Tomorrow, SP Kennel will pack up two teams of 12 dogs and head down the Richardson Highway towards Glennallen, Alaska for the 2008 Copper Basin 300 race. Check in and drop bags are due by 2pm Friday. Both Aliy and Allen will be running teams in this years race. Allen … Read More
Training in the Mountains on the Denali Highway.Skittles and ChaCha in lead. December 24, 2007 At SP Kennel we have four primary goals for our sled dog athletic training program. 1. Improving Endurance By the first of January, the SP Kennel dogs have been in serious training for over 4 … Read More
We have heard no reports of wolf activity near us for about 3 weeks. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently conducted an aerial survey of both wolf and moose populations. No wolves were sighted but the moose population was confirmed to be in the normal to high normal … Read More
We take for granted the luxuries of civilization here at SP Kennel. We simply expect the running water and electricity when we awake each morning. Powerful lights brighten the dog yard at any hour. We have a heated garage and workshop for gear preparation and sled repair. The conveniences of … Read More
People often ask, ‘What is Alaska really like in the thick of winter?’ SP Kennel is located in the heart of this great state – right in the center! We are 350 miles from an ocean to the south, 450 miles from an ocean to the north and nestled between … Read More
Start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog RaceWe can’t do it without our sponsors! How does SP Kennel run financially? Allen and Aliy are like many Alaskans – they have a “summer job” and a “winter job”.Summer jobs in Alaska are the norm. (Usually May through September.) This is when … Read More
Kennel life is full of dog chores, training dogs, running puppies and racing in competitions. But there is another side to our kennel life that is just as critical to the future of Dog Mushing. That is publicly supporting and promoting Sled Dog Sports! Dog Mushing is ambiguously understood by … Read More
We recently welcomed a very important addition to the SP Kennel Family. Samuel Gray Zirkle Crowe, son of Kaz Zirkle and Ray Crowe, was born on October 6, 2007 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Sammy is healthy, handsome and eager to eat frequently. His parents are elated and exhausted. Our hope is … Read More
The sleet is falling and the dogs are howling. For us, this equates to Fall Training. This is a “lump sum” term for the seasonal start of training our sled dogs. Fall Training should be clarified. In human terms, Fall Training would liken to the chores, work and mental concentration … Read More
The goal AT SP Kennel is to compete at the highest level in international sled dog races. We maintain a small select group of canine athletes that allows us to succeed at this goal. A smaller population allows us more individual time per dog and enables us to operate both … Read More
