Each Dog Is An Individual

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

It's one of the most fundamental principles we have of being "dog first" at SP Kennel: Each dog is an individual. We recognize their individuality, we respect it and we do everything we can to accommodate it.

Most of the time, a dog's individuality shows up in little ways: Where in a team they like to run, which other dogs they like to hang out with, how much they enjoy being handled by strangers, etc.

While getting media off of Aliy's camera the other day, I found a little gem of a video clip that I think really illustrates the dogs' individuality. Here's the set up:

When a team returns to the Kennel after a run, most dogs are pretty mellow and ready to chill out. They've done their work and they're ready to head back to their houses for a hot meal and a good, long rest. As a result, most of them will wait patiently to be unhooked from the line, either quietly standing around or even laying down. Usually their tails are wagging, but mostly they're pretty relaxed and low energy.

Except for this one dog we've got. No matter how far she runs, she's always full of energy when she gets back to the Kennel. As you will see, that's actually an understatement!

(I suspect some of you may have already guessed who she is…)