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!