Kennel and dog maintainence

  Another wonderful warm day in the Yukon. When Ben and Rachel get home  they will work at checking feet and nails. Ben and Rachel noticed that the dog's nails are getting long. One thing that is harder to see is the condition of the feet. It doesn't take long to get cracks on their feet which need treatment. It can be cracking on pads and deeper in the webs of their feet. I learned allot from Buddy Streeper while on a tour with four Junior mushers At their kennel. He uses a clean plastic kennel and puts a liquid in it. The liquid can be an antiseptic to clean the wounds. If a dog has a cut that may be getting infected you place the dog in the kennel to stand in the liquid this helps to clean and soften the wound. When the dog comes out of the Kennel  the wound has to be scraped out so no scab is left to cover over the wound. The reason for this is if the wound scabs over it prevents healing from the inside out. Wounds in the foot heal from the inside out. You have to keep the air and healing ointments on the inside of the wound. All the straw in dog houses will also taken out and exchanged with new straw. When the weather gets warm it makes it easier to take any wet straw out.

 We are working on getting more sponsors to come on board this year. Some of last years still have not got back to us. Rachel and Ben sold the Heeler pups that helps. We are still in need of more to get to the races planned.  The plans still need to be done regardless. It takes allot of planning to get to the races and to train specific to the race planned. It is necessary to go to some preliminary races to get ready for our main races.