It’s all about the dogs:
A small but mighty group, the Shady Pines Dogs are a strong, fast and happy bunch.
Click on the faces below to learn more about each individual dog.
Thank you to our Team Sponsors
Terry and Connie Eddy
Brooke Holton
The Clendenning Family
Want to help us get to the start line of races? Click below
Lead dogs are not only the first pretty face you see at the front of a team, they are the ones that set the pace, make decisions, and ignore everything else around them except the trail ahead. They come in all shapes and sizes, and both genders, and each of them shine in different circumstances. Some leaders are better suited to leading training runs, and some thrive for leading competitive races.
Team dogs are the engines. They are the support crew, the speed drivers, the invisible leaders-from-behind, and the bruisers at the back of the team. Team dogs have unique skills of their own, and without team dogs it would be leaders and a musher. Loitering in the team dogs are up and coming leaders, solid experienced hard workers, and some youngsters who are still finding their place in the team.
‘Yearlings’ are a dog that is old enough to run, but less than two years old. The goal for a yearling’s year is a positive experience, building confidence in as many new experiences as possible: traveling in the truck, racing, hills, all types of trail conditions. Another goal is to find out where they like to run in the team, and what they are truly capable of—and for them to figure it out themselves. Seeing it all come together and ‘click’ in the mind of a yearling is one of the most gratifying parts of training sled dog.
This season, there are no yearlings! But waiting in the wings are a large group of puppies for next year. Stay tuned!
