Racing Season Is Here!!! * Summer's Take*

Hey everyone, it's finally my turn to tell you all about my training:) Boy can that brother of mine talk!!!

As Princey told you it's almost time for our club's big race of the year. We can't wait to see all our friends from out of town, we don't get to see them too often. I'm a bit disappointed that I'm not going to run with my boy, I think my Mom doesn't trust me. I hope she understands why I am a bit 'disruptive' (that's what she calls it anyway). I think going out for a run is all about having fun. I like trying to play with Prince when we're running, I chew on his leg to try & get him in a playful mood...doesn't normally work though cause he's pretty serious about his running. I like to say hello to the other dogs & with some of the girls I have a bit of a yap in their face or growl a bit. I like them to think I'm the boss cause I'm actually far from it.

I think Mom knows I'm not very confident, I've had lots of families you see. Mom tells me we are her 'forever family', she told me what that means & I'm real happy about it:) Every now & then I get a bit scared though & feel like I have to get the first word with the other dogs cause if they growl at me or look at me funny I just want to hide.

Anyroo, this is supposed to be about my training so here goes. Mom told me the other day that I would be running with my friends Ara & Laska in an a 3 girl freight team, woo hoo - girl power! We went our for our first run together last night, it was great cause we didn't have any strong boys that made us go too fast. Let me tell you about the other members of my team. Ara is 12 years old, coming 13 this year. She is amazing, she still races & has heaps of energy. She doesn't run all that fast but she can still run the distance...I sure hope I'm as fit as she is when I'm 12! Laska is 3, coming 4 & she has no eyes. You heard me right she runs in a team when she can't see anything! She is truly an amazing girl, so strong & confident, I really admire her (don't tell her I said that though).

Last night Ara started off in lead & me & Laska were at wheel. Ara hasn't run by herself for ages & she wasn't too sure about running in the forest without someone beside her so I got moved up into lead beside her. We ran really well together, think Laska was getting a bit peeved though as we weren't going as fast as we should have been going (I can't believe we weren't running fast enough for a blind dog!). We got told we'd do okay if we went the speed we were going last night with the freight on the rig (we ran without it last night). The bipeds expect us to pull a rig, musher & 68kg of extra weight - I'm just glad the biped that's running us in the race is pretty fit, I'm hoping he'll do quite a bit of the work so it's not too hard on us girls:)

The worst thing about last night was not being able to run with Mom & my boy Prince. I get real anxious when I can't see them, I won't even walk for anyone else (except maybe our friend that's taking us in the race) if Mom & Prince aren't coming too. I just sit down & refuse to move. Mom says I'm a 'clingy' girl. I know she understands me though, I'm really not being a bad girl, I'm just scared I'm gonna have to go live with other people like I have in the past.

Have to go now as Prince just went running past me & wants me to have what Mom calls 'greyhound races' around the house.

Talk to you again soon,

Summer

xxxx

Racing Season Is Here!!! * Prince's Take*

Haroo every pupper!!!


Thought it was about time I told everypup what I've been up to. I've been training lots to make sure I'm nice & fit for the racing season.


Our local event of the year which is run by our club - Southland Sled Dog Association - is on 2 & 3 June. On the first day I'm running single dog pulling my Mom along on the scooter & on the second day I'm running with one of my girlfriends (I have a few you know, ha roo roo), Quiquern, in the two dog scooter class once again pulling my Mom.



Mom was going to run me & my sister Summer in the two dog scooter class on the first day but she's a bit worried about Sum as she's not very focused sometimes & gets cheecky to the other dogs. She holds me back lots too cause I'm much faster than her, her legs are shorter than mine. Mom doesn't want to get disqualified in her first sanctioned race if Sum decides to be a 'rat bag' so decided to run me on my own & Sum will run with a friend of ours in his freight team (wish I could be in the freight team cause they're all girls & I like girls wooooo).


We train every Tuesday & Thursday night & Sunday morning on forest trails pulling scooters & rigs or occasionally we bikejor (pull our bipeds on a mountain bike). Daylight savings has finished here so it's dark by 6pm so on Tuesday & Thursday night we run in the dark in the forest, it's pretty cool.



Last night I pulled the scooter all by myself - I've never done that before, always had someone to help me. Mom says I did pretty well but that my concentration left a little bit to be desired (not sure what she means by that). I went out with Sum's freight team...boy were they slow, good thing they entered freight cause I reckon they'd get last in a sprint race. Sometimes when I passed them I would slow down & turn around & stop to greet them, Mom didn't seem to like that very much...there we're lots of 'Prince on' & 'Prince on by' s. When I did race past them I found it really boring as there was no one up ahead to chase so I'd decide to have a pee on some of the greenery & have a bit of a sniff around. Again, Mom didn't seem to be happy about this.


I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night's run with Quiquern as she smells real good at the moment. My Mom says she's 'in season' or 'on heat', again I don't understand biped language very well. Mom has to keep a close eye on us cause if we stop running we both have other things on our minds, you know what I mean, ha roo roo:)


Anywoo, Sum wants to tell you what she's been up to & is busy chewing my legs (she always does this) as I write so I better let her have her turn. Like my Mom says, I really am a good boy:)


Wooooooo
Prince


xxxx

Newsflash - We're Off To Join The AO4!!!

This is Summer reporting in to tell you that me & Prince are now officially members of the AO4!!! We're very excited - click on the AO4 link to find out the other members of our Army!!!

The photo above shows Team Husky waiting in anticipation for the tank to come pick us up. Harooooooo - we're off to join the AO4!!!

Thanks so much Stormy, Amber, Zim & Dave!!!! We salute you:)

Summer xxx

Nicknames

Haroooooooo every pupper, it's me Prince!


We were just looking at our friend Echo's blog & thought that today's topic was a really good one....'Stupid Nicknames'. Check out what Echo & his crew get called!!!

Here's our take on nicknames:
We already had our names when mom got us but she soon started up with the nicknames.

My name is Prince - a very regal name if I may say so myself:) I somehow got the name Princey Poos....I was hoping she would forget but no, it stuck. Princey Poos, how undignified is that? Makes it sound like I'm incontinent or something.

My big sister Summer (who mom got after me) gets called Sum Bum, I think she kinda suits it & she really doesn't seem to mind when mom calls her that.

We often get called Princey & Summy which we think is pretty cool....no probs with those names at all. Mom also says I'm her main man & Summer is her best girl:)

Prince xxx