A tired dog is a happy dog

The New Addition


After some serious debate and lots of changing minds, we’ve finally decided on a new name for “Snail.”

He is now Swingley. He’s a three year old Alaskan Husky I got for free from TRK. Very happy with him. Adopted him on Oct 25. Giving him a bath was no where near an easy task. The bathroom was in disaray after we were done, and at one point, Max had to get in the tub with him. But, as a team, we got him clean.

Meanwhile, we’re getting fattened up, short walks and just today we worked on “Recall” training where I discovered he’s willing to fetch! So, he’s living a totally different life, but I believe he’s really and truly happy.

He’s a sweet dog and we’re very happy to add him to the pack.

Raven’s split toenail is basically the same. She’s still on antibiotics and she’s wearing booties when she goes out. Today she was limping but the toe looks no worse, so I’m monitoring it carefully.

We’ve been getting snow flurries and it’s been very chilly. I can’t wait to start training when we get back down to KY where all my dogs will be in reach. It’ll be really fun!

Happy tails and trails to all,
Ashley and the pack.

Scarry Night


Hi Everyone,

Tonight we’re going to a haunted house in Traverse City. Should be fun, I went to the Nightmare USS in Newport with Uncie and that was really fun, they say this place will scare you good…AHHH.

If anyone knows me you’ll know that I’m a big scaredy cat, terribly so, it’s not really darkness I’m afraid of, it’s what’s in the dark that scares me, LMAO.

Anyways, I’m picking up Snail from Richard’s Saturday morning. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. It’ll be interesting to deal with Doc again…Not really looking forward to that part of the visit. But, this time, I’ll go with confidence.

So, all the dogs are doing fine, getting ready for the move back down to KY, I’m buying an extra crate for Snail, Jackie’s getting the “dog yard” set for when we arrive, that will be nice. We’ve got plenty of cables and chains. I’m gonna have to make some more swivels though. Or I might just adopt Colleen’s swivel technique…We’ll see.

Anyways, bunches on my mind but I’m gonna forget it all and have some fun tonight. Wahoo.

Happy tails and trails,
Ashley and the pack

The Question


These types of questions are the kind that keep you up late at night. I’ve been tired all day, took a nap, Colleen woke me up to go to bed, and boom. I’m awake. Go figure. I also have some really terrible gas, not feeling good at all…

Anyways, took a gander up to Doc’s. Got to see Joe again, and he thinks doc is giving away Snail and Hinto. Some yearlings I took care of when I worked there, they’re about two or so now. But, none the less, younger than my old fuddy duddies.

Snail is a genuinely nice guy, I feel warm and fuzzy thinking about him. He’s a short coated black and white dog with handsome blue eyes, he’s sleek, sweet and easy to handle. Hinto who is very beautiful with a defined mask, he’s augoti (can’t remember how to spell it) wolf like coloring. But, he was very very shy back in the day and he’s not so bad now but to meet my expectations he would have to come a long way, and on runs he didn’t work well and was very inconsistent, perhaps that’s changed…not sure.

Snail would fit in well with my dogs, he’s about Rover’s size, long. He’d do well in KY because of his coat.

I feel good thinking about him. Hinto requires more work and I am to the point of acquiring dogs that benefit me and my wants/needs instead of the other way around. Which is a totally new perspective.

I haven’t gotten to choose a dog in a long time. Blue, and Raven have been the only dogs I’ve had the decision of who I got. Sister and Rover were given to me, I couldn’t have been luckier! But this new addition I would like to do for the good of everyone. Snail I believe, fits the bill.

I’ll think about him all night I’m sure, and be sick when I call Doc to ask him about the freebie after I’ve discussed it all with Max.

I’d take them both but, I can only choose one, if I took more than one down to KY I’d have to get a kennel license and abide the rules and regulations. I’m walking on thin ice as it is so to speak.

Anyways, that’s my question…who to choose…I think I’ve already chosen Snail, even though I feel like I’m betraying Slash…I’ll talk to Doc about him too…Dang…

I feel Blah


This sucks, I’ve gotten sick again! AHHH.

Anyways, I’m really bummed, there’s a training session in the UP this weekend and I won’t be able to make it. Sucks. So bad…And my sled is still and Jim and Denise’s. Hopefully they won’t care if it stays a while longer.

I’m gonna have to get my affairs in order.

Meanwhile, Raven is banging a bowl of kibble, egg and spagetti against my chair. LOL. Man, she’s got a split bail on her pinky toe on her rear leg. SUCK!!! So, I have to keep flushing it out because people keep letting her outside without her bootie. AAAHHH.

I’ve got KCK out in her big pen, gave her a couple apple slices, that cheered me up. Blossom got some too, she’s going out for a hop later today.

It’s nice and cold, but I’m not really happy about it because I don’t have my dogs with me. I’ve got stuff I could use, but, no dogs!!!

Kind of negative today aren’t I? Shame shame.

I was browsing around today and I’m interested in this dry land event in VA. I’m gonna look further into it and see what my goals are for this year.

Blah…..

The Lake


Raven and I went to the beach today. We haven’t been in a while, weather being bad and me being sick for a while.

It was really beautiful, really enjoyed it.

Here’s a photo of Raven sniffing around. There used to be a huge slab of cement that I would lay out on, rather shyly mind you, when I would take breaks from wading around in the water. I loved to sit there and paint.

I think they’re going to make a park or something. I’m kind of disappointed about that, because they probably won’t allow dogs. And this place is the only place near by that I can take Raven.

Anyways, weather warmed up, cooler today thank goodness. I’m enjoying the lake as much as I can.

I believe I’ll be heading down to KY in November to stay. So, yeah…

Next week I’m going over to Colleen’s to see my dogs (Rover and Sister). I can’t wait to see them!!!

Anyways, for those of you training, happy tails and trails, be safe!
Ashley and the pack

Crazy Dreams


Woke Up at 1:30….yeah… Crazy huh?

Nasty looking outside…or it could because the curtians are all pulled shut. LOL.

Gotta have light!

I worked on my painting yesterday…Wow. Took a long time to get where I was.

More work today and fun with the dogs…

I’ve taken a turn for the worse with this stupid cold. Cough is back and way worse.

Early Morning Walk


I woke up to Max’s dad yelling “Max, Max, Max” at 6 am…I went to bed early because I sucked down a whole bunch of Nightquil or whatever it’s called. So I had a good night’s sleep. I decided to get up with Max.

Turned out Jazz had decided to have a party last night and had the garbage everywhere…I was nice and helped Max clean it up. We seriously need to get Jazz a crate of her own, Raven has one to prevent midnight snacking from the garbage, and it’s proved its worth over and over for many things.

Anyways, had breakfast of two fried eggs and some toast I didn’t burn! Yay. And went for a bike ride with Raven. Turned out my tires were flat. Duh, I noticed it was harder to pedal these past few days so I checked. I have to fill them up later. Boy, am I observant.

When we got back, I fed Raven her breakfast and since I took an energy pill (I don’t reccomend those for everyone), I decided to take Jazz out for a training session. You see, she’s a very high energy dog…She’s got a lot of potential but this dog doesn’t respect anything, she’s what I would call insecure dominant, and shy/fear aggressive. Constantly babied, and well…Some would say I just don’t like her, but it’s not her I don’t like, it’s the behavior she displays and how the humans react and treat her that I don’t like.

Anyways, we had “Heel” work today. She did so great. When I’ve got her alone, she’s as good as gold. Smart as a whip. Usually she’s trying to walk ahead of you, not nessacarily pulling but always ahead. Which for me, I always liked that quality in a dog, but for her, she respects nothing, trusts very little. And walking ahead of me was not the type of relationship I want with her.

We went on relatively new territory for her, I would change pace, stop, etc and sometimes she would slip up and pull ahead earning a correction.

This dog doesn’t focus on anything but what she wants, usually getting something by being unstable (excited, disobedient, being flighty). So today was a wake up call…she had to focus on me to earn praise. It was great to see her get the hang of it. And before the walk was over she was beginning to look up at my eyes to earn praise…Something Jazz doesn’t do.

It was nice.

The weather is very cool, and I’m getting more accostomed to it and my cold is 75 percent gone.

I’m working on a painting of Raven, it’s really cute so far I think. Different colored squares, I just did the base colors, today I’m going to add value. Hopefully I’ll get it finished today, no reason not to.

Here’s the inspirational photo.

Hello world!


Welcome to Sleddoggin.com Blogs. This is my first post.

Hi everyone, I deleted my KY Musher blog because for some reason I couldn’t figure out how to edit the “home” page and it was bugging the crap out of me!

So, here we are again. Hope you enjoy!

Happy tails and trails,
Ashley and the gang