Cone of Shame

Sculpin's recovery continues. Unfortunately, even with the progression, she is required to wear the cone. The "cone of shame". At first, she was so drugged up that the cone had little effect on her. She would lay quietly as I fixed it to her collar and then pass out on my couch. As the week progressed, however, her annoyance became obvious. She is still on pain medication, but she fully comprehends her situation. This cone is obtrusive, sight debilitating, and makes it damn hard to cuddle. Whenever I come near her with it, she jumps onto the couch and buries her head in the cushions.

For the past few days, she has tried everything in her power to have it removed. At first, I thought she was running into things because she couldn't see them; then, I realized, she was purposely attempting to get the edge of the cone hooked on an object so it would tear loose. As a consequence, the cone has been truly mangled. Rips around the edges testify for her near victories and the red dirt covering the plastic is proof of her frustrated rolls.

Doug made the term famous in "Up"

I have to keep reminding myself that this is necessary. Without the cone, she would inevitably tear out her own stitches. Whenever I'm home, she gets a break; but when I'm at work or sleeping, I can't trust her without it. She's come to expect freedom whenever I'm around, so she'll instantly start bumping the cone against my legs whenever I come in sight. It makes it difficult for either of us to walk...
I've also tried my hardest to keep her out of sight from the other dogs when she's wearing the cone. A few times, her friends spotted her and I swear they started laughing. Sculpin's head lowered to the ground and she sighed with the greatest remorse. The poor dog is having to suffer the cone of shame. Thankfully, on Saturday, her stitches will be removed and her suffering can cease. Until then, I can expect waking up in the middle of the night to her running into the table and her mournful howls when I tie her up in view of her friends. Poor girl.

Snowshoeing in Powder

Today is a glorious powder day in Colorado! Sunlight got hit with a massive storm, totaling 16" in 12 hours. Take that, Vail and Aspen! In true CO fashion, the skies opened up to a brilliant blue to allow for a perfect day on the mountain. The locals descended on the mountain this morning; this is what they've been waiting for. Therefore, it is the busiest day we've had all year; skiers are actually having to wait in line!

Due to the business and the fact I can get first tracks tomorrow, I decided to take a break from skiing and snowshoe instead. I headed up the mountain, straight through the aspen groves and powder. It was less of a break and more of a slog through two feet of dense, untouched snow. Off of the ski trails, it's quiet and peaceful. The sun shines down through the aspens, making the snow sparkle. Every now and then, a skier would wind their way through the trees, throwing snow up behind them. I think that one of my favorite sights is the s-curve of a ski trail through the pristine, white snow.
For about an hour and a half, I explored the glades and the mountain. It was interesting to view the mountain from a different perspective, rather than just speeding down.With fresh powder up to my hips, the trees are the only place to be today.

Sculpin

 I've been postponing this post until I had some good news. Sculpin was diagnosed with cancer two weeks ago, but it looks like she is going to pull through!
About two weeks ago, I discovered a large tumor on Sculpin's belly. It hadn't affected her eating habits, her stool, or her personality; therefore, I regret to say that I was late in catching it. The problem with caring for 18 dogs is that I rarely have the opportunity to give each a thorough physical exam. Sculpin's tumor was fast growing and I didn't catch it until she decided one day to roll over for a belly rub. As soon as I saw it, my heart sunk. I have come to love these dogs so much and the thought of one of them being sick was heart wrenching.

I immediately called our vet and brought Sculpin in to get checked out. They took blood samples of the tumor and poked and prodded. It didn't seem to be causing her any pain, but that might have been because I was feeding her a constant stream of dog biscuits. After a brief look under a microscope, it was apparent that Sculpin has Mammary Cancer. This is a fast moving cancer that affects older female dogs. If a female is not spayed before her first cycle, she has an 8% greater risk of incurring the cancer. That risk increases to 26% after the second cycle and so on. Sculpin is 10 years old and has had approximately 20 cycles; her risk was very great. This type of tumor is the most prevalent kind of cancer in female dogs. In a kennel so large, it is typical to have a few cases.
Pinks, the oldest dog in the kennel, was diagnosed with this cancer last year; she is doing very well after her treatment. As soon as I learned of Pinks' recovery, I felt much better about Sculpin. Although this cancer can be deadly, there's a good chance she will live.
She was instantly put on antibiotics and moved into my house. The meds were the doctor's orders, the house was my own attempt to make her comfortable. For the following week, she lounged on my couch while her tumor got bigger. The antibiotics she was on were an attempt to kill any kind of infection and perhaps reduce the size of the tumor. I sadly watched as she got more uncomfortable and stopped eating.
As a result of her discomfort, her surgery date was pushed up. The vet agreed that we needed to get the tumor off of her and get it in for a biopsy. She went into surgery on Wednesday and passed with flying colors. Along with the larger tumor, they removed four small tumors that were in the beginning stages. Thankfully, the cancer has not spread into her lungs; it would be impossible to save her if it had. Sculpin was also spayed on Wednesday to help prevent future tumors.
Currently, she is doing a lot better. She is staying in my house and getting all the love and attention I have. I've put her on canned food, so she's eating regularly now; along with getting several meds to keep her comfortable. Her belly is one jagged line of stitches. I ice it every now and then to keep the swelling down and she has a cone to prevent her from picking at the stitches. I think the most unpleasant thing for Sculpin right now is that cone. Anytime I put it on her, I can feel the embarrassment and awkwardness radiating off of her. I can't put her back up in the dog yard, for the other dogs would pick on her.

My cuddle buddy...

In another ten days, she'll go back into the vets to get the stitches out. At that time, we'll hopefully have the biopsy results and see what other actions we might have to take to prevent the cancer from reoccurring.
Ever since I learned of Sculpin's illness, I have run my hands over every other dog in the kennel, especially the older females. These dogs are my best friend's, I will do everything I can to make sure that none of them suffer as Sculpin has. Keep her in your thoughts and please share my hope that she'll have many more years of running.

Ski Country

 The beginning of January has been reserved for skiing. Although the snow hasn't been the best, I'm taking full advantage of the ski bum life.
Shortly after my parents left, my friend, Alex, came for a visit. The legendary Colorado powder was in short supply, but for east coasters, the slopes were a dream. Thankfully, I was raised to dig my edge into the side of the hill; all of this floating stuff is beyond me. Alex and I managed to ski just about every trail available...and a lot of it in 60s costumes. His first day here was Skier Appreciation Day, which included $15 lift tickets, a 60s costume contest, and a band to jam through the evening. Skiing down a trail with leather fringe and a flower shirt billowing behind you always brings out a giggle.

Alex and I at the top of Sunlight

A few days after Alex left, I made a trip to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. As an employee of a ski resort, I can ski free at most other places, such as Copper Mtn, Steamboat Springs, Telluride Mtn, Crested Butte, etc. A-Basin is one of the closest resorts, only an hour and a half away. Conveniently, it is also a halfway point for myself and my friend, Laura. A-Basin is a beautiful place. It resides in Loveland Pass at a base elevation of 10,780 feet and a summit elevation of 13,050 feet. Most of the skiing is above treeline in bowls. Unfortunately, when I went, the above treeline bowls were closed. The terrain is so steep that the little snow we have is not sticking. It was terrible having to look at the incredible chutes and knowing that I couldn't ski them. We spent the day going down the one blue trail open from the summit and dreaming of the snow that would open everything else up. My interest has definitely been peaked and I hope to make another journey to A-Basin before the season is up.

A-Basin

And then we come to today. I have been waiting for this day for a few weeks now. The Northern Tribe of the Ute Indians, originally native to the Roaring Fork Valley, have come to Sunlight Mountain to offer a blessing. Every year, for the past century, the Utes have come to this mountain to do a snow dance. It is a legendary moment; for every year, on this day, a massive storm hits. 2012 was no exception. Late last night the snow began to fall thick. By 9am we had 6 inches and now we have about 9 inches. The snow has been falling throughout the day and it is supposed to continue into the night. After a brief lull, another storm is scheduled to hit on Wednesday.
I started my morning off with skiing powder above my knees. Another perk of working at a ski mountain, you get first tracks down most trails! On most days, I feel the need for speed. On a day like today, when the world is silent behind a curtain of snow, there's nothing better than creating graceful curves through the powder. I don't know how to ski it, but I sure can appreciate it! At the bottom of every run, I would look back to see the "s" shape carved into the white. I couldn't get enough of it. Trails that yesterday had rocks and grass are now throwing snow up behind me. This is what I was waiting for.
The Ute Blessing happened this afternoon, as the snow continued to fall. "Majesty", the wise woman of the tribe, placed a blessing upon the mountain. She is descendent of Chief Black Hawk, who originally settled the Roaring Fork Valley. Along with her daughters, granddaughters, and great granddaughters, Majesty performed several traditional dances to welcome the snow. Her sons and grandsons beat on the drum and sang for the dancers. I swear the snow came even harder during their dances. The traditional garb, the beat of the drum, and the rhythym of the dancers was intoxicating. A truly moving experience that will hopefully bring plentiful snow.

Ute Blessing

My life as a ski bum will continue for the next 2 months. I'm hoping to break 50 ski days(I think I'm at 18 right now). With the blessing of the Utes and the incoming snow, I don't think there's any place I'd rather be!

The Pack

I've begun a new practice in the dog yard. With only half the dogs, it can be a little easier to manage them when loose. Usually, I would let a few off at a time while I was doing chores. We would hike up the mountain a little, wrestle, and have fun. Of course, when I chose a few dogs to play with, the rest of the yard would go nuts. Making sure that all 37 dogs got the attention they deserved was difficult.
Now that the racers are up training in Alaska, I have the opportunity to provide  the 18 other dogs with a little bit more fun. Whenever I have the time after chores, I start letting the dogs loose. I always begin with the puppies, as they are the most anxious. It takes a few minutes to get to anyone else, since the puppies are usually jumping all over me. I pick my way through the yard, releasing everyone, then stepping back to watch them run.

For the first half hour, it is non-stop sprint time. The younger dogs go ripping around the yard, the house, and the woods. They never go too far out of sight for too long, just enough to make a large circuit of their territory. Alameda is usually out in the lead, with her sister, Jumper, and brother, Colfax, right behind nipping at her heels. Every now and then, they turn on each other and wrestle, rolling in the dirt. Occasionally, the older dogs will join in the chase; however, they're more likely to wait for the youngsters to pass by before they take a snap at them. Pinks is the only one who doesn't run around. She is 13, almost 14, and she is more contented to sit on a little hill and watch the world go by. If anyone bumps into her, her lips curl back over her teeth; no one messes with this old girl.

It's important for me to keep constant watch. In the blink of an eye, an innocent chase can turn into a pack fight. I usually keep a harness in hand to whack against a house in case I need to distract the dogs or break them up. Of course, even watching can be difficult. Niva tends to weave in between my legs, often tripping me. The other dogs have fun with sprinting straight at me and jumping up at the last minute to knock the wind out of me. Qjoa has gotten especially good at jumping up from behind and knocking me over. They all get down as soon as I tell them, but they're just so gosh darn excited!

After they've run around for awhile, they start to settle down. Then, a serious session of sniffing commences. Everyone's house must be sniffed, as well as everyone's butt. I have to be careful here to, as the males can get a little excited. If they're bored with the smells, they come to me for attention. I've usually got dogs jostling at my feet trying to make sure I'm scratching behind the right ears.

Surprisingly, after they've gone through those necessities, they start to travel back to their houses. Home sweet home. It's always the older dogs that go back first, with Chena actually staking out the house with the most straw. I take my time hooking them back up. Everyone comes when they're called and each dog gets a little one on one time.
Pack time is now my favorite time. It's great to see the way they all work together and how happy they are. This will definitely continue throughout the winter!

The Holidays

You would think that with half the dogs, I would have twice as much time to write my blog. Well, turns out, I'm busier than ever!
With the holiday season, work was a jumble of tourists and the inevitable issues that come with them. Colorado is in a bit of a dry spell at the moment. The sun is out in full force and melting our base. Fortunately for me, I revel in ice skiing, so it feels just like home when I hit the slopes. Nevertheless, I'm crossing my fingers with everyone else hoping for a big dump of powder. It would bring the business in and then I could actually learn how to ski powder.
Even with the poor ski conditions, my family made the journey to see me for the holidays. Sam drove down from Vancouver with his dog, Bella. Within two hours of his arrival, we were out in the dog yard introducing Bella. I thought my dogs would rip her to shreds, but instead, they were scared of her! The older dogs would sniff at her, but showed little interest. The puppies ran into their houses and barked at her until she went away. They weren't used to having a strange dog in their territory. Later in the week, when we went for a walk and cross country ski, I took puppies with us. At first, Bella just beat up on them. She is a rough player and the puppies would come hide behind me crying. Within fifteen minutes though, they were the ones chasing her. All they needed was a little confidence boost to deal with a strange dog. Once they got it, they realized that it could be a lot of fun.

Family Picture on the hike into The Maroon Bells

Mom and Dad spent the week out here as well. On Christmas Eve we went to Aspen to explore and go to mass. Sam and I had discovered that Aspen Chapel was putting on a mass with music led by John Oates; as in, John Oates from Hall and Oates. We were all tempted to shout out "You Make My Dreams Come True"! during his performances. Sam even got a nod and hello from him. The Ryan-Giroux family is running with the celebrities.
We had a wonderful Christmas Day, with the usual emphasis on food. It was my first Christmas outside of Vermont, but it was just as good with my family there. I had to work for the holidays, so they came up every day to have lunch and ski with me.

Skiing in Four Mile Park

On my days off, we had family fun time. We went snowshoeing/just walking due to the lack of snow up in the Maroon Bells. Afterwards, we soothed our aching joints in the Hot Springs. The Springs are a beautiful place to be at night. Steam rises off of the water, making everything hazy and ethereal. The crescent moon was out, coupled with christmas lights on all the hotels. I would spend every evening there if I could.
The following day, we went for a quick cross country ski up in Four Mile Park. Niva, my puppy, went with us. The snow is a few feet deep up there in the Aspen groves. We skied along, with Bella and Niva wrestling in the powder; Niva got buried under Bella more than once. Mom kept saying, "It doesn't get any better than this!"
Now, with the family gone, it's back to dogs and work. In a few days, a friend from St. Mike's will be visiting and the adventures will start up once again. Just keep your fingers crossed that Colorado gets snow so the dogs and I can really enjoy the winter!

Niva and Bella