One of things we all look forward to is time with our junior mushers. Currently, our junior musher is Harlyn. He lives a couple miles away and has been coming for about 1.5 years. This fall, he started coming weekly. This has improved his confidence and skill level quickly.

Recently, the temperatures dipped below zero. We reviewed lessons learned about COLD (<10F) temperatures & mushing / caring for dogs:

It’s important to wear extra gear to stay warm
Remember to bring an extra mask / Buff / neck gaiter, as it gets wet from breathing into it
Bring handwarmers
Bring extra gloves
If you are running the dogs very far, put booties on the dogs
Review the need for dog coats
The dogs need extra calories and fat when it’s cold.
—>we reviewed how to make fat balls with RedPaw fat
—>we discussed other sources for adding fat in the dogs’ diet
Hydration needs to be watched closely when it’s cold and many dogs need extra motivation to drink. We made a broth to feed midday to encourage drinking and a source of providing extra calories. We also fed more kibble at breakfast and supper.