A Rookies Journey
July 26, 2005
by Eric Rogers © 2005 All rights reserved

You know it’s a bad sign when you miss a week in the training logs and it’s only July. What can I say?
Bear Paw is a festival in Eagle River complete with a dirty sneaker contest, a slippery salmon race, a parade, rides, and vendors. As part of the effort to reinvent ourselves we purchased booth space and off we went. My draw is being a musher and the best part of that is sharing your life with dogs, so I brought a dog each day. I also figured that as intimidating as the crowd was, it is nothing like the 4th avenue crowd for the Iditarod start in March.
Mocha was the first ambassador on Friday and, while she was intimidated at first, quickly caught on and was starting to schmooze pretty well at the end. Of course it didn’t hurt that Cheryl Eldridge, a lady I worked with at Alaska Native Technologies, brought her very outgoing 2 yr old Siberian, Taiga. Taiga is so bad that when she pooped out she laid down just outside the booth so she didn’t have to get up for her adoring public to stop and pet her. What a ham!
For the Saturday I brought Dash, but while she is very confident and outgoing in the kennel, the new situation and the crowds were just too much for her. Halfway through I had Andi, my daughter, bring Keiko down and sent Dash home. Dash will catch on and do very well, but needs to start in smaller doses and work up slowly. Keiko was my first market dog the previous Saturday and did well, but didn’t really enjoy it. Today she was starting to have fun, but still nervous. Keiko and Bass are two of my top three choices for leaders down 4th Ave for the start, so this is all good training for her.
For Sunday I took fate by the horns and brought Java down. We’ve had Java since he was 6 weeks old. We purchased him from Jeff King’s kennel, and over that time I’ve never seen anything intimidate him. If you think of a sled dog on caffeine with a very friendly “in your face” personality, that’s Java. I had to firmly control him so he wouldn’t intimidate the little kids – he loves to jump up and wash your face – but after 6 hours he started to mellow out and be really nice to have around. What a guy. If Java is half as good as a leader as he advertises I’ve got one heck of a sled dog.
This weekend we did Saturday and Sunday markets in downtown Anchorage. I really enjoy talking sled dogs and Alaska – my folks always said that I just enjoy talking! Saturday I brought Bass along. Cheryl couldn’t come so Bonnie Foster, who has been helping me train for the last two years, came along for moral support. Bass was very laid back and thoroughly enjoyed meeting his adoring fans. I explained that he has been my “go to” dog for the last 4 years and the 2006 Iditarod might be his last race. Man will I miss him when he retires. I’ve already been talking to his (Bass’) kids telling them what large booties they have to fill.
For Sunday I brought Mocha back and you’d have thought she had been doing this all her life – going up to people, schmoozing, and playing PR dog for the kennel. She is another that I have great hope for and am looking forward to watching her mature. Just a really neat little girl.

Keep ‘em Northbound
Eric