I haven't had any problems with the sled running off to a side. Arrow, my wheel dog, tends to constantly switch the side she runs on so that might be when it doesn't go to one side. I took this before I switched the team a bit. (I put her in lead with my lab.) When I don't have anything but extra lines and a snow hook in the bag, I prefer having one in wheel. Plus, with her still figuring how to run, I feel like I can see how she is doing easier. I typically sit on my heels ten minutes into the run when the dogs have set their pace. I don't know why I do. Might be a habit I picked up from the Sprint mushers.
My dad and I are going to finalize the area this week hopefully. We have some trees that need to be cleared. He is building a shop and so i have to work around that. (My area is close to where is he building.) My parents seem pretty okay with me taking as much area as I need. My plan is to fence off the whole area with cattle wire (Our neighbors dog comes over to play with my labs some times and I don't want him getting in with my working dogs. I don't think he is fixed.) and then set up spots for the dogs. I would like them to have at least a ten foot chain. I know a lot of mushers have their dogs on 4-6ft chains, but I feel like that is just too small a space for them. Especially the larger dogs. Plus I don't want a kennel with more than eight dogs at the most. Most races I want to do require 4-6 dogs anyway. That gives me two dogs to have on back up. Plus, next year I want to buy another sled. My friend really wants to go mushing but her parents don't allow large dogs. I figure it will only take four dogs per person.
I find it kinda funny that I'm excited to see a dog yard but I am.
10 ft chains is much nicer than 4-6ft
By cattle wire do you mean that wire about 4ft / 4 " mesh(at top)with successively smaller "squares" as it gets to the bottom? If so, ya eh. That'd work. I would put a few rows or barbed wire on top all the way around to ensure strays don't get in easily
Ya it's good to switch to see who works where. I do that too. I sometimes hook-em-up singlefile. It uses lotsa gangline but works out good for argumentative mates.
Your friend is lucky to have such a good friend as you. Right on Blue