Dear Zuma,

We are a third grade class from Jupiter, Florida (like the planet).  We have just finished taking the FCAT and boy we are glad it is over!  The test took us three days (reading and mathematics) and we did our very best. We live 15 minutes from the beach and enjoy the warm weather year round.  If you would like to take a tropical vacation, Jupiter is the place.  We would love to visit with you.  Doesn’t a picnic at the beach and a dip in the refreshing ocean sound tempting?  We are always on vacation in Florida!

This is our first year tracking the Iditarod.  We have all picked a musher and are tracking them using a bar graph and line graph.  Each day we log on to see where our mushers are and what’s happening in the race.  We are excited about tracking our mushers and seeing what place we are in.  We can’t imagine how it must feel to be in cold weather and wear all those clothes.  We are wearing T-shirts and shorts today.  We have a few questions and if you have time we would like to hear from you.

Do you have any friends that are lead dogs and how do they feel about being in that position?

Have you ever been sick and how did your human take care of you?

Do you have a favorite game to play with your family?

Do you have a favorite musher and why?

Have you ever worn booties and if so, do they really keep your paws warm and safe?

We looked at pictures of our mushers and we want to know why Sebastian Schnuelle’s hair looked so funny?

We look forward to hearing from you.

Mrs. Weese’s Third Grade Class

Hello Boys and Girls,

Thanks for writing!

Yes, I have many fur-friends who are lead dogs.  They are very proud to lead a team, but they also recognize that being a leader means that most of all, you are a team player.  When you lead, you are not always out front.  Sometimes you are running in other positions on the team.

When I get sick, my human takes me to the veterinarian.  I enjoy the visits with my vet and I try to follow the rules I’m given, like eating healthy dog-meals and staying away from human meals!  Seeing my vet is important!

My favorite games involve chasing or staying active kinds of games because my human gets as much exercise as I do.  I really like to go for long walks or slow jogs.

I really try to not have a favorite musher, you know, because I am a journalist but mostly because I enjoy meeting all of the mushers and all of their dogs!

I have worn booties.  Booties are not to keep dog’s feet warm, though.  They are to protect the pads from getting cuts or scrapes.  

Really?  You think Sebastian’s hair looks funny?  I never thought of it as funny, I just thought of it as Sebastian.  Like K-9’s, everyone has their own color and style.  Some of us have short hair, some of us long.  We wear our winter coat all the time.  Unlike humans, the K-9 don’t get to make personal choices about this.  I think, the choices humans make about their hair help us to be able to tell who is who! 

Thanks for your questions,

Lots of Tail Wags, 

Zuma

Dear Zuma,

This is Mrs. Van Egmond’s 3^rd grade class at West Side Christian School in Grand Rapids, MI.  We are following the Iditarod Race and we have some questions for you:

How did you learn how to type?  I learned to type by practice, practice, practice.

How did you meet D-2?  I meet fur friends and human friends where ever I go.  I have many, many friends!

Do you have a new boyfriend?  I keep my paws to the key board and my mind on the race.  I don’t have a boy friend.

Have you talked to any dropped dogs?  I try to howl around with all the dogs that come in from the trial. 

Do other dogs read your letters? Oh, yes.  I hope you read the articles at Zuma’s Paw Prints so you meet my friends.

Do you ever want to race?  Oh, no.  I am a K-9 Reporter.  Not a racing dog.

Do you like reporting about the Iditarod?  I do like reporting on the race.

Thanks for answering our questions!

Thanks for writing.  I hope that you take time to learn more about me by reading the articles at Zuma’s Paw Prints.  We’ve many stories to share with you.  

Sincerely,

The 3^rd graders

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Dear Zuma,
How are you?  We are fine here.  We are 2nd graders at the Best Elementary School in New Hampshire. We are students in Mrs. Stanley’s and Miss Whitman’s class.

We are all impressed that you are able to read and type!  John said that you could spell better than he could:)  We loved looking at the pictures of you typing and also seeing you in all your stylish bandannas.  Do you have to wear any other clothes or a special uniform when you are reporting? Thanks for the comments.  I like to type.  I don’t have to wear special clothes when reporting because I always wear my own fur coat.

We were wondering if you know how to use a phone and if you know how to do math.  Logan will give you a calculator if you need one to help you learn.    I do like to do math!  I try not to use my ‘paw-cu-lator’.  Math is very important.  Work hard to learn your math so you can use those skills every day!

How old were you when you moved to Alaska and how old were you when you learned to read?  I was a young pup when I moved to Alaska.  I was a smart puppy and learned to read when I was a few weeks old.

We hope you are staying healthy and taking good care of yourself, but do you still have a favorite food or snack?  I am staying healthy.  My vet has me on a special kibble.  I love it!

Do you have a boyfriend now?  OH, I am so busy with my paws on the key board and my brain on the race, that is all I have time to think about!

As you are going about your many travels, you are welcome to stop by and visit us.  We would LOVE to have you.   Thanks for the invitation.  I will let you know if I am in your community!

Thank you and have a fun time hanging out with all those dogs.  Thanks for writing to me!  I am very glad you did.  You asked such great questions!  I hope you enjoy reading the Zuma’s Paw Prints articles that we write!

Mrs. Stanley’s and Miss Whitman’s 2nd graders

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

  Hello Boys and Girls,

Here is an interesting question from one of the hundreds and hundreds of schools that are following the race and writing to us.  It is a good question, so I wanted to answer it in an article to make sure everyone gets to know the answer.

Good Morning Zuma,
Here in Brewster, New York it is 8:15 in the morning and my class has a question for you. We have noticed that some of the mushers are not running with the 16 dogs they all started with. What happened to the dogs that are not in the race anymore? Where do they go when they are out of the race and how do they get there? Also, is there a certain number of dogs that each musher must have when they cross the finish line?
We are really getting excited about what is going to happen next and who will win!
Thanks

The mushers start with 16 dogs on the team.  When a dog is unable to continue the race, the dog does not keep running with the team.  It stays behind at a checkpoint.  The dog that is left behind is called a ‘dropped dog’.  Dropped dogs are called that because they are ‘dropped off or left’ at a checkpoint.

Dogs are left a checkpoints for any reason.  Most reasons are simply because the dog may have a slight injury or the dog is tired and needs more rest.  Sometimes the dog is just having an off day.  Some of the dropped dogs are just not working as a good team member.

Each checkpoint is staffed with veterinarians who examine all of the dogs.  The vets talk to the mushers about their dogs.  The vets write information about the dogs into a little notebook that each musher must carry with them during the race.  That notebook is given to the vets at the next checkpoint.

When the musher leaves the dog at the checkpoint, the dog is in the best care.   Each checkpoint has veterinary staff.   The vets make sure the dogs get meals, water to drink, plenty of rest, and special care if the dog has an injury.

Small bush planes, called the Iditarod Air Force, visit the checkpoints.  The ‘dropped’ dogs are put on the planes and flown back to Anchorage or to Nome, which ever is closest or the best place for the dogs to go.

Most of the time, the slight injury a dropped dog may have is not even noticeable by the time the dog arrives back at the Millennium or in Nome.  The vets and dog handlers take good care of the dogs at these locations.  Before long, the dogs are picked up by handlers and on their way back to their ‘home kennel’.

To answer your last question, a musher must have at least 6 dogs in line when they cross the finish line.

Today, I’ll be visiting the dog lot at the Millennium.  I will take pictures of the dogs who have come back from the trail.  Watch for those pictures later today!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma