Dog Booties… again

Every season it seem we talk about dog booties.

So, here we go again:

Dog booties are critical.

They protect dogs' feet before any injuries can occur. That's key.

We use booties at various times and for various reasons. They are distance dependent -- we might booty all dogs for long runs. They are temperature dependent -- we might booty all dogs at temperatures below -20 degrees F. They are dog specific -- we might booty individual dogs all the time.

Scout (above) thinks that you shouldn't talk badly about his booties!

Here is a little BOOTY RANT by Aliy:

All in all, booties are a pain in the tush. They require a musher to assume the 'standard musher position' (bent over at the hip with my head down by my knees) for extended periods of time both putting on booties and taking off booties. They require ungloved hands in order to get that velcro strap just tight enough to not slip down a dog's foot. Therefore, booties, notoriously, create cold hands. Really cold at -30 degrees F! After each use, booties have to be dried out. What do you think our garage smells like? And mind you… there might be a little bit of dog poo on the drying canine footwear. That's not all. Then, booties have to be sorted after they dry: trash booties with holes and reuse booties with out holes. You are not done yet. Now booties have to be sized. WHAT?!? Not every dog wear's the same size booty? Nope. Have you looked at Mismo lately? Now take a look at Lydia. Yup. Different booties for different dogs. Our system of dog booties have different velcro colors that differentiates sizes. Last step. Each dog has four feet. Huh? Now take four (dried, sorted, sized) booties and link them together with the velcro into sets of 4's. Now… go back to your dog team and get after it!
You gotta LOVE booties!

2015 Yukon Quest
-37 F start: How do those fingers feel, Aliy?; Mile 900: How does that back feel, Allen?


Ready-to-train dog booties.

The Booty Fairy was at SP Kennel this weekend and decorated the garage with a Christmas booty theme. Let's just say that it doesn't quite smell like Gingerbread around here!

The Christmas Booty Fairy was a SP Kennel yesterday!

At various times throughout the season we have had Booty Fairies drift through SP Kennel, pick up a sack of "to be sorted" and bring back a sack of "ready to train".
Thank you to everyone of you Fairies! (And please… come on back… we've got more!)