Mushing

That'll Do

Thursday, 26 November 2009 00:00 Karen Land Mushing

When I realized this column would be published on Thanksgiving Day, I knew it was time to write about Pig.

Some feelings and memories are so easy to pour into words; others stick inside the head and the heart like honey at the bottom of a jar taking its own slow, sweet time to finally make its way to the lip.

I still can’t speak of my beloved Iditarod lead dog without tears, but when I think of Pig and her life and all of the places we explored together and the people I met with her - because of her - I am filled with thanks.

I might not be able to find the exact words just yet, but I need to start somewhere.

Pig, my great girl, passed away on July 23, 2009 at the age of 12 years old. At the time, she was retired and living in Ellettsville, Indiana with Sue and Larry DeMoss, two amazing friends who offered to care for her in her final years. I will always be thankful to them for providing the secure, loving and peaceful home that Pig deserved. She was in the perfect place when she left this world, surrounded by people who love her just as much as I do.

( 3 Votes )

That Pig Can Run

Thursday, 06 March 2008 00:00 Karen Land Mushing

All pet owners eventually have to deal with the same old and familiar issue - whose gonna take care of the critters while I go on vacation?

It’s difficult for me to leave my dogs behind when I hit the road for work or play; I really do enjoy their company. For the most part, Borage, Jigs, and Pig go everywhere I go. We’re four peas in a tiny SUV pod.

Even though my pups are good travelers, sometimes it’s best to leave them behind. Most dog owners can relate to the worry and stress attempting to find a good pet sitter can cause.

( 0 Votes )

This Bud's For Pig

Thursday, 01 November 2007 00:00 Karen Land Mushing

No one would ever guess that Pig was anything special. But I know better.

Pig’s always been a tiny but tough dog. She looks more like a Border Collie-mix than a husky - 45 lbs. soaking wet, black and white coat, brown eyes, long and pointy snout, satellite dish ears. Nothing flashy.

A few months ago, Terry Adkins, my first dog mushing mentor, finally told me that I could have Pig if I still wanted her.

At ten years of age, Pig was now too slow to run as a lead dog. Her chronically sore shoulder made it difficult for her to drag puppies around on training runs. And she wasn’t even a good, consistent breeding bitch; Pig tends to throw fuzzy, “collie-hair” pups - the result of her bloodlines going directly back

( 2 Votes )

Going Far

Thursday, 05 April 2007 00:00 Karen Land Mushing

What does it mean to go far?

Endurance means different things to different people. To some, the idea of walking 2 miles is a long haul. To others, running a marathon (26 miles, 385 yards) seems like a stroll in the park compared to a 100-mile “ultra” event like the Western States Endurance Run across the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains from Squaw Valley to Auburn, CA.

Nowadays, it seems that the word “endurance” means little to those raised in a modern society. Whenever I’m giving my Iditarod Presentations in the schools, I begin my talk by asking the kids, “How long do you think it takes to travel 1,100 miles across Alaska by sled dog team?”

( 0 Votes )

Borage's Call Of The Wild

Thursday, 04 January 2007 00:00 Karen Land Mushing

One of my favorite parts of owning pets is observing their behavior.

Since I was a young child, I’ve been fascinated by the way my dogs play, fight, hunt, and even dream in their sleep. The pets in our lives and in our homes - whether they be hounds or cats, horses or rats - are a bridge between our domestic, “civilized” world and the realm of all wild things.

Lately, even though I’ve owned my Alaskan Husky, Borage, for six years, it’s almost like I have an entirely new dog in my life. This is Borage’s first winter as a retired sled dog. Now, he’s part of my daily routine - sleeping, exercising, eating, traveling with me pretty much full time.

( 0 Votes )

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KAREN LAND

That'll Do

That Pig Can Run

This Bud's For Pig

Going Far

Borage's Call Of The Wild