Welcome Fall, Welcome Puppies

It has been very busy at Dew Claw Kennel ~ and I am not just saying that as an excuse for not blogging sooner. Although it is my excuse.
Let me tell you a little about fall up here at Dew Claw Kennels. Then I have some exciting news to share, and I bet you can guess what it is from the title. (scroll down if you just can not wait to see puppy pictures)

Fall always is, so much to be done before the snow flies. Don’t misunderstand me, I am glad it is fall; becuase fall leads to winter. And I love winter. But fall also is a time of transition and all the pressures that come with it. Summer projects must be finished. The fact that it actually gets dark at night is a nightly reminder that the endless days of summer are going… going… (almost) gone. Winter must be prepared for.  Dog food  needs to be purchased, new lines and tugs need to be made.  If we want homemade jam berries need to be picked. (and they have been, jam has even been made) Many tasks are time sensitive. The moose we will eat all winter needs to be taken during the Sept 1st – 15th open season. That is a most important annual To Do list item. We are fortunate indeed that Dan has already harvested a moose, so we can cross it off the list. The meat it provides will feed us all winter long. With the highest quality, delicious,  organic, free range variety of meat, no less. And with that done early we will have more time to focus on the fall conditioning of the team with the quad*. Because a major portion of time in the fall is dedicated to making sure the dogs are well conditioned and ready to go for winter.

The Quad is used for hunting

* A quad, or 4 Wheeler is an all wheel drive four wheel vehicle we use for running the dogs in fall. It allows us to begin working with the dogs in team long before there is enough snow on the ground to safely run with a sled. This pre-season conditioning is, in our opinion, a critical element for preparing our race team.  It is also used for lots of work at Dew Claw. Seen here after carrying home Dan’s moose from the field.

Do not think that fall is just a manic time of transition. The colors turning may serve to remind me that we will soon be mushing, and instill in me an urgency to do everything that needs to be done in order to prepare for said mushing. But they also inspire and delight. I enjoy traveling the trail, hiking in the summer, berry picking and running dogs in the fall, later traveling over it with the team and the sled. Seeing the landscape change with the seasons. We have lived here for over a decade, through all kinds of weather and a forest fire that tore through wiping out everything in broad swaths across the landscape. And so I have come to know this place as a changing landscape. I am bound by a calendar, contract and alarm clock. But a part of my heart is more at home following the trails through the seasons.  So let me share with you a few images from this fall.

The trail we travel.

A close up of the tundra flora.

The view from the trail.

And now~
Drum-roll please

Guppy Puppies! Yes Join us in welcoming the new members of team Dew Claw. Born August 31. Two boys and four girls. We are totally enjoying having the kids squirming and squeaking with their mama in the living room, way more fun then watching TV. They will live with us inside until we can not contain them in the puppy pen. Once the outgrow the living room we have an outside pen with a big group house all ready for the kids. But till then we keep them where we can constantly watch them, play with them, and let them get to know us.

Now here we have for your viewing pleasure, and to satisfy your need for cuteness: Guppy Puppies~

Guppy and new born puppies.

Such a cute little pile of puppies.

Guppy is such a sweet mom.

The little puppies are already eating machines.

Guppy Puppies!

And now a short video of the eating machines in action: