Summer Camp for Woody

Woody is having a different and exciting summer!

As you may know, several mushers send their dogs to one of the Alaskan glacier operations where they get to run in harness all summer long. That can work really well for them but generally we have felt that this is not in the best interest of OUR dogs and prefer them to have their summers "off", keeping fit with free running and the occasional jump in a pond.

Woody is a dog that has SO much potential but hasn't quite managed to break-through. We felt he needed some confidence and a consistent 4 month "Summer Camp" seemed like a good idea.

Chris was heading to Mendenhall Glacier to give tours to Alaskan visitors and had to leave his pet, Green Dog, with his parents, so there was an open spot for Woody.

Chris reported to us early on that Woody is, of course, one of the guests' favourites with is large size, handsome face and big bark.



Here is the latest from Chris:

This morning I woke up at 6:00 AM. The sun was already shining, which was a relief after 7 straight days of rain. The Mendenhall Glacier is right above the largest temperate rain forest in North America, so we all get used to the rain pretty quick.
Living on the glacier feels a bit like living on the moon (I guess I’ve never lived on the moon, but you get the idea!) I have never been to a place so stunning. Though the weather can be a bit harsh, the dogs are always happy to get out and run. They can deal with blizzards and 50 mile-per-hour winds, so a little rain doesn’t slow them down at all.
Aliy let me take Woody to the glacier with me, and I am elated to have him. The rest of my dogs are from Iditarod Musher, Melissa Owens Stewart, and Woody has fit right in. He has even been training a couple of Melissa's young leaders. I’m not sure how Aliy feels about her dog training the competition, but it has made my day much easier having Woody leading my teams. He has an incredible attitude, and has been steadily gaining confidence in himself.
Here a couple pictures of the big guy enjoying a beautiful sunny day.