First Runs With the New Cew....

Thankfully the temperatures cooperated a couple nights this week and yesterday morning to allow us to get the new recruits out on a few runs. This in addition to trucking the dogs to a new trail made for some very pleasant running. Thursday night as we hooked up at sundown we were fortunate enough to get a little moonlight running in. I almost forgot how beautiful running a team of dogs at night is.



I must say the 4 recent additions to our kennel are truly spectacular dogs. Spelling and Nome run a very nice lead and the yearlings, Lucite and Zircon work their butts off. Not only that, just like the rest of our team they are super happy dogs and just love to be out running. I am also excited at how well everyone seemed to mesh and work together almost instantly like they have been a team all their lives. I should make special mention one dog that we have had for a bit now who is surpassing all of my expectations. Dove is just 10 months old and is already looking like a seasoned vet in the team. She is remarkable in every way although goes unnoticed often as she just does her job without any flair or drawing attention to herself. I hope some day to start grooming this girl as a leader. But for now we will just let her sit back and keep doing her thing. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised as we also have her Grandad Quinn in the kennel who is an exceptional dog in his own right.

First runs with the new additions.



Dove

In other news Michigan State barely squeaked by Northwestern Yesterday. But a win is a win and being 8 and 0 is pretty sweet!

Take care,

Tim, Briea, and Peyton Riley



4 New Additions to SBK

With 4 new additions to our kennel we are approaching a full dog yard. Let me tell you that it’s an amazing feeling! With the tour bookings already coming in for this winter, we anticipate a great winter with new friends. The days are getting colder as we wait for the snow to fly. I imagine when we get to harness and hook up a couple more dogs to the fall training line I will have the break on at all times as they drag me on the four wheeler like its nothing!

Lucite

Nome

Zircon

Spelling

Yesterday began with quite the adventure. I woke to the dogs going nuts as though they were hungry, so I went out and filled the water buckets and headed to the yard and quickly realized they were barking for another reason. Just as I looked up here comes a dog (Nome) running full speed right past me! I dropped the buckets of water and ran like a track star thinking “well there goes one of the new additions to the kennel.” Luckily we were dog sitting my mom’s dog Charlie who is a boarder collie. He quickly corralled Nome as he stopped long enough for me to grab his collar. Kudos to you Charlie! So now that we are all settled in and getting to know each of the new dogs, we are chomping at the bit to see them run.

Briea, Tim, and baby Peyton                         

 p.s. Peyton has chose to be a little bumble bee for Halloween!

Just can't get enough Fall

Fall has always been may favorite season of the year. There is so much going on in this time of transition and I love every minute of it. Lately we have still been picking away at odds and ends in preparation for winter here at the kennel. No matter what we get done from year to year there is always another large to do list that keeps growing with projects to be done.

Briea adding a coat of paint to the window trim

The trees right now are doing their best to hold on to the colors but are losing the battle fast with the wind forcing the leaves to the ground. I bet another week and it will be time to rake up the last of 2010's leaf litter.

Brieas Dad had a friend needing a home for 5 of his laying hens so we added them to the mix last week. These 5 coupled with the 3 from our chicks last year are keeping the fridge stocked full of eggs.

Looks like Omelet time!

Not having been on a certain stretch or two of the Ausable much this year we decided to slip the canoe in for another quick after work float last week. We made it a short one as Peyton joined Briea and I but I sure am glad we did. The river is in amazing shape and only saw one other canoe the whole way down. Peyton played peek a boo from her moms arms with me paddling in the back until she could no longer stay awake and fell asleep for the remainder of the trip.

I think she wants to paddle....

It amazes me how few people take the opportunity to get on the river this time of year. To me it is the perfect season for it. You are rewarded with mild temps, amazing views and wonderful wildlife viewing opportunity as they make their own winter preparations.

Cool air over night has me looking towards winter and getting the sleds out. If what all the old timers are saying is true we could have a long winter with a lot of snow. Lets hope so.

Take care,

Tim, Briea, and Peyton

Never Enough Time....

Well as usual Fall is here and there never seems like there are enough hours in the day to get everything done. We have been super busy here at the kennel getting the finishing touches on the new dog yard and last minute projects done to the cabin before winter. It has not been all work though. We have been getting the dogs out on quite a few runs. In fact I think we were able to get more runs in the month of September than I ever have. I also let Briea talk me into a couple nights of Walleye fishing last week. I sure do love those fresh Walleye in the skillet!

Dove and Myah sharing a drink

I love these guys!