Dog Food and "Hungry Grizzlies"

December 18, 2001

Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs--Seeley Lake, MT

    Well, I'm in the home stretch at the University of Montana.  I have one more final, and then it's full time dog mushin'!  I'm really looking forward to getting to spend more time with the dogs.  This is definitely the right time because we are starting to do longer runs, and our first race is just a few short weeks away.

Tyrell Seavey chops up chunks of beef fat.  Beef fat is an important part of the diet in many dog kennels because it provides an excellent source of fat and is readily available.  We buy beef fat from our local  butcher--the same stuff that is used in sausages is fed to the dogs.  Many of the foods we feed the dogs are actually human-grade.

    As we do longer and longer runs--up to 50 miles, now--we also are starting to feed the dogs more and more.  The 28 dogs in my team plus the other 20 dogs (mostly yearlings and a few older racing dogs) collectively consume 75 pounds of meat and 50 pounds of dry dog food every day!!!  That's a lot of calories, but still small in comparison to the 10-14,000 calories that each dog will consume every day in the Iditarod. 

    In addition to increased food intake, the longer runs also signal the beginning of our camping trip runs.  The camping trips are the way the we begin to really simulate racing, because we run for a distance comparable to the distance between rest stops in the race, and then stop and camp for a time equivalent to a rest stop in the Iditarod.  After the rest stop we do another run.  These camping trips are excellent to teach the dogs how to manage their energy well--rest when it's time to rest, eat when it's time to eat, and run when it's time to run.  They also are a great way for the musher to practice being up at all hours of the day and night and get into the routine of taking care of the dogs all by him or herself.  Remember, in the Iditarod, sixteen dogs and one musher make up a team, and NO other assistance is allowed at any point after the start of the race.  Sometimes, we do several cycles of running and resting during a camping trip to build the mental stamina required in the Iditarod. 

The camping trips help get the dogs ready for racing.  We carry dog coats in the sleds that are used to help the dogs rest comfortably and conserve energy while resting away from their houses.  This picture shows how "at-home" the dogs are even when the weather is a bit stormy.

    I would also like to take the time to thank the Rich family and all of those in our community who helped to organize the fifth annual community Christmas celebration in Seeley Lake, held last Sunday.  The event is a great time, featuring a chili cook-off, snowmobile rides, skiing, sleigh rides, and dog sled rides. 

    My family appreciates the chance to give back to our community, and we appreciate the growing support that our small town has shown to us over the years.  We look forward to being a part of the community for years to come.

More later as always, and remember to cheer for the University of Montana Grizzlies in the NCAA Division 1-AA football Championships held on Friday.

Jim