SUNDOGS ARE MOONDOGS TOO!
It’s a boreal cliche but the actual experience is never to be taken for granted - ‘a moonlight run with a team of huskies on a spruce-edged trail accented by crisp winter air.’
Our guides have enjoyed dozens of these spell-casting nights with our dogs on training runs and a few guests have collected the moonbeams on their laps when they joined us.
The excursions are centred on the full moons. While the actual full moon times vary, our start times will be 8:00 p.m. to make scheduling convenient for everyone.
While no one can ever guarantee the clouds won’t make a showing, odds are good for clear nights throughout winter.
These very special Moon Dog Express excursions are about an hour including orientation.
Maybe an aurora borealis will be competing with the moon shine!
Puccoon
Every dog has a story. Today the last page of Puccoon’s story was written. It’s a story of a skijoring sled dog which be told over and over and fondly remembered. If there was chapter for every year of her life there would be almost 14 of them. A good, long story for a dog’s life.
Puccoon was the very first sled dog puppy to come into the Sundogs yard along with her cousin Taiga. They taught me much about raising puppies. Puccoon was a golden dog, both in her fur colour and her disposition. She was always happy and very compatible with every other dog she ever met. Even in her old age she showed moments of the puppy in her.
Never much of a working dog in a team she chose rather to share the trail
with hundreds of people she taught to skijor over the years and miles. As a single dog she may have brought more joy to our guests than any one dog
in a whole team could.
She surely did shine like the sun on those evenings early in the sunset when her coat matched the colour of the her namesake prairie flower.
Though there was no sun shining on my face today when I laid her to rest by the jackpine-covered hill, the early frost of winter in the air, there will always be the radiance of her spirit in my eyes whenever I recall her on the trail or ‘snuffling’ at my side.
Long may you run Puccoon.... 1997 - 2010
Sundogs Puppies Born January 1, 2011
Leggs is a new mom as of New Year’s Day, whelping six healthy puppies (4 girls and 2 boys). Arcturus, one of our main leaders, is the dad.
It’s always an adventure raising pups; so many hopes for them, such different doggie personalities, enjoyable opportunities to form musher-sled dog bonds in these early months of their lives.
Everyone who stops in is welcome to visit the pups. As they open their eyes and become more mobile the fun grows!Long may all the puppies run....
Named earlier this week, they are Amaryliss, Azimuth, Allegro, Presto, Biscotti and La Dolce Vida.
Sundog Chante!
Born August 16, 2011, this is Chante.
Aster and Koyuk are parents of the litter of one.
She has grown up as a strong and very fast puppy.
Note: November 27, 2012 Chante is now part of the team and ready for fun on the trails this season. She is sleek, fast and a joy to watch run.
Sundog Brimpton Arrives!
Born June 30, 2013
Aster and Hudson are parents of the litter of one.
Six weeks old at this photo.
The 200 Mile Sundogs Team was:
Wheel - Nimbus & Wassagam
Team 1 - Calypso & Ganymede
Team 2 -Eclipse & Bijou
Point - Meow Meow & Aspen
Leaders - Arcturus & Aster
The 80 Mile Sundogs Team included: Etoile, Leggs,Willow, Koyuk, Ranger and Equinox.
Racing Sundogs
After a few years out of the distance racing excitement, Sundogs returned to the sport and trained up a couple of teams for the Torch River Run held March 3 - 6.
Operator Brad Muir and rookie racer Tyler Guillemin, a Sundogs guide, put together teams which placed 4th in the ten-dog, 200 mile race and 1st in the six-dog, 75 mile event respectively.
The ups and downs of the Narrow Hills Provincial Park and vicinity were definite challenges for both dogs and mushers. It was billed as a race ‘by mushers for mushers’, a statement it lived up to with many truly wilderness miles through beautiful country. The trail ran for 200 miles between Christopher Lake and Tobin Lake.
“The 47 hours of our ten-dog race were packed with intensity, action and emotion. I lived many peak life moments, made fantastic memories and forged new bonds with those wonderful animals, sled dogs,” says Brad about his second, major mid-distance run. “Pacing; not always speed. Trust your dogs. Never give up. And write a new mushing song every time you race,” he added.
Brad, Tyler and the sled dogs extend thanks to the race organizers, checkpoint officials (many who literally opened up their homes for the mushers), trail boss Stewart Elliott, race marshall Jim Tomkins , the communities of Christopher and Tobin Lake and many sponsors.
(see www.torchriverrun.com)
Thanks also to Redmond Fox our truck driver and dog trailer manager.
Tourism Ambassador award
In June 2010, Brad Muir, Sundogs owner-operator was invited to Saskatoon to receive the Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council’s (STEC) Tourism Ambassador Award in the Recreation & Entertainment category.
Only three individuals in various categories were acknowledged with this award this year. Brad was pleased and surprised when his name was announced at the annual banquet.
The award was given for his contribution to the development and support of the Heritage Interpreter occupational standards over the past 20 years. “Interpretation is a pillar of meaningful, sustainable tourism. It is part of every tourism offering with Sundogs and every other tourism experience I am a part of. There has been movement in Saskatchewan towards the Heritage Interpreter standards recently and I am proud to be a part of it. STEC has done a tremendous job in this area. Congratulations to the people in the organization who have kept the process moving, especially regarding the recent review of the standards.”, says Brad.
This is the second Tourism Ambassador Award which Brad has received.
Copyright (c) 2014 Sundogs Sled Excursions
Sundogs Sled Excursions
Box 212 Waskesiu
Saskatchewan CANADA S0J 2Y0
306.960.1654