Mush!

No, I’m not talking romantic mush – yuck!

Dog sledding mush!

Terry Lynn Johnson’s first book, Dogsled Dreams, was released a few weeks ago. She’s a fellow blogger and super nice person, so I asked her to tell me a little more about dogsled racing. She also listed signs of dogsled addiction guaranteed to make you laugh! So please welcome Terry…

Dogs ran my life for over twelve years.

Yes, the term “musher” usually means someone who runs sled dogs, but I found it was the other way around. And I think most mushers would agree.

To own a team of dogs is all or nothing. You must be completely committed to them, because they give you everything in return. When I wasn’t on the trail, I was dreaming about dogs, planning events with the dogs, weighing dogs, inspecting dog feet, cooking for dogs, picking up dog poop, grooming dogs, studying dog charts, or talking about dogs.

At a dogsled race, you will see the results of months of running together – alone, often at night, through mud, then icy trails, then finally snow, and blizzards. Years of living and working together, creating strong bonds.

The relationship mushers have with their dogs is more than that of a pet. I have had several pet dogs. I’ve never seen any of them look at me the way one of my leaders have. I know that dogs – all dogs – seem to have the ability to look into your soul. But I simply can’t explain the understanding that reflects back from the eyes of a sled dog. I’m sure it’s the same with any working dog. The dogs seem to relish they have a job. They are relied upon. They are needed and have responsibilities – especially lead dogs.

Dogsled racing isn’t really about going fast down a trail.

I hope that in my novel DOGSLED DREAMS, I show that relationship and help people understand why anyone would want to do this crazy thing. You can read the first chapter and more at my site, Terry Lynn Johnson

So that you don’t think I’m just some weird anomaly who had a strange, unnatural attachment to her dogs – here's what other mushers said about their dogs on a forum on Sled Dog Central.


You know you have a problem with being addicted to dogsledding when:

You spend more time reading the labels on dog food bags than you do your own food.

You sleep with the window open to get used to the cold.

You think dog hair is a food group.

Checking dog poop for consistency is no longer weird.

You have your favorite sprint sled in your living room so you can study it.

After a heavy snow, you dig out the dog yard before the driveway or front steps.

You change the straw in the dog houses more often than you change your bed sheets.

When you can tell which dog is barking in a kennel of 40 dogs.

The second you think, “I have four, what difference does two more make?”

To order DOGSLED DREAMS -
Barnes and Noble
Amazon Canada