Weekend Update by Arleigh Jorgenson 

Issue III - December 5, 2002

Yes, but what about one of those leaders that just wants to go.  You know the type, “Just show me a trail and I'm gone”.  This dog is high strung, the adrenaline flows through his or her brain at the drop of a hat.  Well, I have a leader like that.  His name is Sherlock...

Sherlock used to have a hard time dealing with open lake running without trail.  In his younger days he would prefer to follow the shoreline.  It gave him something visual to follow and would build his sense of security.  Teaching Sherlock what we meant with our commands, or building his ego, was not a very big part of the equation.  What we had to do was slow down those blasts of adrenaline to his brain.  With a dog like Sherlock, I think his driver needs to communicate as much paternalism as possible.  We have to give Sherlock the message that we are completely in charge, and we are completely confident in our control.  When Sherlock is called upon to make a decision he is unsure of, he will make a decision as quickly as he can, and you won't be able to talk him out of it easily.  He will not be rethinking his decision, he will simply want to get moving.  Running makes Sherlock feel confident and secure.

I'll tell you a story about running Sherlock several years ago.  We were running down toward the end of Poplar Lake.  Our day's run was nearly over but, as we got down to the end of the lake, there were two options that Sherlock was aware of.  One was to turn right into the southern bay to the portage leading to Boundary Country Trekking's Little Ollie Cabin, where we were to end the trip.  The other option was to go straight ahead into an eastern bay where we often finish at Sarah Hamilton's “Trail Center”.  Sherlock became totally focused upon going to see Sarah!  We needed to turn right.

I could see that I was in some trouble here.  The lake was hard packed, running anywhere was an option.  I couldn't simply lead him over to another trail option.  I had to convince Sherlock to change his mind.  I secured the sled well with my snow hook.  I didn't want to have the team pull the hook and force me to scramble to catch the sled, much less turn Sherlock on the run.  I took my time and put myself in a very laid back mode.  Sherlock was wild eyed.  He was leaping and lunging over and over.  As I walked to the front, I did so very slowly, talking soothingly and easily.  (I find that simply talking to the dogs in an instructional manner is a good way to go.)  A quiet voice is good, maybe even use a falsetto.  Female mushers - your gentle, higher pitched voice is an advantage here.  Sherlock was hearing me and seeing me as I came up.  I kind of laughed at him.  I was trying hard to diffuse the tension.  Sherlock and the team were providing too much tension; I provided the other side.  We had had a good day, the team had pleased me, and I was very happy with them.  It was important for me to show it.  As I reached Sherlock he swung way away from me.  He didn't want me to get hold of his harness.  He just wanted to go.  Back and forth he went.  I just took my time and continued to talk, chit-chat, such as “So you think we ought to go down and see Sarah, huh.  Well, that would be fun, but we can't go that way today.  We have to go back to Little Ollie.  It's all right big guy, just calm down”.  I worked my way forward up the gangline, and when I reached Sherlock, the first thing I did was get a firm hold on him so that I could touch him with a calm hand.  I got him into a position where he was standing tightly up against my leg on one side, with a calm, strong, and soothing hand on the other.  I didn't try to change his mind just yet.  I just tried to get the adrenaline to stop flooding his brain and let him feel my gentleness.  Sherlock needs to know that his driver is always calm and always gentle.  He doesn't want issues; he just wants to go.  After a few seconds of that, I simple took his collar and led him over to the right and pointed to the portage.  I simply said, let's go that way.  He took one look and turned his entire focus in that direction.  I got back to the sled and away we went.  Sherlock is not a sleaze ball.  He doesn't argue.  He just wants to go.  As he has grown in his confidence, I have found that talking to him before the trail choice comes is very important.  If I can tell him which way to go ahead of time, he's happy because he doesn't like the responsibility of making choices by himself.  In my opinion, this is a good idea with most leaders.  I talk to them “in complete sentences”.  I'll say something like,  “All right, Sherlock, we are going to go over to Little Ollie cabin today, O.K.?  We're going to go gee up here, all right?  Ya got that big boy, we're going to take a gee”.  And then when he gets to a point where he sees the options, I'll just say “Let's go gee now Sherlock, gee”.  As soon as he sees the portage, he will want to go there.  Then, I just praise him with an “Atta Boy”. 

It is important to stay away from power struggles with Sherlock.  And, absolutely forget about discipline for making a mistake.  If the team gets out of control, you just have to gain control as soon as you can and then calm everything down.  Don't do anything except soothe and calm your team.  A quick turn-around can result in a dangerous tangle, a fight that seems to come out of nowhere, or a leader who continues to bolt in the direction that seems to be working. 

I remember listening to Dr. Roland Lombard speak once, and he told a story I always enjoy.  Doc Lombard was a small, gentle veterinarian who had gray hair for as long as I knew him.  Many of us thought of him as an old man, long before he was an old man!  He told of a young man trying to give him some helpful advice one day.  The young man said, “Doc, you are speaking too softly to your dogs.  I don't think they can hear you.”  Dr. Lombard responded by saying that he didn't want them to hear everything he said!  He wanted them to have to listen really hard to hear him.  That was his way of getting them to pay attention.  When we have a dog like Sherlock in lead, we have to emulate Doc Lombard.  We have to be soothing, calm, and gentle.  Sherlock has developed very nicely, by the way, and now fully understands that the whole deal about running down a lake is to get to a portage.  He sees the big picture and will run right down the center with a pretty straight line.  He knows the portage will be at the end of a bay so, if we can give him the big picture from the sled, he runs with confidence and joy.  As we get closer, our commands get more specific, but they always direct him directly to the portage.  He's looking for it.  We just help him find it. 

On a similar subject - how do you teach a team to pass another team?  The same demeanor is required.  Diffuse the intensity.  Slow things down on purpose.  Speak calmly, confidently, and quietly.  The objective should be to give your dogs a pressure-free experience.  You want your leader to be thinking and responding to the situation that presents itself.  Do NOT try to FORCE your team by.  If you have a growly dog, speak his or her name softly and sternly as you begin to approach.  Let this dog know that your attention is on him, and speak to him all the way by.  If you are not sure this dog will behave himself, you will have to physically be beside the dog as the pass occurs.  Do not allow aggression to occur.  If you have to stop and let the other team go by, then do so.  If you are the passing team, run up beside the growly dog as you go by between your team and the other team.  Let them choose their way by, do not rush.  If you end up becoming tangled or bogged down, go up speaking softly and calmly.  If there is any growling going on, speak the dog's name, use as low a voice as you have, and be stern.  But, do not be loud.  He, or she can hear you.  Just be there; be fatherly, or motherly.  If you can get to a position where you can be in front of that dog, get there and establish eye contact.  If you have a free hand, point to the dog and speak his name.  Your calm is absolutely important.  They will follow your lead.  Concentrate.  Get your job done, but do not hurry and do not raise your voice.  Make it be a good experience for both teams emotionally. 

Problems will occur occasionally with passing.  Accept them, deal with them, and keep the pressure off your dogs.  Then, when you get into a race where the trail is wide and clear, you'll find your dogs will not hesitate to go by.  Good teams like to pass and get away.  They will just go because they have learned that passing is not a place where their driver gets uptight.  There is a difference between  being stern and being uptight.  Be in charge.  Be like an elementary school teacher, keep control of the classroom before things go wrong.  Keep your voice low and do not hurry.  And remember this bit of advice from George Attla, “The dog is never wrong”.  Help your guys get by and pretty soon you'll be a smooth outfit.