Runnin' with the Kennels
About This BlogSled dogs have held an essential role in the life and culture of Alaska for thousands of years. In Denali – the only national park in America with a working sled dog kennel – they now perform essential wintertime duties in a vast expanse of designated Wilderness area. Follow this blog for updates on their ongoing adventures, and accomplishments. Winter Wrap Up
June 11, 2013
0 Comments
A look back at a few of the projects the kennels dogs assisted with this winter. The Toklat NarrowsKennels staff hauls supplies along the North boundary, travel the Toklat Narrows, and Tephra earns a gold star for her performance in lead. Retiring Dogs and the Adoption ProcessAfter many years of dedicated service, our NPS canine rangers deserve a wonderful retirement just like our human rangers. Zen and the Art of the Gee PoleA more in depth look at our recent training in how to use the traditional gee pole to steer a heavy sled. Being your Best: How We Train our Canine AthletesWhat goes into training a Denali sled dog? We discuss the different aspects of training and maintaining a working sled dog including mental and physical training as well as nutrition and health. The Perfect PuppyThis blog was written to supplement the Puppy Paws Episode 4 video. If you haven't seen the Puppy Paws videos you can watch them on the kennels page at http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels.htm. Read on if you are curious to know more about what traits, both physical and mental, we are looking for in our puppies. The Dogs Days of SummerThis week, we take you behind the scenes of one of Denali's most popular Ranger programs, the summer sled dog demonstration. Enjoy this sneak peak and perhaps you will get a first hand view of the action at some point this summer. It happens three times a day during peak season and you can find out more at http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels.htm Pupdate - Tatum, Carpe, Koven and CacheAn update on last summer's puppies - Tatum, Carpe, Koven and Cache. The Next GenerationWell, last summer’s pups are nearly grown up. Not really, but in many ways it feels like it. They are not quite full sized adult dogs yet, but they have outgrown their fluffy puppy bodies and are acting more and more like grown up sled dogs. They are excellent skijorers and joined the team with the big dogs pulling the sled on patrols. So what is next? It is time to think about the next generation. |
Did You Know?
Small amounts of airborne pollutants from around the world arrive in Denali every year. Remoteness alone cannot protect the park's clean air. As global human population grows, it is likely that increasing global emissions will affect Denali's air quality.