Americano Blue's musher/mushing chat thread

[RezChamp]

Okay, thanks. I will do some research on it.
Thanks for the information. I'm not annoyed at all, it's very helpful.

What do you guys/gals think about a Lab and Dane cross? He is a VERY powerful dog, super excitable. He's a little shorter than a Dane but taller than a Lab and he's got bigger paws, too. I think he would do great, strength wise, but he might not want to actually go straight as he isn't very dependent. If I get him past that and he wants to pull, do you guys think it would be okay to start my team with him? Also, has anyone tried German Shepard and Husky crosses? Shepards seem to be easier to find around here than pure Alaskan Huskies. What other crosses has anyone tried and has worked? Thanks for answering all my questions.

I use just the northern breeds. To generalize, "Huskies". Even some of them don't really " love" to pull.
I like the "true workers". They are the ones that I for sure keep. I keep tabs on the ones that consistently "slack off" and usually sell them as pets.
Depending on how "not as" lazy and/or goodlooking the dog is I may keep him for a breeding. I've found if I have a "true" female it's her mentality that is generally inherited by her offspring. I use the "goodlooking" males to breed her for goodlooking "true" sleddogs. Well actually I use true males to true females to accentuate the "true"ness then breed in some lookers and hope it works out.
I've heard some say that you teach pretty well any breed of dog to pull. I cant disagre but cant agree. I would venture to guess it would depend what for, time, patience, how and personal conviction.
Great Danes though? Never had one. I think they were originally bred as a hunting dog. Bear and boar more specifically. But I think it would awesome to hear the occasional update for that project.
Husky/Shepherd... There again. Females are usually the ones to pass on mentality. I have some people have used them to some success. Mostly trap line dogs or freighters. Again, I think it would be interesting to see how it goes.
All said, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

[RezChamp]

I ran all my dogs for the first time!!!  (I had only been working with leads)

Awesome. Go girl.
Fun?

 

[RezChamp]

Nala's got me and my family all confused! Urge!!! I'm hoping she's preg! I would love to keep a few!!

I was just going to ask you for an update.
Saw the pix of her. She's pretty.

Would've been nice to put a Sibe into her instead of Lab....but what's done is done eh.

I can't say just from pics. But if the vet said she is expecting no need to fret. Just make sure she is on good food. Puppy formula is great for expectant moom's. Of course a higher quality. Raw meat is best. Extra fat. A mix of organ meats. Softer bones like ribs, Try to use the same ratio of whole animal if you're gona feed raw. Fish is really good for them too. Like I said earlier, make sure and cut off the sharp spines some fish have on their Dorset fins, vent fins and pectoral fins. All meat should be frozen for a few days first. And my dogs love fishcicles(frozen fish).
Please please please not turkey legs. Them little bendy bones will get her really, really sick. That's what some people use to get rid of strays. Anther reason I DO NOT let my dogs run loose.
If I may be so bold as to extend to you an invitation,...... Relax. All the fretting in the world will come to no good end in this case.
It's nice to be excited about expecting a litter of puppies though eh.

HAGD

 

[RezChamp]

Oooooo. Just remembered. If you change her food or even ratio, do so by adding slightly more(everyday)of the food you want her to get onto and deleting slightly more(everyday)of the food you are taking her off of. Do this this for 11 days. They call it chipping.
According to specialists a dogs body takes 11 days to make new enzymes.
I can't say for sure but according to my experiences there's a good chance they're right.
In this case better safe than sorry.
If you don't chip them on they get a fever and diarrhea. If you do that when they're lactating her teats will get really sore because she'll display systems like "milk fever. This will cause her to dislike feeding her babies because of the pain they inflict on her while suckling and kneading.
I hope this helps

 

[SternRose]

We change food 1 a month, never "chirped" them. We free feed our dogs. We have 1 gallon ice cream bucket full of dog food. Gets filled 1every day. A few dogs are food aggressive so we have to watch the dogs. Nala got in to a fight with our grey hound/ Shepard cross today over food. I hit the crap out of the cross. I don't like doing it but noone was home, so I had too

. Nala's fine no blood.
Another thing, after this litter some time next year my brothers going to breed her to a sib to get pures if this litter does fine.
And if u want to see what these mutts might look like, look up the breed. It's a designer breed called Siberian Retrivers! They sell for $1,000+ were selling them at $50-$150 a pup. Haven't decided yet. It depends on how many we keep. Lol, I want 1-3 Nala's owner wants 1-2 my other brother wants 1. So we'll see.
Hey but if my brother does breed her again, I'll buy my pups from him. I might see if I can
keep 1-2 females but I'll defently keep a male if I can.

Ooooo! I found a vizsla breeder 1hr away from my house! And the pups are $300 a pup!
My team might now be
1-3 Nala's pups
2-3 sibs
1-2labs
2-3 vizslas

I might do 2 teams.
1 mine
1familys
After I train them.

 

[Americano Blue]

Was it easy?

Um.....no. the leads wants to cuddles so when i said "Awright, Foward!" They came to cuddle with me...

 

[Americano Blue]

We change food 1 a month, never "chirped" them. We free feed our dogs. We have 1 gallon ice cream bucket full of dog food. Gets filled 1every day. A few dogs are food aggressive so we have to watch the dogs. Nala got in to a fight with our grey hound/ Shepard cross today over food. I hit the crap out of the cross. I don't like doing it but no one was home, so I had too

. Nala's fine no blood.
Another thing, after this litter some time next year my brothers going to breed her to a sib to get pures if this litter does fine.
And if u want to see what these mutts might look like, look up the breed. It's a designer breed called Siberian Retrivers! They sell for $1,000+ were selling them at $50-$150 a pup. Haven't decided yet. It depends on how many we keep. Lol, I want 1-3 Nala's owner wants 1-2 my other brother wants 1. So we'll see.
Hey but if my brother does breed her again, I'll buy my pups from him. I might see if I can
keep 1-2 females but I'll defently keep a male if I can.

Ooooo! I found a vizsla breeder 1hr away from my house! And the pups are $300 a pup!
My team might now be
1-3 Nala's pups
2-3 sibs
1-2labs
2-3 vizslas

I might do 2 teams.
1 mine
1familys
After I train them.

I had the same thing happen yesterday. Also don't "free feed" your sled dogs and keep feeding times random. You never know when they will have a chance to eat during a race.

Don't over whelm your self with dogs. Start with a few then add on. Once your team is built, then start another i you want.

I would get "Your dog in harness" By Mel Fishback Riley. Awesome book!!!

 

[charnic44]

I use just the northern breeds. To generalize, "Huskies". Even some of them don't really " love" to pull.
I like the "true workers". They are the ones that I for sure keep. I keep tabs on the ones that consistently "slack off" and usually sell them as pets.
Depending on how "not as" lazy and/or goodlooking the dog is I may keep him for a breeding. I've found if I have a "true" female it's her mentality that is generally inherited by her offspring. I use the "goodlooking" males to breed her for goodlooking "true" sleddogs. Well actually I use true males to true females to accentuate the "true"ness then breed in some lookers and hope it works out.
I've heard some say that you teach pretty well any breed of dog to pull. I cant disagre but cant agree. I would venture to guess it would depend what for, time, patience, how and personal conviction.
Great Danes though? Never had one. I think they were originally bred as a hunting dog. Bear and boar more specifically. But I think it would awesome to hear the occasional update for that project.
Husky/Shepherd... There again. Females are usually the ones to pass on mentality. I have some people have used them to some success. Mostly trap line dogs or freighters. Again, I think it would be interesting to see how it goes.
All said, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

You are right about the Danes. Great protectors, too. I may hook him up to pull something light like a log and see if he does any good. Though, I don't have a harness yet. I guess I'll hook him up like when I was really little; with a horse halter and a couple lead ropes. XD I will keep you guys updated.

 

[SternRose]

I had the same thing happen yesterday.  Also don't "free feed" your sled dogs and keep feeding times random. You never know when they will have a chance to eat during a race.

Don't over whelm your self with dogs. Start with a few then add on. Once your team is built, then start another i you want.

I would get "Your dog in harness" By Mel Fishback Riley.   Awesome book!!!

I will only keep the amount of dogs I can pay for by my self with little or no help from my parents.
I will not train or have more than 2 pups at a time because of my ability s to train no more then that many. Lol,
I will only do 2 teams if I can handle MY team plus some.
I don't want dogs I can't run or take care of. I won't put them and my parents in that spot. I would feel sooo bad.

 

[Americano Blue]

You are right about the Danes. Great protectors, too. I may hook him up to pull something light like a log and see if he does any good. Though, I don't have a harness yet. I guess I'll hook him up like when I was really little; with a horse halter and a couple lead ropes.

XD I will keep you guys updated.

Good luck!

I will only keep the amount of dogs I can pay for by my self with little or no help from my parents.
I will not train or have more than 2 pups at a time because of my ability s to train no more then that many. Lol,
I will only do 2 teams if I can handle MY team plus some.
I don't want dogs I can't run or take care of. I won't put them and my parents in that spot. I would feel sooo bad.

good luck with Nala!