Training is in full swing...

Well I think it's about time for yet another blog. I want to start off with how awesome the team is looking this year! They are rocking. They are taking everything we are throwing at them, and coming back wanting more! LOVE IT! I swear this team thinks they can take on the world! Which is what we all want!

We are now up to doing longer runs, which take a good part of the day, so on the off days or the evenings it is puppy time. Which means they either come in the house for an hour or so to just hang out, or we take them out in the big yard and let them free run for an hour or so! Well the other morning the impatient piebalds, earned their nickname well. This litter has been impatient sense the moment they came out of their mother, and I can easily blame that on their father Roland, who is one of the most impatient dogs I know! Anyhow the pies were busy while we were on our morning run, and dug out of their yard which resulted with them being loose in the male yard. Well most all of the males were with us on the team, they only got to bug the retirees, which don't pay much attention to the pups anyways. But weren't those four pups prouder than peacocks running around watching us come across the field and back in the yard. So that was the day we decided to introduce the pies to the big dogs, all went great and the pies love having more dogs to pick on and gang up on besides their siblings and mom all the time...plus I liked the ending result of them all being totally crashed afterwords!

Basically just catching everyone up to speed, all is well at Fort Illio. Dogs are doing awesome, and pups are growing up so nicely! Here are some photo's to enjoy, until next time! Happy Trails!

~Fort Illio~

The team

Pups crashed

Rosa

Pups meeting big dogs

Pups running

Pups in the house, They all know where the treats live!

Dixie the clown!

Leaves are starting to change color....

Leaves are starting to change color, and yes that can only mean one thing...fall is here! The cooler weather during the days, the fall breeze and the crisp mornings, sure make some happy huskies in my neck of the woods! So yes consistent training has started for the huskies and they are very vocally happy about that! If you don't believe me just ask Rosa! Where in the early month of August we were getting up at 4:30 in the morning to get the team out while it was cool enough, it has become an ritual for the team to set their alarms off at 4:00 A.m, and 4:15, and 4:30, and and and...you get the picture, they want to run! The team is doing really great this year and we even have a few up and coming leaders. More on that later.

And I am sure you are wondering about the puppies, they have grown so fast and are all so smart. Cree's babies are so obedient and big! As Kyat's babies are just starting to learn about all the adventures, and of course learning how to sit. Most all of them have it nailed by now, but I will tell you it's quite a chore teaching 8 puppies to sit at the same time, compared to only 3! I certainly had my hands full that's for sure! The big puppies play with the big dogs now, and everybody gets a long great. So again all are happy.

It has been a very good and busy summer here at Fort Illio, got a lot of projects done, finished a bunch of stuff...we have been busy with the pups of course! I can easily say I love having puppies around and watching them learn, and get brave! What a joy to watch for sure.

Well that's about all the news here, here are some photos to enjoy!

~Fort Illio~

Puppies, puppies and more puppies!

The Rock Band Litter is growing so fast, they are already 7 wks old, and are such a joy to teach things to. They new sit at 5 wks of age, and now they do it consistently! We have taken them on adventure walks, where they have to go over and under blown down trees, through water, and tall grass, nothing phases this litter one bit. Cree and Watt should be proud parents for sure. Here are some photos of them at 7 wks old!

Sable

Hinder

Shiner

Shiner

Sable

Hinder

We also have more exciting news, Kyat who we leased from our good friends Blake and Jennifer Freking from MN, was bred to Roland, and now we have 8 happy healthy puppies! They are all piebalds, and there was 5 females and 3 males. Kyat went into labor early Thursday morning, she would not let me leave her side. Around noon her water broke, and than we waited and waited for pups to start coming out. Finally about 5 hrs after her water broke it was time to start worrying...we went to the emergency clinic, and sure enough on the xrays show two pups stuck, one in front and the other was T Boning the stuck one. Not good! While looking at the xray I was counting heads, and was shocked to see 8 pups in there! WOW! The Vet strongly suggested a C section, which kind of bummed me out, but at that point what needed to be done had to be done! So that is what we did, and the best part was I got to watch all of this happen and learn, and help revive the pups! WAY COOL! I am pretty sure I am hooked and ready to be a Vet Tech for sure! All 8 pups survived and are growing like crazy, and momma is doing great as well! Here is a photo to enjoy!


That's about all the news for now!

~Fort Illio~

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Johnny Jump Ups

Ryder & Tippin's Grave

Puppies...

Coming and going....

About a month ago Blazer headed out to be with his buddy Storm. Blazer went to live with our new friends Mark and Katina, (the same people that have Storm) They loved Storm so much, they wanted his partner in crime (Blazer). Blazer hasn't been on the race team much the past two years, due to him having issues running anything over a 20 mile run. So we decided that Blazer would be best off in his new home, where he can set the pace of the team, and be spoiled, which we have no doubt that is what he is getting! Thank you again Mark and Katina for giving our loved boy a wonderful new home!

Now the more exciting news is we now have puppies!! Cree gave birth to three healthy puppies early Sunday morning. 2 males and 1 female. They are just the cutest little things, and are already keeping me on my toes. I have a feeling this litter is going to be a handful. :)The litter theme is names of Rock Bands. So introducing....

Fort Illio's Saving Able "Sable"

Fort Illio's Hinder

Fort Illio's Shinedown "Shiner"

Cree and her babies


Thats all the news for now!

~Fort Illio~

Wild Wild West...Yet Again!!! :)

You think I would just move out there already! LOL! But responsibilities always seem to get in the way of dreams...SIGH

So yes I yet again made another trip out to MN. This time Mom and I went along with Jaye and Shane, it was a great trip, just long! It's funny how I forget all the time how long of a drive it is out there and back.

So of course we had a great and too short of a visit with Blake, Jen and their beautiful daughter Ellie, and of course all the furry creatures they have! It was a great time, but as usual way too short. And as I am sure you are all wondering, where you know I don't go to MN and not bring anything back to Maine. So there are two females here, one of which is visiting and the other is staying permanently. More about them later.

That's about all the news here, just been catching up on summer projects, getting the puppy building ready, its all wired, now we just have to insulate and put the walls up, and than get the whelping area set up. It's going to be nice. Cree is pregnant so she will be the first to use it. She is due at the end of the month. We have been busy building dog houses as well, replacing some old ones, and just building some news ones, for the new babies being born! It's never ending...

Dogs have just been lounging and playing hard during play time. We have been still running them on ATV, and plan to until it's gets to warm. The dogs seem to love it! Below are some photo's of the dogs running, and playing. Enjoy!

Well that's all for now until puppy time!

~Fort Illio~


Marocca and Dixie playing

Early morning run

The new girls, Kyat and Rosa

Water break

Stormy moves on...

At the Greenville Race this year we met a really nice couple, that had Siberians, and they just fell right in love with Storm! I was thinking about placing Storm in a smaller kennel, where he would get more attention, and to help teach Mark and Katina's younger dogs what sledding is all about. Turns out it was a match made in heaven, and we couldn't be happier that Stormy is in a great home, and being spoiled like he deserves!! Thanks a lot Mark and Katina for sharing your life with Storm, and we hope he is what you wanted!

Storm with his new family (Mark & Katina)

Storm counter surfing

~Fort Illio~