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Back to
Sledding
Animal Day
At the Rhea Co. Humane Society's Animal
Fair, August 1997
Okay, here goes.
| Bathed 8 dogs last night after
work, 3 Malamutes, and 5 Siberians -- all our personal dogs, not rescues,
as I don't take rescues to publicity events. Cleaned harnesses, gathered
together about 4 truckloads of gear. |
(Picture here of wet dogs on
picket.)
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Transmorgraphied it so it would fit
into 1 truck with 4 crates, 8 dogs, 1 sled, and 2 iguanas (I'm getting
to them) and rescue information posters and handouts.
Got up almost before my head hit the
pillow. Packed 4 crates, 8 dogs, 1 sled, 4-truckloads of gear and 2 iggies.
Searched frantically through the entire house until I found my truck keys.
Managed to forget the rescue handouts. Did remember the business cards.
(My sweetie who remembers things for me has to work Saturdays. It must
be his fault.)
Got to the
Rhea Co. Humane Society Animal Fair. They had us between the goat exhibit
and the raccoons. I explained what would happen to the goats and the raccoons
if we didn't get moved. And it had to be in the shade. And it had to be
in the back so I could do the sleddog demonstration.
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Picture here of dogs on picket.
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Got situated. Got the new pickets
(Did I mention stopping at the co-op and buying chain and rebuilding my
pickets in the parking lot of the co-op. Rebuilt them because the dogs
had demolished the old ones in the time it takes to load 1 truck, 4 crates
etc. -- yes, I know everyone told me don't use rope. It was only 1 dog.....
and it only takes one dog. I know, you all warned me.) |
Got the dogs out. Set up the sled.
Set up the rescue posters. Breathed a sigh of relief. The mc announces
that there will be a sleddog demonstration in 10 minutes. Here I was thinking
an hour and 10 minutes.
Panic.
Settle down, afterall these folks
don't know me -- Hi, Dr. Nix. I'm fine Mrs. Woodard. Yes, they are beautiful,
Major Haskins. (I know the whole county and they are all here.)
Have a sleddog
demonstration. Always start with just Jack my big goober Malamute. He decides
this isn't a Pull day (even 100 feet as a demonstration) it's a Cute day.
I am talking and putting harnesses on and explaining the whole Malamute
vs. Siberian thing, their heritages and why that makes them demanding pets,
that they need fences, vaccinations, lots of time in the house.
| And Jack doesn't raise
his left foot when I tell him and run my hand down that leg. He raises
the right. I tell him to stand and he sits. I tell him to stretch out (and
tighten the lines) and he stretches out on the ground. It gets worse. He
backed out of his harness. That was a new one on me. Runs backwards, with
me on the ground on my face, and jumps into the basket of the sled. |
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Immediately Miss Bear starts hollering
at him. That was supposed to be her spot. (She's 10 with cancer -- she's
entitled.) He hollers back. Waves that paw in the air, we all know the
one. Knocks my glasses off and when I duck down to look for them, he head
butts me in the butt and I went head over heels.
We haven't managed to move the sled
yet.
The iguanas climb out of the truck
window and some kid screams. I forgot the iggies! Got the iggies back in
their cage, made sure they are in the shade. I'll get them to the lizard
exhibit when I'm done here.
And I'm being heckled by 3 9-yr-olds
in the front. So I recruit them. Things went from bad to worse.
Finally managed to move the sled.
I harnessed up the 3 9-yr-olds. Jack rode. I walked beside and gave sleddog
commands.
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Picture here of Sibes in harness
tangled.
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Then I got to the Siberian
Streak. Okay, we are changing their name to the Siberian slowpokes-showing-off-for-townies.
Tosha and Nu-Nu managed to get tangled as I was explaining how the others
would get tangled but they would be, uh, fine...... Untangled them. They
did it again. Left them. Hooked up Chief and Lucky. |
Got Lucky's harness inside out. Straightened
that out. Hooked up Misha and Mark last as they have never done this before.
No sweat. Misha laid down. Would NOT get up. Unhooked Misha, started to
picket him back and he went towards the front. Okay. He wants to run behind
Tosha the lead dog. Okay. hooked him in with Lucky, moved Chief back.
We're ready to go. Put Jordan my nephew
on the runners and asked him what mushers said to get their dogs running.
He said, hike. No, what he said was (in a deep but high-pitched voice for
a 7-yr-old) HIKE!! HIKE!! HIKE!!
The dogs took off as one, all lunged
into their harnesses and suddenly I'm in a dead run with a leash to the
lead dog. You'd think these idiots were sprint team contenders instead
of Sunday sleddogs.
It got a cheer anyway. We ran in a
big circle. I made the 9-yr-olds water everyone when we got back. Then
we had a pet-a-thon to see who could pet the dogs the longest. (Not really.)
But everyone came over and they were all terrific. Put the iggies back
3 times. Lizard exhibit had no room for them.
About an hour later I am about hoarse
from explaining that we rescue the dogs not the dogs rescuing people, and
yes, you must have a fence or make him indoors all the time, and yes, your
current dogs must be vaccinated, and no, Siberians are not Malamute pups,
and no there is no wolf in them at all, and yes, we do charge for our rescues,
and no, I am not ashamed of selling rescue dogs to make back half of their
medical expenses, and yes there is a contract, and no you can't breed them.......
I have such a headache you wouldn't
believe. Did I do any good today? I socialized my dogs. I got people to
a place where they would hear the spay/neuter, vaccinate, fence your dogs
Speech. And maybe someone will think of us when they see a stray. Maybe
they will mention it to someone who would make a good owner. Maybe I just
count it as good experience in packing a truck.
The dogs are all 8 piled up in the
kitchen floor and I think I'll join them.
Picture here of dogs in floor.
Happy Trails! | 