey just doesn't like me!) and anything that can go wrong, will. Those crazy runs teach us to handle the unexpected, teach us to be patient, even when it's really hard, and teach us that even sled dogs can have off days.

Good news is that through all of this madness, Jenny actually let me pet her 2 times out there! After the trouble on the lake, I made it a point to walk up the line and pet each and every dog. Jenny usually shies away, but this time, she stood there and let me pet her head! I was so happy, that I gave her extra scritches. Then, a little later when I stopped again, I went up the line and she accepted her pets with the others. At home, she didn't shy away when it was time to unharness and she let me give her scritches again. Talk about progress!!! :o) So, that made the run not quite so bad.

Heading up to the Whites on Friday to run a sled. Should be interesting. Ha ha ha! Ciao!