The duties include shoveling the dog yard daily, assisting with feedings, occasionally feeding on your own, assisting with kennel and dog maintenance, caring for the kennel in our absence, helping with hooking up and putting away dog teams, and generally helping the dogs and I get ready for race season.
Be aware that when I am up in Alaska - likely for 2 to 3 months this winter - you will be responsible for all aspects of caring for the remaining dogs in the kennel (likely 30 - 35 dogs) on your own, as well as looking after the house, yard and yourself.
You would need to be reasonably physically fit. That includes being able to carry 25 - 30 lb buckets for fairly good distance; able to wrestle very strong, excited dogs around; able to tolerate and work in very cold temperatures; comfortable with winter driving; and able to get up early in the morning without complaint (Mark already does enough complaining about that).
Be aware that this is not as glamorous a job as most people think. There are no days off, the work is hard, the pay sucks, and the weather can be brutal.
After the first week, you will be scratched, bruised, stiff and exhausted. Things will only get worse.
In exchange you will get - a small monthly stipend, all your meals, your own cabin to live in (bathroom and kitchen facilities are in the house and shared with Mark and I), some scars, to work with some really cool dogs and stories that will last you a long time. We also have great hiking trails and in the winter cross country skis, snowshoes and dog teams to enjoy them. What better way to learn to run dogs then behind a team of Iditarod finishers?
Anyone crazy enough to be interested can contact me at northwapiti@xplornet.com
Karen
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