Meet the Race Team

We are a small group of sled dogs here at Shady Pines, with 16 racing dogs and puppies. Of the 16 dogs in 2016-7, 13 of them are veterans on the main race team, and the other three are the yearlings Victor Hugo and Bonobo, and the new-to-racing Vega.

Over the years, we have stayed around 18-20 dogs, to develop and train a competitive racing team of 12 dogs. The main reason is very practical: that translates to two food buckets to haul into the dogyard at feeding time. The other reasons are about cultivating a strong, happy, and loving team, and being able to give each dog the attention they want and deserve. Our dogs come on hikes, walks, playtimes, and in the house.

We keep our size small by placing dogs as pets and as recreational sled dogs. Contact us if you are interested in either.

Click on the adorable faces below to read more about the personalities that make up Shady Pines.

(Note: if you are on a mobile device, once you bring up an image from the gallery, there should be a tiny dot in the right hand corner--that brings up the text description)

Interested in helping us get to the Defi Taiga in Fermont, QC? Learn more here.

Thank you to 2017-8 Team Sponsors:

Ashley Ragovin
Sharon O'Neill
Cooper Hill Axe Works
RMS Ironworks LLC
Bridget Freudenberger

Lead Dogs

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. Support a lead dog here.

Team Dogs

Team dogs are the engines. Many of them can assume the lead, but are usually happiest powering from behind. The Shady Pines team dogs are a fast, driven, and lovable bunch. Support a team dog here.

Nibbler (Sponsored by Margaret McNamara, and Greg, Dayna and Gunnar, and Stephanie Miller)

Oriana Fallaci (Sponsored by Brendan Prusik)

Foreman (Sponsored by Bob Stewart and N Houston)

Inferno (Sponsored by Wes Guerin, and Tom Abra and Bliss)

Vega (Sponsored by Irene Yang, and Jeannine Sohayda)

Yearlings and Rookies

2017-8 will be the first year for training for 'The Twins', the brother and sister duo of Victor Hugo and Bonobo. These two are a special pair, having traveled all the way from Alaska from the kennel of Brenda Mackey. As they've matured, I have sensed something deeper and bigger that they are a part of, and in talking to Brenda she phrased it expertly that they come from lines that make strong connections with their people and are very loyal, and are old souls that communicate a lot with their eyes. From day one, these two always felt mature beyond their years, two perfectly-contained small dogs. I am so thrilled to see how they do this year.

Victor Hugo and Bonobo will be training with my good friend, mentor, and inspiration Christine Richardson this year. Christine and I run our dog teams very similarly, and she kindly offered to train these two in their first year of racing. I can't imagine a better introduction to the sport for these two than with Christine. I am so lucky to have her as a friend. Thank you Christine!!

Update: Bonobo has made it pretty clear to us that she prefers a different lifestyle than a racing kennel, and has moved to the best place in the world for her with Lidia at Valley Snow Dogz LLC, where she will be able to play constantly, give tours, and occasionally throw down in a race! Thank you Lidia for creating the perfect environment for Bonnie, and thank you Christine for sussing out Bonnie's goals in life!

Victor Hugo has been thriving in the racing team and has started in lead. I can't wait to get this little guy back! Thank you Christine (and lead dog Dory) for coaching this special boy!

Victor Hugo (Sponsored by Margaret McNamara and Joan Fullerton)

Interested in supporting the team? Here's how.