Tuesday 8 July 2008

Handler Wanted

We had had a few good leads on handlers for the 2008/2009 racing season, but for one reason or another,none of them work out and we find ourselves now looking again.

The ideal candidate would be....well...Kathryn...but since she can't take another 6 months out of her life to play, we will just have to settle for someone else.

The position involves shoveling the dog yard daily, assisting with feedings, occasionally feeding on your own, assisting with kennel and dog maintanance, 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.

You would need to be reasonably phyiscally 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; 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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