Little Earl's a Lead Dog...

 When we got Little Earl (My Name Is Earl, 11/17/21), we were told his parents were both leaders. While that was good to hear, you never really know much about a new dog until you try them out. March is when, if you haven't already, you try new things in the team. So this was Earl's time to be a leader.

Earl on the left in lead, heading home from the last rest stop. That's when you'd usually put a new dog up front for the first time, cause they know they're on the way back to the dog yard. 

Here's Earl back in the yard. Missy with Gus behind her, cooling off by laying down in the snow. Mac and Earl look like they're ready to go some more! Earl's less than a year old, we're not sure when he was born, late spring we think, but he's still likely the youngest dog that we've ever tried in lead. Pretty amazing how well he did.

The Ides of March and a New Leader?

The saying "beware of the Ides of March" didn't hold true this year, at least not for our dog team. When Mac was a pup,  the woman we got him from thought he'd be a good lead dog cause his mother was a natural at skijoring and he was the most fearless of her pups (Here and Gone 6/28/20). Andy often took him for walks and when he was old enough to fit the puppy harness, at 3 months, he pulled right from the start.

When he got a little older, I had to take over the walks because he pulled so hard, Andy couldn't control him. The first time I went out on the 4-wheeler that fall, I didn't take him, so he broke his collar, then chased us down the trail until he caught up, so we had to turn around to bring him home.  But without a proven leader last winter, he never got a chance up front. So this past week, it was his time to lead.

Mac, on the right, running next to Missy who has really blossomed out as a leader this winter. But she's going on eleven, so may not have many more years left in harness. Having Mac ready to run up front with Gus would be a real bonus then, a leader for the Ides!

Wanted to get a photo of Mac in front of the team, but the youngsters are always barkin', bitin', and bangin' to go, so took this one in the dog yard after we got back today.

Overflow..

 Running the ten mile loop, you have to cross the dreaded overflow gulley. Not so bad as previous years (Overflow 2/16/19), but it's still a hazard to navigate twenty to thirty feet of sloping ice.

Heading back for home, the dogs still running great. It was almost thirty above, so kind of warm for these fuzzy guys.

Taking a rest before crossing the ice again, it's a treat to finally get out on longer runs.