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Last night I received word that Emily Maxwell, driving our puppy team, had withdrawn from the race. We had not planned to run a puppy team, but a few weeks before the Iditarod Skinny Leg Sled Dog’s found itself in a win-win situation. Emily was looking for a team to run and our puppies would gain valuable experience both mentally and physically on the Iditarod route.
Our puppy team consists of dogs 18 months to 2 ½ years old with a few seasoned dogs as leaders. With a 50/50 run-rest schedule, the goal was never to “race” the dogs but rather to give them experience and exposure to the trail. “Just make it fun for them,” Brett said to Emily before they left.
Traveling at the back of the pack, by the time Emily and the youngster reached the infamous TUSSOCKS (see pic), that portion of the trail was worn bare by all the previous sled runners and dragmats coming through. Emily’s sled kept getting stuck on the tussocks. With all the stopping and going, it became clear to Emily that the race was no longer fun for the youngsters, so in their best interest, she made the decision to call it.
In no way have Emily or the youngsters failed. The dogs were exposed to new country and conditions and traveled much further than they've ever gone before. Emily exercised wisdom and prudence, giving our dogs an excellent education and a wonderful experience, until it simply wasn’t fun for them anymore.
It's important to remember that you can never force a dog to run.
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