Moving On Up

I was taking pictures of the Brits the other night to show how good their ears were looking after their tattoos a week or so ago and it occurred to me that I had not mentioned their recent move and the reasons behind it.

Todd, Fletch, Sherwood and Hambone had been living in one of our recently revamped puppy pens. The pens have lots of fresh sand, hills, rocks, tires and a brand new dog house. They were as happy as little clams!

The pen which is made up of 6 foot high chain link fence panels buried 2 feet in the ground to prevent dig outs, is located next to our main 'out trail' and generations of NorthWapiti puppies have raced teams along the fenceline as they left the yard on training runs!
The Brits are no different and have run the fenceline and then lined up to watch the team vanish over the hill and into the woods.
Well....until last week...

On one of our runs last weekend, Corrine and I were about a 1/4 mile out of the yard with a team when something came roaring by us on the right. It was Hambone. I don't think he even called 'TRAIL".
Major panic instantly ensued. Small, furry things darting around excited sled dogs is an unqualified disaster waiting to happen. Sled dogs generally don't check ID before grabbing at small critters. They have a firm 'grab first, ask questions later' approach to life.

Thankfully Barq was in wheel and he politely (seriously!) entertained Hambone until we could get stopped and up to the puppy.
Phew!

I headed off with the team, Corrine grabbed Hambone and headed back to the yard where she found Todd roaming around checking out the ladies.
The gate wasn't open, they had climbed over the fence to freedom.
I arrived back in the yard moments later having looped around to come back in and make sure everything was okay. Hambone was hanging over the fence as I gave Corrine instructions to move the Brits to one of the open pens with 6 foot walls.

So move they did.

They are enjoying their new pen. In fact they think it has some definite improvements over the last one. At the top of the list is the fact that they now have neighbours - Beauty and Xena live in the pen next door to them and they spend HOURS running the fenceline with them.
Bet also does her neurotic Border Collie dash around that pen, so if the girls bore of the puppy games, they can usually run with Bet for a bit.
They also love the fact that because their new pen is actually two pens with the door between them open, they can have steeplechase games over the 'puppy guard' on the door -

and they have 2 dog houses, so they don't have to bunk together anymore!

So we are all happy again - the pups are loving their new digs and I'm happy that they are again safely secured - for now at least!

And as for their ears -

Todd

Hambone

Sherwood

Fletch is a ladies man and wouldn't pose without his 'girlfriend' Bet in the picture. 

Looking good!!