A Day at the Races!

[oc_spirit]

I'm here to tell you about my very first race that I ran in January 2004.

Mum got me up very early, it was so early that it was still completely dark out and the stars were winking at me to go back to sleep. The night air was also very cold and still almost as if it was so cold it was frozen. I didn't want to leave the warmth of my doghouse, I had finally mastered a good burrowing technique with the straw! But I slowly ambled out anyways and constantly stopped for a good stretch and a yawn.

When I finally made my way up the deck steps and into the house (after going to the washroom like the proper gentleman that I am of course!) the smell of tuna, pasta, and fruits and veggies wafted over to greet me. Oh how my lil butt wiggled with excitment as I saw that it was in MY bowl that these heavenly tasting foods were placed. Suddenly I was quite awake and eagerly anticipated being released from the sit/stay mum placed me in. When she was done mixing in the rest of the ingredients and my bowl was in it's proper spot she said the magic word "OK!" and I tried to run as fast as I could to the bowl but as I'm sure a lot of fellow doggies out there know, ceramic has no grip so it took forever before I finsally started to move forward even though I was running as fast as I could.

After breakfast I was quite awake and wanted to play but mummy wasn't paying attention to me. Was I a bad dog? But then I saw mum go outside and to the shed and get my harness out. We were going sledding!!!! But why so early in the morning?? But when mum came back inside, she didn't put my harness on She put it in a bag along with some water, treats, and a bunch of other stuff. Were we going acting today? I love acting!!! I get so many treats and there are soooo many people always willing to give me pets. No we weren't going acting, cause then I saw my mum's daddy outside taking the sled down from the kennel roof extension. What was going on????

Once mum and her mum and dad had put on their extra skins they call "snow gear" we headed outside. Car ride!!!!! We were going for a car ride!!!!!! I bounded into the OC-mobile (old Ford Aerostar which we no longer have) and we were off!

This car ride was the longest I have ever taken before but mum says that's cause her Daddy got lost although he wouldn't admit it. Mum said we were going to the Kortright Centre in Toronto. I wondered if there'd be lots of treats there and people to give kisses to.

When we got there I found out I was partially right....there were tons of people to give kisses to, but even better, there were even more dogs to play with!!! I spent the whole morning playing with other dogs, meeting people, and helping mum explain to people about Siberian Huskies, especially those who said "I wanna get a Husky because they're so beautiful". I admit I was jealous of the dogs there who got to go sledding. I was in my harness but all morning mum never hooked me up.

One time, a friend of mum's went off with his dog and 3 of another of mum's friends (the lady who helped mum train me to sled in the first place - i like her) in the 4dog, 4miles race. After about an hour or two the dogs and the sled came back....but he didn't! Big loud sleds that move without dogs (mum calls them snowmobiles) were released and came back after about 1/2hr with the musher (later to be my dog catcher). Everyone had a good laugh after we knew that he was ok. The four dogs? They were happily sleeping under the dog trailer thinking the had done a great job!

When afternoon came along mum whispered to me that it was my turn to sled! Oh did I make sure that everyone knew as I howled my delight. Mum even had a hard time at the starting gate with me because I kept trying to run....apparently I was supposed to wait for the countdown release before going. But we were off! The snow wasn't very packed down at all so me and mum had to do a little more work than we were used to since we usually go on the sidewalks back at home where the snow is very packed down and almost ice.

But none the less we had a good speed going and then I saw the other team that got released before us and I charged forward with all my might. I was NOT going to let another team finish before me even if they did start 30seconds before me. Mum said later on that it was all she could do to hang on and not fall off as I barreled along the trail.

Suddenly a deer bounded out of the woods and both me and the other dog completly forgot about the race but mum soon had me focused again and for being so good she promised me a Pig Ear at the finish. The other dog started chasing the deer and spotters (people stationed along the trail to assist if something goes wrong) had to run after him as the musher was a kid and he didn't know what to do. But all I was thinking of now was that pig ear but I wanted to put on a good show too so I held my head high and trotted along. Mum told me to "Hike!" and "Pick it up!" but I was also tired. It was a long race and I could see the finish line anyways.

I started to hear panting behind me and when I looked back I could see the dog that was released after me charging up the trail with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and flapping in the wind like a flag. Oh no! No dog was going to finish ahead of me!! I found some energy and took off at a good pace. He was at my tail at this point but the chute to the finish only fit one team abreast so the musher was forced to slow him down and tuck him in behind me.

I had won!!!!! At least that's what my mum said. I didn't quite understand as I had never won in sledding before, I had never even raced. I had won doing other stuff like tricks, looking pretty, and stuff like that but never sledding. Was it cause I didn't let the other dogs stay ahead of me? People swarmed in around me and took pictures. My dog catcher stripped me of my harness and took me to where his dogs were. Mum came along behind with the sled. I got a little bit of water (they said they can't give me a lot at once cause it was cold so it would be a shock to my system) and the pig ear mum had promised. Boy did I like winning!!! People just kept coming and giving my ears a good rub. A couple kids even gave me a kiss on the nose!

We left soon after and I fell asleep with mum in the back of the OC-mobile the entire way. We stopped off at the pet store to pick up a new stuffie for me too...was this because I won? The workers all came out to congratulate me and I thanked them the only way I know how, a loud wooo wooo and big sloppy kisses.

At home I got another "Homecooked meal" (as mum calls it) and then I went to bed dreaming of winning more races.

-Oceano-

[sheltiepups]

wow great story Ren! looking forward to morefrom this year!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Awsome story Ren!

I would love to do sledding with the girls, it sounds so fun! Maybe I'll have to come visit you sometime! My boyfriend has hockey tournaments in Canada now and then...

[oc_spirit]

That'd be awesome if you came up here! My door's always open for ye! Even if there's no snow, so long as it's below 15C we can go carting or scootering

Cheers!

[Lil'Paws]

Great story. I loved it. Thanks for sharing it with us. Congrats on winning. I've always be interested in sledding. Sounds like tons of fun.

[IceyBlueSibes]

Haha alright! That would be awsome And I bet Denali and OC would get a long real well, since they're both clowns

[oc_spirit]

HAHA I can just imagine the disaster if they were paired together!!! LOL OC has to be a single wheel dog always unless he's paired with a "grumpy" dog because he's always trying to play with the other dogs. At least in wheel position he can "chase" the dog to the finish line and his reward is finally "catching" them and getting to play LOL

Cheers!

[fireworksinjuly]

Congrats on the win!!

I read about an all Samoyed Sled team...I thought that sounded really awesome.

[oc_spirit]

I love all Samoyd teams, they look sooooooo beautiful in their wintery white fur!

Cheers!

[Barb05]

Wow, I got so into reading the whole story! You're a great writer!!!!! What a day you and OC had. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oc_spirit]

Thanks Barb! I'm actually going to a race this year at the same place at the end of January, but I'll be entered in a "real" race with purse money whereas this was a novice race. Also that one was only 1mile long, the one I'll be running is 3miles long (and I'll have 3dogs on my team).

Cheers!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Haha, yeah I had some trouble with Denali at first when I started to take them both. She would attack Sheiba and try to play, so I asked a trainer of therapy dogs what I might do, and she said that I should try shortening Denali's leash. I used her smaller one and it worked like a charm She ended up trying to "race" with Sheiba so she pulled harder and faster.

Haha, OC sounds a lot like Denali!

That's awsome with racing again! I hope you win! And best of luck. Tell OC that his US doggy pals are cheering for him!

[sthrnbelle]

Congratulations OC! Sounds like you guys had a great time. I can't wait to hear how you guys do in your next race.

[oc_spirit]

Thanks Sarah and Belle! I'm really praying we'll actually have snow for the race! It's all melting away right now and it's supposed to rain this weekend!! Not good at all!

Cheers!

[IceyBlueSibes]

That's stinky! Can you believe that it rained here on Christmas? How lame is that.. pff!