I Did The Iditarod

Teri Wilson

Teri Wilson, author of Dog books, and Romance books including ‘Cup of Joe’, ‘All Creatures of Our God & King”, ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’, ‘Rodeo Redemption’ (& others) took her southern self to the Alaskan Iditarod and worked a dog team. See www.spanieldiaries.blogspot.com  to see what volunteering at the Iditarod is like.  Teri explains the unbelievable tug-of war style power of a team of pulling dogs and how she got trained to roll out of the way.  What does an ice hook have to do with mushing? Listen to the show and find out.    Teri describes the sites of the region including the historical dog journey from Anchorage to Gnome of over 1,000 miles, which brought diphtheria medicine to children and saved lives.  This is a great example of dog work that helps humans and teamwork human with dogs.  Would you like to go next year and volunteer?

You can help at the ceremonial launch hands on with sled dog teams holding dogs back as Teri did, or maybe you’re looking for something inside and warm like greeting visitors from all over the world, or hands-on and caring like rubbing ointment on dogs paws a week before the race.  You don’t have to be a Vet or Vet tech to help out and Teri says every dog lover will love it; she’s already planning to return next year to care for dogs at the race finish.  (Some of the ‘dropped’ dogs go to the women’s’ prison nearby where they get plenty of tlc until they can be reunited with the team.) The dogs love to race, and they are healthy social dogs with in-tact teeth explains Teri who had a close up view while feeding them and being kissed by them. There are shelters trying to place ex racing dogs in good homes and a racer that is using shelter dogs to race.   I bet the sled dogs are smaller than you think. Teri explains the term slowberian and verifies that a team of Standard Poodles really did run and finish the Iditarod.    How many pounds of meat do you think a wolf can eat in one sitting?  Hungry like a wolf is right!  Teri explains some of the routines, and diet of the race plus takes us behind the scenes for an insider view of the Iditarod.

Transcript will be available shortly.