Lessons Learned

Junior Musher Lessons Learned — Aug 17, 2023

  • Harlyn reports he feels more confident to feed independently and cover dogs, if needed

  • Harlyn feels he is more confident with assessing safety in the dog yard

  • Anik (Haryln’s first pick of the Piggy Litter, TrollxRubyLou) tolerated wearing a harness well. Today was his first time in harness. Anik was born January 9, 2023.

  • First bikejour in harness — Harlyn said “Anik pulled a little, but he was going a new place / new direction than he’s used to.” Anik was not ultra confident

  • We reviewed how dogs pull harder and more excitedly when they know where they’re going. We imagined Anik would pull harder when running home today (pull with more confidence)

  • Harlyn learned you get a belt buckle for finishing Iditarod

  • We learned about assessing different water bowls — for Rosita, an injured puppy in a cone – which bowls are more stable / less easy to spill & easier access while wearing a cone

  • We learned how to use something that worked previously to make a new one – creating a pattern/model  (Rosita’s bandage cover). We made a new one out of scrap material.

  • Harlyn learned about spray that kills mosquitoes, ticks and fleas

    • It can be sprayed in dogs’ houses and on their bedding

    • It can be sprayed around their houses

    • It can be put on the dogs for mosquitoes in the summer

    • It’s non-toxic 

  • Harlyn learned about what a “hot spot” is, options for treating and how they might be caused after asking about a small area of scraped skin on Anik’s back leg.

  • We learned about how to use different materials for different purposes

    • Waterproof & breathable fabrics — for covering wounds, so it can heal quicker

    • We reviewed different materials for securing a dressing and a dressing cover. Which things are ideal because of their qualities — is it waterproof? water resistant? breathable? compressive? …etc

    • We reviewed that you need to check frequently when you try something new to be sure it works: stays in place and performs as expected

  • How to tell the difference between a female and male zucchini blossom

A Taste of Summer 2023

This has been a summer packed full of many good things…

  • A big thanks to Pauline, Sarah, Harlyn, Megan, Tyler… it takes a village….

    • We raised a litter of 6 pups who have proven to be the most brave little adventurers and swimmers we’ve ever raised. They are so much fun! Rosita, Pinky, Babe, Petunia, Pua and Toot. They were born January 9, 2023.

    • We improved and increased the number of free run options — these are great for giving dogs opportunities to be safely off chain in shady spaces during the day

    • We gave the dog houses a face lift — cleaned and repaired; upgraded pallet platforms; new nameplates, etc

    • Had grand fun in the pond with dogs and our little fleet of paddleboards, rowboat and pedal boat

    • Expanded our garden — more veggies, berries, etc

    • …. and more…

  • We had many visitors — old friends and new — XOXO

  • We started to improve our leisure areas by the pond

… & now, as “squirrel season” (prepping for fall/winter/spring) sets in, the search begins… we are looking for a committed, competent, full-time handler to help train our young team this season. This position is available starting Aug 26th. Approximately 16 dogs are currently home. 14 of the team are in Skagway, AK at “summer camp” until the end of September when Kristin and Tara fetch them.

Kristin has a mild itch to train for spring mid-distance races (specifically the Kobuk 440), so if you have any desire to race or learn how to support race preparations, this is a great season to practice camping, doing longer runs on sleds and ATV, etc.

If you are interested in joining the excitement of the season ahead, please reach out: 907-230-0402 or send an email: baconsacres@mtaonline.net

Jr Musher Lessons Learned

Lesson Learned:

  1. If something you are doing isn’t working, try something different. Today, we learned this lesson when trying to teach a puppy to line out while we were kick sledding.

  2. When training dogs, sometimes you need to be more firm. Kristin says, “use your ‘I mean it’ voice”.

  3. When training dogs, sometimes you need to be more animated and fun, especially with puppies

  4. Remember to praise the dogs when they are doing what you want them to do.

  5. It’s important to have a tie down system / quick release/ brake to safely secure your sled/kicksled/cart

  6. Planning your day is helpful

  7. When you need to keep a dog from licking/scratching a wound or surgical site, there are options. Today we discussed cones vs donuts

  8. It’s important to check conditions to determine if you need booties: snow texture, temperature, distance you plan to run, what dog(s) are running

  9. Check paws after running

  10. When you remove the tug lines when you finish your run, it tells the dogs they are “all done” / “off duty”. It also reduces their pulling power.

  11. It is good to continually look at the dogs’ environment and ask, “how can i make this safer?”

  12. It is good to have extra dog houses, posts and swivels available in the yard

  13. We learned about repurposing / recycling available objects

  14. We reviewed about dressing appropriately for the weather and the difference between wool and cotton.

  15. We discussed how Harlyn’s junior mushing experience could provide him with various job opportunities with dogs in the future: working in the summer on a glacier or ground tour, doing dog sled tours in the winter, being a handler for a musher, racing the B team for a musher, etc

Jr Musher Lessons Learned - Nov 16, 2022

One of things we all look forward to is time with our junior mushers. Currently, our junior musher is Harlyn. He lives a couple miles away and has been coming for about 1.5 years. This fall, he started coming weekly. This has improved his confidence and skill level quickly.

Recently, the temperatures dipped below zero. We reviewed lessons learned about COLD (<10F) temperatures & mushing / caring for dogs:

  1. It’s important to wear extra gear to stay warm

  2. Remember to bring an extra mask / Buff / neck gaiter, as it gets wet from breathing into it

  3. Bring handwarmers

  4. Bring extra gloves

  5. If you are running the dogs very far, put booties on the dogs

  6. Review the need for dog coats

  7. The dogs need extra calories and fat when it’s cold.

    —>we reviewed how to make fat balls with RedPaw fat

    —>we discussed other sources for adding fat in the dogs’ diet

  8. Hydration needs to be watched closely when it’s cold and many dogs need extra motivation to drink. We made a broth to feed midday to encourage drinking and a source of providing extra calories. We also fed more kibble at breakfast and supper.

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Possibly one of my best and worst ideas: Spring trip to Knik Glacier from Jim Creek

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Lessons Learned (& re-learned) by Kristin

  1. As successes pile up, it seems I continue to push my limits.

    • Where would be fun to explore with my dogs?

    • How far can I go?!

    • What else could I do that I haven’t tried yet?

    • What haven’t I done?

    • Where haven’t I been?

  2. Careful selection of team mates for an adventure is key. Attitude and skill rank high in the selection process.

  3. “The Just Right Challenge” — figure it out and do it. Adapt as needed for safety and success.

  4. Problem solving — one of my favorite mind candies of mushing

  5. Challenge brings exhilaration. It’s great to feel alive!

  6. I love watching the dogs navigate vast, trail-less terrain. They are incredible!

  7. My bond and respect for my dogs continues to grow with every adventure we share.

  8. Recon is critical when planning new adventures.

  9. I need to continue to work on my ability to ask the correct questions to get the answers I need.

  10. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when you work together as a team. Today, we were a team of 17, one of my favorite numbers: 3 humans, 14 dogs. 2 sleds and an ATV. Thank you Tricky Mini, Mr. Paws, ZsaZsa, Zumi, Zephyr, Lil Bear, Molly, Pixie, Troll, Fairy, Jesse, Yama, Crimson, Prox, Josh and Andy for sharing this challenging and unforgettable experience with me.

I’m happy to provide tips and precautions, if you decide to try this adventure yourself next year.

Volunteer Reflection from Summer 2019 (delayed posting)

Dogs in photos: Tricky Mini, Lil Bear, Crosby and Tricky

Annie spent some time volunteering at Bacon’s Acres last summer. Here is a reflection she wrote sharing some of what she learned and experienced — Thank you, Annie! :) We loved having you here… and look forward to seeing you this summer after your high school graduation.

“While spending the summer working at Bacon’s Acres I learned many things from managing a kennel to keeping dogs happy and healthy. In regards to keeping a dog healthy, I quickly found out that there is more than meets the eye. There is a very fine line between feeding a dog too much and too little especially when they aren’t training as hard. At first, I thought that I was feeding them too little but I eventually realized that if I did feed them any more they would gain too much weight and it would put more strain on their joints. Nail maintenance is also important because if the dog’s nails are too long they can get torn and cause an injury. There is also somewhat of an art to trimming nails. You have to know which dogs are a little more squirmy than others and adapt to how each dog will react and get it done without cutting the nail too short. Taking care of injuries big and small is also a big part of taking care of the dogs. Before I got there Mimi had surgery to remove her infected uterus and while the surgery went well she still needed extra care to make sure she healed properly. Another thing that happened while I was there was Yoshi-Nomi’s nail falling off. While this was not as extensive as Mimi’s surgery it still needed monitoring and care. We cleaned the site with a warm salt water soak and put ointment on it and covered the foot with a bootie to prevent the ointment from rubbing off and to keep the injury clean so it didn’t get infected. 

Another thing I learned is that the dogs love getting brushed. I would walk out with a brush and the whole yard would be filled with wagging tails and smiling faces. Some dogs are more enthusiastic about it than others but most of them appreciated getting the extra fur off of them in the sweltering heat. They also love running around and playing in the pen we built for them. Some of my favorite memories are from sitting and watching the dogs running around and playing in something I helped make for them.

The most important thing I learned is that trust is key in the relationship between musher and dog. You have to really trust that your lead dogs know what they’re doing when you are out on a run and they have to trust that you will keep them safe and guide them to where they need to go. When you are running a team you have so many lives attached to you so you have to trust yourself to make the right calls too.

Though I learned a lot I know there is much more for me to discover and I am excited to come back and experience more. I love working with all dogs, especially the athletes at Bacon’s Acres. I have fallen even more in love with the majesty that is mushing from taking care of dogs to kennel maintenance. The hard work, the dedication, the dogs, the people and, yes, even the gross fish has shown me a small part of what it is truly like but has made me even more excited to come back and learn more.”

Written by Annie Coniam

20 dogs, 4 humans and 3 teams on a daytrip filled with fun

Lessons learned from today’s adventure:

Annika:
1. Have a BUFF (neck gaiter) on to keep your face warm

2. Put your drag mat up if the snow is wet and heavy

3. Bring a rain jacket if it’s warm and wet (extra gloves too!)

4. It’s helpful to have a couple people to turn a team around safely

5. If dogs aren’t getting along, rearrange them (in the team or in the dog yard)

Megan:
1. Get your stuff (personal gear, water, etc) out of your sled if someone is going to borrow your sled

2. Good layers make a BIG difference. Wool layers stay warm when wet. Down (& cotton) does not.

3. Remember to eat your snack to keep your energy up

4. Team work makes dream work!

5. Switch out gear if it gets too wet or too cold

MONDAY’S LESSON ABOUT THIS TRIP:

—> If you pack food (for dogs or yourself) in your sled for a day trip, always remember to UNPACK it & put it somewhere will it will not rot and hungry, curious animals can't find it. (Tricky found the smoked salmon in our sleds this morning.  )

Moving forward...

This weekend was filled with new experiences (on top of all the unexpected surprises Covid-19 is tossing our way)

—> Megan and Annika planned a run, and then set up, hooked up and ran from the yard without Kristin

—> Kristin and 18 dogs took Jeana and Jeff to Spencer Glacier (more later!)

—> Puppies, Widget and Wrangell, did their first run in harness

Lessons Learned 03/15/2020

Megan (35 yo newbie musher)

  • Be aware of your surroundings for: snowmachines, people, loose dogs, etc

  • Drink more water while out on the trail — stay hydrated

  • Slow down (or stop) for poor poopers (dogs)

  • Double check (sled, gear, temperature, snow conditions, when is sunset, how far is run, etc)

  • Change out lead dogs, if you need to

  • Trust your dogs (they sometimes can see/feel trails when you can’t)

  • Look for familiar landmarks (groups of trees, mountains, arched trees, etc)

Annika (14 yo junior musher)

  • Make sure the snow machine sees you before continuing on with your dogs

  • Always have enough water for yourself to drink on the trail (… the dogs too!)

  • Check dog feet after (& during) the run

  • Always check the temperature (dog coats? dog booties? too warm? too cold?)

  • Always have fun

  • Trust your gut

  • Bring hand warmers and toe warmers (and know where they are in your self)

Preparing for a run by Annika and Megan

Do you have / need? Sled, quick release, snow hooks (1-2), gang line, neck lines, tug lines, back up tie off for sled, extra gang line section, extra neck lines and tug lines, 2 carabiners, water for humans and dogs, small white water buckets for dogs, snacks for humans, snacks for dogs, head lamp, GPS, extra clothes (gloves, hat, gaiter, hand warmers, toe warmers, etc), dog booties, dog coats?, emergency bag, bag to organize extra supplies in sled, sun glasses, goggles, cell phone (charged) , map?

Next lesson: Sled repair kit contents, Sled plastic, Emergency Bag contents



IKIDAROD 2020

Sooo many smiles & giggles! 🥰Ikidarod 2020 was a huge success!! In conjunction with High Country Kennels, we were able to give rides to about 130 children and young adults, as well as their parents/caregivers/teachers/therapists.

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the fun this year:
High Country Kennels Dog Sled Tours, Ikidarod.org, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, Pete's Treats, Illusions Food Company, Don Mantey, Spectrum Medical Billing Services, Christina Rose, Elvina Osterle, Robert Sexton, Arctic Circle Enterprises LLC, Julie Kelly, Lynn Palmquist, Annika Wolfe, The Lents, KTVA 11 News & Jeana Spindle.

Race Day for Rookies

Lessons Learned from 3 Rookies

ANNIKA: 4-dog, 4 mile & 2-dog, 2 mile

  1. Have fun in the race

  2. Don’t stress out about who has what dogs

  3. There is a first experience for everything

  4. Pick two dogs you know are good leaders

  5. Always come prepared

  6. Trust your lead dog

MEGAN: 4-dog, 4 mile

  1. I can follow simple directions and get back to the kennel alone (with my dog team)

  2. Lists help to remember things

  3. Don’t leave Knox (my dog) in my car before the race starts because he chewed up my car seat

  4. Trust your instincts

  5. Make a list of what you want in your sled

  6. Dogs are powerful. Very strong!

JEFF: 2-dog, 2-mile

  1. I need more than two geriatric dogs for a two mile race

KRISTIN: kiddy loop full of laughs

  1. Don’t underestimate the fun you can have in a short loop

  2. It is very fulfilling to watch others succeed, especially when you know you had a part in it

Mushing Lessons Learned by Annika (14 years old) and Megan (35 years old)

February 15, 2020

20 miles, 11 degrees. Annika - 4 dogs. Megan - 5 dogs.

Annika:

  1. Never let go of the handle bar. (Dogs got away on a turn. Kristin caught the team. All was fine)

  2. Always put the snow hook in the right way

  3. Always have everything you need to run with (we practiced problem-solving with what we DID have in our sled when she got cold and didn’t have what she thought she needed)

  4. Keep your team at least a team length behind the person in front of you

  5. Watch your team (watch what’s in front of you, not behind you)

Megan:

  1. You can put your hand warmers in your liner gloves (against your skin)

  2. Remember to check for ice balls in the dogs’ feet (especially if their gait changes)

  3. Stretch after a run (good for dogs & humans)

  4. Make sure you know where you are

  5. Bring a small bag of gear with you: GPS, headlamp, dog booties, dry gloves, extra warmers, extra lines of all kinds, dry BUFF (face/neck gaiter), extra hat, snacks, etc

Through the Eyes of a Junior Musher by Annika Wolfe

Hello! My name is Annika and I am a new musher. I don’t have very much experience with mushing and asked if Kristin would be my mentor and help me learn how to mush. When I first met Kristin Bacon I was really nervous but when I got there and met Kristin I knew it was going to be fine. I do love Kristin dearly.

I first went around the dog yard and met every single dog she has 25 dogs!!! Some of the dogs names are: Mr. Paws, Little Bear, Tricky Mini, Miyuki, Jesse, Fairy, Pixie, Troll, Felon, Libby, June, and Crimson of course. These are the names of some of her dogs.

That first day I learned how Kristin feeds and waters her dogs. I learned how to harness a dog. The tricky part is figuring out how to flip the harness if it is inside out in places. I learned that harnesses come in different sizes and each dog wears a certain size harness depending on their size. It is very hard to put a harness on a dog that is jumping and excited. We got to harness up 4 dogs and hook them up to a cart and go out on a run. The cart has three wheels and no engine but it has a brake. For the rest of training in the fall we used a four wheeler. Kristin taught me how to drive the ATV. There was one week where I hooked up a 16 dog team which is the size of an Iditarod team and we brought them out. One of my fall highlights was getting to personally take out six dogs on the ATV by myself.

December 8th

I went out to Kristin’s on December 8. We still don’t have enough snow in Anchorage (or Big Lake) to run dogs (on a sled). We measured the snow depth- we have 7 inches on the ground but if you step on it the snow packs down to 1.5 inches. This is not enough to keep the snow hook in the ground. I learned that your main brake for slowing and stopping a team is a claw break that you step on.

I learned that even though there’s not enough snow on the ground there still more chores to do with dogs. We put a bunch of frozen salmon into big pots and added water to the pot to cook salmon stew for the dogs to eat.

Kristin has 2 puppies that are just over 3 months old. We bring the puppies out on walks- but the puppies are not on leashes so that they can run and explore. It’s good for puppies to spend time with people so that they will want to be by people when they are older. As the puppies get older their training will change. Right now the puppies are learning their names and some basic commands as well as manners. The puppies are Widget and Wrangle and they are both so cute! I learned that when they get a little bit older the puppies will get to try on and wear a collar.

January 26, 2020

Lessons Learned by Annika (14 years old)

  1. Don’t let go of the sled

  2. Make sure you know how to can hold on to sled and do things (untangle dogs, put booties on and do snaps) with the gloves you choose

  3. Make sure you know how to use a snow hook

  4. Always have hand and toe warmers

  5. Always have fun

Lessons Learned by Megan (Annika’s learning-to-mush buddy, not 14 years old ;) )

  1. Put the drag mat down before leaving the yard

  2. Don’t let go of the sled

  3. If dogs aren’t listening, slow down or stop until they listen

  4. Take extra gear with you

  5. Know your dogs

Bacon's Acres' Prayer Flag Project

♥️Prayer Flag Project♥️

It seems like a time when we could all use a little more hope, love & light-heartedness.

With inspiration from a weekend at Salmonfest with Tara, we decided to gather a big dose of connection, hope, positivity, creativity, love and peace by creating strings of prayer flags at Bacon's Acres from family, friends and fans.

If you'd like to be part of this collective project, you can: 
1. Visit us & create a flag while you're here
2. Find an inspiring fabric scrap (~8"-9") at home & decorate it, if you wish 
3. We can give/mail you some fabric pieces. Contact me if you want us to send you some fabric.

Mail your flag(s) to: 
Kristin Bacon
PO Box 521504
Big Lake, AK 99652

We'll keep you updated on the project. The first four are already dancing!

Thank you, Tara, Cody, Sara & Jarrod 🐾🐾🎉😘

INQUISITIVE KIDS 2019

INQUISITIVE KIDS 2019

It is so much fun to see the “fan mail” pour in from students around the country studying Iditarod, and using aspects of the race to learn math, science, writing, reading, etc. I have combined their questions and my answers from this year’s batch of letters to share with everyone. I have also included some beautiful art by Natalie, Mia, Madeleine, James, Kate and Lindsay.

ENJOY! … and thank you to all the students and teachers who cheered us on!!!!!