We had a party at the kennel last week — a ‘Booty Party’. Yea Baby!
Very exciting.
Okay… your imagination might be getting the best of you.
It wasn’t that exciting.
Sorting and packing dog boots is a chore. Usually at the top of kennel’s Christmas Wish List is that a ‘Booty Fairy’ will show up in the middle of the night before Food Drops. But, for one person to sit in the garage surrounded by, literally, thousands of dog boots can – in fact – be a little depressing. Or overwhelming. Or simply smelly (used dog boots sometimes have little dried doggie ‘gifts’ stuck to them.)
Anyhow – we decided to make the entire dog boot ordeal FUN this season.
So, turn up the music and get after it:
- look thru individual boots for holes and wear
- size the ‘still useable’ used boots or new boots (sizing depends on the color of the velcro)
- form boots into circular sets of 4’s using the velcro
- when we count how many boots we need for a training run or race, we mean how many “sets of 4”
- bag a certain # of sets and sizes into baggies
- these baggies will be put into race Food Drop bags depending on which dogs are on the team
SPK would like to thank: Will, Carolyn, Tom, Cindy, Wes, Scout, Willie, Lydia, Scooter, Rambler, Tig, and Sissy (although Sissy… did you have to pee on the floor twice?)
Simple Dog Boot facts:
- different dogs wear different size boots
- at SPK we generally use mostly small and medium, very few large, and Mac can, at times, wear XL
- boots can be re used several times if they do not have holes or large wear spots
- once a boot has even a tiny hole it is trash
- boots must be dried out between uses
- we use boots for training if conditions warrant (cold, icy or longer distances)
- we use boots for all races (this is precautionary since races generally cover more miles in a shorter time frame)
- most races REQUIRE a musher to carry 8 boots per dog at all times
- they cost about $1.00 per individual dog boot
- SP K buys 3,000 to 5,000 boots every year
Yikes! That's a lot of booties. My dog won't even stand for a coat or sweater…can't imagine booties. Fun video
So, roughly 100 booties per dog per year?
Oh how I am sorry to miss Booty day!
Padee Fairbanks
That was a GREAT video!! If we lived closer we certainly would have pitched in on the Booty Call!!! I cant believe how cooperative the dogs are to get their boots on! I cant imagine doing that in sub zero temps! Thank you for the glimpse "behind the scenes!" It takes a village, or at least a good group of friends and family!
What a team!!!
Awesome video – do dogs like to "get down" and "boogie" or is it only ChaCha's offspring (and grandchildren) who have a sense of rhythm???
Sissy, you go girl.
Allen, I saw your doppelganger at O'Reilly's Auto in Kenai on Sat. First I asked if he was a musher. Nope. I asked if he knew your name Allen Moore and SP Kennel Two Rivers…..Nope. Paid for my lightbulbs and away I went. I figured you were home, but he sure looked like you. Stay safe out there Aliy and Allen Rose P
Smelly boots! Fun!
Wow, 3,ooo-5,000 boots per year is impressive. I'm glad you take the time and expense to take care of the doggie paws. Great video with music to go along with the demonstration. And, LOL Sissy!
Oh I am so sorry to miss the booty party, maybe next year! What a great video. Sissy don't let them get you down. Thanks for a fun post.
Wow! What a never ending job, thinking of all the ongoing minute details and remembering what size goes on each dog Yiikes, don't know how you come up with a system for that when you are on the trail.