Let the madness commence! The 2012/2013 team

This is the first season ever in my seventh season of running dogs in Ohio that I've been able to start four-wheeler fall training in AUGUST! This is great because I still had the yearlings from Tak's litter last July to totally harness break (get used to learning their job as sled dogs). 

In four short months we have to go from this...

Harness breaking puppies the other evening. Yearlings Perry and Tosh are in the middle there, with their papa, Yeti, taking up the wheel

...to this

My team on the beginning of the second leg of the Midnight Run last year.

We have many miles to get under our harnesses before our first race in January. I am super stoked for this season!

New members to the team this season are the yearlings from the Reggae Litter, who are now all officially harness broken, thanks to Mother Nature's cool temperatures earlier this week. I am in the process of selling some of my females in order to move from running almost primarily females to primarily males this season. Here are some of the boys.

Meet Perry, the biggest and so far the superstar of the Reggae litter. With six hook ups since last April, he's already rockin' in harness as if he's been running in the team for years and years. Perry is named after the Reggae dub great, Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Perry giving me his best "I'm sexy and I know it" look

Returning older yearling (who will be two in November) is rockstar, educational doggy, and the kennel's 2011/2012 MVP: Miles.

Miles, who, despite his intimidating and bulging muscles, is the sweetest and most patient education dog for my dog sledding presentations. He finished the Midnight Run as a yearling last February.

Perry's brother and Elise's sled dog (who she says I can race) is Tosh.

Tosh, who also masquerades as an arctic fox

Despite popular belief, Tosh is NOT named after Comedy Central's funny (and often unsavory) show, Tosh.0. He is one of the Reggae Litter, and was named after reggae master and original core member of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Peter Tosh. His name is fitting, too, because he is laid back as any Rastafarian.

Perry and Tosh's brother, Wailer, was a bit more challenging to capture a photo of, even for me. He does not stop moving! Here is Wailer...clearly named after Bob Marley and the Wailers. His name was apropos for him from birth, however, because he had the loudest mouth of all the Reggae litter!

Wailer

Here is the proud papa of the Reggae litter...cornerstone of my kennel and the most natural leader, Yeti.

Yeti

And, leading the pack, the dynamic duo...the sisterhood of the traveling fur pants.... leaders in crime, Ruffian and Big Brown.

Big Brown

Ruffian

All of the pedigrees of these dogs can be found here: http://www.dogtec.com/kennel/lazyhuskyranch 

Here's to the 2012/2013 season - I'm hopeful it will be a season of big changes for Team Diamond Dogs!

This week's featured dog: Tosh

We're kicking off a special sponsorship drive for the 2012/2013 season with Sponsor-a-Dog. Each week, I will feature a dog who is part of the racing team in search of a sponsor for that dog for the 2012/2013 season. Eleven-month-old, Tosh, is currently looking for a sponsor for the season. 

Tosh and his littermates - The "Reggae Litter" - were born on July 10, 2011. Despite popular belief, Tosh is not named after Tosh.O; he is named after Peter Tosh, the great reggae singer and musician. 

We knew from the beginning that Tosh was different. At just a day or two of life, while the other puppies were busy nursing from their mama, Tosh was already on the move.

Tosh crawling over the obstacle course that was his mama during the first few days of his life

Very shortly after he was born, my daughter, Elise, claimed him for her own. 

Tosh with his "human mama" Elise

Despite the constant handling, Tosh always regarded us with guarded skepticism during the first few months of his life.

A shy four-month-old Tosh hiding in the weeds at the Ranch

He was naturally shy, and earned his shyness honestly: both of his parents, my leader, Yeti, and his mom, Tak, are super shy.

His favorite thing was to play in his daddy's circle with his siblings while he was a pup. 

Tosh (center) hanging in the dirt with his siblings Toots (left) and Rasta (right)

Before long, he started to come out of his shell. I began taking him to my dog sledding presentations.

Elise sits with four-month-old Tosh at the Columbiana County Public Library

And he won hearts. 

He sprouted long legs around six months of age, and suddenly blossomed into a large, beautiful, wolfy-looking, white sled dog. 

Tosh, doing his best impression of a wolf

Tosh and his person, Elise. Elise says I can race him this season, even though he is her sled dog

Tosh is a super sweet, extremely quiet boy who loves cuddling with both dogs and people. His favorite thing is running full-throttle along the puppy paths at the Ranch. 

Tosh running around the puppy paths with his papa, Yeti

His other favorite activities are eating and dumping his water bucket repeatedly. 

Tosh will be a yearling on next season's race team. Sponsor Tosh for $75.