# Trail Work



## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

This is a bit of a departure from the typical videos posted here. It's certainly not as interesting as the thread Mike has going right now on dual purpose testing nor as controversial as the Michael Vick thread either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAL3W_0v4p8

For the music haters (there was way too much wind noise on the video) if you want to skip over the video to see how far she ran, move to the end. I show the display at various times throughout the video for those interested in seeing how far or fast she was traveling at certain places along the way.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

very cool, thanks for sharing.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

WOW! Girl your livin the life. 
To think that the Iditirod dogs may run a hundred miles in a day.
My nephew, Maj in spec ops Marines is getting ready for a 300 mile race. He's an ultra runner and has done 75 - 100 miles a number of times.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

That is AWESOME!


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

what is the fastest you have clocked the dog at?


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> what is the fastest you have clocked the dog at?


This video is of her 3rd winter workout. When I started her, the first trip was 12.6 miles. From the onset I checked her top speed out and clocked her at 27 mph. On the way back about about 11 miles into the trip she hit 29 mph. I was surprised to see a 2 mph gain that far into her work out. Two weekends later after doing another 12.6 miles and then what you see in this one I checked her top speed out and this time it showed 31 mph which she did after running what you see at the very beginning of the video and that was about 1 mile at about 25+ and then another mile at 19-21 mph. I wicked it up and saw 31 mph sustained for a few hundred yards then I dialed back.

Bob, I went to the Iditarod twice to watch the dogs run before deciding to do this. I took some video of them and worked with the dog a bit over the fall to start prepping her winter work. I had a few goals in mind and decided that last weekend I'd find and then push her past her threshold. This coming weekend will be my last chance to put her on a trail like that.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

Nicole I totally admire you for this. It's really neat and it looks like she is having a blast!


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

That's an awfully nice compliment Katie. Thank you. Just know that I also hold you in high regard for your focus and commitment to training your dog in the capacity that you have in such a short amount of time. You've done very well with Danni and I'm thinking that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what you are going to do with your future in dog sport.

I figure a majority the membership here couldn't give two shits about videos like this but for those who do it pleases me very much to know that at least a few members enjoy them. One of these days, when my cabin is finished and I have no more projects to work on I'm going to start spending my weekends differently and hopefully I'll manage to get some ultra cool shots of the dogs in the mountains. Nothing like Jennifer's - I doubt anything posted here will ever top her pictures but nevertheless it'll be nice to get them out in a slightly different environment.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

Thank you Nicole. That's an extremely nice compliment as well! And I really, truly appreciate it. 

I love this type of stuff. I know it takes it's own great time and effort. I'm pretty active and I do exercise a lot but I'm no marathon runner nor could I train my dogs to do the same! It's really special and something I think is really cool. And even though I can only run or bike with my dogs, and even if you do make a sport out of it, I think it's one of the things the dogs love most. Just running and being dogs!


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## Ariel Peldunas (Oct 18, 2008)

Cool video ...and some beautiful country you've got to run her in. One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is run them next to the ATV. It's unfortunate that we don't have many wide open trails like that and there's a lot of mud this time of year.


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## Robley Smith (Apr 20, 2012)

Very cool, and the music fit. That lil girl just wants to go!


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Ariel Peldunas said:


> Cool video ...and some beautiful country you've got to run her in. One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is run them next to the ATV. It's unfortunate that we don't have many wide open trails like that and there's a lot of mud this time of year.


Well come up any time if you ever want to check Alaska out!

It's one of the things I enjoy doing most so I totally feel you on that. One of these days I need to get her out to Eureka or just some place further up North, it's truly gorgeous out that way. It's taken her a while to get trail sure and you can see that from time to time especially in the first 5-7 miles, then her head starts getting into it and she'll fall into a natural pace that works for her. 

The first part she pissed me off, which is why she got lift behind. If you don't go her pace initially she does stupid crap to try and get you to race her (barking, cutting you off, stopping, etc). She especially likes it when you jack off the throttle which always gives her a reason to take the lead and run hard. She reminds me a bit of a race horse in that regard and yes, I really did say that about the throttle. Who knows if it's a commonly used term in the states. I got it from a bunch of Slednecks and it's stuck ever since. 

Hey Robley did you happen to notice where she gets her nickname J Lo from? That little dog has a massive ass on her LOL.

I keep saying I am going to take up skiing but deep down inside I know that I am way too much of a motorhead to ever give up riding any kind of motorized machine with my dogs.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

All that running and I didn't see one Grey Wolf
what are you running from? ;-)


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## Ariel Peldunas (Oct 18, 2008)

Nicole Stark said:


> Well come up any time if you ever want to check Alaska out!
> 
> It's one of the things I enjoy doing most so I totally feel you on that. One of these days I need to get her out to Eureka or just some place further up North, it's truly gorgeous out that way. It's taken her a while to get trail sure and you can see that from time to time especially in the first 5-7 miles, then her head starts getting into it and she'll fall into a natural pace that works for her.
> 
> ...


My little terrier mix is awful about barking and cutting me off ...I keep saying I need to fashion a push bumper so I can teach him to respect the ATV. All three of them get to running and chasing each other and pay no attention to where they are going. I just have to get ahead of them and run the edge off of them before they settle in.

I'd love to come visit someday! Where in Alaska are you located? What do you do up there if you don't mind me asking?


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Wish I had a snowmobile or ATV. Just not within my means right now. I do get to run an 800 for my winter job, and occasionally get to bring the dog for a field day. She can run like a mofo.

Because of time constraints, snow conditions and distances at work I do sometimes have to put her on the sled. Finding a way to stand up ride with her on a mountain sled is a challenge, thank goodness she is small. What I have worked out is I have her lay down on the small seat and I straddle her standing up and can kind of pinch her in place with my thighs. This all sounds really creepy now that I am typing it LOL.

Anyway, she does not love it on the sled (she would way rather run), and the fact that I have bailed with her on the sled more than once does not up her trust in me:razz:

Nicole, take those pictures! Way to under promise....now you can over deliver I don't know how to use a camera, and don't have a good one. Some good scenery can make up for a lot of shortcomings !


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Pretty amazing seeing her run like that. Even at the end, she's still tail up and running strong and happy. Impressive!


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Ariel Peldunas said:


> My little terrier mix is awful about barking and cutting me off ...I keep saying I need to fashion a push bumper so I can teach him to respect the ATV. All three of them get to running and chasing each other and pay no attention to where they are going. I just have to get ahead of them and run the edge off of them before they settle in.
> 
> I'd love to come visit someday! Where in Alaska are you located? What do you do up there if you don't mind me asking?


I got kicked in the face by her a few summers ago. I thought carrying her would be easier than dealing with her biting on the Mastiff or trying to "herd" the 4 wheeler. I ended up with a bloody nose from that stupid idea.

Where am I located or do you want to know where this video was taken? Also, do you want to know what I do professionally or just when I am out of town? Either way I will answer: Anchorage and Alexander Creek, respectively. Professionally, I am a Licensed Customs Broker and manage a team of about 30 at a large corporation. I also own a tattoo studio. On the weekends or basically whenever I can, I go off the grid and work on my cabin.

Jen, I've got a lot of cool pictures to share but the only dog related ones I have are the ones I took when I watched the sled dogs run through two weekends ago. In your environment I probably wouldn't want the dog tethered to me but I have been looking at harness set ups for a while to carry the dog like a pack. That's mostly for the what if/emergency type situation like when she fell through the ice a few weeks ago.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Nicole Stark said:


> In your environment I probably wouldn't want the dog tethered to me but I have been looking at harness set ups for a while to carry the dog like a pack. That's mostly for the what if/emergency type situation like when she fell through the ice a few weeks ago.


I have experimented with tethering the dog to me already. I would do it on flat/wide trails that are just whup de doo'ed (like well used logging roads), making it so I can't just sit and ride the dog on my lap.

If you want to talk set ups for this at various price points, pm me. Love to hear what you have come up with as well. I will try to get some photos of set ups, but might be a bit.


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