Jodi Bailey

Jodi was born on Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. She attended Emory University in Atlanta where she earned her BA in Theater Studies / Anthropology. While at University she spent her summers in Alaska and fell in love with the place. As soon as she graduated in 1991 she moved to Alaska full time and never looked back. 

Today she and her husband Dan Kaduce call Dew Claw Kennel in Chatanika Alaska their home.  Jodi has been running dogs for almost 2 decades, starting recreationally and graduating to competitive distance mushing.  She has run many races in Alaska including the Copper Basin 300, Kobuk 440, GinGin 200, and Denali Doubles. She is also a veteran of both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod 1000 mile races. She holds the distinction of being the first rookie to ever complete both races in the same year.

“The lifestyle is neither easy nor glamorous, but I would not trade it for the world” Jodi says. “I love my time with the dogs. When you are out there on the trail you don't have emails, work, laundry or anything but you and them and the miles ahead of you. It is a wonderful feeling.”   When it comes to racing Jodi says, “Training dogs for a race like the Iditarod takes an enormous amount of work and investment. However you get the honor of running the race, and that is the reward.” She also loves how you are exposed traveling by dog team. “Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, geography, wildlife, Aurora, I am constantly in awe of the views that surround me mushing.”

In addition to mushing Jodi enjoys food & cooking, running, yoga, and working on projects around the house and kennel. She also makes an all-natural salve called MUSH.

Dan Kaduce

Dan grew up in Chippewa Falls WI. His experience with sled dogs started about 20 years ago as a way to explore the local winter trails of his new home, Fairbanks, Alaska. He had been a skier and dog owner his whole life; but had no idea how great those two worked together. He got a couple of sled dogs from local mushers and recreationally enjoyed ski-joring for a few years. Dan's two dogs eventually turned into more and he was forced to leave skis for the relative safety of a dog sled.

Dan met Jodi, who was also a recreational ski-jorer.  Together they began building what is now Dew Claw Kennel. The name comes from Dan's first sled dog. A sweet little brown dog named Jpeg, read more at the blog.  Dan handled for a musher on the 1998 Yukon Quest. That race introduced him to competitive long distance dog racing and Dan was hooked. Less than 1 month later he took the entire kennel (all nine) to the Percy de Wolfe 200 and the racing life was born. Dan is a veteran of both the Yukon Quest (Veterinarians  Choice 2003) and Iditarod (Rookie of the Year 2010).  He says he is looking forward to new challenges and many more years of adventure with the Dew Claw dogs.

Dew Claw Races

Over the years we have continued to learn and improve. The hope is to work hard and once again compete in the Iditarod in 2016. It is never too early or too late to get involved with our team and help make this goal a reality.
Dew Claw Kennel has been competing in major races across Alaska and Canada for over a decade. Our goal is, and has always been, to run the team in front of us to our best ability. 

Races:

**External Links**

Jodi's Iditarod races

Dan's Iditarod races

Anchorage Daily News covers Iditarod

Yukon Quest

KUAC covers Yukon Quest

Copper Basin 300

Kobuk 440

Two Rivers Dog Mushers

Junior Dog Mushers of Interior Alaska

Dew Claw Videos

Dog Care in Dawson on the Yukon Quest

Fall Training at Dew Claw

Christmas run 2014

Scenes from a 300 mile training trip 2015

Alpine Creek Excursion 2014

GoPro video from the 2013 Iditarider