Libby Here!
Do the same team of dogs do the whole race?
This is another great question.
Yes. The team of dogs that a musher has selected and have passed their medical exams are the only dogs that can be in the race.
The musher starts with his selected team of dogs and cannot add different […]
Category Archives: Race Coverage
What about the Dogs?
On the Right Trail
Some of my best friends are on the Iditarod Dog Sled Trail right now. I am so proud of them. My human sees my feet moving in rhythmic harmony as I dream of running next to a famous lead dog like Lance Mackey’s Larry or Jeff King’s Salem. We really love to run and get […]
Vet Check by Sanka W. Dog
It’s no exaggeration to say that Iditarod Sled Dogs are the best cared for animal athletes in the world. Vet check is always scheduled for the Wednesday prior to the race. That day, Iditarod Headquarters is a busy place - dogs, mushers, vets and spectators.
This year there were 96 teams that […]
Sanka W. Dog Reports: The Jr. Iditarod
One week before the big Iditarod, young mushers between the ages of 14 and 17 participate in the Junior Iditarod. The kids have a bib drawing and musher meeting on Friday evening and on Saturday at 10:00 the race begins. The route takes the juniors from Willow Lake out to Yentna Station and […]
Sled Dog Criteria By Sanka W. Dog
Sled dogs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some are large and some are small. Some have tall ears, others have floppy ears. Some have blue eyes while some have brown eyes. Some have one eye that’s blue and one eye that’s brown! Some look like a wolf, some […]
Your Family Tree, My Family Tree by Sanka W. Dog
Bothers, sisters, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents - some folks are very interested in genealogy and can trace their roots back to ancestors who came to America on the Mayflower and some even further back than that. People get a sense of who they are from their lineage. Dogs have roots […]
What’cha Snacking On?
Libby here!
“When do the dogs get fed?” asked Ms. Thompson’s students.
I’m glad Zuma sent me that question to answer.
Sled dogs get fed when they are hungry!
Sled dogs eat and they eat nutritious meals and snacks so that they have the energy to run the race. Eating nutritious meals also helps the dogs stay healthy.
Not […]
Count Down to the Race!
Hello Boys and Girls,
It is hard to believe that it is almost time for another LAST GREAT RACE, IDITAROD! What fun it is to sit at Headquarters and see all the people working on a variety of projects. Everyone is busy and the phones are always ringing.
I wanted to take time to remind […]
What kind of dogs are in the race?
Libby Here!
Zuma sent me a copy of a great question that came from Ms. Thompson’s students: Are all of the dogs huskies?
Any dog that races in Iditarod must be a ’sled dog’. The dogs that race in Iditarod are a ‘northern breed’ of dog, meaning that they have a natural ‘fur’ coat that protects […]
It is Iditarod Season!
Hello Boys and Girls,
It is hard to believe that the 2008 Iditarod race will soon begin. The race always begins on the first Saturday in March and it ends when the last musher reaches Nome. This year, the race starts on March 1. The restart is the following day, March 2. As […]
What is a Snowhook?
Hello Boys and Girls,
It is hard to believe that December is almost over! This is a very busy time of year. Not only is it a holiday season, but it is mushing season. Many sled dog races take place over the next few months. Some of the Iditarod mushers, both rookie […]
Rookies at School!
Hello Boys and Girls,
Did you know that rookie mushers have to go to Iditarod School?
Each year, rookie mushers have to attend special meetings and classes in Alaska so that they learn all they need to know to be ready to start the race in downtown Anchorage on the first Saturday in March. Dog care, training […]
Lots of Tears and Cheers in Nome
March 17, 2007
Wearing her mother’s trail gear and bib # 1, Tekla Monson mushed her team down Front Street, into the chute and under the burled arch finish line. This completed the 700 mile trek from their home to Nome, Tekla and her father scattered Susan’s ashes at many of her favorite places along […]
In Memory of Susan
March 16, 2007
Hi Boys and Girls,
There is another group of humans and dogs on the trail that are not participating in the race but who are headed to Nome. The group is led by David Monson, husband of the late Susan Butcher and their eldest daughter Tekla, 12. They have chosen this way […]
Nome Teams Now Number Forty-One
March 16, 2007
Since my report last night, there have been ten more teams arrive at the Nome finish line. Bill Pinkham arrived in Nome in 32nd position at 8:34 p.m. last night. The next team (Jon Korta) didn’t arrive until 4:09 a.m. this morning. Eight other mushers arrived throughout the day. […]