Misha - Chapter 1
The Story of a Sled Dog
I wait patiently on top of my box. I scan my team mates, who are all at rest in some form or another. Some are laying in their boxes, while some are lying in the dirt, where it’s nice and cool. Me? I prefer to sleep on top of my box, which is made out of interlinked logs and sports a flat roof. It’s the perfect place to sleep or keep watch as long as I don’t bring my ball up here with me. It rolls off into the dirt and I have to go get it. It’s fun for the first two or three times, but after that it’s not worth the effort any more.
Attached to the side of my box is my food bowl and my water bucket. The humans learned the hard way to secure them to the box so that we don’t knock them over. I’ve already had my breakfast and, as I gaze at my water bucket, I can see my reflection in the cool, clean water. This is not what I am interested in at the moment, however. I am patiently waiting for Katie.
Katie is my dog walker. Every day she comes to take me for a long walk along the only road in the park. Since the snow has all but melted, we don’t get to run as a team, so these walks are important. They keep us in shape, help us socialize with the new people we meet along the way and give us something to look forward to every day.
This is my third summer in the world, and I have been with my team mates for as long as I can remember. I don’t know life without them. We all live together in a large yard, secured by a fence that is too tall to jump or climb over. Each of us has our own box scattered throughout the yard. Our tethers keep us safely attached to our boxes and are long enough for exercise but short enough to keep us out of trouble. There are twenty of us, all at various stages in our training. Last winter, I worked with nearly all of the other dogs on the line, in different positions, and we all get along…usually.
I want to be a lead dog someday. It would be nice to run without a tail in my face. However, I need a little more time and training. I don’t have enough confidence yet to be a lead dog, but I’ll get there.
The humans call me Misha. All of the dogs in the yard have names, but we recognize each other by scent and sight, not names. The humans have names as well, but we know them by the sound of their voices and by their interesting scents. Katie, my dog walker, smells like lavender and sunshine and her voice is melodious and kind. She tells me I’m a good girl all of the time and that makes me warm inside. When she walks into the yard, every dog looks, but they all know she is here just for me.
As I sit atop my box, a breeze begins to softly blow. The leaves rustle and I sense a familiar scent. My nose twitches and I know she is here before I even see her. Katie has arrived and I’m not the only one who has sensed her. There is a collective awareness and all of the dogs get up. The other dogs know that she is here and send up a glorious howl - the song of my pack. We are a team and are always happy for each other when a dog walker shows up.
Katie checks in with our Ranger, then dons her dog walking vest, which is a Day Glow Green, or so I’m told. She and the other dogs walkers wear these vests for safety so other humans can see her. Katie opens the large wooden gate and I am so excited! My box is all the way in the back of the yard, under an Alder tree, so I wait and watch as Katie greets the other dogs. She stops to give Timber a belly rub because she can’t resist his antics when he rolls over and exposes his belly. He doesn’t do that for just anyone and Katie knows she’s special to him.
When she is finally finished, she looks up at me and our eyes meet. I can feel a rush of love wash over me and my tail begins wagging. She is coming for me! I tip tap my paws in anticipation but I stay on top of my box because she has to hug me first.
She lets me sniff the back of her hand and then wraps her arms around my shoulders. She knows not to wrap her arms around my neck. No dog likes that! As she leans in, I rest my head on her shoulder and close my eyes. Next to pulling a sled, Katie’s hugs may be one of the best parts of my life in the yard.
She gives me a tiny squeeze, then releases her arms and says “Misha! Are you ready to go?” What a silly question.
Katie attaches my leash to my collar and releases my tether to the box. It’s time to go and I am ready! I let out a happy howl and all of my team mates answer. It’s a cacophony of howls and barks and Katie laughs. She loves this part.
We make our way across the dog yard and out the big, wooden gate. I’m not wearing my working harness so I know that I’m not supposed to pull. This isn’t time for working, so I set a relaxed pace with a slow trot. My tail is held high and my nose is in the breeze. I check beside me often to see if Katie is paying attention. Sometimes, when I can sense she is lost in thought, I try to run. She always stops me, but I wont stop trying.
Katie and I walk along the side of the only road in the park. It’s early May and the park is quiet. The summer visitors haven’t arrived yet, and the road is still void of much traffic. Along the side of the road, the Rangers have placed signs letting visitors know that the sled dogs are out being exercised so the cars that do pass us go slowly.
I miss the snow already. It’s almost all gone and we are at the part of the year when the sun doesn’t really set and it’s light almost all of the time. It doesn’t really bother me because I can sleep whenever I want, but the added hours of sunshine means that the warm weather is coming. For today, though, I am enjoying the cool breeze as it dances through my thick, woolly fur.
Life is so good in this moment.
Chapter Two Coming Soon