Canine Companions

It's only been two days since I met Jesse but I already got to meet the rest of the sled team. Yesterday he took me out to his house in Big Lake. It was about a 40 minute drive, but I LOVE the car, like most dogs. There's no feeling like sticking your head out the window and getting a rush of air filled with unbelievable scents. My nose was overwhelmed and I was in heaven.

When we got out of the car, 11 dogs rushed at me. To say I was scared is an understatement. Immediately my tail went between my legs and I froze. After about 5 minutes of me essentially being put in the spotlight, the dogs began to ease off a little and I was able to do some smelling of my own. Once I was thoroughly satisfied and began to feel comfortable, we spent the remainder of the day running around the field and woods behind Jesse's house. I've never had a brother or sister like me, so I was ecstatic to finally have the experience to make canine friends. I'll explain a bit more the next time I log on, but Jesse should be here any minute to take me out for a run with the dogs. Talk soon.

Loyally,
Lola

New Teammate and Friend

Today I met Jesse. He came over, said hello to my parents, and immediately came to see me. He ruffled my hair, I licked his face, and we became instant buddies. He did bring over some treats...maybe that had something to do with my immediate taking to him, who knows. Anyhow, like I said he's from Juneau originally but lives outside of Anchorage, about 35 minutes from our house. He's been training with sled dogs for almost 10 years now and, like Dave said, it's his passion. I can honestly see it in his eyes. After he spoke with my parents for a little bit, he took me out for a test run. After almost 2 hours of exercise, we arrived back at the house. Jesse couldn't have been happier. He'd been training with Dave's dogs for the past two weeks, and now that he got to meet me he feels like his team is complete. I feel complete too. I never thought in my life that I would have an opportunity to reconnect with my roots- to become wild and free and no longer "domestic."

Got to run, dinner's ready!

Loyally,
Lola

Jesse from Juneau

So far, I've had 11 days of training. There isn't much to report, as it's pretty monotonous and we take the same route each day, but I'm definitely in the best shape of my life. I do have some news about Dave, though. He's recovering well and is expected to be out of the hospital in the next few days. I've overheard Mom and Dad talking about how grateful he is that I'm taking Sadie's place, but also how upset he is that he can't take part in the race. A few days ago he secured someone to take his spot. I'm supposed to meet him by the end of next week. His name is Jesse and he's originally from Juneau, but moved to Anchorage 5 years ago to train for the Iditarod. Apparently Dave chose him because he "saw the passion and potential in him." I hope he's right. I'm not quite sure how I feel about being in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with someone I've known for only two weeks. I'd say I'm a pretty trusting dog though, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I hope he brings over some treats....that'll be a good start.

Loyally,
Lola

Fresh Air, Fresh Outlook

This past week has been absolutely liberating. I never thought that training for the Iditarod would be a pleasant experience, but it’s turned out to be just that. I’m really starting to get into the exercise routine and it’s definitely made me become closer to Mom and Dad. Mom, who’s always been a pretty vocal person, has really taken a liking to telling me about her life whilst on our runs at night, and I just eat it all up. We talk about Jack and Lily, her job, Grandma, Uncle Dave, and so much more. Well, okay, I suppose I just listen, but it makes me feel like she can confide in me and I can’t get enough of it.

Today, though, was especially liberating for me. On our morning run a bunny scampered across the trail and my animalistic instincts kicked into high gear. I chased Peter Rabbit for what seemed like an eternity, weaving in and out of trees and bushes, over rocks, tree stumps, and a small ravine, all the while hearing the screams of Dad to come back. Seconds before the animal made it to its hole, I swatted my right paw in a last futile attempt to claim my prize. The bunny faltered, tripping over an exposed root, and I went in for the kill. I’d have to say it was a bit unpleasant (blood and guts all over one’s muzzle is not in the least bit attractive) but all the while I felt like a lioness- powerful, sneaky, persuasive, queen of the jungle. I felt like I’d shed my domestic exterior and become a true animal, just as God intended. I can't help but feel like a new dog. Perhaps that's exactly what I need to find success in the trying months to come.

Time for bed, I can hear Mom calling.

Loyally,
Lola

Exhausted

Hello loyal followers. It's been a few days since I last posted my "Training Day" blog. All I can say is that my paws are in so much pain that it's begun to be hard to walk. The last two days Dad has taken it upon himself to make Dave's dream come true. At 5 a.m., like clockwork, I get a wake up call: "Lola!" Dad yells from the top of the stairs, "come here, girl." I run up the stairs, happy as can be, forgetting what the day has in store for me (short-term memory, it's a dog thing). Dad's already got his track suit on and the leash ready. We start by walking a mile and a half to the preserve, then he lets me loose. Oh oops, did I forget to mention that Dad was also an amazing athlete in high school and college? Unlike Dave, he was on the cross-country team, and by that I mean he can run 5 miles without so much as a heave of the chest. He's always been a runner, even though he's now 35 and has a full-time profession, which means he has no sympathy for those not in shape, a.k.a. ME. You may think, "she's a dog, how is she not in shape?" Well, I don't have opposable thumbs, therefore I cannot escape the house except when someone takes me, and let me tell you, my family is very busy so my needs don't necessarily come first. Don't feel bad for me, my family is wonderful. More than exercise, I need love and attention, and my family gives me plenty of that.

Anyhow, back to the tentative training schedule (I apologize for getting off topic, being scatterbrained is a dog thing, too). So after our 1 and 1/2 mile walk, we run the 8 mile loop around the preserve. You'd think as a three-year-old dog, I'd have the stamina for anything- not for an almost 10 mile trek before 7 a.m. I don't. I'm one of those pups who loves their sleep and being rudely interrupted during the REM cycle every morning is starting to get to me, I'll admit. After the loop, we go home and I eat my breakfast and Dad showers and is off to work. At night, Mom, who is also very athletic, runs the same course with me. By 8 p.m. I'm as unconscious as a stuffed animal. Lily and Jack, who are only 5 years old, have begun to go to bed later than me. Usually I stay up to watch my favorite shows, either American Idol or 24, with my parents but even that's begun to be too much. I'm having a hard time believing I'll be able to do this whole race thing. T-minus 27 days. What would Jack Bauer do?

Loyally,
Lola

Training Day

Okay, I changed my mind. What was I thinking, that participating in the Iditarod was as easy as playing fetch? Today Lily stayed home from school because she had a cold and Mom put on the movie “Balto.” You know, the one about the half-wolf, half-husky who had to run 600 miles across the Alaskan wilderness to get medical supplies? Although completely fictitious, Balto went through quite a lot in those 600 miles. Now double that. How am I ever going to prepare for a thousand-mile trek in the freezing cold and ice, IN LESS THAN A MONTH? I’m whimpering just thinking about it. Yes, I think I can run for days on end when Mom and Dad take me outside, but that definitely doesn’t mean I have the stamina for two weeks of it. I’ve caught Dad saying that he doesn’t know how he’s going to do it, and neither do I. I’ve got to run, literally. Dad’s taking me to the preserve and the training starts now. Wish me luck!

Loyally,
Lola

Big News

Mom, Dad, Jack and Lily just got back from the hospital. Lily, who doesn’t really understand the extent of the situation, ran up to me saying “Davie’s hurt, Davie’s hurt. But Mommy and Daddy said he’s going to be okay.” I licked her face and she laughed- which is one of my favorite sounds in the whole world, next to the tinkling of food in my bowl. After Lily pet me for a little while, I went into the kitchen to greet my parents. Walking in, my tail was wagging furiously, as I hadn’t seen them for almost 5 hours, but as soon as I entered I felt an ominous presence and immediately my tail went down. I caught the end of Mom saying, “I can’t believe he survived. The car was completely unrecognizable.” Dad agreed and said he had to find a replacement dog for Sadie- that it was going to be difficult as most sled dogs in the area are already on a team, and the race starts in less than a month. Finally having noticed me, Dad had an “epiphany.” “You!” he exclaimed, looking in my direction. “Hon, what do you think about Lola taking Sadie’s place?” She looked at him as if he were crazy: “Are you kidding,” she said, “Lola is a retriever, not a husky!” Still, Dad thought it was a great idea. Who’d ever heard of a Golden Retriever in the Iditarod? Because I’m a dog I guess I don’t really know the implications of what my being in the race would be. I’m as athletic and intelligent as any husky I’ve ever met, so I don’t see the problem. I’m going to prove Mom wrong, and I’ll do it for Dave. Running 1,049 miles in the freezing cold and unpredictable terrain of the Alaskan countryside can’t be that difficult. Can it?

Loyally,
Lola

Uncle Dave

Today I got some pretty disturbing news. Before I tell you, though, I need to give a bit of background information. A large part of the reason my family moved from the East Coast to the West Coast was because my Dad’s side of the family lives here. His parents, who are in their early 60’s, only had two children, Dad and his younger brother Dave. Dave is 28 and has always been an amazing athlete. He was a track and field state champion when he was in high school, as well as a member of the varsity soccer and basketball teams. Having grown up in Alaska, Dave always dreamed of taking part in the Iditarod- the ultimate test of athleticism and determination. Around 22 years of age, he rescued his first Alaskan Husky and began training her. For the past 6 years, Dave has developed a relationship with a Husky breeder in the Anchorage area who allows him to train several of the dogs in his spare time. On Saturday, March 6th at 10 a.m., Dave was to be at the starting line of the Iditarod Race. Sadly, this dream will not come to fruition. Last night around 10 p.m. Dave was driving home from our house and hit a patch of black ice. His truck, a 2004 Chevy Silverado, spun out of control and into a ravine. Fortunately, Dave made it out alive, but not without some major injuries. His neck is broken, in addition to 11 cracked ribs and a shattered pelvis. His 6-year-old Alaskan Husky, Sadie, was in the car also but didn't make it. I wasn’t allowed to go see him in the hospital today, for obvious reasons, but my whole family is there now.

Aside from my immediate family, Dave is the closest human to me. Every time he sees me his face lights up, I bark, and we rough-house for a good half hour or so. I’m not sure how to react to this. It’s going to be months and months before I’m able to see him again, which is heartbreaking. Along with his pelvis, his dream is shattered. I wish there was something I could do.

Loyally,
Lola