Alaska Dogs and Iditarod Mushers

by Mike Dillingham

  “I would love to Randy, but I am not a good musher. I just get by,” Mike said. “But what I will do is get my friends Stan Smith and GB Jones to teach you. Stan and GB ran the big race to Nome twice.” Mike added, “If you are going to learn something, learn it from the best and Stan and GB are among the best.”

  “You really think they would help me?” Randy asked.

  “If you are willing to learn and do the work, I am sure they would be happy to coach you.” Mike said. “Think about it and let me know.” Mike continued, “Of course we will have to ask your foster parents, but I will do that.”

  Okay, Mister Mike, I will think about it and let you know,” Randy said.

  “Now you need to do me a favor,” Mike said. “You said you wanted to be a writer, remember? Well, I want you to write a story of what you did today. Can you do that?”

  “I think so, Mister Mike,” Randy said.

  “Nope,” Mike said. “Not I think so.”

  Randy picked up the hint and said. “I can do that and I will have it for you very soon.”

  “Those are the words of a true champion,” Mike said. “It is getting late and we better get you home. How about we put Ugly and Brownie on some leashes and they can walk with us?”

  As the four of them walked down the drive to the trail that leads to Randy's home, we all gathered in the yard to talk. “Awesome!” It was Christmas. “Randy was a very happy camper today. Sure makes me feel good that we could share the fun of trail running with him.”

  Yes, I thought, it is just awesome how much joy a random act of kindness may do.

  Christmas’ Aunt Sandy

  Now after the puppies came… Oh, I forgot to tell you about the puppies. Christmas had them. Yep, she had three of the most beautiful puppies we had ever seen. Well, that the gang had ever seen. Me, well that is a different story. However, the guys were great at describing them to me. I have a good picture in my mind of what they all look like. Mary named them Tundra and Stormy (they are twins), and Sky. Tundra is the biggest of the three. Tundra is mostly black with some brown markings. Her ears do not flop over. Stormy looks very similar to Tundra, but Stormy's ears do flop over and she is a bit smaller. Both look similar to Nitro, big and powerful. Sky looks like her mother Christmas, and has her mother's piercing light blue eyes.

  We do not know who the father is. It is not one of us. Mary decided that Christmas should have at least one litter. So a while back, Mary took Christmas and…. Well the rest is history.

  Of course, when we found out, we were very happy for Christmas. However, Sandy was really excited. Sandy never had puppies. She spent the better part of her day taking care of Christmas. Sandy would scold us if we played too hard with Christmas. She actually got Mike to let her stay in the yard at night with us. Now that is very strange for a housedog! Good thing it was springtime. Sandy would have a problem sleeping outside in the winter, when it is very cold. Besides having a thin coat, Sandy is sort of old.

  When the puppies arrived, Sandy was right there, taking great care of Christmas. Nitro, who is very good friends with Sandy, said that Sandy acted as if the puppies were her own. Wow, these pups had two moms and six grand uncles. Did I

  say that? Grand Uncles! I could feel the gray hair growing each day.

  A few days after the pups were born, Mike brought home a wheeled sled or training cart. Lakota said that it looked a little like a regular sled but had wheels on it. Mike told us it was made by his good friend Mike Fisher, who lives in Oregon and builds these sleds for dog mushing on the sand dunes down there. So now we can go sledding when there is no snow. I know that mushers use these things for keeping their teams in shape during the summer months. We do not run hard or fast because of the heat, but we can sure get a good workout with the wheeled sled.

  Young Randy was with Mike and he sounded very excited that we could go sledding in the summer. Randy had been reading us his stories about dogs and mushing. We were very impressed. They were very good. Brownie and Ugly kidded us that Randy's best stories are about them. Sure glad you guys were objective!

  Anyway, I was getting excited. Okay, come on, let us try this thing out. Mike and Randy headed to the warming shed to get our gear. As Mike set the lines out, Randy harnessed us up. I heard Christmas say she wanted to go.

  “No, child,” it was Sandy. “You need to get your rest and take care of your babies.”

  Doc added, “Sandy is right, Little One, you need to rest and take care of your pups, so that they will be ready to run with our team soon.”

  “You are right, Uncle Doc, I am a little tired,” Christmas answered. “Don't have too much fun without me.” Now was that a play for sympathy or what?

  Mike told us that we would head on down the road to Doctor Jim's place, about a half a mile or so, and then head back home.

  The wheeled sled was very easy to pull and before we realized it, we were at Doctor Jim's homestead. He and Sunny were out making house calls so Mike checked his house to make sure it was okay. We turned around in a big lot and headed back. We were just entering our driveway when I smelled it. Wolf! “Team. Stop. Down!” were Mike's commands. He wanted us to stop and lie down. “Bam, Bam.” I heard Mike's gun and then heard him jump off the sled and run to the kennel. “Randy, take care of the team,” Mike shouted.

  Lakota told me that there was a big wolf in the kennel and Sandy was down. Christmas was in her house with her puppies. Mike was kneeling by Sandy.

  I heard Mike talk very softly to her. He called Doctor Jim on the cell phone. After Randy took us off the gang line, we gathered around Sandy. Doc told me that Sandy was in bad shape, with many bite wounds. Nitro said the wolf was dead, but it looked like he had been in one nasty fight.

  “Sandy?” Brownie asked.

  “Yes, Aunt Sandy.” Christmas was crying. “That wolf dug a hole near the back corner and crawled in while we were napping,” Christmas said. “Aunt Sandy heard it, and I was ready to fight it but she told me to stay in my doghouse and protect my babies. I watched from the door. It was a real bad fight.” Christmas added, “No matter how nasty the wolf got, Aunt Sandy would not let him near my doghouse. I wanted to come out to help her, but she kept telling me to stay in my doghouse.”

  Christmas told us that they were still fighting when Mike shot the wolf.

  “What can I do, Mister Mike?” It was Randy.

  Mike had a hard time answering. “Let's get her into the warming shed. I do not think she is going to make it.” His voice was trembling when he said, “I don't want her dying here in the dirt. She is my housedog. I want to get her into a shed.”

  Lakota told me that Mike gently picked Sandy up and carried her to the warming shed. He placed her on blanket and let her rest on the straw.

  “Gang.” It was Sandy. “Are the babies safe?”

  Nitro answered, “Yes, the wolf is dead.” He added, “Mike shot it. You did good, Sandy.” You could tell that Nitro was choking back his tears.

  I heard Christmas burst into the shed, crying. “Aunt Sandy…”

  “Hush child,” Sandy said very lovingly. “It is time for me to go. Please listen very carefully to me. While Mike has a bond with the guys and especially Rivers, you child, will have a special bond with him as I do.” Sandy continued. “As these guys take care of him as their musher, you must take care of Mike as your human. You promise me to do that?” Sandy asked.

  “Yes Aunt Sandy, I will take great care of Mike,” Christmas answered, with tears in her voice.

  Then Sandy said, “Nitro, we never got to play the tugging game. I wonder who would have won if we did.”

  Nitro answered, “You would have. I am no match for a class act like you.” I thought I heard Sandy chuckle.

  “Rivers.”

  “Yes Sandy,” I answered.

  “I am glad you came into Mike's life. You are very good for him. So are the rest of you,” she said weakly to the rest of the team

  Lakota told me that Sandy raised her head up
a bit, looked right into Mike's face, and said, “You saved me many years ago. You took good care of me and gave me plenty of love and affection. You were a good companion to me. You made me happy. Thank you.” She nuzzled Mike's hand, laid her head in his lap, and then she was gone.

  I heard Mike sob “Oh, Sandy Girl, my Sandy Girl.” Doc said Mike just sat next to her stoking her head, crying softly.

  I heard the truck pull into the driveway, then footsteps running to the shed. Lakota told me that Doctor Jim and Sunny came into the warming shed.

  “I am so sorry Mike, I could not get here any faster.” Doctor Jim said.

  “I know,” Mike said. “She was badly hurt when I got here. I do not think we could have saved her. She must have tangled with that wolf out there. My Sandy Girl got between the wolf and Christmas’ puppies. Looks like Sandy put up quite a fight.”

  Mike continued, “Doctor Jim, would you mind taking care of that wolf out there and driving Randy home? I have some things I need to do right now.”

  Doctor Jim answered. “Sure, Mike. Come on Randy,” Doctor Jim said, “let's leave Mike alone.”

  I heard Nitro run out to the yard and start to bark and growl. I ran out with the team and Lakota told me Nitro was barking and tearing into the dead wolf. “If I had only been here.” Nitro repeated, “If I had only been here.” He was beyond anger. He was in full rage and none of us was going to stop him. I heard Doctor Jim say “Nitro, stop.” However, Nitro just ignored him and continued to tear into the wolf. Nitro was beyond listening.

  “Uncle Nitro, please stop.” It was Christmas. Brownie told me that Nitro looked at her and the fury was still raging his eyes.

  “Go away Little One,” Nitro demanded.

  “No Uncle Nitro, not unless you come with me.” Christmas replied.

  “Go away, I said,” Nitro repeated in a very menacing tone. Christmas walked up to Nitro and stood between him and the wolf. She stood face to face with him. Doc said, this meant that Nitro was head and shoulders over her.

  “What you are doing, Uncle Nitro, scares me,” she said. “The wolf is dead. It was not meant for you to be here to fight it. It was meant for Sandy to protect me and my babies.”

  Lakota told me that Nitro just looked at Christmas and moved around her to get to the wolf. Christmas again moved into Nitro's way. Again nose-to-nose, Christmas said, “Uncle Nitro, what you are doing is not right.” She then asked Nitro to stop and walk with her.

  This was getting very tense. We all wondered what Nitro would do. “Nitro, sit. Team, sit.” It was Mike. Lakota told me that he was in the doorway of the warming shed looking at us. We all sat, including Nitro. I heard Mike walk out of the shed and Lakota told me that he was walking towards Nitro.

  Lakota told me that when Mike was near Nitro, he knelt by Nitro and hugged him. Lakota told me that Christmas walked back to where we were. I heard her sit next to me. She was trembling.

  As Mike hugged Nitro, Lakota told me that Doctor Jim and Randy removed the wolf and carried it to Doctor Jim's vehicle and left. Mike started to talk very softly to Nitro. I do not think anyone could hear him except me, since my hearing is so keen.

  “Nitro,” Mike said very gently, “I know if you had been here that wolf would have never dug into the kennel.” Lakota told me Mike gently rubbed Nitro's head and ears. “I know you would sacrifice your life to protect anyone on this team. You are a true hero and champion, but venting your anger on that dead wolf proves and achieves nothing.” Lakota told me that Mike sat down next to Nitro, who rested his head in Mike's lap. “Nitro, do not blame yourself for this,” Mike said. “That is the same wolf that attacked Sunny when she was caught in that snare. Remember? I could have shot it then, but I did not. I allowed it to live.” Mike continued very sullenly, “If I had shot it, it would not have dug into the kennel and…” His voice trailed off. Lakota told me that Nitro lifted his head and started to lick Mike's face as Mike put a big hug on him.

  Lakota told me that they sat there for a few minutes. Then Mike got up and went to his workshop and we heard him start to build something. Nitro came back over to where we were and said to Christmas, “You are a very brave and wise dog, Little One. I am very sorry for scaring you.” He paused, and then added, “I am also very proud of you.”

  Christmas answered, “That's okay Uncle Nitro, I understand.” Then she said, “I have to go and feed my babies. You okay, Uncle Nitro?” She asked.

  “Yes, now I am,” Nitro replied. “Thank you.”

  As Christmas walked to her doghouse to feed her pups, Ugly asked Nitro what Mike had said that made him calm down. He told us.

  “You mean that was the same wolf that hurt Sunny?” Brownie asked.

  Nitro answered, “From what Mike said, it was.”

  “Gee.” It was Ugly. “I bet Mike feels terrible. If he had shot the wolf, then Sandy would still be alive.”

  “Yes,” I said. “Mike probably does feel terrible. Mike made the decision to spare the wolf's life. I wonder if Mike still believes that was a good decision.”

  “We will never know,” Doc answered. “At the time Mike made that decision it was a good one. There is no need to kill or destroy something unless you really have to, and at that time, the wolf was not a threat. Most wolves will not come near a kennel or bother a Husky since we are related. However, this wolf was unusual. Let's not judge all wolves by the actions of this bad one.” Doc said, “I am very sure that, if Mike knew that wolf would dig into the kennel, he would have shot it back then. But none of us knows what will happen tomorrow, do we?”

  The noise in the workshop stopped and I heard Mike walk out of the workshop and Doc told me Mike headed toward the warming shed. Lakota told me he had a medium size box in his hands. I bet it was a coffin for Sandy.

  We followed Mike to the warming shed and Lakota described what was happening. The box was a nice wooden box with Sandy's name on it. Mike fetched Sandy's blanket from the house and placed it in the box.

  Then Mike brushed Sandy's coat and made it shine. He placed Sandy in the box, wrapping her in her blanket. Mike put in Sandy's house toys and I heard him drop in a few biscuits in there. “So you do not get hungry on your trip across the Bridge, my Sandy Girl.”

  Lakota told me that Mike just stood there looking down at Sandy resting in the coffin. It was very quiet. I heard Christmas walk in and sit down. Soon Mike placed the top on the coffin. He carried it outside and placed it in the basket area of the wheeled sled. Lakota told me that the lines were still hooked to the wheeled sled. I just noticed that I still had my harness on. I guess in all of the excitement and sorrow Randy forgot to take them off us.

  Lakota told me that Mike put a harness on Christmas. “Christmas, you will be the lead dog.” Mike then hooked the rest of us up. Mike said, “Sandy always liked riding in the basket so let's give her one last ride, Team.” Then Mike said, “Okay, look sharp, let's go.” We trotted down the trail, made a turn, and came back. We circled the house and Mike halted us by a flower garden on the sunny hill across from the big house. Lakota told me that you could not see this garden from the kennel. We had never been here before.

  Lakota told me that the garden had many pretty flowers in it and a nice path that went by all around the garden beds. Behind the garden beds were some trees that blocked the wind and added shade from the afternoon sun. There was a bench or two. While I could not see it, I felt the peacefulness and beauty of this garden. It felt like a very special place.

  We stopped by a garden bed that did not have any flowers in it. Doc told us this was what the humans call a gravesite. After Mike dug the grave, and placed Sandy's coffin in it, he said, “Sandy, you gave your life to save another. You may never have run a race, but you were true champion, a real hero. See ya, my Sandy Girl.” Mike was still for a moment or two.

  Then Lakota told me that Mike turned to the rest of us in the team and said. “This is my special garden where all of you, my special dogs, will rest when it is time for you to
cross over the Bridge.”

  Mike then got on the runners of the wheeled sled and said, “Christmas, lead us home.” Lakota told me that Christmas turned to Mike, barked once, and led us back to our yard.

  Blindness of the Snow

  Rivers’ Christmas Story, 2002

  Christmas time was fast approaching and I was reflecting on the past Christmases that I had spent with Mike, Mary, and the team here at our home. I remembered the first one where we saved a puppy on Christmas Eve and Mike named her Christmas. She is now a part of our family. Then last year, I was able to see for one day. It was Mike's wish. That is when I met the little blind girl at the orphanage.

  We have gone back to the orphanage often this past year. My buddies played with the kids, but the little blind girl just sat by me, talking. She treated me like her best friend. I guess the other kids just do not play with her. I can understand that. For many years, I was alone also.

  While many of the kids in the orphanage have left, new ones arrived to fill their beds. Mike explained to me that the kids who left were adopted. They went to new homes with new parents. Sounds like what Mike did for me several years ago. However, Mike told me that he was very sad because the little blind girl may never find a forever home. People want well kids, not those with problems.

  That made me sad also. Wait a minute, I know. I will give my Christmas wish up for the little blind girl and hope that a nice family will adopt her. That would be awesome if that happened. Oh yes, the little blind girl would be very happy and so would Mike. What did he tell me, “It is better to give than to receive.” So that is it: I will give the little blind girl my Christmas wish.

  Whenever I really need something, my Guardian Angel Dog, Aurora Gooddog, shows up. Today was no exception.

  “Hi Rivers,” she said. ”What is this I hear about your giving your Christmas wish to the little blind girl at the orphanage?” I told her what I wanted. While I cannot see Aurora, I know what she looks like since I can see her in my mind's eye. Aurora sounded like she was not looking too happy.