Lacey Hart Racing - Sled Dog Mushing

Meet the Sled Dogs – Tonks

Lacey — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:41:10 +0000

Name: Tonks
D.O.B: 7/26/09
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team

Lacey purchased Tonks and her brother, Lupin, from a fellow Montana musher in November of 2009. Tonks is known for the “screech” she makes when she is excited, and she absolutely loves to run on the team! She hasn’t been in any races yet, but she is doing very well in training. She can be easily distracted at times, but when she is focused, she is a great sled dog. She and her brother have great pedigrees, that are well worth checking out if you know sled dog genetics.

Tonks resting on Liam after a run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Lupin

Lacey — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:19:23 +0000

Name: Lupin
D.O.B: 7/26/09
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team

Lacey purchased Lupin and his sibling, Tonks, from a fellow Montana musher in November of 2009. He’s got a very good pedigree, and is a real sweetheart. Lupin is the largest dog on the team, and usually acts like a big puppy. He wants to be petted and loved by everyone, and often forgets that he’s 70 pounds. Lupin hasn’t been in any races yet, but he has been reliable on the team so far.

Lupin after a run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Squido

Lacey — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:12:37 +0000

Name: Squido
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Anywhere, lead especially

Squido is one of the 8 pups from the Pirates litter. All of his siblings are white, whereas he is black with white markings.

Squido is a very focused, reliable dog. Last year he surprised everyone when he decided to be a leader. He did a lot of leading this season, and brought his level-headedness to the front of the team, where he has been excelling.

Squido’s siblings are Jack, Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Barbossa, Ragetti, and Boots.

Squido in lead.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Barbossa

Lacey — Sun, 15 May 2011 06:22:57 +0000

Name: Barbossa
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team or Wheel

Barbossa has a bit of a unique story to him. Lacey believes that there are very few “unfixable” dogs, which paid off with Barbossa.

Barbossa is not very well known, even though he is one of the eight pups from the Pirates litter. He never had a glimmer of a chance of running on the Junior Iditarod team, or on any other races his first season. That’s because his first season, he refused to run.

Barbossa was scared of everything his first season: rocks (little ones the size of soccer balls to boulders), houses, fence posts, mail boxes, any animals (cows, horses, deer, birds, etc.), power poles, bridges, tall grass and weeds, trees, hay bales …. Basically, anything even mildly strange for him, and quite a few things that he saw almost every day. For whatever reason, when he was out with the team, he had an irrational fear of everything. Barbossa would do alright for the first mile or so, but on every single run, Lacey would arrive back at the dog yard with Barbossa riding on the ATV with her. He was very quickly removed from the team and training.

He was exercised and kept mentally stimulated for the rest of the season, and when it started to wind down, Lacey worked with him one-on-one to get him past his issues. There were no immediately noticeable results, but the next season he shocked everyone by making flawless after flawless run! Barbossa has never looked back, and been a part of the team since then.

Barbossa is a somewhat shy dog around strangers. At races, once in harness, he blocks the crowds out and is completely focused. Weak feet in the early season is Barbossa’s flaw. Early preventative measures can avoid those, though, and if he can be gotten through November, his feet are fine after that.

Barbossa’s siblings are Jack, Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Ragetti, Boots, and Squido.

Barbossa cooling off after an early fall run.

Barbossa cooling off after an early fall run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Hans

Lacey — Sun, 15 May 2011 05:49:59 +0000

Name: Hans
D.O.B: 11/6/05
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team or Wheel

Hans doesn’t get much spotlight because he isn’t a leader, but he is one of the very best dogs on the team. Hans has never quit. When all of the other dogs slack off, he is still trying to make it a little farther down the trail. He also has the great trait of eating whatever you put in front of him, no matter how tired he is. In fact, he has to be watched to be kept from eating his neighbor’s food while on the line!

He also loves to be petted. Hans demands attention from anyone standing within ten feet of him, and is often seen trying to entice a scratch from onlookers at races.

Hans was born via cesarean section in 2005, to Leah, a dog Lacey purchased from DeeDee Jonrowe’s kennel, and Badger, a hard-worker that also never quit.

Hans continues to run on and be a key member of the team, and is the main dog that Lacey uses in her school presentations.

Hans is the father of Jack, Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Barbossa, Ragetti, Boots, and Squido.

Hans (right) with son Squido (left).

Hans during a rest stop.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Boots

Lacey — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:47:15 +0000

Name: Boots
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Swing or Team

Boots is one of the eight pups from the Pirates litter.

Boots is a strong dog, and a hard worker when he’s focused. He’s got a very blocky, stout build for a sled dog. He loves to play games when you aren’t looking, and is generally a huge hit with the girls on the team!

Boots’ siblings are Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Barbossa, Jack, Ragetti, and Squido.

Boots relaxing after a run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Ragetti

Lacey — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:36:07 +0000

Name: Ragetti
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team

Ragetti is one of the eight pups from the Pirates litter.

Lacey’s said before that if she could have ten more like Ragetti, she’d have the perfect team. Ragetti is a real power house on the team, and has never ever quit. We’ve never even seen his tug line go slack! He’s another one of those dogs on the team that is rarely noticed, because he’s doing his job just like he’s supposed to. Ragetti is very driven and focused, and always ready to go down the trail!

Ragetti’s siblings are Jack, Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Barbossa, Boots, and Squido.

Ragetti, after a run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Pentel

Lacey — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:48:10 +0000

Name: Pentel
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team

Pentel didn’t make the team the first season he was capable of racing because he was too unfocused. He was much more interested in playing with the dogs beside and behind him, instead of running down the trail. His second racing season was better. He wasn’t quite as interested in the dogs behind him, but he still tried to play with them occasionally, instead of working. Despite that, Lacey decided to try racing him that season, and was shocked to discover that he did perfectly in races! Those habits have continued to stick with him. In training, he often exasperates Lacey and distracts the other dogs on the team with his playfulness, but at the races, he is focused and intent on going down the trail!

Pentel’s siblings are Lizzy, Jack, Calypso, Barbossa, Boots, Ragetti, and Squido.

Pentel on a training run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Jack

Lacey — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:45:17 +0000

Name: Jack
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Lead or swing

Jack is one of the eight pups from the Pirates litter, and it was Jack’s distinctive eye patch that decided the theme of the litter!

Jack is a very good command leader, and is always extremely eager to work. He will be training some of the yearlings to lead this fall.

Jack’s siblings are Lizzy, Pentel, Calypso, Barbossa, Boots, Ragetti, and Squido.

Just back from a training run.

Meet the Sled Dogs – Calypso

Administrator — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:15:49 +0000

Name: Calypso
D.O.B: 10/22/07
Pedigree: Click Here
Position: Team

Weighing in at a whopping 35 pounds after she’s had dinner, Calypso’s nickname around the kennel is “Mighty Mouse”. While she is the smallest out of the Pirates litter (by about 10 pounds), I wouldn’t describe her as a runt. She’s built like any of the other dogs in the kennel, just on a slightly smaller scale. And by all means, if you do choose to call her the runt, don’t let her hear you! Calypso makes her mind up about a person in about two seconds. She would never hurt a person, but she’s well-known for being very vocal when she decides she doesn’t like somebody.

Calypso may not have the greatest temperament around people, but she’s brilliant in harness. She can pull just as hard as some of the big males, but unlike some of them, she’s notice on the line because she’s always doing what she’s supposed to, and not goofing off. Calypso’s biggest negative is that she is impossible to run when she’s in season. She completely makes up for that when she’s working at her best though. The last thing to know about Calypso is that she has the biggest crush on Lager!

Calypso’s siblings are Lizzy, Pentel, Jack, Barbossa, Boots, Ragetti, and Squido.

Calypso during a race.

Lacey Hart Racing - Sled Dog Mushing

Meet the Sled Dogs – Tonks

Name: Tonks D.O.B: 7/26/09 Pedigree: Click Here Position: Team

Meet the Sled Dogs – Lupin

Name: Lupin D.O.B: 7/26/09 Pedigree: Click Here Position: Team

Meet the Sled Dogs – Squido

Name: Squido D.O.B: 10/22/07 Pedigree: Click Here Position: Anywhere, lead especially