Bulldozing the Dog Yard

Every year it's a three-way competition between Mother Nature, the dogs and the mushers. Most of the time, the dogs and the mushers are on the same side ... but not this time!

Dogs are dogs. They like to dig, run around, bury bones and generally - act like dogs. This creates a yard full of holes with hidden bones, holes with out hidden bones (hey.. where'd it go?), holes with poop, holes with rocks, holes with anything that seemed like a good idea to bury at the time. Therefore by the end of September the yard resembles a exploded mine field.

The Top Five Hole Producers of 2013 are: (drum roll please...)


L-R: Izzy; Lester; Pepe


L-R: Fang; and the winner is... Tatfish (his house actually levitated between two holes)

By October (that's tomorrow) Mother Nature swings by, elects a winner and immediately freezes the results in the yard as they lay. So these holes stay where they are - frozen in time and space - unless we fill them before then! This situation can be bad. Real bad. Actually, a few years ago, an SP Kennel visitor (dog lover and musher fan) walked through the yard, loving the dogs and ladling out the morning kibble. She slipped into one of the holes and broke her ankle and had to visit the local hospital. OUCH! Therefore, we try desperately to avoid that kind of thing.

Yesterday, September 29th, Allen and Aliy rented a skid steer bulldozer and "took back the yard". It was more than an all day affair for two people. Aliy moved all of the dogs and all of the houses. The houses were washed and cleaned. Allen spent 8 hours on the bulldozer filling holes, back dragging the yard and re pounding posts. Needless to say, it was a night for Ibuprofen.

DURING:


Collecting all of the houses; Willie has a nice clean house


Allen smooths the yard with the skid steer; Pretty smooth!

All of the houses and most of the dogs returned to their homes yesterday evening. Several top "hole performers" are staying in temporary accommodations until the ground freezes solid. Tatfish, Fang and Pepe got kennels in the Dog Barn last night. Waylon and Tug were moved to the Barn this morning.

AFTER:


L-R: Viper speaks his mind "You RUINED Everything!"; Mac says "You do realize that it took me all summer to get that hole how I wanted it?!?"

Come on Mother Nature. Tomorrow is October. Let's freeze it up!